Well, Merry Christmas to You Too, Sons of Anarchy

**WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS!**

So here's the super-condensed synopsis of Sons of Anarchy's Season 6 finale:

• Jax finds out that Juice ratted to Nero;
• DA gives Jax a big speech about "owning his place;"
• Nero dumps Gemma;
• Jax and MC find Tara;
• Jax and Tara make nice;
• Typical weirdest-possible-moment Jax and Tara nookie;
• Jax and Tara reveal their plan to DA;
• Unser tells Gemma that Tara probably ratted;
• Gemma goes batshit crazy and turns Tara into a human pincushion, after hitting her with an iron, throwing her around the room a couple times, and shoving her head under a sink full of water;
• Roosevelt shows up, tells Gemma that Tara did NOT rat, as Gemma sits blubbering on the floor about how it had to be done;
• Juice shoots Roosevelt, hides all the evidence;
• Unser consoles Gemma;
• Jax finds Tara and Roosevelt, DA finds Jax holding Tara and weeping uncontrollably, his gun sitting inches from Roosevelt's foot;

End Credits.

What.  The.  {profane}???

I have to give Kurt Sutter props for unforeseeable plot twists and the ability to keep an audience riveted, but he must have really, really, hated Tara.  Sons is typically a gritty show, basically because motorcycle gangs - ahem, clubs - aren't usually about kittens and rainbows and all - but that was BRUTAL.  This was worse than watching Opie go out like a boss in Season 5's "Laying Pipe."  Worse than the unexpected feels we all got seeing Clay meet Mr. Mayhem - again, like a boss.  Brutal.  Tara didn't get to die with dignity, she got tenderized by an iron and Gemma's psychotic rage, whipped into a basin of dirty dish water, and stabbed in the freaking head with a giant meatfork.  Even the "Tara haters" were appalled.

And the bird in the beginning of the show that Jax slices in half as he rides along on the highway - I know, symbolism, foreshadowing, blah, blah, blah - but did the bird really have to die?  Come on now. 

It's becoming blatantly apparent that for all Kurt Sutter's brilliant writing, he doesn't believe in happy endings. 

...and now, this being the season finale, we have to wait until SEPTEMBER to see how all this wraps up.  8 and a half months, right on the heels of having to wait until February for Walking Dead to come back.

It's just not fair.

Did any of you watch SOA's Season 6 Finale?  Thoughts?  Predictions for next season?  Share them in the comments!