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Season 2

"Capybara" is the eleventh episode of the first season of the FX original series Sons of Anarchy, and the series' eleventh episode overall.

Synopsis[]

One SoA member is arrested for murder. Another goes missing. Jax has to choose between the club and one of his closest friendships. At the hospital, Abel grows stronger, but he's not the only one coming home.

Plot[]

Clay receives a phone call at the clubhouse from Rosen, the club's attorney. Rosen says that Luann has been cleared of all charges but Otto is in trouble after assaulting Stahl in prison. Clay tells the rest of the men, and they laugh about Otto hitting Stahl. Just as they begin to celebrate, however, the clubhouse is raided by the ATF. The ATF agents put everyone on the ground and place Bobby in handcuffs. He is informed that he is under arrest for Brenan Hefner's murder. Clay tells Bobby that he'll call Rosen and everything will be fine. Gemma spits in Stahl's direction, and Stahl kicks her in the stomach.

After the raid, the rest of SAMCRO hold a meeting and Clay informs them that Bobby is being held in Stockton State Prison‏‎ and that the ATF have an eye-witness to the murder. They notice that Opie is the only member of the club that is not present, and Juice tries, and fails, to contact him. Tig implies that Opie has become an informant, and Jax and Piney challenge him angrily. Jax leaves and goes to Opie's home only to find that nobody is at the home. He uses a key under the door mat and goes inside, where he discovers Stahl's contact card on the table. Jax thinks Tig's theory may have merit. Jax riddes to the police station to talk to Unser, only to find that he has been detained in a cell on corruption charges.

Meanwhile, Wendy returns home from rehab. She discovers that the locks on her doors have been changed, but gains entrance to her former residence through the back door. She later visits Abel at the hospital and tells Tara that next week she will be checking into a room at a sober living house located in Lincoln Village.

Later at the hospital, Tara tells Gemma that Abel is almost ready to be brought home. They also agree that Jax is not ready for a child, but Gemma assures Tara that she will take care of Abel.

Jax goes back to Opie's neighbourhood and asks a neighbour if she knows where Opie went. She says that Opie and his family were picked up in sedan at around 2:30 am the previous night. They were taken from the house without handcuffs. At the clubhouse, Juice tells Clay and Tig that someone paid off a large portion of Opie's debt by a federal wire transfer. They are concerned that Opie is an informant and the Feds have paid his debt in exchange for testimony. They fear Opie is the witness who will testify against Bobby. Clay tells Tig and Juice that this information must stay between the three of them. Clay says they can't overlook the idea that the ATF may set this up to make SAMCRO think Opie is an informant. Tig is sceptical, however.

Opie's mother, Mary, visits Gemma at the autoshop and tells her that the ATF have phoned and asked her to pick up her grandchildren from a facility in Stockton. She, too, does not know why Opie and have family have been taken away. In the clubhouse, Jax tells Clay and Tig what the neighbour told him. Tig is convinced that Opie is an informant. Tig suggests that Opie was turned when he was incarcerated, has been working with the ATF since he was released, and is now in witness protection.

Meanwhile in Stockton, Opie is being held in an interrogation room at a Federal facility which is used to transition informants into witness protection. Stahl tells him that he is not charged with a crime as he was not positively identified by the witness but he must remain there for his own safety. She shows him papers that his debt has been paid off. He realizes that the ATF are, in fact, trying to make him look like an informant. He tells her that he'll be killed. She tells him that is a good reason to be a witness against SAMCRO.

Opie's family is also held at the Federal facility. Donna and the kids are waiting in a play room for the children. Stahl talks to Donna and tells her that Opie most likely killed another man. She wants Donna to convince Opie to inform on SAMCRO.

Jax visits Abel at the hospital and runs into Wendy. She tells him about the sober living facility and that she's staying at a hotel until she can check in. He offers her the keys to his home and says that she can live there for a while. She declines, saying that Gemma would not be happy and that the hotel will be fine.

In a visitation room at Stockton prison, Stahl visits Bobby and notes that Hefner was a state official and therefore the attorney's office will likely seek the death penalty if he is convicted. Bobby tells her that he didn't kill anyone, and that if she has something to say she needs to talk to his lawyer. Stahl says that she has a witness statement, and asks if he can question it. She pretends to read the statement from a blank page; although Bobby can't see that its blank and that she's bluffing. The statement, however, describes the murder exactly the way it happened. She says that the official stepped out of the apartment, Opie froze, and Bobby had to step in and fire four shots at close range. Stahl also adds that Jax was the lookout and the getaway driver. Bobby maintains his innocence and says "its a good piece of fiction."

Mary goes to pick up her grandchildren from the facility, and asks Donna what is going on. She tells her that Opie is suspected of murder. Mary tells her to get the kids away from Opie and SAMCRO. Donna reminds Mary that she left her kids and Donna will not do the same. Mary reveals a different history and says that she tried to keep Opie away from Piney and SAMCRO, but Piney pulled Opie into SAMCRO when he was sixteen. She tells Donna that Opie will do the same with his children, leaving Donna something to think about.

Clay and Tig meet with Rosen and ask him if he knows the identity of the witness who could help convict Bobby. Rosen tells them that the attorney's office will not release the information. He also tells them that the ATF know that Jax was involved in the hit. They claim the witness could not possibly identify Jax because he was on lookout. Their only conclusion is that Opie is the witness. Rosen agrees that it looks that way.

Opie is released. As Opie and Donna are leaving, Stahl tries to convince them again to testify against SAMRCO. She appeals to Donna and asks what kind of mother is she. Donna says she's the kind that won't abandon her children. It appears the conversation with Mary had the reverse affect. Opie looks at Donna in a proud, approving way.

At the clubhouse Jax tells Clay and Tig that he'll go get Opie and bring him back, but he wants assurance that Opie will be safe. Clay tells him that he loves Opie; of course he'll be safe.

Opie returns to Charming to a luke-warm and skeptical welcome at the clubhouse. Everyone (except Tig) attends "Chapel" to listen to Opie's explanation of why he was at the Federal facility. Opie knows there is distrust by the MC members that he may be an informant; but he tells his story and describes how Stahl set him up to look like a rat, but that he's loyal to the club and "100% in now." Meanwhile, Tig checks Opie's pick-up truck and mobile phone with a scanner for any listening devices. He finds one in a cab light in the truck, which was planted by the ATF without Opie's knowledge. He also finds one in Opie's phone, which he drops into a pitcher of beer. Then Tig enters the Chapel and quietly takes a seat. Piney states that Opie's return proves that he is loyal to the club. Opie looks Clay in the eye and asks "are we good?" Clay considers the question and says, "yes." Everyone is happy and hugs Opie in celebration. Everyone except Tig and Clay leave the Chapel to have a drink. Tig scans the area where Opie was sitting and finds nothing; then informs Clay that he found bugs in Opie's phone and truck and that he destroyed both. Tig is confident that they should kill Opie. Clay hesitantly agrees. He states that they must keep the killing to themselves as a well-known murder of a brother could destroy the club.

Credits[]

Main Cast[]

Supporting Cast[]

Special Guest Star

Guest Stars

Co-Stars

Uncredited

Notable Quotes[]

Mary: I got a call from the feds asking me to pick up my grandkids from the Department of Justice facility in Stockton.
Gemma: Opie's kids are in a facility?
Mary: Apparently the whole family is. I can't get a hold of Piney. Thought you might shed some light on why I'm schlepping my fat ass 75 miles.

Stahl: Now what is going to happen when I put you and your family back in Charming, hmm?
Opie: I tell the club the truth.
Stahl: Maybe they believe you, but maybe they don't. Are you really willing to risk the life of your family on the love Clay Morrow has for you?

Clay: You and I both love Opie. I don't want to believe this shit either. But we gotta prepare ourselves for a truth we may not like.
Jax: He'd never sell out the club.
Clay: And what if he did?
Jax: Then I'll kill him myself.

Church Meetings[]

Clay: They got Bobby at Federal Plaza in Stockton. ATF says they got an eyewitness saw Bobby kill Hefner.
Tig: Jax, is that possible?
Jax: From my end, it was all clear. Shit's a goddamn bluff.
Clay: You can't charge somebody on a bluff. Whatever they got, it's real.
Chibs: Who is the bastard witness?
Clay: We're a man short. Where's Ope?
Juice: I called every number. There's no answers.
Tig: Yeah.
Juice: I tried Donna's phone too.
Piney: Maybe Donna changed the goddamn home phone.
Jax: Aight. I'll go get him.
Tig: Well you better find him.
Piney: Now, what the hell does that mean?
Tig: Only two other guys were witness to that hit. One of them's in jail, and the other one-
Jax: Hey! Don't even say it, asshole!
Tig: You better curb your disrespect-
(Jax and Tig stand and start yelling at each other, Clay breaks it up)
Clay: Everybody's nerves are fried, but we can't unravel here! Now, Jax is gonna go get him, and he's gonna bring him back here, we're gonna find out what this is!
Piney: The only reason my son isn't here, is because he doesn't know what happened.
Jax: Exactly.


(Not technically a Church meeting)

Jax: Feds picked him up in the middle of the night.
Clay: He go out in cuffs?
Jax: Neighbours say no.
Clay: Ope's debt's been cleared. Federal wire transfers.
Jax: It's a setup.
Clay: Maybe.
Tig: Or, he gave Bobby up, now he's gone witness protection.
Jax: Why? If he wasn't arrested, what's the leverage?
Tig: Who knows how long they've been chipping away at him, Jax. Hell, ATF? They could've gotten to him while he was still in Chino.
Jax: That's paranoid shit.
Tig: Is it? I mean, is it? Opie's been a miserable prick since he got out. Maybe they've offered him a new, debt-free life, just what Donna wanted.
Jax: Ope's not a rat. He did 5 years for this club.
Tig: Maybe he doesn't want to do 25 more.
Clay: I'm going to see Rosen tomorrow. We'll get some clarity. (to Tig) Give us a minute.
Tig: Of course. (leaves)
Clay: You and I both love Opie. And I don't want to believe this shit either. But... We gotta prepare ourselves for a truth we may not like.
Jax: He'd never sell out the club.
Clay: And what if he did?
Jax: Then I'll kill him myself.


Jax: Where's Tig?
Clay: Be here in a minute. Appreciate you coming in, Ope. It says a lot.
Piney: It says he's not a rat.
Clay: We got one member in jail, and another in a wit-pro facility. You understand my worry.
Opie: I know how this looks. What Stahl has done. She set me up to look like a rat. It's all a lie. She threatened me with my own club. I don't know who the hell the witness is, but it sure as shit ain't me.
(Tig finds bug in Opie's car light)
Opie: She tried to turn Donna against me, offered her that whole wit-pro bullshit dream. But she turned it down, she could of walked away. Trusted me that if I came in here and had the chance to tell you guys the truth, then I could make this right.
(Tig finds bug in Opie's phone and puts it in a beer, then walks into the meeting)
Tig: Sorry.
Opie: I'm just saying that getting squeezed made me realize I can't do this with one foot out the door. I'm here. I'm in. No more doubt, no more mistakes.
Clay: You're a good man, Ope.
Opie: Am I good with you, Clay? The MC?
Clay: Yeah. We're good. (bangs gavel)


Trivia[]

  • A capybara is the largest rodent in the world. Considering that rats are also rodents, the use of the word "capybara" is analogous to "giant rat", in the context of selling the SOA out to the police.

Gallery[]

Featured Music[]

  • Murder by Death - "Coming Home"
  • Howlin' Rain - "The Firing of the Midnight Rain"
  • Sasquatch - "Money Man"
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