Sons of Anarchy "Suits of Woe" Review: One Long Reaction Video

Sons of Anarchy S07E11: "Suits of Woe"

We're almost there—we've only got two episodes left in this long, crazy ride. But while there are sure to be plenty of (extraordinarily violent) fireworks as Sons of Anarchy calls it a series, this week's "Suits of Woe" left both Tim and Kaitlin crying like little babies. Yep, it was just that emotional. In fact, they're still trying to sort out their feelings, if you care to listen...

TIM: [In whispering hushes] *pssssst* Kaitlin. Between the outlaw-rock soundtrack, revving engines, screaming and shouting, indiscriminate gunshots, and the occasional sploosh of an eyeball being scooped out of its socket, I typically think of Sons of Anarchy as a "loud" show. But "Suits of Woe" was eerily silent... there wasn't even a terrible cover song blaring during the opening montage! I don't know about you, but when I get quiet it means one thing: I'm being very serious. And "Suits of Woe" was super serious. Why? Because Jax found out that his dear mum murdered his dear wife with a BBQ fork. That was kind of a big deal.

KAITLIN: Jax finally discovering the truth was the single most important moment of Sons of Anarchy to date. We've been waiting for Jax to learn the truth for the last 10 weeks, but the weight he's been carrying lately is really the culmination of everything that's happened over the last 89 episodes and arguably his entire life. Jax spent most of "Suits of Woe" trying find Gemma so he could get some answers, but I'm not sure my nerves could've handled that confrontation this week. Every scene was laced with tension, and by the time Jax was crying big manly tears in his father figure's arms and talking about how, in spite of all the pain, death, and wreckage, he still loves his mother, I was emotionally exhausted. "Suits of Woe" was on-point, and despite its length, it might be one of my favorite episodes the show has ever done.

TIM: I'm guessing that Sons of Anarchy's writers ALSO think it was one of the most important things the show has ever done, because once Jax learned the truth from Juice, "Suits of Woe" was like one of those internet reaction videos. It was one scene after another in which someone learned that Gemma killed Tara and made a "holy shit" face. Normally, that sort of thing would've been more of the same, slow repetition that Sons of Anarchy is known for, but it was such a monumental moment that it didn't get old. And it was a reminder that Jax isn't the only person who's affected by Gemma's actions. Her secret ripped the club apart and made them realize what we've been thinking all season long: everything they did this season—the murders, the frame jobs, the deception—was all built on a lie, and their den mother was the source of all their problems. HOO BOY! I guess they were right to be scared of Gemma.

KAITLIN: I think Jax said it best: "I'm sorry that the family I was given has created so much chaos in the family I've chosen." That should be the tagline for the entire show.

All season long, I've flip-flopped on championing Gemma's death, but I'm no longer sure that death is what she deserves. So much blood has already been spilled because of her; I'd rather see her pay for what she's done while rotting alone in a jail cell, without the son she tried so desperately to keep near to her. Jax is planning on taking full responsibility for everything that's happened, including Jury's death, but what does that mean? A Mayhem vote that could leave Jax dead and his sons in Wendy's care? Or Jax taking the fall and spending his life in jail? Or Jax finally doing what Tara had wanted to do all along and leaving SAMCRO and Charming behind? It would finally stop this horrific pattern from repeating itself in the next generation (which Gemma clearly doesn't foresee, considering she gave JT's ring to Abel for when Abel becomes a member), but is that the story Sons of Anarchy is telling? Is that the ending I want to see? Is everything and everyone doomed to repeat the sins of their father? I don't know, man.

TIM: If Jax is doomed to repeat the sins of his father, does that mean he's going to run his bike into a semi truck? Or is he going to write a book about how to change the MC for good and then never successfully make any of those changes because the club is its own beast? Neither of those options seems like a happy ending, and based on where we are now, I don't think there will be a happy ending. This final season has been one slow, bloody build to the truth coming out; it hasn't been full of surprises, so I don't expect it to start surprising us now. The only question has been, "How far will Jax go in using Tara's murder as an excuse to kill everyone in town?" and now we know the answer: "Pretty damn far." We're staring tragedy in the face, and the "best" option is for Jax and Wendy to take off with their kids (whether they want to make it a romantic adventure is up to them). That would still leave a motorcycle club without its president, a family without its grandmother, and basically everyone without atonement for the violence that got them to this point. I don't think I ever expected a happy ending from Kurt Sutter, but I do think the underlying message of the series will be family over "family." I suspect that Jax will do the right thing and get his kids out of Charming, because even he realizes that when your mom kills your wife, it's time to leave that life behind before it kills you, too. Am I being too optimistic here?

KAITLIN: Lin is dead, Juice has finally accepted the fact that he'll pay for helping hide Gemma's involvement in Tara's murder, and once the club takes care of Barosky for selling out their warehouse full of guns, the only thing left for Sons of Anarchy to do will be to figure out where it wants to go. We both came to the same conclusion on the Jax front, that he'll leave Charming, but I'm not really sure whether we're being too optimistic or whether we've only now come to understand where the show is headed.

Jax dying for his crimes just doesn't feel like the right punishment at this point, similar to the way that Gemma dying for hers feels like the easy way out. To be honest, I just want to see Jax win. I've spent seven seasons rooting for him (even though I'm not sure I ever really knew what I was rooting for). But I think leaving the club and the only "family" he's ever known would be a fitting end. He's a murderer and a thug and I cheered when Unser called him out for prioritizing revenge over his sons' well being, but he has the power to change his trajectory while also changing the club's. Everything that's dragged the club down over the years is directly tied to the Tellers. You pointed out that Jax leaving Charming would leave the club without a president, but SAMCRO can't continue with him anyway. Whether he goes to jail or leaves town—both are punishments in their own way—his absence from the table is what will give SAMCRO a chance to live at all.

TIM: That's a good point. The club looks so different now than it did six-plus years ago, I guess I feel that if Jax goes, so does the club. Heck, there are some people at that table whose names I don't even know. (Edit: I looked it up, it's Montez.) Also, where do you think Gemma is headed? What do you think her plan is? Is she a grandma on the run? I'm still trying to decipher that last road sign she drove by, the one that had the following towns listed on it: Portento, Fortuna, and Eureka. Do those names mean that Gemma is about to find some bad fortune? Was that a literal sign that she's in big trouble (as if we needed a sign to tell us that)? Jax's claim that he still loves her somehow swam through his tears to the surface, but will that be enough to stop him from going after her?

KAITLIN: Jax certainly has to confront Gemma before the series is over, and Abel's "goodbye grandma" sure felt final, as if he knew it was the last time he'd ever see her. But for all my theories about how Sons of Anarchy will end, I can't quite figure out how the pieces will be moved around the chessboard. The show is picking up steam as it approaches a cliff, and if the final two episodes are anything like "Suits of Woe," I expect my blood pressure to skyrocket. There are still so many big storylines to wrap up—including Indian Hills, Barosky, and, now that Lin is dead, the Chinese—and I'm just not sure how the show will finish it all. But coming off this week, I have faith it can be done. Bring it on, man!

TIM: And don't forget that more people have to die, especially considering how few people perished in this episode! "Suits of Woe" was an excellent, emotional hour of Sons of Anarchy, and a pivotal moment as the series heads into its final episodes. I'm emotionally spent. This was a doozy, and one of those rare installments of Sons of Anarchy that showed off the series' ability to do straight drama. Great stuff.

SKIDMARKS

– That scene with Jax and Juice in jail was AMAZING. Just two dudes airing everything out. And when Jax said, "Thanks for telling the truth, I'll make sure it's quick," in reference to Juice's inevitable death by hired goon, it crushed us.

– While the episode peaked with the Jax-Juice scene, Nero hearing the truth was also excellent. Jimmy Smits sure can bring it when it's required of him.

– Gemma has only two episodes left to have imaginary conversations with people who aren't there. She had a few more in "Suits of Woe."

– Even if it's scripted, it has to be SO WEIRD to hear Marilyn Manson say, "Oh, I'll see you later baby." How Theo Rossi kept a straight face and didn't throw up is baffling.

– Sons of Anarchy is taking next week off for Thanksgiving, so we'll see you back here on Tuesday, December 2 for the series' penultimate episode!

What'd you think of "Suits of Woe"? How do you think it's all gonna end?