Review:  Sons of Anarchy – Season 5, Episode 2 “Authority Vested”

Air date: Tuesday, September 18, 10pm ET/PT on FX

Rating: ★★★★★

“Man, you guys are having a rough run!” Nero Padilla (Jimmy Smits) tells Jax (Charlie Hunnam). Truer words couldn’t have been said. Payback, revenge, and home invasions are the focus of “Authority Vested.”

Jax (Charlie Hunnam) is skeptical about Nero Padilla’s (Jimmy Smits) assistance to SAMCRO.

With warrants issued for Jax, Chibs (Tommy Flanagan), and Tig (Kim Coates), Gemma’s (Katey Sagal) Latin lover offers the MC members sanctuary while the men figure out their next move. Jax is uneasy about the assistance being offered and confronts Padilla: “Why are you helping us?  I don’t know you, your crew.” Unfazed, Padilla responds, “Let’s just consider this networking. Maybe at some point you get to help me.” Why do I think he may already have a specific reason in mind?

Due to the APBs going wide, Jax ends up riding with Padilla, and the men bond over business talk and junkie exes. Despite learning something unexpected about Padilla, I’m not ready to endorse him just yet. Why is he so keen on impressing Jax? Maybe he does need to get out more often but I’m going to put it out there now—a man with a history like Padilla’s probably has a dark side.

Since Clay and Unser are plagued by ailments, it’s no wonder Gemma (Katey Sagal) keeps going for Padilla’s “Rico Suave” action.

Being at Padilla’s brothel yields a positive: “All this activity makes me think we’re in the wrong business,” Jax tells Bobby (Mark Boone Junior). With Bobby being the most entrepreneurial MC member, I’m hoping Jax’s comment puts a bug in his ear.

It’s worth noting Coates’ remarkable acting for this story arc. Although it was rough to see a numb Tig embracing the lifeless body of his daughter, seeing him continue to deal with the fallout from his bad deeds is heartbreaking. After an incredibly awkward moment with his other daughter Fawn (Lexi Sakowitz), Coates masterfully owns the scene by allowing his silence to speak louder than words. His performance leaves no doubt about his character’s burden of guilt.

Gemma is also feeling the burn for her bad deeds, as she finds herself the odd woman out in her son’s life. She deserves brownie points, though, for not giving up on Jax and Tara. Their reactions toward the end of the episode may signal a temporary truce given the troubled times they’re facing.

Unser (Dayton Callie) is on to something when he shares with police chief Roosevelt his suspicions about the home invasions.

Clay (Ron Perlman) appears to be officially filling in for Pinney (wife separation, oxygen tank, and whiskey included) but I’m still not buying his pity party. His visit with Opie (Ryan Hurst) proves he’s still moving his chips and he won’t quietly accept his present situation. It was interesting to see his concern about the police finding his safe – oh yes, there were documents inside (letters perhaps?).

Is the violence really escalating in Charming? I was pleased to see former Charming Police Chief Wayne Unser’s (Dayton Callie) making the most of his 30 years of experience to investigate the home invasions. Although this storyline may be secondary, it’s quietly impacting all of the characters. Even Charming Police boss Eli Roosevelt (Rockmond Dunbar) is worried about the escalating violence but his biases against SAMCRO don’t allow him to connect the obvious dots.  It also forces Jax to reassess how to protect his club and the families; he decides that he, Tig, and Chibs should turn themselves in.

Ally Lowen (Robin Weigert) has a tough job being SAMCRO’s attorney.

Even though he consults with SAMCRO’s lawyer (Robin Weigert), does Jax’s decision feels rushed? I realize time is ticking and evading the authorities could lead to longer prison sentences thus eliminating the possibility of the case being thrown out. However, it seems Jax has placed himself and the MC in the exact corner that Pope (Harold Perrineau) wants them in.

Then, Romeo (Danny Trejo) didn’t exactly guarantee jail protection for the MC, a worrisome fact considering his growing dislike for Jax’s assertive attitude. And will Tig completely lose it in jail after all he’s gone through? Being incarcerated also means relying on others to protect their own and giving Clay room to scheme. The severity of the situation also pushes Jax to make an important personal decision.

In spite of these troubles, I remain impressed by the strength of the SAMCRO brotherhood under Jax’s presidency. I suspect this is because of his inclusive leadership style. He consults with others regarding important issues and is keen on not repeating past mistakes. For instance, he confidently calls out a gun-yielding Tig: “Put the gun down, man. Tig! This is what got us into this mess.”

How is Tara (Maggie Siff) handling the MC issues engulfing her life? For now, she appears to be holding up but I bet Jax’s incarceration will prove difficult for her. But she should be pleased by her man’s ability to deliver a romantic fairy tale because nothing spells romance to a woman as much as a brothel marriage proposal. What happens next will have fans burning social media for days. If I had to write a wedding announcement for Jax and Tara, it would say something like this:

The nuptials were held at the Diosa International Brothel.  The bride wore black and a white cast. The groom wore out a cut, plaid shirt and a knife holder. In honor of their wedding, and considering the happy couple already has a stocked home, they will accept CIA-guaranteed protection for the groom at the County jail in lieu of gifts.

Where did Gemma keep her and John Teller’s rings they were missed by the home invaders? It’s a nice but manipulative gesture to give the happy couple that specific pair of rings, but isn’t this a bad omen?

Pope (Harold Perrineau) seems determined to avoid making the mistake of underestimating the MC.

In sharp contrast to the younger Teller’s solidarity and sense of belonging, Lyla (Winter Ave Zoli) and Opie’s relationship remains strained. Ironically, despite Opie’s claim of not knowing if he’s capable of loving anything, he makes a decision that proves the opposite.  It’s both tragic and telling that the sentiment isn’t about his wife but his life-long friend Jax.

Much has been written about how Sons may be losing its way. I disagree. The action is setting the stage for the series finale, which will appear to involve a clash of motives and agendas. The actors’ performances grow stronger with each season, and each episode requires viewers to pay attention to the minutiae. Voice inflections, body language, and specific comments reveal much about the personal relationships and frames of mind of the characters.

By the end of “Authority Vested,” Jax barely has time to get used to wearing his wedding band when he’s shipped off to prison. In the meantime, the well-oiled Pope machine will keep a close eye on SAMCRO.

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