Sons of Anarchy, 2x06, “Falx Cerebri”

Episode Title: Falx Cerebri
Writer: Regina Corrado

Director: Bill Gierhart

Originally Aired: 10/13/2009
Grade: A

Just like the previous one, this episode ties back to something Jax said in a previous episode: he warned them about the San Bernardino club that Zobelle took down (and he’s warned them numerous times that Zobelle is playing them).

When Jax told Clay, “We do this, we all go to jail,” Clay’s expression seemed more “Whatever, shithead” than “If that happens, it’ll be worth it.” He was looking at Jax like he was Chicken Little saying the sky is falling for the umpteenth time. Of course, he now knows that Jax was right, and that will probably make him even meaner.

I loved the little implied detail that Gemma and Tara went to the grocery store together on their way home. That’s such a normal, realistic future in-law activity, especially in light of the subsequent not normal “how to fire a gun” lesson, and the “how to shoot the shit out of a porn tartlet’s car” that followed that. (And while I found that immensely entertaining and satisfying, it seemed a bit odd that Gemma would do that to her friend’s employee, especially since Ima is Luanne’s biggest draw.)

Opie being a sullen, ungrateful shit to Jax is… not ideal, but I can take it. Neglecting his kids and denying there’s a problem? Fuck you, Op, go get some therapy and stop being a pussy. He used to be a favorite character, and now I want to punch him in the face every time he’s onscreen. Which is why I hate “dark arcs”—they take a character you like and make you dislike them, and then quite often at the end of the arc, they just hit the reset button. I hope the writers can bring him back around to being a likable character in a way that feels organic.

I could actually see where he was coming from, however, in telling Jax that this is still Clay’s club. I’m all for the changes that Jax wants to make (at least I think I am—he hasn’t really articulated his plans yet), but if most of the guys don’t want those changes and are still loyal to Clay, Jax’s push to clean up the club is just pissing in the wind. Once Clay steps down, Jax is within his rights to try to change the club’s focus and attitude, and the rest of the guys can follow him, or they can quit and let Jax recruit like-minded newbs. Jax will never be able to get Clay to agree to his idea of how things should be, and as long as Clay is around, loyalties will always be split.

In that way, it’s easy to understand how Opie could see it as Jax “pushing to be king,” because unless Jax has full control, it will never work. For Jax, I don’t think the power is the point, but rather he wants these guys to be able to enjoy the freedom and outlaw nature of being in a motorcycle club, without worrying about various government agencies trying to throw them in jail, and without those bizarre feelings of love and shame that go along with turning it into the family business.

Miscellaneous Stuff

-Maggie Siff is so awesome. Tara asks Jax and Gemma why anyone would plant a car bomb, then she does a double-take on Gemma, and you can actually see her realize that Gemma’s rape is probably directly related to the bomb. So of course the next logical step is to ask if she’s in danger herself. Very well-played.

-Clay tearing up Zobelle’s cigar shop was ridiculous—he looked like a giant chimp throwing a tantrum.

-I don’t understand why Gemma didn’t give Hale the detail about Weston’s tattoo when he asked for info. Was that an oversight in the writing, or did Gemma withhold from Hale because she wants to exact revenge personally?

-Sometimes I’m quite surprised at the language they can get away with on the show. It seems that they can say everything but the f-word and the c-word. (I didn’t think they could say “cock,” either, but Tara said it in one of the eps after this one, so scratch that.)