Few TV shows have managed to build a character arc as complex and satisfying as the one Jax Teller (Charlie Hunnam) had in Sons of Anarchy. Throughout seven seasons, we followed Jax as he turned from a misunderstood criminal to a full-blown villain. And yet, this change was so gradual that some fans kept defending Jax until the bitter end. While it's hard to pinpoint precisely when Jax became irredeemable, in Season 5, Episode 12, he does something so vile that we stopped rooting for him. That's because, after he forcefully injects heroin into Wendy's (Drea de Matteo) bloodstream, it becomes clear that he will put his twisted sense of justice above anyone else's well-being.
Wendy’s ‘Sons of Anarchy’ Journey
Wendy was introduced in the first season of Sons of Anarchy as Jax’s ex-wife. After Tara (Maggie Siff) left Charming, Jax dealt with his broken heart by indulging in sex and booze. That’s how he got closer to Wendy, who was a crow-eater before she settled down with SAMCRO’s prince. While Jax was not in love with Wendy, they got married because of Gemma (Katey Sagal), who pushed for their union due to her desire to become a grandmother. Wendy does get pregnant before she and Jax split up. However, her severe drug addiction and inability to stop using amphetamines while pregnant cause Jax’s first son, Abel, to be born with a serious heart condition that almost claims his life.
Since the story of Sons of Anarchy is told through Jax’s perspective, we learn to hate Wendy right from the start. After all, she was extremely irresponsible to the point of endangering her unborn child. However, in retrospect, Wendy was a tragic character from the very first episode of the show, trapped by an addiction she failed to fight on her own and forced to live in a community that incentivizes the use of drugs. Because, as much as fans love to idealize the M.C., SAMCRO was a toxic environment that favored self-destructive behavior, regardless of their ineffective no-drug policy.
Wendy is an absolute mess in the first season of Sons of Anarchy. She’s threatened by Gemma, pushed away by Jax, and ultimately loses the right to raise her son. At this point in the show, we all believe Jax is just a misguided outlaw, forced to commit crimes he didn’t want by Clay (Ron Perlman). So, of course, Wendy couldn’t be anything but a villain.
Wendy vanishes from Sons of Anarchy until Season 4, when she returns to Charming a changed person. In the years since she left Charming, Wendy went to rehab, got herself clean, and turned a new leaf. After working on herself, Wendy became a stable adult and a productive member of society, ready to be part of Abel’s life again. However, by then, Tara is raising Abel as her own son. Furthermore, Abel doesn't even know about Wendy’s existence.
Over Seasons 4 and 5 of Sons of Anarchy, Wendy acts as an antagonist, determined to take Abel away from Jax and Tara. Nevertheless, it’s important to notice that since the story is written to show the M.C. members as heroes, maybe fans were too harsh on Wendy. She did get clean and was able to offer Abel a steady home. That’s more than Jax could ever promise. The club became more violent as seasons passed, and Abel was kidnapped and taken to Ireland in Season 3. So, while Wendy aggressively pursued Abel’s custody, she had plenty of reason to be concerned. Plus, since Tara and Jax were so protective of Abel and refused to let Wendy see her son, the woman got ever more desperate.
If Wendy took the custody case to court, Jax would no longer see his son. That’s why he pays Wendy a nasty visit, threatening to kill her if she doesn’t back off. To prove his seriousness, Jax pins Wendy down and injects heroin into her veins. That’s a low blow by any measure and an assault beyond any justification.
By Attacking Wendy, Jax Proved He Was Beyond Saving
In the first season of Sons of Anarchy, we meet Jax as an optimistic outlaw who truly believes the M.C. could go legit and stop trafficking illegal weapons. Jax is opposed by Clay, who wants to remain in the profitable gun business. Of course, time proved things were a lot more complicated and that neither Jax nor Clay could be reduced to the role they had in the series' first episode. In Season 4, Jax finally manages to struggle for control over SAMCRO, becoming the club’s president. That would be the perfect opportunity for Jax to fulfill his dream of turning the M.C. into a clean business. But instead, Jax only pushes the club further into criminal endeavors to the point of no return. After Season 4, Jax also becomes progressively more ruthless, earning the title of crime lord bestowed upon him.
While Jax committed heinous acts long before he forced Wendy to shoot heroin, his wrath was often directed at people who were even worse than him. So, it was easy to relativize his actions as the lesser of two evils. Sons of Anarchy's masterful writing even presented Jax’s many brutal actions as the unwanted consequences of other people’s crimes, so fans could keep hoping for his redemption. That’s why the Wendy scene is so important in Season 5, as it cements Jax as a selfish man who’s not afraid to destroy other people to get what he wants. And after we realize how cruel Jax can truly be, it’s impossible to keep rooting for him. From that moment on, Sons of Anarchy is not about if Jax will fulfill his dream of saving the M.C. — it’s about when and how Jax will get what he’s due.
Wendy would eventually be redeemed in Sons of Anarchy, after Tara realizes that Abel would indeed be better with his mother. And before Jax commits suicide to pay for his sins, he also gives Wendy his blessing to raise his children. Still, the fact that Jax used Wendy’s history of addiction to hurt her might be his worst act in the whole show, marking the moment where we could no longer see him as a hero.
All seven seasons of Sons of Anarchy are available to stream on Hulu.
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