Throughout most of the third season, I found myself passive watching Sons of Anarchy, not really caring that much about the characters or what they were doing. The lead-up to the trip to Ireland took way too long, and the trip itself didn't really have much going on either other than providing some insight into the background of the club. But as the season finale indicates, the Sons belong in Anarchy, and moreover, the Sons focus should be on Charming, for the show to work.
"NS" wraps up the season and various loose ends in the most satisfying way. It begins on an incredibly upbeat note, very suitable following everyone's experiences in the previous episodes. Thinking back to last season's finale which ended on a crazy cliffhanger, I was already wondering whether the joyous tone would descend into darkness. For a while, it seems like it would end that way, with Jax revealed as a rat and having a target placed on his back. But no, Kurt Sutter isn't going that way, fracturing the club--yet.
The Sons will spend some time in prison, likely the 14 months with good behavior, so the time between seasons shouldn't be too long. The implications for the next season, however, are far-reaching. It's important to remember that beating Stahl and Jimmy is only a short-term victory, and that Hale will probably become mayor in bring in the corporations.The Russians are surely ticked off and looking for revenge. And Tara will have John's letters, the ominous set of missives which already talk about Clay and Gemma plotting against JT. What else will Tara find and what will she tell Jax? Again, we'll see how the writers balance the external and internal conflicts.
The best part about "NS," though, is how everything is tied up. There's a feeling of utter triumph as the club pulls the long con on Stahl. The scene opening of Stahl in bed, reaching to the other side and finding nothing--before flashing the grin--was indicative of what she's become, the ultimate villain with no scruples whatsoever. While every characters has had some development over the past few seasons, Stahl, one of the more prominent characters, is purely a one-note character who's actually gotten worse over time, so it's about time she was dealt with. The bitch got what she deserved. Opie gets payback for Donna's death and Chibs gets payback for everything Jimmy's done. The club gets reduced jailtime and for the time being, they've won.
I'm glad this season of Sons is done and over with, capping the Irish melange that plagued the middle portion of the season. The prospects for the next season are as high as they've ever been and we'll see if the show will retake the glory of the second season. We'll just have to wait about a year first.
Score: 9.3/10
