I didn't really care for the back and forth trips to Unser's palace, but it did well to highlight just what kind of people have been "keeping Charming safe."

It's not that Gemma has a ton of moral high ground to stand on but I was really left wondering what on earth Clay actually cares about, other saving his own ass. He keeps referring to everything he and Gemma have "built," while in the same moment openly contemplating killing his "son's" wife.

The idea t that Gemma is verbally having to reign Clay in from acting on his instincts does not bode well for their relationship. Mo touched on this a few episodes back, while it's not surprising that Clay would get physically violent with Gemma it's still quite disturbing to have him in that headspace. I have a feeling this season may be where Gemma decides to break ties with him and try and help Jax and Tara get out. I guess we've always known that Clay was the villain of the story but I guess I never realized just how little humanity he had left.

I've always seen SAMCRO's relationship to race as a thing that used to matter in the past but has been trumped over time by money and security. The black/white divide seems to be a vestige of some "old timey" racist views harbored by Piney (and probably other founding members). I don't think the members of SAMCRO are enlightened by any stretch or even friendly with the black people they do know, but I also know that they've got too much going on to care about Juice's lineage. I too hope that there's something more to that storyline than it appears.

As for Opie and Lyla, Opie said to Jax in episode two "She's no Donna". Opie is trying to make a piece fit into a puzzle that is never going to fit. Just because Lyla had one baby when she met him didn't mean she wanted more. HER FAULT, for not being honest. Lack of honesty was a running thread here. Clay and Gemma, Piney and Clay, Wayne/Clay/Gemma, Lyla and Opie, Jax and Tara, Juice. EVERYONE is lying to each other. A byproduct of the deal with the cartel.

I can't believe he did it!?!?!?
The Juice plot. I'm not going to pass judgement (yet). It is clear to me that there is going to be some finger pointing between Juice and the 1 Mayan who was guarding the shipment. Even if Juice prevails, I doubt his secret is going to stay safe. And if it does what happens to the SAMCRO/Mayan alliance? Out the window with the GB's picking up the slack?
Also, is it the problem that Juice's dad is African American OR that his dad was a rat? Roosevelt had a full blown dossier on his dad, could it be that his pops ended up in witness protection (the dossier came from Potter) and that's what Juice wants hidden from the Club?
Even if we take this the other way, he has been loyal and a good soldier, would the Sons really run him out the way Kurt was in season 1 (episode 3 I think), I mean no one wants a tattoo burned off!! But would that really turn him rat? I'm suspending my disbelief here, but SOMETHING here doesn't add up. I'm giving some time to this plot line, in 3 seasons race was never in issue for the club. Their problem with the Nords had nothing to do with the white supremicist (sp?) angle and was much more about dealing meth to preg women (Jax baby momma #1). The LOAN gang was about getting the heroin deal going in the prisons with the Mayans, that was all Zoebell wanted (and used AJ to further his own end and pocket change).
I have a hard time believing that the Sons would run Juice out of the gang. He knows too much and has a lot of leverage (he is the Information Officer after all). That alone could guarantee his safety.

Anyone notice the "friends in O-Town" line from the good Sheriff? Did the Niners let it be known that a major player showed up in Oakland, or maybe the head of the Nords? I highly doubt that the Niners wants the Cartel/Mayans peeing in their neighborhood. And if the Niners find out it was the Sons that invited them in, what is that going to do their business partnership (and how much are they paying vs what the Cartel is?)

Oh PIney, did you really have to screw over Tara with your leverage? Did he really have to mention the letters specifically? Doesn't he get that now he and Tara are in big trouble? Gemma, Clay and Unser aren't going to stop until they have the originals.

Well no mysteries about the title of tonight's episode "Brick". Unless it's a reference to Hasselfhoff's talent...

That missing brick of cocaine is going to set off all kinds of fireworks. I'm curious as to how Juice will either get the coke back or shift the blame to one of the other guards at the warehouse. If he tries to divert suspicion from himself, life for Prospect could get very unpleasant.

Regardless, I have a real problem with this plotline. Over the course of three seasons I can't recall anything that indicates SAMCRO is racist to the point that they'd have a problem with loyal member like Juice having a father who was black. The fact that the club had Hispanic members like Happy and Juice always seemed one of the positive things that distinguishes them from the other MCs and underworld crews they deal with -- SAMCRO may engage in some unsavory activity, but they aren't hateful that way. Look at their relationship with the African-American club in season 1, Asian gang where they picked up fingerless Chuck, and cutting the deal with the Mayans for protection in prison against the Aryans. It just doesn't make sense and makes it difficult to fully embrace this year's storyline.

While a comparatively quiet episode on the surface, we did get some major revelations this week. First, absolute confirmation that Clay had JT killed with the complicity of (the Deputy) Sheriff Unser and Gemma. Clay lied to Unser to get his assistance. The secret has held all these years because the three people at the heart of the conspiracy trusted each other -- that trust was shattered this week, whether each of them knows it or not. Unser knows that Clay lied to him to help hide JT's murder. Gemma lied to him about finding the letters, and Unser tried to hide what he found from Clay. Then Clay called out the sheriff on what has to be one of Wayne's unspoken fears, that Gemma, "the love of his life", as Clay finally said aloud, may have played on the sheriff's feelings all these years to protect Clay and the club. It's betrayal all around.

I really feel for Unser. The poor guy, who has truly lost everything, quite arguably has nothing left to live for. It he and Piney every join forces, these old men with nothing left to lose could destroy Clay and Gemma's little kingdom. I could see Unser taking action to save Tara from them -- it would provide some degree of redemption for this sad, broken man.

** Other stand out moments -- Tig had a great reaction to the comment about Hasselhof's endowment, but did you notice his reaction a few moments earlier during the description of Georgie's sex doll business? It was like he just heard that Santa was real and was bringing him a sleigh full of booze and dead hookers.

Finally, I really loved Piney's confrontation with Clay. William Lucking brings incredible weight and dignity to the role. His body may be giving out on him, but this old man has the force of will to see things through to the end.