Another television legacy has come to a close. I’ve watched Sons of Anarchy since the series premiere and through its seven seasons, it stood up as one of my favorite shows. Fantastic characters, often brilliant writing and truly shocking moments made Sons of Anarchy must-see-talk-about-the-next-day viewing. All in all, I think the show had an incredible run.

It’s really hard to talk about the finale without spoilers, so here’s your warning, don’t read this if you haven’t seen the show.

Jackson Teller. Did he ever have a chance? Through 91 episodes, I don’t think he did.  A man fighting within the boundaries of son, father, brother, husband, leader, criminal, murderer. His entire life made up of secrets and lies.

The secrets, lies and revenge were the tent poles of the show. At the center I saw Jax trying to do what’s right with with love and respect taping the seams of the tent together. But when  you are surrounded by what amounts to unrelenting sin, there’s no way to escape it.

Jax really wanted to be good. I do think he was a good person. He wanted to be better than those before him, to keep his MC alive and on top. But in the end he could never get the good person separated from the monster. He became his step-father Clay despite his best efforts. He saw his family die no matter what path he took and killed scores of people. He grew up in a cut throat environment and the kill or be killed, an eye for an eye mentality had been drilled into his head. That was his greatest fear for his sons, that they would become him because they were growing up in the same world he was. But that fear had become a reality. He saw it happening to Abel right in front of him. At four years old he was breathing in the poison despite everyone around him trying to keep it away from him.

I really liked how the end was set up. The four keystones, Jax, Gemma, Unser, Juice, all fell over in spectacular Greek tragedy fashion. Juice, caught up in a mess for years that tortured him day and night. A guy who tried his best for years gets dropped with a shiv to the neck when his usefulness came to an end. Unser, probably the last honest soul left (although he had more than a few transgressions under his belt) finally lost his grip on the ledge and got sucked into the black hole named Gemma Teller Morrow. “I got nothing left but this.” Brilliant and heartbreaking. Unser had the most history with the club aside from Gemma and Chibs (that were still alive) and his long relationship finally killed him (so much for that cancer). His death was so sad. To Jax of all people! Then Gemma, the one we all love to hate. Every horrific event in the last season was from her hands, her lies. The gatekeeper couldn’t keep it together anymore.  When she sees judgment coming, she ties up the last bits of her life and then waits for her punishment. Jax and Gemma’s last scene was a brilliant one. A relationship that Shakespeare would be proud of writing.

Finally, Jax. Being with just him for the last 25 minutes  or so worked so well. He knew he couldn’t lie anymore. He came clean in the end which I really liked. Owned up to his mother’s and his own sins. His impulses as a leader were completely wrong. The realization that he was trapped with no way to talk or lie himself out of his situation. By making sure his family was set to continue on without him, he further condemned himself. Spend the rest of his life hunted down by the police and his own club? A life time in jail, probably on death row?  His clean up run was really satisfying to watch. He figured out a way to keep those at his table from taking on the burden of ending him and seeing the end of Marks and Barosky a highlight.  Dying like his father proved to be poetic and fitting. Seriously, what happened to that composite shot? The most important special effect sequence in the entire run and it looked unfinished.

Through seven season, I have very few complaints. Chase scenes were often shot poorly, the music montage was just beaten to death and season three was far and away the poorest season. A lot of feet dragging and dumbly thought out sequences in there. Can someone tell me what happened to the shot of Jax driving into the tracker trailer (and it was the guy that Gemma got a ride from? Really?) Was it finished? The most important special effect sequence in the entire series and it looked like hell. The hallucinogenic religious symbolism at the end felt really out of place too.

Those few complaints aside, I think Sons of Anarchy had a great run and it’ll stand the test of time. I also applaud ending the show on top and at the right time. They told a whole and satisfying story with many characters we love and hate. Everyone involved has a lot to be proud of.