Sons of Anarchy Character Guide

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Sons of Anarchy - A Cast of Characters

Sons of Anarchy is a TV drama set in the fictional town of Charming, California. Created by Kurt Sutter, the series' storylines are built around an outlaw biker club, and first aired on FX in 2008. Sons of Anarchy is heading into their 5th season and have just announced Jimmy Smits will join the cast as a "mentor" to Jax.

After some speculation that it would return, Season 4 of SOA rumbled to the small screen on September 7, 2011, undoubtedly due to receiving the highest ratings of any show on the FX Network, pulling in over 4 million viewers each week. Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club, Redwood Original Chapter (SAMCRO) has had dealings with rival motorcycle clubs/gangs (Mayans, 1-9ers, Nords,), the IRA, rival "adult entertainment" businesses, the Aryan Brotherhood and a white separatist group known as the League of American Nationalists (LOAN), not to mention the Russians (weapons dealers). Let's just put it this way... there's never a dull moment in Charming.

Here's a look at the main characters of this gritty drama that is one of the best on TV. WARNING: There are a few *spoilers*!



All photos © FX Networks

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UPDATE: The Hollywood Reporter announced as of February 2,2012 Kurt Sutter has negotiated a deal which will take Sons of Anarchy through a sixth season and most likely a 7th and final season. SOA fans rejoicing around the world...

Jax Teller

SAMCRO VP / Modern-day Prince Hamlet

Jax Teller /Charlie Hunnam

Jackson "Jax" Teller (Charlie Hunnam) is the central character/protagonist. The series began with Jax's search to find out truths surrounding the club and himself. Here's a few "Jax Facts".

  • Has a child with a former addict wife Wendy, who had to have an emergency C-section, giving birth to Jax's son 10 weeks early. She's gone, but baby Abel is still around. **He was however kidnapped at the end of Season 2...
  • Is the biological son of Gemma (now married to Clay Morrow) and John Teller (founding member)
  • Found a copy of his father's diary/memoirs, which paint life inside SAMCRO before Dad died totally different than what Jax had been raised to believe. He anguishes regularly about the direction of SAMCRO under step-dad and President Clay's leadership, as well as his allegiance to the club.
  • Is best friends with Opie. The grew up together as children whose fathers were part of the "Original 9".
  • Is in love with Tara. Breaks up with Tara. Can't live without Tara. Shares his life, his son, his bed, his secrets...with Tara.
  • Is devoted to his mother Gemma, who drives him crazy at least 50% of the time.
  • Found out in Season 3 that he has a half-sister in Ireland (who he kissed before knowing they were related).
  • Has no idea (yet) of the lengths Gemma and Clay have gone to keep the club intact in the vision they shared for it. But a hint of things to change is given at the end of Season 3.
  • Is charming and sexy, brooding, loving, intelligent, sensitive and a cold-blooded killer when necessity dictates.


  • Season 4...Jax has a plan...a dream... to get out, but as the season unfolds, the price he'll pay for the dream unfolding (read unraveling!) may be too high. **SPOILER: Wendy is back in Charming!

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    Gemma Teller Morrow

    The Reigning Queen & Matriarch of SAMCRO

    Gemma is (in my opinion) the most fascinating mother character to ever exist on screen, big or small. Played by Katey Sagal (who finally won a Golden Globe award for her portrayal in 2010), Gemma is hard edged, fiercely protective, sexy, foul-mouthed, loving, and complex. Here's a few "Gemma Facts"

  • Married John Teller, a Vietnam Vet and had two kids, Jax and Thomas.
  • Has a congenital heart disease that she passed to her sons, resulting in Thomas dying in 1990.
  • After John was killed in 1993, she hooked up with John's friend, Clay Morrow. * ... well that's the story so far, but hints have been given that she and Clay hooked up before John died.

  • Has Cruella de Ville-esque highlights that actually work for her.
  • Is gang raped at the direction of SAMCRO rival AJ Weston in Season 2. -- Sagal's portrayal of Gemma especially in this storyline was so powerful. Definitely robbed of a Golden Globe in Season 2.
  • Has a closet full of secrets, of which the audience has most likely only a tiny portion.
  • Is fiercely independent and often goes in a different direction than the one she's assured Clay, Jax or others that she's going.
  • Has been arrested several times for assault, murder, attempted murder... and has a long-standing relationship with Charming Police Chief Unser


  • Season 4 update: Shared history (and a kiss!) unfold in the storyline that reveals how far back former Chief Unser's devotion to Gemma goes. More revelations about the connection between Unser and Clay and the real story behind John Teller's death.

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    Clay Morrow

    SAMCRO President

  • Reigning president of the MC (motorcycle club) whose bite can be equal to the bark.
  • One of the original "First 9" members and the youngest.
  • Opened Teller-Morrow auto shop with his best friend (and Jax's dad) John Teller after returning from Vietnam.
  • Much of Season 1 hints that SAMCRO has become much more into criminal enterprises since Clay rose to power, which troubles Jax.
  • Suffers from arthritis in his hands. In Season 3, one scene shows Jax having to bind his hands to his handle bars so he can continue to ride.
  • Lots of speculation that he (and possibly Gemma) killed John Teller.


  • Season 4: Clay confirms he has ice water running through his veins! And the truth about John Teller is revealed.

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    Season 4

    Sneak Peek of some new hairstyles among other things!
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    Season 4 ...

    Kurt Sutter sat down with EOnline.com and gave a few hints as to what was coming for SAMCRO in the upcoming Season 4 which begins in the Fall, 2011. Read it here: Sons of Anarchy Boss Kurt Sutter reveals next season's secrets

    Tara Knowles

  • Is Jax Teller's live-in girlfriend and his soul mate.
  • Jax and Tara were high school sweethearts. But after being arrested 3 different times while they were together then, she goes to live with a cousin in San Diego and gets a college degree. Jax is 19 at the time, and heartbroken.
  • Mother died when she was a young girl, Dad was an alcoholic.
    It's revealed that she returned to Charming after her father died and left her the family home.
  • Moves to Chicago to get her medical degree and interns at Chicago Presbyterian, where she meets another ATF agent (read stalker, who ends up in Charming... and eventually dead, drawing Jax and Tara closer.)
  • Works at the local hospital as a neonatal resident/surgeon
  • In Season 1, she and Gemma go a few rounds with Gemma striking out as the protective lioness that she is. By mid-Season 2 she becomes Gemma's closest ally.
  • She's spent a fair amount of time patching up various club members, which leaves them all with a sense of growing gratitude.
  • In Season 3 it's revealed that she's pregnant and terrified to bring a child into the world of the MC, but after being kidnapped and rescued by Jax, she may have changed her mind.
  • Tara is kind, empathetic and loving, especially to Jax and baby Abel. She's also learned to fend for herself physically on more than one occasion, and has definitely become a tough "Old Lady" in her own right..

  • Season 4: On the verge of getting out of "the life"... does Tara finally get it all or lose it all?


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    Tig Trager

    SAMCRO Seargant-at-Arms

  • Alexander "Tig" Trager is probably the most loyal person to Clay and is responsible for club discipline among other things.
  • Does a lot of "wet" work and a lot of clean up.
  • Has a soft spot (and more) for Gemma, who he's very protective of. Same goes for Tara...
  • Is very fond of sex, for the most part, sex with females, although it's been hinted that he's more "open" than the others and may have done some experimenting in his younger days.
  • Has a love/hate relationship with Jax, mostly due to the fact that Tig shoots first, and is happy to do so.

  • Has two daughters.
  • Season 4: Even Tig struggles with the path Clay has put them on. Will he remain loyal?


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    Bobbie Munson

    SAMCRO Original 9

  • Bobbie Munson is one of the more entertaining characters on SOA. He's the Secretary of the MC, and has a knack for financials.
  • Even-tempered for the most part and somewhat eclectic (he's an Elvis impersonator in his "down" time).
  • Spends a lot of time trying to be the "reasonable" one between club members, especially Clay and Jax.
    In Season 4, even Bobby is pushed beyond his limits.

  • Songs of Anarchy: Music from Sons of Anarchy Season 1-4

    Police Chief Wayne Unser

  • Chief Unser has an unlikely loyalty to SAMCRO that goes beyond money or favors.
  • He's especially fond of Gemma and has broken many of the laws he's sworn to uphold to keep her safe.
  • Has a tendency to look the other way when it comes to the majority of illegal activity by SAMCRO as he feels it's beneficial to the town of Charming. The understanding is that Sons of Anarchy protect the town from drug dealers and other gangs in exchange for his blind eye.
  • Has cancer and smokes marijuana (sometimes with Gemma).
  • Has had more than one other try to force him from office, and in Season 1 was in the process of retiring, but things happen...
  • Has proven to be loyal to Gemma, Jax and others in the club when he felt they were being set up or that justice was not being served by the ATF, corrupt town developers, etc.



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    Sons of Anarchy Season 5

    jax-v-clay
    Kurt Sutter, Executive Producer has revealed on his blog SutterInk.com, that Season 5 of SOA will focus on Jax and the "Prince's Journey" (referring once again to the show's quasi-Hamlet theme) as he steps into the role of President of SAMCRO. Reportedly, Opie and Wendy (Jax's former wife) will also be returning for the upcoming season. "The stakes will be ratcheted up while the pace will be slowed down. Not that we won't have all the pulpy goodness we have every season (we will still blow sh*t up), it'll just have a different rhythm. "

    photo: from the Season 4 Finale, © FX Networks

    Sons of Anarchy on Amazon

    Amazon video allows you to download individual episodes of Sons of Anarchy. DVDs are also available.


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    Opie Winston

    Opie Winston

  • Real name: Harry "Opie" Winston.
  • Son of Piney, who's also one of the "First 9".
  • Has two kids by wife Donna (who: begged him to leave the MC, and who was murdered by Tig from an order given by Clay).
  • Was supposed to have been murdered by Tig, after ATF Agent Stahl insinuated he was a traitor and an informant.
    Is best friends with Jax.
  • Has a sweet/soft side, but has also been part of several murders, attempted murders, etc.
  • Remains loyal to the club (at the request of Jax) even after he finds out Clay and Tig are responsible for Donna's murder --- but it's a fragile relationship.
    In the Season 3 finale, it's Opie that silences Stahl for good.




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    Juice Ortiz

  • Jean-Carlos "Juice" Ortiz is the techno-mastermind of the club, in charge of communications, surveillance and hacking.
  • Has a mohawk with two lightning bolt tattoos on his head.
  • In Season 1 he was seen by Clay as useless for things other than technology, but that all changes in the following two seasons in a big way.
  • While doing a short stint in jail, he agrees to be bait for a revenge killing, and ends up being stabbed with a shiv before completing the mission.
  • Is of Puerto Rican descent but it's not revealed until Season 3 that he speaks no Spanish.
  • Season 4: Juice's background is used for blackmail by the Feds - with disastrous results


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    SOA on YouTube

    Check out official videos and a video blog from creator Kurt Sutter
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    Chibs Telford

  • Filip "Chibs" Telford is Scottish, but he grew up in Belfast.. His nickname means "scar or knife" and refers to the long scar on his face. Played by actor Tommy Flanagan, the scars are not fake. Flanagan received those in a mugging.
  • Has a daughter and wife in Ireland.
  • His loyalty is with Jax.
  • Has ties to the Irish chapter of SAMCRO as well as the IRA.
  • In Season 3, he exacts revenge on Jimmy O (True IRA gun dealer, traitor, kidnapper and responsible for Chibs' scars)


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    • Decanus Apr 7, 2012 @ 10:23 am | delete
      Good show, good lens!
    • JoshK47 Mar 31, 2012 @ 2:30 pm | delete
      Great guide! Blessed by a SquidAngel!
    • InspirationbyDmarie Mar 30, 2012 @ 1:17 pm | delete
      Love this show... :)
    • Dywaz Mar 25, 2012 @ 11:14 am | delete
      Hells Angels is the best biker group in the world.
    • PaulRyan Feb 8, 2012 @ 9:19 am | delete
      A fantastic show and enjoyed reading the Lens. :) Great way to pass the slow time at work.
    • Upon-Request Feb 20, 2012 @ 10:49 am | delete
      Glad you enjoy both! ;)
    • Kettlebellsuk Feb 6, 2012 @ 7:23 am | delete
      Great idea for a lense
    • jadehorseshoe Jan 26, 2012 @ 2:44 pm | delete
      It really is a fine - and underappreciated - show.
    • SecondHandJoe Jan 26, 2012 @ 1:12 pm | delete
      Really nicely laid out. You should run the fan club! Juicy lens! Thanks- I 'liked' it.
    • Upon-Request Jan 27, 2012 @ 10:48 pm | delete
      Thanks! I am definitely a fan :)
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