Should Gemma cozy up to Clay? Just how dark will Jax go? Is Lyla's porn career in jeopardy?
In this edition of the Sons of Anarchy Round Table, TV Fanatic staff members Matt Richenthal, Chris O'Hara and Carla Day are joined by Xiomara from Sons-of-Anarchy.net to tackle these pressing Ablation-related questions and more...
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What was your favorite scene from the episode?
Matt: The rooftop shooting. I'll expand on this below, but it was seriously unexpected and bad ass. Not so much that Jax shot the guy, but that he did so with such an icy cold look of revenge and steel.
Chris: I liked the argument Nero and Jax had. It was a good reminder for Jax about what his goals are. He needs to get going on that end game. So far the blood spilled is outweighing the revenue collected.
Carla: When Jax presented Gemma with her options: Spy on Clay and have a family or don't do it and lose everything. What happened to the Jax that had a moral center and wanted to get out of the club life? This brought back images of Gemma being gang raped all over again.
Xiomara: It's a toss-up. Tara punching Gemma was long over due. However, Jax looked sexy cutting up the man's hands. Sadistic Jax is sexy Jax.
Should Gemma accept Jax's offer in regard to Clay?
Matt: No. She should run away with Nero. Can you say spinoff, TV Fanatics?!? The Queen and The Companionator.
Chris: She really doesn’t have a choice if she wants to be in her grandkids' lives. She has used up all her lifelines when it comes to Tara’s trust.
Carla: Oh man. She doesn't have a choice, does she? Jax's demand on the face is difficult to accept, but in the big picture it's what has to be done. It's too bad Jax presented it in the way that he did. If he would have asked for her help instead of demanding she whore herself out to her abusive husband, it would have been more tolerable.
Xiomara: Yes, if she wants to get back in her son's good graces. She better start making Clay feel like a king.
Are you buying Juice's allegiance to Clay?
Matt: Not really. The problem may be that I never bought the whole my-father-was-black-and-this-means-I-am-totally-screwed storyline in the first place. It's pretty evidence SAMCRO wouldn't have cared, yet consider all that has led to for Juice. It's affected his credibility all around in my mind.
Chris: Juice is on the ropes. Seems like a bit of a stretch that he still comes off as so naïve, but if a senior member like Clay tells you how things are, I guess you would have to believe him.
Carla: I don't think he has an allegiance to Clay. When Clay got out of the hospital, Juice helped him, but there's no loyalty there beyond both being club members. Though, now that Juice revealed his secrets to Clay, he is in a sticky situation. In the end, I think Juice will come clean about his deeds and Clay's to Jax.
Xiomara: Clay is a sneaky rat. He will use Juice's confession to his advantage at one point or another. Why isn't he dead yet?!?
Do you like the darker Jax?
Matt: Most definitely. The death of Opie set him down a path where he kills in cold blood, makes deals behind the backs of fellow club members and has seemingly abandoned all plans to depart Charming. It's been fun to watch.
Chris: I am loving Jax this season. Throwing that hired gunman off the roof was wild. Like Omar Little said: “You come at the king, you best not miss.”
Carla: Not really. I miss the days of Jax wanting to be better and do better for his family and the club. I wish we'd see more than a slight glimpse of that Jax. It's becoming more and more difficult to see him as a positive protagonist. He's spiraling out of control
Xiomara: Yes and no. I like that he is taking more action instead of whining about things. He is also protecting his family more instead of being manipulated left and right by Gemma. Unfortunately, this darker Jax is following the steps of Clay more than John and I personally don't like it.
Will Lyla ever act in porn again?
Matt: Because of the gun shot wound? I mean, I don't wanna get too explicit here, but I don't think a porn star's hamstring is the most necessary body part. Her knees and her back still work, right?
Chris: Oh, without a doubt, if she so chooses. I’m sure Nero has a plastic surgeon in his client rolodex.
Carla: There's got to be a market for people with a fetish for bullet holes, right?
Xiomara: In honor of Opie's memory, I don't think she will.