Our episode breaks with Tara sleeping the baby’s room, awaking to the sound of his cries of hunger. After checking on Abel, she finds Ratboy in the kitchen, waiting to start the morning’s surveillance. She asks him to leave the house while she feeds the boys, clearly uncomfortable with the intrusion the club is making in her life. He tells her that Jax doesn’t want the boys at daycare any more. The pressure on Tara is building.
Out on the road near the Caltrain line, Jax, Chibs and Patterson meet about the plan to capture Galen. She presents him with the immunity paper work which is ready to file, but lets Jax know that he needs to deliver Galen before she does anything to help the club. Jax gives her a location on the Stockton docks where Galen will be between 11:00 and 1:00pm. When she departs, Chibs cryptically wonders if SAMCRO is ready for what is coming next.
At Gemma house, Nero and Gemma are musing what comes next for Wendy. Nero (from his own experience), tells Gemma that Wendy needs proper rehab. Gemma relates that she just wants to do something right by Wendy “for a change.” Nero continues on to press Gemma about giving forgiveness to Tara. Kudos to Jimmy Smits for well-crafted scene where Nero describes his anger over his baby’s mother’s use of drugs during her pregnancy with her son, which led to his current congenital problems. But he also relates his sorrow in never forgiving her when she was alive. Gemma understands the reason in his words, but says she can’t forgive Tara.
In lock up, Clay is taken from his cell and prepared for transport. At the same time, we see the club massing its forces to spring Clay.
Tara shows at the garage, leaving the boys with Unser while she checks in with her new lawyer. Unser tries to apologize about how things have turned out, telling Tara her heart was in the right place. She replies it never mattered where her heart was.
After the break, the club rolls into the location where the Irish have set up preparations. Connor tells them that Galen is at the airfield and that he will be running the op to spring Clay. Chibs vouches for Connor’s capabilities from their old days together in the IRA. Connor relates the plan, involving the use of delivery trucks to block and ram the two vehicles that will be used to transport Clay. The club will then spring him out with the armor piercing weapons that the Irish have brought for this job.
The club goes through some target practice and then loads up to take their places. Jax pulls the newbies aside and reminds them their assignment in the master plan. They assure Jax that they’re ready.
At the Stockton Port, Eli, Patterson and a host of SWAT and tactical units are waiting for Galen to show. As Eli watches the docks, the newbies show with a few Irish. Patterson orders the units to be ready to move in as soon as Galen shows. When Eli’s lieutenant asks him how this will go down, Eli answers that the only way this operation ends is badly.
At the hospital, Tara meets with her new lawyer. He lays down the bleak facts. Her false statements in her divorce could came back to her in the criminal case, undermining her credibility. She asks if he is telling her to choose between custody of her sons or going to jail. He tell Tara that both outcomes are in doubt because of her actions.
At the garage, Gemma arrives and ends up in a heart to heart with Unser. He argues for her to let the grudge she bears against Tara go in the same manner she has now mended fences with Wendy. Gemma states that she can raise the boys just like she did with Jax. Unser flatly tells her that its no longer 1967 and that the romantic ideal that founded SAMCRO is long dead, replaced by guns, murder and double-dealing. She asks him why he stays. He finally verbalizes what’s been evident for years. He stays because he is in love with Gemma and that he’ll always stay.
At the ambush site, Jax and Juice await the sentry’s call in their truck. When Jax sees the spacey look in Juice’s eyes, he asks him if he’s mentally there in the moment. Juice replies that he’s not having a meltdown, which leads Jax to says he wasn’t implying that. Juice then relates that he wants prove that he can be “one of the good guys,” not necessarily moral, but someone who can be trusted. He feels the other guys think he’s shaky. Jax assures him that he can still prove himself.
The call comes from Connor. Clay’s transport is coming into range. With a flash of calls, the club springs into action, tracking down the two transport vehicles and taking them off the road. The armored vehicle that has Clay is swarmed by Jax, Juice and the Irish. As the CO’s inside are trying to determine what to do, Jax puts a few armor piercing bullets through the windshield to convince them to back down. Clay is shocked to see Jax at the door when the back doors are open. He asks where the Irish are. Jax answers “In Ireland.”
Back at the docks, Patterson and the cops find out that they’ve been had as the call about the ambush comes over the wire. Fuming, she has the group roll out to find out what’s going on.
At the ambush site, one of the sheriffs decides that it’s time to play hero rather than collect his workman’s comp check. As the group is making their get-away, he draws down and shoots Bobby through the passenger side window. Juice promptly runs the guy over and the crew makes their escape.
The heist crew makes its way to the secluded airstrip where Galen awaits. Jax has a call put into Tara to help save a bleeding out Bobby. Clay hugs Juice in gratitude for his freedom. Half the crew helps the Irish load the crates of KG-9’s while Clay, Jax and Chibs go to meet Galen and his bodyguard. Galen and Clay greet like the old comrades in crime that they are, with Galen remarking that they will do great things together now that Clay is free.
That is when, Crow lowers, everything hits the fan, Sutter style.
Just as Clay and Galen finish hugging it out, Jax and Chibs draw down and shoot Galen and his bodyguard in their respective heads. A flabbergasted Clay staggers back as the two pump the Irish run-runners full of their own bullets. As he confronts Jax about what the hell is going on, Jax gleefully relates that this was part of the club’s plan all along. The knowledge dawns in Clay’s mind that he is not leaving this airstrip alive either.
Tara and Gemma, driven by Nero, arrive to the airfield. Tara in her quick assessment of Bobby says he needs more attention than she can give onsite. Jax orders him taken to the Cabin. As the marching orders are being given, Clay comes out to see Gemma. He tells her he’s glad she has someone to be with going forward. Jax darkly breaks up the reunion by asking Clay how he would handle the double cross SAMCRO has just pulled on the Irish. Clay half smiles and tell Jax he needs to make it look like a old grudge got played out with gunfire and plant the guns on the dead bodies. Jax says that sounds perfect as they lead Clay back into the office.
Inside the office, Clay turns to face his assembled group of assassins, composed of his adopted son and the men he once led. Tig hands Jax a Nine Mil. He gives one last glance out of the office’s window out to Gemma, who looks on in horror (much to our surprise).
He then turns to face the absolute hatred in Jax’s eyes. After a moment of incredible tension, the Prez pulls the trigger. The shot to Clay’s neck bring out a stream of blood into which he falls after a moment of struggle. Jax comes forward, stands over a dying Clay, and empties his gun with terrifying coldness. An image not lost on a transfixed Tara who also watches on.
After the break (and after we’ve all taken a breath), Jax goes out and asks his mother how she doing. A clearly shaken Gemma tries to be supportive but we see she’s struggling with the fact that Clay is dead and that she’s seen her son turn into a ruthless murderer before her eyes. Nero is more reticent, understanding now more than ever that Jax is ruthless, perhaps even unstable. Jax, back in calm mode, tells him this is the last nail in the coffin for SAMCRO getting out of guns. Tara seems cowed for a moment, but stops to give Jax a mysterious hand-squeeze, almost as a sign of support. The trio heads for the hospital to grab some supplies for Bobby’s surgery.
In the car, the mix of emotions is on full display. Gemma is a mess, shocking herself with the emotions she is feeling over Clay’s demise. Nero is flustered. Tara is almost happy as she relates to Nero the twisted road that led to Clay’s death. She even comforts Gemma to the extent she can.
While the group makes its way down to the hospital, Patterson calls Tara asking her for a meeting. Given the days events, the deal for Tara to snitch is back on. Tara cooly says she can meet her at her office. When Nero questions about who has called, she tells him it’s her lawyer.
Back at the airstrip, Connor meets a strange scene as Jax and Chibs escort him into the office where Galen and Clay lie dead. Connor starts to retaliate but Jax cuts him off and prevails on him the wisdom of keeping his cover story. Galen and Clay killed each other and the Kings never have to know otherwise. Connor asks if Jax really thinks he can get away with scamming the Kings. He replies that its in everyone’s interest, including Connor’s, to make a new deal with Marks and the One9er connection in order to keep the Chinese from coming into the gun business. They may not like the terms racially, but Marks will make them money.
Jax says that Connor should look at Galen’s death as a promotion. Connor says he will call the Kings and relay the cover story. The club then leaves the case of KG-9’s with Galen and beats feet away to the Cabin.
At the hospital, Tara meets with Patterson and Eli. Patterson relays that she can get her witness protection if she can link the club to a federal crime directly. Tara asks if she pulls a bullet out of a club member that came from the morning’s ambush, would that qualify? Patterson says yes. Tara tells her she will have her bullet by tomorrow.
As everyone makes it to the cabin, Tara performs her battlefield surgery on Bobby, getting the bullet and the other fragments from his shoulder. The group is overjoyed that Bobby will survive and doesn’t notice when Tara palms the bullet and fragments.
The day ends with the kids at Gemma’s (along with an awkward moment as Unser sees the boys bonding with Nero)… Connor is struggling with calling the Kings… And Jax in a final attempt to right his wrongs apologizes to Tara for all the things his lifestyle has forced her to do. A speechless Tara watches Jax get up and leave her room at the Cabin. After closing the door, she stares down at the bullet she pocked, wrestling with her next move.
Whew! What do you think, Crow lovers? Will Tara finally turn snitch to save her future and that of her boys? Of will next week’s finale see a darker fate for SAMCRO’s favorite doctor? Has Unser’s profession of love changed things for Gemma and Nero?
We also have to say goodbye to Ron Perlman and his awesome six-season performance as Clay Morrow. Did Clay get what he deserved? Or would it have been better if Jax had shown mercy?
And don’t forget Happy and Jax’s promise to the Triad. What will happen when the Chinese find out that they’ve been doubled crossed as well as the Irish? Stay tuned as Season 6 ends with Episode 12!
Comments are closed.