Sons of Anarchy: What The Crows Really Mean

Many TV shows have a certain symbol that shows up in different ways throughout their history, and in the case of Sons of Anarchy it’s crows – and here’s what they mean in this context. Created by Kurt Sutter, Sons of Anarchy premiered on FX in 2008 and came to an end in 2014 after seven seasons full of action, drama, and betrayal. The series was very well-received from the beginning and praised for its tone and performances, as well as for the themes it addressed, such as racism, corruption, and the consequences of violence.

Sons of Anarchy tells the story of Jackson “Jax” Teller (Charlie Hunnam), VP of the motorcycle club Sons of Anarchy in Charming, California. The events of the series are kickstarted when Jax finds a manifesto written by his late father, John Teller, one of the founding members of the club, and in which he shared his plans and vision for the club. These were very different from those of the current President (and Jax’s stepfather), Clay Morrow (Ron Perlman), and so Jax went on a personal journey that made him question his path, role in the club, relationships, and more. Throughout the whole series, a recurrent element was the presence of crows – whether physically, in tattoos, or other representations – which have a special meaning in the world of Sons of Anarchy.

Crows are represented in different ways in Sons of Anarchy, and the one that viewers saw every episode (and yet probably missed) is in the opening credits. Before Katey Sagal’s name appears, a crow tattoo appears on Gemma’s chest, which then turns into Sagal’s name. Sagal played Gemma Teller-Morrow, Jax’s mother and the wife of Clay, and who served as a mother figure to all members of the club, with many calling her “mom”. Now, among SAMCRO’s lingo is “Crow Eater”, which refers to a woman who hangs around the clubhouse, attends the parties, and sleeps with members of the club. There were some cases where a Crow Eater became an Old Lady, as was the case of Cherry, Half-Sack’s girlfriend, and Wendy, Jax’s first wife. Gemma was also a Crow Eater at some point, and in a way, continued to be as she cheated on John with Clay.

This also means that in Sons of Anarchy the members of the MC are seen as “crows”, as they tend to take advantage of others under the image of helping them. Many viewers have pointed out that the crows also show up before a major tragedy happens (and there are many heartbreaking moments in the series), as well as the parallels between the first and final scenes of the show: the first one shows two crows eating garbage in the middle of the road, while the final one also shows two crows in the middle of the road, eating bread soaked in wine near the spot where Jax died. This, then, has been interpreted by viewers as the members of the club (the crows) feeding on the worst of Charming and later feeding on Jax’s “body” and legacy, this last one being a more “biblical” interpretation, mirroring the story of Jesus and the bread.

Other viewers have discussed the presence of nine (or ten) crows in the scene of Jax’s death, as they are seen flying over the chase. Some believe these represent the First 9, the founders of the club, though that might not be possible as not all of them were dead (Lenny Janowitz was the only one still alive), though the ninth crow could have been Gemma. Others believe the first seven crows represent Opie, Piney, Gemma, Clay, Tara, Juice, and Bobby, with the two crows eating the bread being Jax and John. Crows were more important in Sons of Anarchy than many think, and you might want to pay closer attention to when and where they appear when you rewatch the series.

About The Author

Adrienne Tyler
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Adrienne Tyler is a features writer for Screen Rant. She is an Audiovisual Communication graduate who wanted to be a filmmaker, but life had other plans (and it turned out great). Prior to Screen Rant, she wrote for Pop Wrapped, 4 Your Excitement (4YE), and D20Crit, where she was also a regular guest at Netfreaks podcast. She was also a contributor for FanSided’s BamSmackPow and 1428 Elm. Adrienne is very into films and she enjoys a bit of everything: from superhero films to heartbreaking dramas, to low-budget horror films. Every time she manages to commit to a TV show without getting bored, an angel gets its wings.

When she’s not writing, you can find her trying to learn a new language, watching hockey (go Avs!), or wondering what life would have been like had Pushing Daisies, Firefly, and Limitless not been cancelled. Breakfast food is life and coffee is what makes the world go round.

Guillermo del Toro said “hi” to her once. It was great.

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