Sons of Anarchy is full of memorable quotes, and most of them come from its protagonist, Jax Teller (Charlie Hunnam). One of the best TV shows of all time is Kurt Sutter’s Sons of Anarchy, an action crime drama show that ran for seven seasons from 2008 to 2014. Although it did have its weak moments, Sons of Anarchy is an overall great show from start to finish, with some of the most memorable characters from the crime drama genre on TV.

Sons of Anarchy takes the audience to the fictional town of Charming, California, home to the title motorcycle club, led by President Clay Morrow (Ron Perlman) and VP Jax Teller. Throughout seven seasons, Jax and his SAMCRO brothers face many challenges and threats – from rival gangs and MCs to family drama and many tragedies. Jax goes through an entire journey in Sons of Anarchy from VP to President and his dramatic downfall, but he leaves some wisdom for the audience through it all.

Jax learns the darkest secrets of his family, especially those about his father’s death, discovers many betrayals, and makes many sacrifices for his families (SAMCRO, his mother, and his wife and sons). Even if he sometimes goes against what he preaches, Jax has various memorable quotes throughout Sons of Anarchy about life, family, friendship, brotherhood, and legacy, among other topics, and some of them even foreshadow his fate.

“The Bond That Holds This Club Together Isn’t About Love Or Brotherhood Anymore. We Lost That A Long Time Ago. It’s Just Fear And Greed Now”

Season 4, Episode “Out”

Season 4 is a key one in Sons of Anarchy as huge secrets are revealed and SAMCRO goes through important changes. The season starts strong with Jax, Clay, Bobby, Tig, Juice, and Happy getting out of prison and reuniting with the club and their families. After 14 months in prison, Charming has changed a lot, and so Jax reveals to Tara his desire to leave the club as he fears for his future and that of his family with Tara.

Jax says the quote about the bond of love and brotherhood that held the club together being long gone, and instead, the club being plagued by fear and greed. Looking back, it’s a heavy moment of foreshadowing, as SAMCRO’s troubles are only getting started, and Jax is about to fall down the spiral of fear and greed himself.

“Every Day Is A New Box, Boys. You Open It, You Take A Look At What’s Inside. You’re The One Who Determines If It’s A Gift Or A Coffin”

Season 5, Episode “Orca Shrugged”

Season 5 of Sons of Anarchy has one of the show’s most heartbreaking moments when Jax, Tig, and Chibs watch their brother and Jax’s best friend, Opie, sacrifice himself in prison for them and the club. Jax is never the same after Opie’s death, and he does a lot of introspection after such a traumatic event. A couple of days after saying his last goodbye to Opie, Jax delivers the above quote with a metaphor similar to the one in Forrest Gump, minus the chocolates.

The SAMCRO crew risks their lives every day simply by being part of the club, but Opie’s death is a massive reality check for Jax and the rest. Jax is now more aware than ever that every day counts, and it’s up to every one of them to make it a good day or their last one.

“You’re Done Telling Me Anything. Now I Tell You”

Season 4, Episode “To Be, Act 2”

Jax learns the truth about his father’s death in season 4, and that ultimately leads to Clay’s downfall and Jax’s rise as SAMCRO’s new President. However, Jax only learns half the truth about his father’s death, as he never learns that his mother, Gemma, was involved too. In the final episode of season 4, Jax confronts Clay at the hospital and lets him know that he’s no longer in charge of the club, and he’s taking over now.

While Clay will still have a role in the club, it’s Jax who makes all the decisions now, and he makes sure Clay knows his new place and the consequences of standing in his way.

“I’m The Scumbag Outlaw, And You’re The Pillar Of Justice. And Neither One Of Us Likes Looking At Ourselves In The Mirror”

Season 6, Episode “John 8:32”

Throughout Sons of Anarchy, Jax has to make deals with different people, and in season 6, he makes one with DA Patterson – but Jax is who he is, and of course, making a deal with him includes a couple of threats and harsh truths. When talking to Patterson, Jax makes sure she keeps her feet on the ground with a reality check about their respective positions and what they each get out of the deal. Jax reminds her that, just like him, she has had to do some dirty work, and in many ways, they are equal.

“I Am Terrified A Great Deal Of The Time. Afraid Of What I’ve Done. Of What I’m Doing. And Of What I Might Have To Do”

Season 6, “A Mother’s Work”

The finale of Sons of Anarchy season 6 is one of the most shocking and heartbreaking episodes in the show, and it also delivers one of Jax’s best and most vulnerable lines. In this episode, Jax reads a journal entry for his sons in a voiceover, in which he opens up to them, admitting that he’s scared of what he has done, what he’s doing, and what he might do, as he’s well aware of the rush he gets out of that fear. It’s Jax admitting that he might never change, no matter how much he wants, and that his own actions will be his end.

“You Reach An Age Where You Realize That Being A Man Isn’t About Respect Or Strength, It’s About Being Aware Of All The Things You Touch”

Season 5, Episode “Darthy”

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Some of Jax’s wisest and deepest thoughts and quotes come from his voiceover narrations throughout the show. “Darthy” has one of those, in which Jax shares some wisdom with his sons about growing up, leadership, and the weight of decisions. By then, Jax has gone through a lot of chaos, tragedy, and drama, and knows well that he must pay attention to what he does and the consequences of his actions, even if he doesn’t follow his own advice for long.

“I’m Not A Good Man. I’m A Criminal And A Killer. I Need My Sons To Grow Up Hating The Thought Of Me”

Season 7, “Papa’s Goods”

Jax’s downfall starts with Opie’s death and gets worse after Tara’s, more so as his “revenge” is fueled by Gemma’s lies. Jax kills people who had nothing to do with Tara’s death just because Gemma refuses to tell him the truth, and his actions are what ultimately lead to his death. However, Jax makes sure to ensure his sons’ future and that they will know what his father was truly like and everything he did.

Jax trusts Nero and Wendy with his sons, asking them to take them away from Charming and never lie to them about what Jax did. Jax wants his sons to know he was an outlaw, a criminal, and a killer, not only so they know the truth but also to keep them away from outlaw life, so this is a very Jax way to make sure his sons will have a much better life than his.

“I Realized, As I Think You Did, A Good Father And A Good Outlaw Can’t Settle In The Same Man”

Season 7, “Papa’s Goods”

In another monologue in the series finale, but this one directed to his father, JT, Jax admits a very harsh truth that his father also realized at some point: there’s no way for family life and outlaw life to coexist. Jax spends most of Sons of Anarchy trying to balance his family life with Tara and their sons, and his outlaw life with SAMCRO and his brothers, sometimes wanting to leave the club and others focusing on it more than on his family.

In the end, it’s one or the other for people like Jax, and in his case, it’s already too late for him to course correct. Jax ends up having the same fate as his father, and, as mentioned above, hopes that his sons won’t follow in their steps.

“Figure Out What’s Important To You. Know Yourselves. Know What’s In Your Heart. And Know What’s Right. Don’t Be Swayed By Fear Or History Or The Opinions Of Outsiders. Find Your Own Truth. It Will Lead You To The Things You Love”

Season 6, Episode “Straw”

Another moment of wisdom courtesy of Jax’s journal and voiceover can be found in season 6’s premiere episode. In it, Jax reflects on his actions and decisions, and how these have affected his loved ones, his enemies, and even people unrelated to them. However, he reminds his sons that they have to live their lives, make their own mistakes, learn from them, and know who they really are. Once they find their own truth, everything else will fall into place, but Jax wishes all this will happen to them far away from outlaw life.

“Strength Comes From The Good Things: Your Family, Your Friends, The Satisfaction Of Hard Work. Those Are The Things That Will Keep You Whole”

Season 5, Episode “Sovereign”

The best quote in Sons of Anarchy belongs to Jax, and, once more, it comes from a voiceover narration. In it, Jax shares his thoughts and feelings about the phrase “That which doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger”, stating that he doesn’t believe in it, and instead, to him, it’s all about finding strength in the positive things in life. However, this line foreshadows Jax’s downfall, as he ends up with no family, no friends, and without the club, so he has nothing else to keep him whole and thus is ready to welcome death.

Release Date

2008 – 2014

Showrunner

Kurt Sutter

Directors

Paris Barclay, Guy Ferland, Gwyneth Horder-Payton, Peter Weller, Billy Gierhart, Kurt Sutter, Stephen Kay, Adam Arkin, Paul Maibaum, Phil Abraham, Terrence O’Hara, Allen Coulter, Charles Haid, Charles Murray, Karen Gaviola, Mario Van Peebles, Michael Dinner, Seith Mann, Tim Hunter

Writers

Dave Erickson, Misha Green, Liz Sagal, Regina Corrado, Mike Daniels, Kem Nunn, Roberto Patino, Gladys Rodríguez, Peter Elkoff, Marco Ramirez, James D. Parriott, Julie Busher, Pat Charles, Stevie Long, David Labrava, Vaun Wilmott

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  Charlie Hunnam

  Jax Teller

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  Katey Sagal

  Gemma Teller Morrow