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The Truth Is, Gemma Is More Interesting To Watch Than Jax On 'Sons Of Anarchy'

If women were allowed to be sitting members of SAMCRO, there isn't a doubt in my mind that Gemma would have been elected President. She possesses one of the most cunning, strategic, and stoic minds of any character that we've ever seen on Sons of Anarchy.

Without Gemma, the show would cease to exist. She's at the center of every arc and twist. In fact, it's my assertion that Gemma is even more interesting to watch on the small screen than her own son, Jax Teller. Have a look and find out why...

First of all, without Gemma the *Sons Of Anarchy* wouldn't even exist.

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Very little is known about the early days of the First 9, even less about their formation and motivation for starting the MC in the first place. One of the only clues we get comes courtesy of Wayne Unser.

At multiple times throughout the series, he states that Gemma ran away from Charming at sixteen. When she returned, she brought with her a baby and a biker gang.

Unlike her son, Gemma knows how to compartmentalize her emotions.

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At the start of season 2, Gemma is kidnapped, beaten, and sexually assaulted — all in an effort to send a message to SAMCRO. So what does Gemma do? Nothing. She stays silent and keeps it to herself.

Gemma understood at the time that the news would cause an all-out war of attrition between the MC and Zobel's neo-nazis. A war that the Sons simply wouldn't be able to win.

But don't get it twisted, Gemma will still throw down when and if necessary.

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Remember all the way back in season 1 when SAMCRO patched over The Devil's Tribe? If you recall, Clay got a little too friendly with a 'crow-eater' during the night's festivities. As you can imagine, Gemma was heartbroken upon hearing the news.

But she also understood, being the Old Lady of the Mother Charter's President, she couldn't afford to show weakness. So what did Gemma do? She decided to hunt down Cherry and smack her in the face with a skateboard!

Which brings me to my next point: Gemma isn't afraid of anything or anyone.

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I think we can all collectively agree that Clay Morrow was a pretty rough and tough dude. He was easily one of the vilest and most reprehensible characters in the history of the series. Do you know the only person Clay Morrow was ever afraid of? Gemma Teller.

Do you remember when she discovered that Clay had made an attempt on Tara's life? She punched him right in the face!

She's precisely the kind of person you'd want to have in your corner if you were having a hard time at work.

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Gemma is like a mother lion and she doesn't take kindly to anyone messing with her cubs. A fact that Tara's boss, Margaret Murphy, learned the hard way.

After threatening Tara's job over her involvement with the MC, Gemma decided to take matters into her own hands. She showed up at the hospital and told Margaret flatly that if she continued down her current path, all the "security" in the world wouldn't be enough to keep her safe.

Gemma's loyalty to her family is unquestionable, unlike Jax's.

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Let's not forget the number of times that Jax has cheated on Tara over the years. He also made the incredibly hasty decision to give Abel away to his newly adopted parents in season 3. Were it not for his mother's intervention, he might never have seen Abel again.

Gemma's devotion to her family knows no bounds. She even made a pit stop at her estranged father's house while she was being hunted by the ATF!

But the biggest difference between Jax and Gemma, is that Gemma isn't afraid to kill for those she loves dearest.

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Do you remember when Gemma turned a hang gun on an infant baby in Ireland? She even went so far as to murder her own daughter-in-law after mistakenly accusing Tara of betraying Jax to the police in season 6!

There's no denying that Gemma's actions were misguided and that they led to her own inevitable demise. But no matter how heinous the act, it was always born from love and a deep desire to protect her son.