An Outpouring of Secrets - Retrospective: Sons of Anarchy – “John 8:32”

Season 6, Episode 9

Air date: Tuesday, November 5, 2013, 10pm ET/PT on FX

Rating: ★★★★★

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” – John 8:32

The title, “John 8:32,” hints at it all—this is the episode in which the outpouring of secrets is unleashed courtesy of Tara (Maggie Siff) and Gemma (Katey Sagal). The latest incident between the women causes the men in their lives to take sides. As each woman fights for equal footing, will the truth really set the Charming folk free?

The first few minutes of the episode had me rubbing my hands in anticipation. Gemma and Nero (Jimmy Smits) are becoming closer by the day, while Jax (Charlie Hunnam) and Tara are suspended in a cycle of distrust. This back and forth sequence contrasting the two relationships sets the tone for “John 8:32” where quick editing and calculated—but efficient—dialogue pack a major punch.

It’s a new day in Charming and the Tellers wake up ready to dish. Gemma tells Nero her suspicions about Tara, while Jax admits he’s failed to keep the promises he made to Tara. Although Jax is unaware of the secrets Tara keeps from him, he’s clear on the basics: he knows why she’s putting distance between them and has been unable to say “I love you.” Hearing Jax man up for his screw-ups makes me respect him. However, being aware of how series creator Kurt Sutter operates, I know to enjoy seeing this caring side of Jax now as his dark side will be unleashed later on.

Has the homeless woman (Olivia Burnette) gone to rehab and cleaned up nicely? False alarm! But there’s a girl, Brooke (Hailey McFarland), who has an uncanny resemblance to her. Brooke also happens to have a beef with SAMCRO. Is this a coincidence? Leave it to Unser (Dayton Callie) to shed light on the girl’s backstory: her mother died in the car pile-up caused by John Teller’s deadly accident. This information gets to Jax and he stops by the girl’s home. While talking to Brooke’s dad, Jax notices the girl’s mom looks familiar to him. Although he doesn’t recognize her, I find myself screaming because I realize the connection: it’s the homeless woman! I’ll tell you something else, this isn’t good at all. The homeless woman typically shows up when challenging times lie ahead for Jax.

The Irish still want Clay (Ron Perlman) to run their gun distribution business and plan to get him out of jail within ten days. Going along with these plans, Clay channels Hannibal Lecter in a scene brilliantly delivered by Perlman (but also filled with severe religious criticism). Sutter has me impressed. In only a few episodes, we’ve gone from Fight Club to The Silence of the Lambs – just awesome! Since Sutter is going through some of my all-time favorite movies, my wish is for a Keyser Söze reference (The Usual Suspects) next.

Charles Barosky (Peter Weller) and Colette (Kim Dickens) have been shut down thanks to DA Patterson’s (CCH Pounder) intervention, and Barosky wants out. On the other hand, my heart bleeds for Nero who remains an unconditional partner to the Tellers in spite of being continuously dragged into conflicts by either Gemma or Jax. His desire to help resolve the Tara/Gemma impasse is sincere but he’s rebuffed by Tara. Jax also shuts him down and hard: “This conversation doesn’t happen again with anyone.”

Gemma proves capable of learning from her mistakes when motivated. Instead of attacking hospital administrator Margaret (McNally Sagal), Gemma uses her smarts to try to get an admission that Tara’s pregnancy was bogus. But does she get the information she seeks? The result of that conversation is inconclusive to me as nothing is confirmed. We hear more non-answers from a Tara/Ally Lowen (Robin Weigert) conversation but my ears perk up when Tara says, “The cash is his. It’s about getting away, not cleaning him out.” So, using Gemma’s logic, I say Jax is somehow in on Tara’s endgame.

When Nero tells Tara Gemma isn’t going to back down, he’s spot on. Gemma gets her first win by getting Jax to temporarily back off from Nero, using what I consider to be her traditional methods: revealing secrets at convenient times to gain the favor of others. Gemma is very shrewd and she’s biding her time to get through to Jax when the time is right.

There’s a number of brilliant conversations in “John 8:32” I must highlight:

The Club Vote – Remember that I stated earlier I knew Jax would find a way to turn in Gaalan (Timothy V. Murphy)? Time is up, and Jax gets the buy-in from his MC prior to taking action. I can’t wait to see Gaalan go down but sadly, I think Clay is going down with him.

Patterson and Jax – Jax clearly gets his smarts from his mother, and his showdown with DA Patterson is full of fireworks. He convinces the tough-as-nails DA to make a deal with him but he must make it happen within ten days or Patterson will unleash hell on him and Tara.

Tara and Nero – What started as an amicable conversation turns poisonous for Nero. “You want it to end well?” Tara warns Nero, “I suggest you get out now before you end up dead too!”

Jax Confronts Nero – Tara tells Jax of Nero’s visit and Jax drags him in to brawl in Diosa Norte just as Gemma happens to drop by (her timing is always impeccable, isn’t it?). Nero returns Gemma’s favor from earlier by revealing Gemma was forced into a real conjugal visit with Clay. As Jax starts folding, Gemma dismisses it as being “done.” Of course! With the sympathy card earned, it’s time for Gemma to make her move and unmask Tara’s deceit. Tenacity pays off for Gemma once again, and even I must admit she did it in a less heinous way than I thought she would. Smits and Sagal are formidable in this scene, but Hunnam excels in characterizing a man whose personal life has just fallen apart like a house of cards.

Jax and Lowen – Unser tricks Lowen into his trailer so Jax can interrogate her about Tara’s plans. The scene is brilliant. Hunnam unleashes a terrifying Jax while Weigert portrays Lowen as if she’s about to shit her panties!

Other Observations

Abel’s (Evan and Ryder Londo) heart arrhythmia pills – Hmm, after not hearing much about his condition for six seasons, now we do? I’m worried for him!
No updates regarding Wendy’s (Drea De Matteo) fate.
When Gemma kneels down in front of her bed, is she praying?
What an amazing voice Maggie Siff has! The way she sings “Lullaby for a Soldier (Arms of the Angels)” is so captivating.
When Bobby (Mark Boone Jr.) jokingly asks Unser, “Wow, you didn’t die yet?” and the former police chief responds, “A little every day,” I can’t help but wonder if this is a red herring or a sign of things to come.
Considering how furious Jax was with Lowen, it’s interesting how he calms down by the time he gets to “Scoops & Sweets” just in time to talk to Brooke.

Although Gemma scores big on Tara, the doctor manages to stab her in the back. Just like venom spreads quickly through the bloodstream, Tara’s warning to Nero gets to him and he confronts Gemma about the death of John Teller. Pressed, Gemma makes the confession we all know to be true. “We live and die by that code. I know it and I knew it then…I gave my blessing to kill John Teller.” Gemma serves as the voice that makes it clear for anyone who has committed to the life, the MC comes first. All weak links, like John, must be eliminated. Hearing Jax talk about how his father died pursuing a legitimate club, I wonder how he will take to finding out his mom had a hand in John’s death? I say a day of reckoning awaits! I really like how Sutter continues to de-romanticize the outlaws. Ultimately, they’re a gang and once you accrue baggage with them, you can’t just walk away. It will be interesting to see how Jax handles Tara after facing some harsh truths that force him to evaluate his past, present, and future. Will Jax live and die for the code too?

“John 8:32” is my second favorite episode this season as it exemplifies (at a more complex level) the interesting mix of drama, action, great dialogue, and humor that makes Sons of Anarchy popular. Kem Nunn and Kurt Sutter show their polished craft as wordsmiths—every scene is carefully dialogued in ways we tend to see in film. Although there’s a proliferation of selective conversation snippets to fuel drama and innuendo, they aren’t overdone but are a sign we should prepare for twists.

We’re left with a cliffhanger this week that’s equally as cruel as last week’s. Jax sits at the sweet shop thinking about what he’s going to do next. As I remember Unser’s reminder to Jax, “You made me a promise, son. Nobody gets hurt,” something tells me that isn’t going to be the case.

Tune in to Sons of Anarchy Tuesdays at 10pm ET/PT, only on FX.

For more on the show, go to http://www.fxnetworks.com/soa and http://www.sutterink.com/.

To check out Kurt Sutter’s Sons of Anarchy video channel on YouTube, go to http://www.youtube.com/sutterinksoa.

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Soaker of life. I like to experience things and see the world. I consider myself a professional traveler. My love for movies and television goes way back but I'm a sucker for action-oriented films and shows. Oh, and I make excellent martinis! Follow me on twitter @LutzElle.