Kristen Renton Was A Big Fan Of Sons Of Anarchy's 'Juicy' Relationship-Driven Storylines In Season 4
You don't live the life of an outlaw without making a few enemies. The men and boys of FX's "Sons of Anarchy" make their living grating against rival motorcycle clubs, white supremacists, and even cartels. But the most insidious villains are often the ones inside the house. Since her appearance in Season 2, a friend of the club and porn star, Ima (Kristen Renton), has done her best to ruin any sliver of happiness for the people around her.
Her first attempt at destruction targets Jax (Charlie Hunnam) and Tara's (Maggie Siff) relationship. With their courtship in its early stages, Ima does her best to drive a wedge between them. When that fails, she moves on to other members of the club. Ima remains a constant presence, especially during the drama-fest of "Sons of Anarchy" Season 4. Her involvement — as well as the turmoil that Lyla (Winter Ave Zoli) goes through — makes Ima's reign of terror a season highlight.
Ima puts the nail in the coffin of Opie and Lyla's relationship
After three seasons of the push and pull of Tara and Jax's relationship, the two are in a calmer place. Jax finally stops pushing Tara away, and she gives birth to his second son, Thomas. Now it is time for the other couples to be put through the gauntlet. First is the tragic marriage between Opie (Ryan Hurst) and Lyla. As the Ophelia in this "Hamlet" adaptation, Opie never gets over his melancholia. Knowing that his wife Donna's (Sprague Grayden) murder was at the hands of the club destroys him. Even when he tries his hand at love again with Lyla, he is just a shell of his former self. This makes it easy for Ima to disrupt their relationship. After a disagreement between the couple, Opie steps out of his marriage which Lyla quickly finds out. This type of relationship dynamic is what Kristen Renton thought was so captivating about the season.
"For my character in particular, I just like that she just doesn't give up," Renton told Collider about Ima's constant attempt to break people up. "She's coming back, and she won't take no for an answer. I think she's gone a little over to the dark side. She's now carrying a gun, and she's gone a little batty." This fracture between Opie and Lyla never heals and is what drives the biker until his devastating death.
Clay and Gemma go past the point of no return
If there was doubt that Kurt Sutter would top the Clay (Ron Perlman) and Gemma (Katey Sagal) climax of Season 3, it is squashed in the latter half of Season 4. Tara learns that Gemma and Clay plotted John Teller's death together, but the schemers don't get out unscathed. Tara's knowledge of the event prompts Clay to put a hit out on her, making him the worst member of SAMCRO. This culminates in what Entertainment Weekly called one of the best episodes of Season 4. Clay crumbles under the weight of what he's done, which directly impacts his relationship with his wife. Gemma's suspicions drive Clay even more out of his mind, causing him to lash out physically in one of the most brutal scenes. This relationship conflict adds even more to the season of relationships.
"This season is a very relationship-driven season," Kristen Renton noted to Collider. She went on to say: "You can even see the relationship between Gemma and Clay start to, I don't want to say deteriorate, but be tested, with all the lying and deceit." Clay fails that test after hurting his wife, and their relationship never recovers.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.