‘Sons of Anarchy’ Review: “Andare Pescare”

‘Sons of Anarchy’ season 5 rides again with its ninth episode of the year, “Andare Pescare,” as Jax tries to prevent Clay from getting to Frankie Diamonds first, while Tara visits Otto in the hospital once more, and Gemma makes a difficult decision regarding her future with Nero.

Last week’s ‘Sons of Anarchy’ episode “Ablation” saw Jax investigating the attempt on his life, putting him at odds with both Clay and Frankie Diamonds, while Gemma struggled to atone for her actions and Juice revealed a secret to Clay.  So how does “Andare Pescare”  keep things running?  What more damage can season 5 of ‘Sons of Anarchy’ do?

Read on for your in-depth recap of everything you need to know about ‘Sons of Anarchy’ season 5 episode 9, “Andare Pescare!”

As the various parties awaken on a new day, Nero invites a reluctant Gemma to meet his son Lucius, a prospect that unnerves her given Jax’s offer the previous night.  Elsewhere, Clay learns a few details of Frankie’s whereabouts from the Russian mob, while Tara worries that her recent change in marital status might raise a few red flags should she try to visit Otto again.  Jax reluctantly agrees to let her try once more, to see if Otto will flip.

With Chibs returned and the club in church, Clay keeps silent about his knowledge of Frankie, though the other club members believe Nomad leader Quinn can point them in the right direction.  The club agrees that Frankie will be stripped of his patch and ultimately killed, though not before Jax gets the information he needs out of the wayward Son.  In a moment alone with Bobby, Jax and his VP try to navigate how best to hand off Frankie to Eli, rather than kill him outright.

After seeing Clay capable of riding again, Gemma receives news of Carla’s cremation from her estranged husband, as  the Sons all ride out to find Frankie.  About half way there, Clay’s arthritis gets the better of him and Phil takes over, leaving Clay alone with Juice in the van.  Clay receives a more specific call about Frankie’s whereabouts and convinces Juice to scope it out rather than tell the rest of the club.

While Gemma and Nero bond further meeting his son Lucius, the Sons members sans Clay find a local mob hangout with their contact Leo Parelli.  After a quick barroom brawl, Jax appeals to the mobster that Frankie doesn’t deserve his protection, and will incur the wrath of the Irish and the Cartel, to which Parelli relents.

Over in the hospital, Tara meets with a restrained Otto once more, and Luanne’s old perfume seems to open him up to the idea of recanting his statement.  He asks Tara to place some on her wrist and allow him to smell it, but they’re quickly interrupted by a prison nurse.  Elsewhere, Frankie Diamonds realizes the Sons are on their way, kills his mob protector, and braces for an assault.

Clay and Juice are first on the scene, engaging in a tense shootout that sees Clay rolling the van into a propane tank, and blowing up half the cabin.  Cornered, Frankie confesses to Juice that Clay set the events in motion, but Jax and the others arrive on the scene before he can be silenced.  Jax gets Clay to lower his shotgun, but Leo Parelli shoots Diamonds dead before the situation can be defused.

While Gemma and Nero break into a mausoleum to house Carla’s ashes, Jax questions Clay how he knew of Frankie's location before everyone else, only to be deflated with another impenetrable excuse.  Meanwhile back in prison, Otto asks Tara to uncuff his hand, and stands close to allow him to feel a woman’s touch and smell one last time.  Otto breaks down into tears, as Tara consoles the broken convict.

Back at the club, Jax and Bobby wonder how best to handle the situation, when Jax sees that Tara has returned from Stockton.  Tara pities how sad Otto seemed, while back at the clubhouse Bobby and Clay share a tense standoff about his involvement in the Nomad fiasco.

Later, Jax and Tara arrive home to find Gemma waiting, as she tells her son that for as happy as Nero makes her, she’ll consent to return to Clay if it guarantees getting her family back.  Their family temporarily reunited, Jax and Tara share a tender moment, before Jax departs to meet up with Eli.

Gemma returns to Diosa to find Nero waiting with the gift of a new bird, and holds off on breaking up with him, at least for the moment.  Meanwhile, with Jax gone, Tara readies herself for bed, dabbing a bit of Luanne’s perfume on her arm before…getting down to business…alone.

Jax meets with Eli out on an abandoned stretch of highway, but Eli scoffs at Jax’s offering of Frankie Diamond’s dead body.  Jax still demands to know the rat’s identity, but even with Eli’s refusal, Jax manages to figure out that Juice could be the only one with something to hide.

Back at Clay’s place, Gemma arrives at his door looking to provide Clay with his arthritis medicine, and when Juice departs to leave them alone, Jax follows at a distance.

Largely a placeholder episode, for now "Andare Pescare" seems to close the thread of the Nomads, without offering up any concrete way for Jax to incriminate Clay.  In particular, most of the episode rests on the women as both Tara and Gemma make difficult choices in the interest of saving their respective husband and child.  It doesn't seem like "Andare Pescare" brought about any major developments, but we'll be interested to see what Jax does with his new-found knowledge of Juice.

Did you get your fill of road-rashing ‘Sons of Anarchy’ drama?  What did you think about the episode? Join us next week for another all-new ‘Sons of Anarchy’ episode recap of “Crucifixed” on FX!