Top 10 Sons Of Anarchy Characters

The heart and soul of the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club, Bobby Elvis began the show as the group’s secretary. However, he ended the show having to undergo torture but still staying loyal to the club that defined his adult life. In between this, he did Elvis Presley impersonations and was appointed Vice President of the club by Jax, but ultimately steps down from the vaunted position due to a lack of belief in his young leader. The latter move served as the perfect example of his humility and faith in the Sons above all else, showing that he would kill or be killed to uphold his beliefs.

The strong silent type, Happy’s name is no indication of his demeanor and we love to hear his gravely voice. A onetime member of the Nomad crew, when Happy was patched into SAMCRO, he quickly became an integral member of the club, often used as the gang’s enforcer. Prone to violence, he seems to rejoice in the mayhem he and his brothers find themselves in at times, but he clearly has true affection for his club.

A successful doctor with the world at her doorstep, Dr. Tara Grace Knowles-Teller is pulled into a world of crime and drama thanks to the man she loves and her high school sweetheart, Jax Teller. Ultimately marrying him and giving birth to his child, she pays the price for their relationship again and again throughout the series, but also finds an inner strength she never knew she had. One of the most fleshed out characters in the show’s history, Tara was at the center of “Sons of Anarchy”’s most romantic moments and served as Jax’s sounding board.

The best friend of the series’ lead and one of the show’s most beloved figures, Opie was gripped with grief for much of the crime drama’s run. However, the son of SAMCRO co-founder Piney still remained steadfast in his devotion to the men he felt deserved it. Seemingly finding love with new wife Lyla, he fiercely protected her after their marriage had crumbled - and his love for his children couldn’t be questioned. When incarcerated with Jax and discovering someone from the Sons has to die so the others could live, Opie sacrifices himself - and though it was sad, he still went down swinging.

The former chief of Police for the town of Charming that SAMCRO calls home, Wayne Unser gave the Sons a wide berth. Why? He believed that they were ultimately good for the town cause they kept drugs and violence out. Eventually undone by those leanings and his love for Gemma, Wayne was the voice of the everyman as well a voice of reason in a world that had little. Defined by his own set of morals, his death was felt heavily by fans far and wide.

We can only imagine that writing the character of Tig was a dream come true for the men and women who brought him to life. Willing to kill at a moment’s notice, SAMCRO’s VP was surprisingly sensitive. This was most obvious in his love/hate relationship with Jax, who he thought was going to kill him. Instead, Jax delivers the man who burned Tig’s daughter to him alive. His sincere and loving relationship with a transgender prostitute was also a hallmark in the history of LGBTQ characters on television.

A man with a distinctive accent and facial scars, it was the honor among thieves attitude that he lived his life by that defined Chibs most. Serving as Jax’s loyal Vice President in later seasons, Chibs was a father figure of sorts for “Jackie Boy” as he called him in the final years of his life. He grew up in Northern Ireland and as such, was SAMCRO’s link to the True or Real IRA. The smoothest character of the group, Chibs charmed his way into the hearts of several women on screen, as well as into the hearts of TV audiences.

The epitome of the Mama Bear, Gemma would stop at absolutely nothing to protect her cub and her club. Whether it was spending time behind bars or faking a convulsion to escape a hospital to be at her son’s side in his time of need, she did outlandish things in a relatable way and gained our empathy throughout. She was undone by her belief that Tara was planning to betray SAMCRO, which gave Gemma incentive to kill her daughter-in-law. This ultimately led to her murder by her own son Jax, even though she comforted him to make her death easier on him. That is crazy love incarnate.

The series’ protagonist, who spent his days leading men, Jax may not have always been the man he wanted to be, but there is little more compelling than someone trying to do his best and failing. Sure, we could see that he was toxic as he drugged his recovering ex-wife, killed his mother because she killed his wife, and watched his best friend get beaten to death, but damn it, the guy was trying! Believing his death would be good for his sons and the Sons, the VP-turned-President of SAMCRO’s Redwood Original chapter ultimately redeemed himself with a selfless act.

Before we reveal our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
- Edward Kip ‘Half-Sack’ Epps
- Juan Carlos ‘Juice’ Ortiz
- Neron ‘Nero’ Padilla
- Chuck ‘Chucky’ Marstein
- ‘Big Otto’ Delaney

How did a man who killed friends from his youth and fellow founders of the club and who beat the woman he loved, reach the top of our list? By taking a character that could have been a snidely whiplash, mustache-twisting villain into a charming, nuanced man who should be feared. After his Presidents patch is stripped, he becomes a disgraced man facing down a gun held by his adopted son Jax. In this moment, despite his faults and flaws, we can’t help but feel bad for him, and it is the perfect example of the brilliance of Ron Perlman’s portrayal.

Do you agree with our list? Who is your favorite Sons of Anarchy character? For more badass Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.