Ep 2. Authority Vested

Jax and the rest of SAMCRO are struggling to find their feet following the shocking events of the season 5 premiere, which saw Tig mistakenly kill the daughter of gangster August Marks. With the threat of retaliation hanging over their heads, the Sons must try to maintain their tenuous peace with the rest of the underworld - easier said than done when tempers are running high and everyone is looking for someone to blame.

As the episode begins, we see Jax being questioned by the Sheriff's department in relation to the incident with Tig and Marks' daughter. Unsurprisingly, Jax is less than cooperative, and makes it clear that he won't be giving up Tig or anyone else involved in the incident without a fight. Meanwhile, Tig himself is being held captive by Marks and his associates, who are intent on extracting their own form of justice for what they see as a grave offense.

Elsewhere, we see Gemma struggling to come to terms with the fact that her son is now at the helm of the club, and that her own influence is waning. She vents her frustrations to Nero, the charming gangster played brilliantly by Jimmy Smits, who tries to offer her some words of comfort. But it's clear that the old Gemma, the one who could manipulate and control everyone around her, is gone - and the new Gemma may not be strong enough to fill her shoes.

The club is also dealing with a new rival gang, the Niners, who are trying to muscle in on their territory in a big way. Led by a charismatic and ruthless leader named Damon Pope, the Niners are a force to be reckoned with, and SAMCRO must work hard to keep them at arm's length. But it's not just the Niners they have to worry about - as the episode progresses, we see tensions rising between various factions within the club itself, as Jax and the older members clash over how to run things.

One of the standout moments of the episode comes towards the end, when Jax and Chibs pay a visit to Pope in prison. They're there to try and broker a deal, but things quickly take a turn for the worse when Pope reveals that he knows all about Tig's involvement in his daughter's death. With tensions running high, it's clear that SAMCRO's troubles are far from over, and that they'll need to tread carefully if they want to survive.

Overall, 'Authority Vested' is a gripping and intense episode that sets the tone for the rest of the season. The writing is sharp and suspenseful, the performances are outstanding, and the plot never feels predictable or clichéd. If you're a fan of Sons of Anarchy, this is definitely an episode you won't want to miss.