The Sons of Anarchy are a group who value specific traits - loyalty and courage. To some degree, each member of SAMCRO is a perfect example of these traits. Perhaps they are like Happy Lowman, who will run smiling into the most violent situations. Or they may be like Tig Trager, who would gladly stand by his leader no matter the situation. In order to thrive in the world of Motorcycle Clubs, all members need to be both loyal and brave.
When it comes to Jackson Teller, he is the epitome of both courageous and loyal. Throughout his time with SAMCRO, viewers got to see Jax at his highs and lows, but his true character never wavered. He was always loyal to his brothers, took care of his family, and never shied away from the obstacles put in front of him. His ability to stare danger in the face with bright, white running shoes on is second to none.
It stands to reason that if these traits are what Jax values most in himself, that he looks for them in his allies. Those Jax surrounds himself with need to be both loyal and courageous. If Jax is willing to give his life for them, then they have to be willing to perish for The Club. Thankfully, there are many brothers (and sisters) affiliated with SoA who have these qualities. On the other hand, there are also just as many in Charming who are the exact opposite. Perhaps those folks have a date with Mr. Mayhem, if Jax had anything to say about it.
Here are 10 Characters Jax Teller Is Close With (And 10 He Can’t Stand).
Close With - Opie
Brotherhood is one of the strongest bonds that a man can make. Jax's bond with Opie stretched beyond The Club - he was his family. Opie and Jax are the two SAMCRO members who have been around The Club since they were in diapers. Both of their fathers were members of The First Nine, so this is the only life that they know. This makes their bond even stronger, as only they fully understand how each other's minds work.
Despite major shifts of power in how The Club operates, and even though they may not always agree, their bond could never be broken. Even following the loss of Opie in season five, his presence continued to be felt. Losing his best friend hit Jax harder than anything else, and he will never be forgotten.
Can't Stand - Gemma
Some adages say that "a boy's best friend is his Mother," but they must have never seen Sons of Anarchy.
There were far too many skeletons in the closet for Gemma and Jax to ever have a healthy relationship.
Those skeletons became very literal when Jax was the one to take out his own mother. Following her numerous betrayals and secrets, including taking the life of Jax's wife, he felt he had no choice. Gemma's numerous deceptions brought her directly to see Mr. Mayhem, and it was at the hands of her own son. The absolute worst part about their relationship are the secrets that remained buried.
Close With - Tig
Loyalty is one of the most important things to both Jax and the Club. This is exactly why Tig Trager has always remained one of Jax's closest allies. Despite all of the absurd things he does, Tig's love and devotion toward SAMCRO is second to none. Even when following the Club means that he will be going against what he feels is right, he will do what is best for the group.
Loyalty like Tig's cannot be bought, it is just a part of who he is. While Tig and Jax may have been at odds due to Tig's loyalty to Clay, he ultimately proved that he will always do what is best for SAMCRO. Even if it meant betraying Clay, who is one of his oldest friends. Given the things that fans have seen Tig do, it is a good idea to stay on his good side.
Can't Stand - Clay
Despite helping raise Jax from adolescence, Clay and Jax have always had a strained relationship. When the series begins, Clay is the Prez of the Club, with Jax as his VP. While this does give Jax considerable influence over the direction of SAMCRO, Clay is the ultimate decision-maker. This means that when Clay makes a decision that Jax does not agree with, he is forced to go along with it. To say that this happens frequently would be an understatement.
The main issue for their dissent is that Jax fundamentally disagreed with the direction Clay was taking the Club in.
However, there is much more beneath the surface. Much like Gemma, Jax never fully realized the role Clay played in his father losing his life. Underneath everything, this was why their relationship was always so strained.
Close With - Bobby
As the most even-tempered member of The Club, Bobby was always seen as Jax's moral compass. His ability to remain calm in the most stressful situations allowed him to see the clearest pathway to the The Club's goals. Considering that Jax was easily blinded by rage, this was a very helpful skillset to have around.
Bobby was not immune to letting his emotions get the better of him - including exiling himself out of The Club himself when he disagreed with Jax's decision making. Despite this, he was always looking to do what was best for everyone. Did he ever disagree directly with Jax? Of course, but Jax always respected his opinion above everyone else's. This is what made Bobby's demise in season seven amonst most upsetting of the series. Without him, Jax truly got lost down a path of violence.
Can't Stand - Juice
If Jax cannot trust his own brotherhood, who can he trust? Juice's transformation from loyal Club member to a traitor is one of the saddest in the series. He tragically falls from being one of the most trusted members to one that is being hunted by the group for his indiscretions. The Club can only accept so much betrayal from a member, even one as valued as Juice. Juice's involvement in events like the a RICO statute against the Club as well as Tara's demise led to him becoming a target of the Club.
While Juice may have gone out while still caring about the Club, Jax had lost all compassion for him.
Could Juice have done anything to regain Jax's trust?
Close With - Chibs
If there is one member of The Club who grew closest to Jax over the years, it is Chibs. Despite a distant beginning, it eventually turned in to a very close relationship. Particularly after Opie lost his life, Jax needed someone new to be his right-hand-man. Thankfully, Chibs was there to take up the mantle and also look after Jax along the way.
Originally starting out as a charter member, Chibs progressed through the ranks successfully until he became Jax's VP. As a true show of final loyalty, Jax handed over his presidency to Chibs before the series ended. Due to Chibs being much older than the other Club members, he was seen as a father figure. Considering Jax's strained relationship with other men in his life, he likely saw Chibs that way too.
Can't Stand - Ima
Jax is certainly not going to win any awards for treating everyone around him nicely. This applies to Ima Tite, who has been on the receiving end of a lot of mistreatment from the Club. Ima is an adult actress who worked alongside Lyla, however her intentions are not as good.
It becomes evident that Ima is infatuated with Jax, and looks to break up him and Tara.
While she does succeed in sleeping with Jax, he did not do it because he had feelings for her, and soundly removed her from the Club. Next time Ima comes around, she is sleeping with Opie while he is married to Lyla. In order to ensure that she does not interfere in the lives of SAMCRO anymore, Jax physically assaults her to send the message that she is not wanted.
Close With - Tara
There is only one, true romantic love in Jax's life. Despite all of the horrible things that happened to him, he always had Tara by his side to make it worth it. In a world full of violence, Jax and Tara were the most beautiful part. They had built a family together and stood by each other in times of need. Watching their relationship grow to a place that brought out toughness in Tara and softness in Jax was a reminder of the good parts of life.
Unfortunately, Tara losing her life made Jax's world come crashing down. His love for Tara was so strong that once she was gone he had nothing left to keep him grounded, and he was driven down a path of unrelenting violence. If Tara had been able to stick around, Jax would have been able to hold on and not spiral out of control.
Can't Stand - Kyle Hobart
The well-known adage is that "snitches get stitches." However, the Sons of Anarchy have a different way of dealing with people who cross their rules. Kyle Hobart is a former member of SAMCRO who had been removed from the Club for abandoning Opie and getting him sent to prison.
Jax has no remorse for those that are not loyal to The Club, and Kyle learned that in the worst way.
After Opie gets out, Kyle reemerges and wants to pull a job with the group again. While Jax pretends to entertain the idea, they are actually looking to exact justice on Kyle. One of the rules for an excommunicated member of the group is that they have to have their Grim Reaper tattoo removed. Kyle failed to do so, so the Club removes it for him in the most brutal way possible.
Close With - Lyla
If there is one thing that The Club does really well, it is take care of their "old ladies". Even though Lyla was not one of the original members of The Club, her connection to Opie ensured she would be taken care of forever. Following Opie's demise, Lyla is left to take care of three children, and is incredibly distraught at how she will manage. While her marriage to Opie did not last as long as they both would have hoped, Jax ensured her that she is still family to him.
Even though she has no discernable connection to SAMCRO anymore, he still treats her like family. All fans wish that Lyla would have got more of a happy ending, but she knows she will never have to worry with SAMCRO to protect her.
Can't Stand - Agent Stahl
Despite Agent June Stahl's title as a police officer who is sworn to do good, there were not many people who enjoyed her company. In fact, very few people in Charming appreciated her presence-- especially the Sons of Anarchy.
Stahl's presence throughout the early seasons of SoA were as the ultimate thorn in the side of the Club.
Her looming threat of a RICO statute makes her very threatening. What puts her at the top of SAMCRO's hit list is her willingness to do anything to achieve her goal. She ends up being one of the most formidable adversaries that they ever face. She met her demise through a very well-orchestrated plan, which included many of the Sons going to prison. This shows exactly how much Jax hated her - he was willing to do serious time just to get her off of his back.
Close With - Happy
When Jax is looking for someone to take care of the trash, he is most likely to call Happy first. That is why they are so close - Happy will do anything that his "Prez" needs, no matter how crazy. Happy is not an original member of SAMCRO since he was only patched in during season three, but he is treated like someone who has been around since the beginning.
It is Happy's willingness to do whatever it takes to help the Club that made him an invaluable member to Jax. While most of the other members make their displeasure known when they do not agree with Jax, Happy rarely expresses dissatisfaction. Happy trusts Jax fully, and would be willing to run into fire if he asked him to. Despite being violent and unstable, Happy is one of Jax's most loyal soldiers, and one of his greatest friends.
Can't Stand - Deputy Hale
Even though heir feud was eventually patched up, that doesn't mean Jax enjoyed Hale's company. Deputy David Hale was Charming's "Captain America," and vowed to get rid of the Sons of Anarchy in his town. His squeaky-clean demeanor is the exact opposite to the gritty nature of SAMCRO, and he resented their presence in his town. On the other hand, his superior Wayne Unser was deeply connected to the group. Hale tried many times to arrest and remove the Club from Charming, but they always found a way to sneak past him.
He may have ended up partnering with Jax toward the end of his run, but Jax is not one to forget his past transgressions.
On the other hand, his superior Wayne Unser was deeply connected to the group.
Close With - Abel & Thomas
It is sometimes difficult to picture Jax as a loving father, but there is nothing more important to him than family. Of all the other Sons of Anarchy members, Jax is the only one who stays incredibly close to his children. With one mothered with Wendy and the other by Tara, both sons mean the world to Jax. Even though his world is filled with violence, he draws his strength from coming home and seeing his boys.
To both Abel and Thomas, their dad is a superhero. Thankfully they are not fully aware of what he does outside of the house, but they look up to him. Jax took this very seriously, and wanted to set a good example for his boys. Even when he decided to ultimately take his own life, his main concern was that his boys would be well cared for. He may not have always been the perfect father, but he always tried his best.
Can't Stand - Damon Pope
Out of all the foes that Jax dealt with personally, Damon Pope was without a doubt the most dangerous. Conducting his business with the most quiet and calm demeanor, Pope is a ruthless kingpin who draws the ire of SAMCRO. After a mistake by Tig angers the gangster, he has it out for the entire group. With enough resources to make each member's life a living hell, he is incredibly hard to take down.
Even though he was only a nemesis for one season, he caused the most damage out of any other adversary.
Not only did he organize Tig losing his daughter, but he was also responsible for the loss of Opie. Needless to say, there were very few upset fans when Jax was finally able to take him out.
Close With - Wendy
Upon being introduced to Jax and Wendy's relationship, her addiction has severely impacted her pregnancy with Abel. Her substance use caused him development errors before he was born, and almost resulted in a tragedy. Thankfully, he was safe and Wendy left to straighten herself out.
Upon returning to Charming, Wendy is a changed woman who wants to bond with her son. Following Tara's demise, Wendy and Jax become much closer as she assists in taking care of both Thomas and Abel. In a very touching moment, he reveals to Abel that Wendy is his biological mom. Thankfully, their relationship was repaired so that she could continue to look after the boys in Jax's absence. Despite having plenty of problems in their relationship, Jax and Wendy ended things in a very good place.
Can't Stand - Cameron Hayes
While not every fan will recognize who Cameron Hayes, they will certainly remember what he was responsible for. Following a dismantling of the relationship between the IRA and the Sons of Anarchy, one of the Irish members were looking to exact revenge on the Club. While there was plenty of violence involved, there was one line that should never be crossed.
In one of the most heartbreaking moments of the series, Hayes abducted Jax's son Abel and took him to Ireland.
The visual of the mighty Jax Teller weeping as he watched his son be taken away is one that cannot be forgotten. Hayes surely paid for crossing the SoA, and learned a very valuable lesson. No one messes with the son of a Son.
Close With - Nero
It is clear that Jax has struggled with father figures for his entire life. Men have either been absent or violent his entire life, so he finds it difficult to trust them. That is until Nero Padilla comes in to his life.
Nero is not someone who has clean hands - his past is also full of violence, but he has turned his life around. Ultimately, he sees himself as a guiding force for Jax, especially when he realizes that Jax is on a downward spiral following all the loss in his life. While Jax is a grown man and does not need a father figure, he does appreciate the advice and support. In a very short time, he trusts Nero like a member of the family, and even leaves his boys in his care.
Can't Stand - Ethan Zobelle
The worst about thing about this awful man is that he is the only rival that Jax was never able to take to see "Mr. Mayhem". Ethan Zobelle's arrival in Charming signaled a wave of bigotry int he small town. He sought out to eliminate any group that had ties to a group of a different race.
When the Sons of Anarchy refused them, his group responded by attacking Gemma.
While Zobelle did not participate in the assault himself, he did organize it. Though the perpetrators themselves were caught, Zobelle was able to escape. Out of all everything the Sons have done, this is one that Jax surely wishes he was around to finish.
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Are there any other Sons of Anarchy characters who crossed Jax? Let us know in the comments!