What I’m Watching: Sons of Anarchy (Season Finale)

Sons of Anarchy: Season 3, Episode 13 “Ns” (B+)

After last year’s intense finale, not to mention the terrific episode from two weeks ago, it’s hard for this finale to top any of that. While I’m not sure it does, it’s a fitting wrap-up for another furiously strong season of one of the best shows on television. Shooting a federal agent at point-blank range with a machine gun is certainly something shocking, even for SAMCRO, a club that has just recently pushed people off of buildings when it was revealed that they were traitors. The execution of Agent Stahl comes as a major surprise, yet it does make sense that she would have to die, and many would argue deserve to die, in order for the club to be able to get Jimmy before he went into custody. Chibs being the one to off Jimmy and Opie being Stahl’s executioner felt very appropriate, and it’s good to see both of those exact vengeance for crimes committed long away. Unser’s direct involvement in the murder of a federal agent also caught me by surprise, though I suppose it shouldn’t at this point. The idea of the main members of SAMCRO being carted off to jail with smiles on their faces is also reassuring, and it looks like Jax isn’t going to suffer the consequences of being a rat after all, which is a relief. This season, despite its seemingly aimless search for Abel, was actually quite good because it ended up focusing a lot more on the hunt for Jimmy, Stahl’s duplicity, the elder Hale brother’s corrupt campaign, and Tara’s role within the club. The last element from that bunch was demonstrated even more than ever before in this episode when she physically transported Jimmy in her trunk. This episode, following the eleventh hour two weeks ago, gave us other beautifully-scored, pensive moments that I hadn’t seen in the past, and I’d like to commend this show for that. I was going to say that this episode’s conclusion, complete with John Teller gospel, could be just as fitting an end for the series as the season before I checked and realized that the show was renewed for a fourth season way back in October. It’s been a fascinating year, and I’m sure season four will be just as compelling.

Season grade: A-
Season MVP: Maggie Siff