From the inception of Sons of Anarchy until the recent events of Mayans M.C., the Mayans Motorcycle Club has always been known to be a serious player in the world of the illegal weapons trade, shipment protections, prostitution, and drug trafficking.
They were bitter rivals of SAMCRO before becoming important allies, and while they may be outlaws, there is a strict system of hierarchy and laws that all members of this club must follow in order to share in the spoils of this club's many successful operations.
9. A Prospect Never Speaks Out Of Turn
Ezekiel "EZ" Reyes found this rule out the hard way during the very first episode of this series. During the meeting between the Mayans club and Miguel Galindo following the robbery of Galindo's shipment, EZ spoke of how he noticed the tattoo on one the assailant's arms, and consequently recognized which gang he belongs to.
Immediately after, Mayans' Santo Padre President Bishop punched him in the face, warning him that such serious accusations should not be made to outsiders, particularly not without first notifying the other Mayans. It makes sense, too - a prospect won't know everything going on, and the club has to keep a united front.
8. A Mayan Always Sticks To His Post
While the Mayans find themselves in a complicated world where specialized skills are often required, not every task they do requires such talents. In fact, even fully patched members such as Johnny "El Coco" Cruz and Vincent "Rocco" Vargas are obliged to do menial tasks from time to time, ranging from standing watch to digging up graves.
Despite the thankless and sometimes degrading nature of such jobs, each club member ensures that they fulfill their duty to the fullest, thus proving their dedication and allegiance to the Mayans. And of course, when it comes to standing watch, never leaving is vital - for obvious reasons.
7. A Mayan Never Keeps Secrets From The Club
This is a rule that is sacred within the motorcycle club, and any Mayan who disregards it will be met with severe punishment. We saw that when Riz, the club's secretary, kept a dangerous secret from the club, Bishop called him out in the middle of their meeting.
The Mayans then took a 10 percent cut from his business dealings, however, he was still fortunate enough to walk away without receiving a more tragic fate.
6. Everybody Starts As A Prospect
While the main protagonist of the show's predecessor was already Vice President of his club at the show's inception, EZ is shown as a prospect for the Mayans.
Despite his brother Angel already being a fully patched member of the club, EZ still does not earn any legacy benefits, and must earn the trust of the club on his own in order to become a permanent member. Family may count for some things, but it won't get new members truly special treatment.
5. Don't Be A Sellout
Between being an informant for law enforcement as part of his parole agreement and having full knowledge of his brother's cooperation with Adelita, EZ still remains loyal to his brother as well as the Mayans.
He is always sure never to give up his brother's secret or jeopardize the club, even if it means that his parole terms will be broken and he will head back to prison. This places emphasis on the importance of trust between the club's members.
4. Club Comes Before Family
When cleaning the bikes of other Mayans members as part of his prospect duties, national president Marcus Alvarez approached EZ to praise him for his intelligence and his effective use of his photographic memory.
He also implied that he had knowledge of his brother having ulterior motives, subsequently warning him that if there came a time to choose between his brother and the club, he should stick with the club as it would be best for his future.
3. Always Defend Your Fellow Mayan
From the epic brawl between the Mayans and Galindo's crew to the fight between Cole's team and Angel's side crew, one thing has always remained constant no matter the parties involved: Mayans always stand up for and fight alongside one another.
It does not matter who was at fault or whether their fellow crew member was correct in his decision to throw a punch; Mayans always show strength in unity.
2. Don't Question Leadership
Often, Mayans members are faced with decisions that they personally disapprove of, whether because of moral boundaries or simply because they do not want to perform a menial, degrading, or disgusting chore. This includes bizarre tasks such as EZ cutting off a corpse's finger as well as menial activities such as taking shifts to watch over Johnny as he counts cards at the casino.
No matter the task, a Mayan will never question authority with regards to the decisions they make, and will ensure that they meet all requirements when carrying out the given request, thus emphasizing the discipline required to be a Mayan.
1. The Club's Operations Are Always Of Utmost Priority
Throughout the series, EZ has had to split his time between the Mayans, looking out for Emily, speaking with his father and cooperating with his law enforcement contacts. His life became even more complicated when stumbling upon and becoming involved with his brother's sideplot.
With so much going on, EZ still manages to commit to his role within the Mayans, often abruptly leaving his father's butchery and climbing back on his chopper to ride to his next mission for the motorcycle club.