20 Flawless TV Character Arcs

Sons of Anarchy was, to put it mildly, insane, deviating from a studied drama in its first season to a more outlandish, dark and laughably implausible series as it wore on. Through all its highs and lows, though, Jax Teller was always on hand to keep viewers invested.

Initially refusing to enter a life of crime and follow in his deceased father's footsteps, circumstance and tragedy forced Jax to betray his morals and become what he never wanted to be -- a criminal and eventual leader of the Sons of Anarchy club his father helped build.

Purposefully frustrating, Jax's inconsistencies only added to his brilliance, as he struggled to supress his nature. His need to maintain the club whilst keeping his and his friends' souls intact was thrilling and twisty in the best way, and his final fate -- dying just like his father years before -- hammered his arc home beautifully.