Sons of Anarchy: Didn't Even Have to Use My AK

I'm a big fan of video games like the ones in Nintendo's Metroid and Legend of Zelda series, where you have to explore labrynthian dungeons and planets, fight horrific monsters and look for tools and weapons, in order to reach your goal.

My only complaint about these kind of games is that they'll often stick in some sort of eleventh hour busy-work quest just as you're about to face the big boss, totally slowing down the momentum of the story.

 I mention this because that's how I felt at the end of "The Culling," the next-to-last episode in what's been an amazing season of Sons of Anarchy. We've reached the end, but it feel the show has thrown in some needless obstacles just to get us to the final episode.

 I wasn't as blown away as I would have hoped, and this was an episode that climaxed with an Outsidersish gang fight, in which Jax and Weston finally threw down. (I might have been nervous when the neo-Nazis showed up armed with AK-47s to the "no weapons" fight if FX hadn't shown footage of the One-Niners and the Chinese gang backing up SAMCRO in the commercials.)

 The opening of "The Culling" was probably my favorite part, as the gang prepared for war by turning the clubhouse into a fortress, with all members and their families (as well as extended family members, like Unser) locked inside. And yes, the big rumble was pretty exciting. But the way it ended, with Zobelle having himself and his daughter arrested to avoid execution? It was a "Thank you Mario, but our princess is in another castle" moment.

 Then again, this isn't the finale, and SOA isn't The Sopranos (which would often have its really big moments in its next-to-last hours). I'm sure next week will be the type of finish this season has been building to.

 Other thoughts:

• It was nice to see Shield veteran Kenneth Johnson here as a SAMCRO member, although I wish they'd given him more to do.
• How creepy is the relationship between Zobelle and his daughter?
• I don't like Cold, Vicious Tara. Yeah, that administrator is a stick in the mud, but threatening her family was a bit much. Are we supposed to say, "Yeah, she's finally standing up for herself"? Because her backbone's never been in question. And the idea that she's bought into Gemma's "God chose you to be a healer" argument is a bit unsettling.
• Yay! Chuck survived the fire, and has now become something of the SAMCRO mascot, even helping run surveillance on the ATF/IRA sting.

 Tom Coombe

Comments

[BernieOHare]

Love this story. Did not know you were blogging, dude. may I link to you?

[Tom]

Certainly. Things will be kind of lean for the next week or so, but sure. I'd welcome it.