During its seven-season run, there weren't many shows that matched Sons of Anarchy in terms of having complicated characters. The people we spend our time with seamlessly moved from likable heroes to dastardly villains quite often. It made for some of the most compelling storylines and character moments in all of television.
Sometimes, these people were engaging and incredible to watch. Other times, their inconsistencies made them next to unwatchable. With that in mind, we are here to list the best characters in Sons of Anarchy and the worst. This is based on their actions, personalities, and how entertaining they were.
Worst: Gemma Teller Morrow
Gemma's spot on the "worst" section is not a mark on Katey Sagal as an actress. She gave a tremendous performance with almost every episode. Gemma is a fascinating character because of her violent tendencies, overbearing mother qualities, and how loyal she was to SAMCRO.
What started to sour people on Gemma came in the final few seasons. Considering she orchestrated the murder of both of her husbands and killed Tara, she eventually kind of becomes one of the series' biggest antagonists. That was a place that never seemed to work great for her and it hurt her character overall.
Best: Alex "Tig" Trager
Talk about one of the most complicated characters in television history. Tig was the man who shot and killed Opie's innocent wife Donna Winston. He was the one who didn't think before he acted and it led to accidentally killing Damon Pope's daughter, which caused all sorts of problems for SAMCRO.
So why does he rank among the best? Because you couldn't help but be glued to the screen whenever Tig did anything. He was the loose cannon of the team. That made him interesting. Plus, as soon as he was forced to watch his daughter die, he became a sympathetic character.
Worst: Juan Carlos "Juice" Ortiz
Juice is kind of the opposite of Tig. He's someone who was mostly a good character during the early stages of Sons of Anarchy. There was a sense of loyalty to him, he wasn't someone who went too far in his actions, and we felt for him when he got shanked during the second season.
But in the back half of the series, Juice became one of the bigger problems with the series. Law enforcement officials saw him as SAMCRO's weak link and they put him in a tough spot, making him turn on the club. It wasn't the most engaging of storylines and his scenes became a chore to watch by the final two seasons.
Best: Filip "Chibs" Telford
Honestly, Chibs might go down as the biggest fan-favorite character of Sons of Anarchy. Though he was always part of the main cast, he didn't always get to shine at the forefront of storylines. But Chibs was always around and he boasted one of the best traits any character could have. He was fiercely loyal.
Chibs had a great relationship with everyone. He got along with Tig, was like a father to Juice, and was there whenever Jax needed him. So many characters on this show met a tragic ending but Chibs survived it all and wrapped up the series at the head of the SAMCRO table. And he deserved it.
Worst: Damon Pope
The people on Sons of Anarchy have committed some horrible acts. But you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who did more despicable things than Damon Pope. He was introduced near the end of season four as the top gangster in all of Oakland. As soon as we met him, he proved that to be true.
To get revenge for the death of his daughter, Damon burned Tig's daughter alive and forced him to watch. He also ordered the death of a member of SAMCRO, leading Opie to sacrifice himself in the show's most heartbreaking and brutal moment. While he was an interesting character, his story concluded in underwhelming fashion.
Best: Clarence "Clay" Morrow
When we list Clay as one of the show's best characters, that doesn't mean he was a good person. Beyond the typical crimes that SAMCRO members commit, Clay was shown to be abusive towards Gemma and his selfish needs put everyone at risk on more than one occasion. Regardless, Clay was incredible to watch.
For one, Ron Perlman delivered the best performances of his career. Even without that, Clay made the show great. He was the perfect antagonist for Jax. It fits with the father theme of the series and Clay could match Jax in brains and brawn. Once he was killed, the show lost something and never reached those heights again.
Worst: Ethan Zobelle
One way to almost guarantee that most viewers will dislike a character is to have them be a racist. Ethan Zobelle was a member of a white separatist gang but his awfulness went beyond that. He came into Charming and put on the front of being a good guy when he was far from it.
You could respect the SAMCRO members because they weren't fake. They were bad and everyone knew it. But the people like Ethan who hid it while acting superior were unlikable. He did some terrible things and didn't even get his proper comeuppance. As he was about to be dealt with, Jax's son was kidnapped, which left him alone to escape.
Best: Jackson "Jax" Teller
Jax is the show's protagonist, so it makes sense for him to be one of the best characters. Tragedy is associated with almost everyone on Sons of Anarchy but Jax might take the cake. This is someone who had his life and destiny set in stone the day he was born and he could never escape it.
A lot of the show is watching Jax try to be a good person but that's next to impossible when there's so much bad around him. He wanted out of SAMCRO but kept getting pulled back in. The deaths of his father, Clay, Opie, Tara, and Gemma all molded him in some way. His suicide at the end of the series was a fitting end for a brilliantly written character.
Worst: June Stahl
Similar to Ethan Zobelle, June Stahl was someone who portrayed a much better person than she actually was. This ATF agent had SAMCRO in her crosshairs for several seasons. But instead of going about it the way that a good guy like Deputy Chief Hale would have, she did it through ruthless means.
Agent Stahl helped caused the death of a few SAMCRO members and led to Jax's son being kidnapped. She framed Gemma for murder and even killed her own girlfriend. Opie discovered that she made him look like a snitch, which led to the death of his wife. So when Opie killed her in the same fashion that Donna died, it's arguably the most satisfying moment on the show.
Best: Harry "Opie" Winston
When we first meet Opie, he's fresh out of jail and looking to stay away from SAMCRO to protect his family. It all went to hell and he got deeper into the gang life than ever before. But audiences loved Opie every step of the way. Like Chibbs, his loyalty to the club and especially Jax was heralded.
Opie is also a tragic figure. From the jail time to the failed marriage to the murder of both his wife and his father, you can't help but feel for him. But then his own death proved to be the show's most critical moment. Opie sacrificed himself for the club and his best friend. The man just wanted a peaceful life with his family but got dealt the worst hand. And through it all, he was fantastic to watch and likable as hell.