10 Best Episodes of ‘Sons of Anarchy’

‘Sons of Anarchy’ follows the Redwood Original charter of an outlaw motorcycle club in the town of Charming and the choices that bind its members together. Across seven seasons the story tracks leadership struggles, law enforcement pressure, rival crews, and the long shadow of John Teller’s legacy as Jax tries to keep his family and the charter alive.

These episodes mark turning points that drive the plot forward in lasting ways. They include betrayals that reshape alliances, decisions that change who leads the table, and events that ripple through every part of Charming. Each entry notes where it lands in the run and outlines what it sets in motion for the seasons around it.

‘The Sleep of Babies’

Season 1 episode 12 places Opie in danger after Agent Stahl’s tactics convince Clay that a brother has turned informant. Clay orders Tig to take Opie out during a routine run, but Donna is the one driving the truck when Tig opens fire and the club only understands what happened after the shots are already fired.

The killing redirects multiple investigations and redefines trust inside the clubhouse. Unser works the scene while Jax begins to trace the role Stahl played in the setup, and the rift between Jax and Clay widens as the charter prepares for the fallout that carries into the finale.

‘Na Trioblóidí’

Season 2 episode 13 closes the conflict with the League by showing how legal protection shields Ethan Zobelle at a critical moment. As SAMCRO watches the case stall, Cameron Hayes grabs Abel from the church parking lot and races for the docks while the club scrambles to catch up.

During the same day Stahl shoots Edmond Hayes and moves quickly to pin the crime on Gemma. With a warrant looming, Gemma flees Charming with Unser’s help, and the club is left staring at the water as Cameron disappears with Jax’s son and a new chase begins.

‘NS’

Season 3 episode 13 reveals the scope of a plan that uses Stahl’s deal to protect the charter. Jax appears to cooperate while the club sets the terms, and Chibs ends the Belfast feud by taking out Jimmy O in a final confrontation.

Opie intercepts Stahl’s convoy on a quiet road and kills her along with her driver, closing the circle opened by Donna’s death. The club accepts a set prison term to end the case, and Tara takes possession of Maureen Ashby’s letters that describe John Teller’s doubts about Clay and Gemma, a thread that drives the next season.

‘Hands’

Season 4 episode 10 focuses on an attack meant to silence the truth contained in the letters. Clay uses cartel connections to target Tara outside the hospital, and the assault crushes the hand that supports her surgical career and threatens her plans with Jax.

Inside the clubhouse the pressure spikes as Gemma confronts Clay and suffers a beating that exposes the fracture at the top of the charter. Law enforcement pushes closer to the gun pipeline while the letters grow impossible to ignore, setting up the confrontations that follow.

‘Sovereign’

Season 5 episode 1 starts a new conflict with Oakland power broker Damon Pope as Jax takes the gavel. Coordinated hits strike the Sons and their allies, and Pope’s crew forces Tig to watch as his daughter Dawn is burned in front of him.

The violence establishes the terms that define the season. Roosevelt tracks the damage while Jax weighs how to protect the charter from Pope’s leverage, and every decision the table makes carries an immediate cost across town.

‘Laying Pipe’

Season 5 episode 3 follows the club into county jail under terms set by Pope. A brutal demand requires one member to face a fatal fight, and Opie steps forward in Jax’s place in a move that no one at the table can prevent.

The beating with a length of pipe ends Opie’s story and changes the dynamic among the original members. Jax meets with Pope to secure release conditions for the club, and the agreement reshapes ties with Tig, Chibs, and the rest of the charter going forward.

‘Aon Rud Persanta’

Season 6 episode 11 stages a fake prison transfer to pull Clay into an Irish handoff. At a hangar meet Jax and the club reverse the play, kill Galen O’Shay and his men, and then execute Clay in front of the remaining witnesses.

The move removes a former president and severs the long standing gun link to the Irish. At the same time Tara continues talks with District Attorney Patterson about protection, and the combined actions push every storyline toward a final choice.

‘A Mother’s Work’

Season 6 episode 13 brings the season’s deals to an end. Jax agrees to take responsibility for the gun charges to protect Tara and the boys and prepares to surrender to Patterson under terms that would clear his family.

Gemma believes the club has been betrayed and attacks Tara in the kitchen with a carving fork, while Juice shoots Sheriff Roosevelt when he arrives at the house. Jax returns to find Tara dead, and the scene fixes the course that the final season will follow.

‘Red Rose’

Season 7 episode 12 shows Jax finishing unfinished business before the last day. He kills Unser when the longtime ally tries to block him, then finds Gemma at her father’s home in Oregon and ends her life in the rose garden.

The episode also closes arcs inside the prison system. Juice dies after Ron Tully carries out an order in the yard, and the events leave Jax with only a few steps left as the charter prepares for decisions that cannot be reversed.

‘Papa’s Goods’

Season 7 episode 13 serves as the series conclusion and documents one last run through Charming. Jax spends the day arranging the future of the charter and his family, locks in agreements to remove the gun business, and sets the path for leadership after he is gone.

He says goodbye to the table, secures a plan for his sons with Wendy and Nero, and eliminates remaining threats by killing August Marks outside a courthouse and Charles Barosky at the port. His final ride draws law enforcement into a chase and ends on the highway in a scene that mirrors the fate of John Teller and brings ‘Sons of Anarchy’ to a close.

Share your own picks for the most essential ‘Sons of Anarchy’ episodes in the comments and tell us which moments you think define the show.