Sons of Anarchy may have ended four years ago, but that doesn't mean that it has lost any of its popularity amongst fans. Kurt Sutter did an amazing job creating a series that was full of symbolism, expression, and most importantly, viewer interpretation. Forums like Reddit are full of different fan theories that pertain to the show and Sutter has said that he wants fans to make their own ideas about certain things. He loves the creative process of the mind and how different elements combine to mean different things to different people. Sons of Anarchy is a work of art, just like a piece hanging in the Louvre, and there have been a number of fan theories over the years since the series ended.
With the start of the spinoff series Mayans M.C., it has refreshed the fan theory machine, especially with the cameos of SOA cast members. In a way, these cameos allow SOA to live on for fans. Sutter has said that he plans to make two more spinoffs, one of which would focus on “The First 9” of SAMCRO. Some fan theories are way out in left field, while others are so intriguing that they actually make sense. Whether you like to come up with theories yourself, or just like reading them, we've compiled a list of some interesting Sons of Anarchy fan theories. These are theories that if true, would change everything about the fan-favorite series. We're not saying that we believe these theories, but they are interesting nonetheless. Here are 20 Sons Of Anarchy Fan Theories (That Change Everything). Read on to see if any of them are thoughts you've had about the series.
Lincoln Potter is Actually John Teller
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lincoln Potter stepped into the world of Sons of Anarchy at the start of season four. He planned to take down SAMCRO and the cartels using the RICO act. The same thing that finally brought down the infamous Al Capone. Lincoln is an extremely intelligent, strategic, calm, and eccentric individual. Unlike the average U.S. Attorney, Lincoln has long hair, sports a leather jacket, and is a biker.
Potter's out-of-the-ordinary manner and motorcycle ways led some fans to theorize that he was, in fact, John Teller. JT and Unser worked together to fake his passing, only for John to return years later after having facial reconstructive surgery and take Clay and Gemma down once and for all.
Wendy is Adriana From the Sopranos
A favorite amongst Sons of Anarchy fans is that the character Wendy, played by actress Drea de Matteo, is actually Adriana La Cerva from The Sopranos. The theory is that Adriana went into the witness protection program and fled New Jersey to California. Both Wendy and Adriana experienced problems and had the same accent.
At the end of the series, Wendy and Nero are riding together and he invites her to visit his farm. They engage in some banter before Nero says, “don't [make me mad] or you'll be riding in the trunk.” Wendy replies with, “it won't be the first time,” which is a clear reference to her character Adriana's exit on The Sopranos.
Clay Was Jax's Father (Clay Didn't Know)
There's no question that Jax Teller had some daddy issues. Some fans have theories as to who Jax's father really was, JT or Clay? One Reddit user wrote that Gemma and Clay were involved behind JT's back and became pregnant. This was around the time that JT went to Belfast and had his own relationship and daughter with Maureen Ashby. Since Gemma and JT were married, he would be listed on Jax's birth certificate and it could be kept hidden from everyone. Clay probably had suspicions over the years and was given an unspoken answer by Gemma.
Another Reddit user, shandid, commented on Jax and Clay's common features: "Both blonde hair and blue eyes are recessive genes, meaning if both the mother and father have one dominant brown hair/eyes allele, and one recessive blonde hair/blue eyes allele, they have a 1 in 4 chance in having a child with blonde hair or blue eyes."
Chibs is a Rat
This one is a bit harder to swallow for most fans, as Chibs is a favorite. The surrogate father/brother to Jax, or as Chibs would say “Jackie boy,” had a past with the real IRA before coming to Charming. The theory is that Chibs never stopped working for the “True IRA.” Chibs pushed Jax towards war to eliminate Marks and the One-Niners, removing them from a deal.
If Chibs could get Jax to self-destruct while taking out all other parties, including the foreigners, this would leave the men free to run weapons through SAMCRO's new leader, Filip “Chibs” Telford.
The Homeless Woman is the Grim Reaper
One character that fans loved to theorize about was the homeless woman. She had a knack for appearing at the most opportune moments, especially those of Jax. One Fandom user wrote: “I think she serves as a symbol for the goddess the Morrigan. The animal associated with the Morrigan was the crow. She was the goddess of battle, strife, and sovereigns.... She was known to choose whose time had come. In [ancient] myths, she appeared as an [old woman] before an omen of impending passing.”
As the series and its protagonist have ties to Ireland, this fan theory is quite interesting.
It Was All a Dream
On Conan, show creator Kurt Sutter may have accidentally set fan theory gears grinding when he said that his dream ending would be for Jax to wake up from a dream. Sutter said that Jax would wake up and drive his Vespa to Starbucks, where Wendy was a barista. This type of Dallas ending wasn't right for Sons of Anarchy. Though, it would make for an interesting alternate ending.
There is also the theory that Jax awakens from his dream in Abel's NICU room. He is holding JT's manuscript and is shaken to the core by the events. Jax looks up at the sound of the door, only to see Tara stepping through it. Cue the tissues, right.
Gemma is Anarchy
Far from her days as Peg Bundy, Katey Sagal breathed life into matriarch Gemma Teller-Morrow, the mother you don't want to mess with. Much of the chaos that Jax and the Son's face on the show could be traced back to Gemma. She always seemed to be the root of all the loss and pain that Jax experienced. Reddit user Rodizzles1996 shared their theory that: “Gemma is Anarchy and the sons are her sons.”
If Gemma was the embodiment of Anarchy, then she certainly had things turn on her in the end. Everything that she held dear and fought to protect was eliminated by the lies that Gemma wrought. One thing is for sure, this character was like a water drop, sending ripples of madness out from her that grew before fading.
Jax Isn't Really Gone
Though it was tough to watch, there's no question that Jax took a final ride towards an oncoming semi in the series finale. There are those that believe that the whole thing was a setup and that Jax is in fact still kicking.
A theory goes that Jax handed over crucial information to the law and then went into witness protection. The accident was set up by the police to look like he actually perished so that no one would question it. Jax was then able to join Wendy and the boys at Nero's farm. Hunnam has discussed going through a period of mourning after putting the character of Jax Teller to rest, saying it took weeks to get passed it.
Tig and Kozik Dated
The character of Tig, though not the main character, often had the most memorable scenes and emotional moments. In season three, Tig consistently votes “no” when it comes to Kozik being voted into SAMCRO. Eventually, the reason for their tension and disagreement comes to light: a dog, and her name was Mandy.
With the pair both arguing over their individual love for Mandy, some fans proclaimed that there was more to Tig and Kozik's past. Though we never learn more about what happened to Mandy, the theory is that Tig and Kozik were in a romantic relationship, and after a break-up, Kozik kept Mandy, or it was Kozik's fault that Mandy passed, causing their break-up to occur.
Abel Will Make His Way Back to SAMCRO
Jax's last wish was that his sons grow up disliking the very thought of him, which included the life of SAMCRO. A popular fan theory that may yet come to pass is that Abel will find his way back to Charming, despite Jax's wishes. MTV's Josh Wigler pointed out that Abel had a violent streak, and was shown holding the SON ring, which was given to him by Gemma.
This perhaps signified Gemma influencing Abel and leading him down the path of his father. Abel was old enough to remember things about his father, grandmother, and Charming. So, the theory that he one day returns to Charming and SAMCRO is not that much of a stretch.
JT Served In Vietnam With Mayan's Felipe Reyes
This theory is something new that has surfaced with the spinoff series Mayans. There are two possible connections, one being that John Teller and Felipe “The Butcher” Reyes served in Vietnam together, and the other is that Felipe's cousin was Chico Vellenueva, one of the First 9.
It was made evident in the first season of Mayans that Felipe has past military ties, which could include Vietnam based on his age. Prior to moving to the United States, Felipe worked for the Galindo Cartel: the same cartel that SAMCRO began working with during the shows fourth season.
Gemma Was The Puppet Master
There's no question that Gemma Teller-Morrow was a powerful character on the series. Many would argue that it was Gemma all along that was controlling the actions of the club from behind the scenes. The character of Juice even said: “Gemma knows every truth, behind every lie, inside every secret. She's the gatekeeper.” Perhaps one of the best lines of the whole show. Gemma often influenced Clay, Jax, and the moves of the club.
Gemma saw herself as an equal, a founding member of SAMCRO. She felt she knew what was best for the club and her family, which according to her, were one and the same. It's not a far stretch to imagine Gemma as the marionette, pulling everyone's strings.
The Homeless Woman is Brooke's Late Mother
This character is one of the most popular amongst fan theories. Some believe that she is the Reaper, or Brooke's mother, or both. Brooke was Rat's girlfriend and the babysitter of Thomas and Abel. Her mother, Emily Putner, was an unfortunate recipient of a multi-car pile-up that was caused by JT's accident.
Jax goes to Brooke's house to speak with her father about how she has been acting and sees a wedding picture of Emily. Jax comments on how familiar she looks, and the homeless woman appears in episodes before key moments (while interacting only with Jax and Gemma). The Reaper taking the form of a woman who was lost in the same accident caused by JT's end is a theory that fans still find themselves talking about.
Breaking Bad Is Part of the Same Universe
Fans of Sons of Anarchy have said for a long time that the series takes place in the same universe as a number of other shows, including Breaking Bad. In SOA, actor Danny Trejo plays the part of an undercover CIA agent cartel leader named Romeo Parrada in the Galinda Cartel. In Breaking Bad, Trejo plays a DEA informant for the Juarez Cartel named Tortuga; both characters have ties to federal law enforcement agencies.
Reddit user GaslightProphet posted a lengthy theory of the numerous SOA universe connections to other shows, including Breaking Bad. He discusses how Romeo leaves the Galinda Cartel and joins the Juarez Cartel as Tortuga. It's always fun and interesting when fans find connections between television series.
Tara Represented Jax's Humanity
Throughout the series, Tara is Jax's anchor to what is pure, moral, and away from the darkness. Kurt Sutter has said that the series was a modern Hamlet. Symbolism was shown throughout the series in character names, episode titles, and of course, characters themselves. Some fans believe that Tara was Jax's humanity, as she kept him from completely being lost to the chaos of the club.
Tara was the one pure thing in his life. Even when they were apart, his love for her did not waiver. Once she was lost forever, his grasp on the light, and on humanity, was gone. With her passing, it was the beginning of the end for Jax. His downward spiral started at that point.
Tara Really Was Working With the Feds
This fan theory is one that brings up much debate between fans of the series, and especially of Tara. The theory is that Tara was working for the fed's the entire time. IGN user tantric_tornado commented: “Many, MANY hints go in that direction of her being a federal agent. Let's not forget her ex-boyfriend, Josh Kohn. He happens to have been a FED (ATF) and came to Charming for Tara. The way that he tries to blackmail her in the season kinda hints that Kohn knew something about Tara, [perhaps something she didn't] want anybody to know, and if she didn't comply with him, he would spill the beans.”
Tara's demeanor in the series is often a topic of discussion, but whether it is due to the actress' portrayal or a hidden conspiracy, we'll never know.
Abel is the Reincarnation of John Teller
This fan theory goes into a whole other realm of fantasy, but just goes to show the creativeness that Kurt Sutter evokes in viewers. Reddit user friendlygost said that they believed that Abel was the reincarnation of his late grandfather, John Teller. In the first episode of the series, Abel is born and his father Jax finds JT's manuscript.
Throughout the series, Abel has moments where he does not act in the way that your average toddler would. He seems to be an old soul. In the final episode, Abel is seen holding the SON ring as his father, Jax, meets his end in the same way that JT did.
Gemma Wanted JT Gone Out of Anger
The circumstances surrounding John Teller's passing have been, and continue to be, discussed by fans on various forums. One theory suggests that Gemma wanted him gone because she was angry with him. JT was in Belfast while Gemma was in Charming dealing with their son Thomas' illness. She also had Jax to take care of, all while JT was involved with Maureen Ashby. Gemma, being the no non-sense and emotional powerhouse that she is, began to influence Clay into taking JT out of the picture.
Thomas passed away and Gemma was heartbroken. She would have blamed JT for not being there and an act of vengeance put a plan in motion to permanently make JT gone.
Jax Was the Cause of the Everyone's Demise
This one may be a bit hard for fans to believe as Jax was, for the most part, their favorite character. He was, of course, not an innocent man, but with all of the bad things he did, fans still wanted to see him get a happy ending and place blame on others like Gemma.
In a Reddit thread, it was pointed out that Jax was very reactive to his emotions and, most often, acted in a violent manner. He was responsible for most losses of the series over any other character, especially in the series finale when he set on his mission to eliminate any and all of the bad he had created. Gemma was the match, but Jax was the accelerant that eliminated everything in its path.
Raising Hope Is Part of the Same Universe
So, this one is seemingly out of left field and is just funny. Viewers of the show, Raising Hope, saw the character Phil from Sons of Anarchy make a surprise appearance on the comedy show during season three. Unlike SOA, Raising Hope is nothing but comedy.
Characters Jimmy (Lucas Neff) and Barney (Gregg Binkley) come face to face with a tough biker, wearing the SOA crew member vest during the episode “Squeak Means Squeak.” Jimmy and Lucas think they hear a domestic dispute happening and when the front door opens, they meet Liam, a rather large biker who is out of his element babysitting his sister's kids. The scene is short, however, you can't help but notice that Liam has a SAMCRO cut on and his Harley is parked on the front lawn.
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Have you heard any SOA fan theories outside this list? Let us know what it is in the comments below!