Its easy to forget, as the show took on cartel issues, Damon Pope, increasing law involvement, problems with Galen and the IRA, the devastation caused by Gemma's murder of Tara and so much more in its last four seasons, how pivotal Agent June Stahl was in shaping its first three. Played to slimy, obnoxious perfection by Ally Walker, Stahl was the series longest major antagonist and a perpetual thorn in the clubs side. Indirectly responsible for Donnas death in the first season, Stahl went on to try and use Chibs against the True IRA before framing Gemma for the murder of Edmond Hayes, which led Edmonds father Cameron to kidnap Abel and kill Half-Sack. Going further into season three, Stahl crafted a deal with Jax to save her career by trading the IRA for a window of opportunity for Jax and the club to travel to Belfast to get Abel back. However, true to form, Stahl ultimately betrayed Jax by giving him up to the club as a rat after putting Jimmy OPhelan in custody. Fortunately for the audience, though, it was revealed that the club had been in on it the whole time, leading to the previously-mentioned scene in which Stahl and OPhelan were isolated and the two antagonists finally dealt with. In one of the series most satisfying scenes, Opie killed Stahl from behind as she sat in the drivers seat of her car so that she could know what Donna felt. When all was said and done, Stahl would not be missed, but the karmic justice that came back around to get the character viewers loved to hate was worth every moment.
Writer, film enthusiast, part-time gamer and watcher of (mostly) good television located on the fringe of Los Angeles, who now has his own website at www.highdefgeoff.com!
