TV Review: Sons of Anarchy 5.8, "Ablation"
rating: 4.5
With this weeks Ablation, Sons of Anarchys fifth season has transitioned from a story of mere complication to one of utter collapse. Its such a precise turning point, in fact, that you can almost visualize it a small crack that cuts through the episodes opening moments only to grow larger and violently splinter as the narrative moves forward. By the time weve reached that final, unnervingly cold conversation between Jax and his mother, every character relationship has shifted. Positions of power have changed. The threat level has increased exponentially. Were in the final stretch, folks, and the sense of impending doom couldnt be more palpable. Lets talk about the future (or lack thereof) of SAMCRO as an institution. Theres a massive struggle taking place this season the old guard trying to maintain power over the new. Empires have crumbled, survived, or flourished under the stress of such a transitional period, and right now, where SAMCRO ultimately falls on that spectrum is impossible to know. What the show runners are doing correctly is giving each possibility equal likelihood much like last week, this is anyones game to win, lose, or ruin. Last week, Clay came out as the clear victor. This week, however, Jax gives the better performance. He uncovers the truth behind the attack that occurred at the tail-end of last weeks episode with ease. He executes the perpetrator with the same soullessness that emanated from him when he murdered the prison guard. He quickly picks apart Gemma and Clays cover-up, and uses Gemmas position of weakness to his advantage. This brings us to the aforementioned conversation that Ablation ends on. Gemma is currently banned from any contact with Jaxs family. Jax offers her a solution to undo the damage: rekindle her relationship with Clay, build trust, then use that trust to obtain information. Its a cold thing for Jax to do. Considering Gemmas promising future with Nero and the fact that Clay assaulted her, forcing a renewed relationship between the two comes at a heavy cost. Whether she goes through with it or not, the only thing that is certain is that Gemma will lose one of the two things she values most in her life: her lover or her family. Once again, this is all about the power struggle thats been running throughout the entirety of the season. The former king and queen, Clay and Gemma, are currently in positions of vulnerability. Jax and Tara, their challengers, are in positions of power. Naturally, this could all change again as early as next week. What Clay and Gemma have that Jax and Tara are only beginning to acquire is experience. As strong as the moves that Jax and Tara made this week were, Clay and Gemma have proven themselves masters of adaptability and the long con. And with the rest of the club slowly picking sides, the rift that this power struggle is causing is only growing wider.