WARNING: Massive spoilers from the "Sons of Anarchy" season finale are ahead!

And just like Ophelia in "Hamlet," [article id="1718802"]Tara Knowles-Teller[/article] met her end submerged in water -- shortly before getting stabbed to death with a carving fork.

It's those kinds of grisly details that separate "Sons of Anarchy" from the "Hamlet" superstructure the show takes its cues from. Creator Kurt Sutter brilliantly waved the "Hamlet" comparisons in fans' faces, but offered just enough twists and turns to stave off predictability. [article id="1693615"]Clay Morrow[/article], the King Claudius of the piece, died well before the final act. The Ophelia of the story died even later. And now, it appears as though the "final boss" of the series is none other than Queen Gertrude herself, SAMCRO matriarch Gemma Morrow-Teller. None of this was easy to predict. It was even harder to watch.

Tara is dead, Gemma is her killer, Jax is ruined -- and there's only one season left to tie all of this together:

Which Way Is Up?

Jax thought Opie's death was rock-bottom, but he's about to learn how much further he can fall. Without Tara in his life, Jax has lost his "True North," as [article id="1718845"]Sutter has described it[/article]. The Sons President is completely unraveled, and at the worst possible time, as war descends upon Charming. It won't be simple for Jax to climb out of this tragic hole -- but it's all too easy for him to dig down even deeper.

Who Will Win The War?

It's "black and white" versus "brown and yellow," according to Mayans MC head honcho Marcus Alvarez. The season-one antagonist is poised to become one of the end-game enemies as "Sons" enters its final season, with the Mayans teaming up with the Lin Triad to wrest the guns and control away from the August Marks-led One-Niners, and their allies, the Sons. The war's final outcome is anyone's guess, but one thing is clear: As Daniel Day-Lewis famously promised, there will be blood.

Is There Any Hope?

Can Gemma atone for her crimes? Can she crawl out from under the shadow of needlessly murdering Tara? Can Jax forgive her? Can Jax forgive himself, for dragging Tara into a life that led to her death? Can he protect his children from meeting a similar fate? Can he avoid a looming prison sentence? Can the Sons really move away from guns, and toward a legitimate life? Or is the answer to all of these questions a clear and resounding "nope" -- that there is, in fact, no hope at all?

How Will It End?

"Hamlet" ended in tragedy, and "Sons" is positioned for a similar outcome. It's likely that most or all of the main characters will meet Mr. Mayhem when all is said and done. The show's violent history makes one thing clear: The violence is far from over. That much is certain. What's less certain is exactly how the violence comes about. Tara's death wasn't unpredictable; Tara getting stabbed in the back of the head by Gemma absolutely was. It's those kinds of details, the way A connects to B, that remain very much up in the air, and very much the reason to keep going. "Sons" is nothing if not inventive. Even if the final, fatal outcome feels predetermined, it's sure to be a wild ride watching Redwood Original burn to ash.

What did you think of the "Sons of Anarchy" season finale? What do you think will happen in the final season? Let us know in the comments section below!