Sons of Anarchy Recap: “Stolen Huffy”
Original Air Date (FX): Tuesday October 2, 2012
Season 5 Episode 4
As Kurt Sutter himself said in a phone interview last week, “…the death of Opie will color the rest of the episodes for the rest of the series. It’s not a death that will happen in vain.”
“Stolen Huffy” begins on the open road, as the Sons escort one of their own back home in a hearse. The death of Opie will undoubtedly loom over Jax for the remainder of this show; reminders are bound to be everywhere as we see him glance back at two young boys on the side of the road. It’s a necessary and brilliant moment, while we watch Jax (even in that split second) remembering how he and Opie used to be — and wondering when the hell things went so wrong.
Speaking of wrong, meanwhile, Gemma wakes up in prison with a gaggle of high-priced hookers. But not to worry, help is on the way in the form of Jax’s ex-wife Wendy (Drea de Matteo). “You must really be out of friends if I’m your emergency contact number,” Wendy tells Gemma before asking for the bond money back. And she isn’t wrong, Gemma’s list of friends (people she can call when she gets thrown in prison for Assault and Battery) is rapidly dwindling. Nevertheless, Wendy seems to still be on board with a (cautious) partnership with Gemma, and tells her she’ll take care of the mess she created with Tara when she threatened to take Abel away. Always one to help, Gemma then tells Wendy that Jax is the one she should be worried about. “You are still the woman who tried to kill his first born son.”
Back at the club, Jax and the rest of SAMCRO arrive with Opie’s body. Tara and the boys are there waiting for him, but the reunion is bittersweet. Arrangements still need to be made to take care of Lyla, and Gemma doesn’t even know what happend.
Back at the table, Jax speculates on why Opie decided to die; he says he had been looking for a way out since Donna was murdered (by Tig and Clay, for those who may not recall). “He went out a warrior,” he says, which is exactly what Sutter said himself about Opie’s death. But it’s all business from this point out as they discuss the deal Jax made with Pope, and what comes next. They vote, and Jax’s deal stands.
In spite of Opie’s death, one of the main plot points in this episode revolves around the brothel. After being reported to the police in last week’s episode, all the women are arrested, and Nero is served with an eviction notice. But who reported them to the police? Everyone’s best guess is a call girl named Emma Jean (played by Ashley Tisdale), who Gemma beat senseless after catching her in a “therapy room” with Clay. As expected, this causes all kinds of drama with Nero’s crew, who want to teach the other girls a lesson about rats by murdering Emma Jean — who’s holed up in a motel somewhere. What to do? That’s easy, call in a favor from Jax.
Although this episode doesn’t get into it entirely, it continues to foreshadow upcoming problems with Wendy, who constantly seems to be flirting with the idea of either suing for custody, or forcing some kind of visitation arrangement so Abel can understand she’s his birth mother. But Tara’s not having it, and Jax is certainly not having it.
Gemma and Clay are at it again, and after they resolve to hate each other from a distance (for now), Clay inadvertently reveals Opie’s death to her. Once again, just like it was with Jax and Tara’s wedding, Gemma is on the outside, finding these important things out accidentally, and second-hand. Jax, in both cases, never puts her very high on his list of priorities. Look for this potential rift to continue to play out as the season progresses.
And just in case you thought this episode was all emotional conversations and no action, never fear. After Jax picks up Emma Jean at the motel, they’re chased by two members of Nero’s crew who just happened to be told exactly where Emma Jean was. Jax goes down on his bike, and they eventually agree (during a gun standoff) to let SAMCRO kill Emma Jean. Of course, that’s not what they’re going to do, but they are apparently going to have to come up with a thumb and a dismembered breast to prove it. Just another day in the City of Charming.
One of the most touching parts of this episode belongs to a scene between Lyla and Jax, where Lyla is distraught not only over the loss of Opie, but how she’s going to manage to raise three children (hers, and two of Opie’s) all on her own. When Jax tells her to rely on family, Lyla’s first reaction is to tell him how far away her family is. He then points to all the people who showed up for Opie’s wake. “That’s your family,” he says. “Anything you need, you just ask. Anyone says no, they answer to me.”
Just before we say goodbye to Opie, Jax and Nero make a deal. Partners in the high-class hooking business, on the condition that Nero cuts Gemma off for good. While slightly reluctant at first, the man knows a good business deal when he sees it, and agrees to Jax’s terms. Which aren’t bad terms considering the next scene involves Gemma and Tara beating the crap out of Nero’s “secretary”, because it turns out she’s the reason Nero’s crew caught Jax and ran him off the road.
But the rest of the episode belongs to Opie, as it should, giving the Sons, Lyla, and even the audience a chance to say goodbye.
Each Son puts something in the casket, until Jax is the only one left. He tucks a picture of the two of them together as kids in Opie’s cut, just like the two they passed on the road in the beginning of the episode. “I’ll see you later, brother,” he says.
The Sons then carry Opie’s casket back to the hearse (as “Lost Boy” by Greg Holden plays) in a montage you have to watch for yourself. And it’s all brought home by another incredible performance by Charlie Hunnam. The full weight of Opie’s death is all right there on his face.
And, with that, “Stolen Huffy” comes to a close.
In spite of the motorcycle/car chase and beating a woman senseless, I think we were given somewhat of a reprieve from the chaos that’s reigned on SOA since the premiere episode. What comes next? Don’t forget, we still need to discover why certain folks are breaking into people’s houses, beating people, and stealing things…
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