Sons of Anarchy Says Goodbye To A Major Player (Spoiler Alert)

DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN LAST NIGHT'S EPISODE OF SONS OF ANARCHY!

Even in its sixth season, Sons of Anarchy is still one of the best shows on television.  Like any great show, it isn't perfect (Season 3's "adventure" in Ireland almost killed the show), but even those imperfections are forgiven by scenes that just blow your mind.  The opening and closing scenes for Season 3, the death of Opie in Season 5 and of course, both the bloody death of Otto (played by series creator Kurt Sutter) and the school shooting.

Last night's episode didn't disappoint.  First we have the boys of SAMCRO hijacking a prisoner transport to free Clay Morrow, including Bobby getting shot in the chest.  Then we have the boys arriving at the airport to deliver Clay into the hands of the Real IRA's Galen O'Shay so as they can spirit him to Belfast.  Talk about a shocker, within in moments Galen O'Shay and his bodyguards are all dead at the hands of Jax and his brothers.  It was fucking amazing!

On a side note, a friend pointed out that we didn't really know what SAMCRO voted on a couple of episodes ago, when in the next scene we see Jax meeting with the county attorney, Tyne Patterson, securing immunity for SAMCRO.  He was right, but damned if he wasn't surprised to find out exactly what they had voted on at "table".

Clay is sitting on the back of the truck where Bobby is receiving field first aid from Tara, Jax's surgeon wife, and conversing with Jax about what they are going to tell the Irish about Galen's death.  Then the light comes on and Clay figures out there was a second unanimous vote at that particular table, another one he was unaware of: The vote for his execution.

Talk about emotions.  Gemma's quivering lip in realization of what is about to be done.  Nero coming to terms with how SAMCRO is getting out of guns.  And the slow march of Clay to the point of execution.  Standing in the corner of the same room where Galen's body is lying, Clay is shot in the throat by Jax and then his body is riddled with with bullets by Jax.

The end of an era done on SAMCRO's terms.  So we say goodbye to Clay Morrow (Ron Perlman) and hail the boy king, Jackson Teller, and look to see what the future holds for the Sons of Anarchy.