My heart won't stop pounding after watching Sons of Anarchy Season 6 Episode 12. The suspense in those last 20 minutes nearly made me look like Juice after he OD'd. It was that intense. 

Jax has played one hell of a deadly game of chess this season as he's tried to get the MC out of guns. It's taken an incredible amount of bloodshed to get to this point and unfortunately I don't think it's enough to get him what he wants. In the end it looks as though they'll all lose more than they've gained.

If there was ever any question of why Tara wanted to get the boys away from SAMCRO, this hour cleared them all away. Jax deals with problems by killing them and there's not doubt that the blowback from that will eventually envelope his boys. In only the last two episode he's annihilated Galen and his crew, Clay, and now the Chinese. And if a stray Sheriff's officer or even one of his own ends up as collateral damage, that's just the price of doing business.

It's to the point where Jax has become no better than Clay…as Nero was quickly learning. Juice's confession knocked the wind right out of Gemma's Latin lover. He's obviously still processing it but it will be interesting to see how Jax's betrayal will affect their business as well as Nero's relationship with Gemma.

I wouldn't blame Nero if he walked away but I'd hate it all the same. He and Gemma make such a great team, even if it's just cleaning up after Juice.

Speaking of Juice, his guilt and depression were heartbreaking. We know he attempted suicide when he thought he'd lose the club. Now he was ODing because of what he'd done to remain a member. It's nothing but sad to see what his need to belong has done to him.

Yet despite all of the angst and suspense there were moments that made me literally laugh out loud. Tig worrying about his hair after murdering more men. Bobby needing help using the bathroom and Juice telling his helper in this Sons of Anarchy quote…

Yeah, he's huge. You're going to need both hands.

Juice

• Permalink: Yeah, he's huge. You're going to need both hands.

I don't even want to know how Juice knows that.

Then Tara walking into the cabin to find her star patient smoking and drinking with the boys…

Tara: That's good. Alcohol and opiates? Next time I'll bring the defibrillator.
Tig: Oh I'd love me some zap and tickle.

• Permalink: Oh I'd love me some zap and tickle.

I won't even go into Tig's explanation of the "zap and tickle."

But it was Tara's quest for escape that had me holding my breath. Patterson had it right. If she didn't take the deal with the Feds, she'd surely go to prison. If she tried to run with the boys, the MC would hunt her down and kill her. 

Watch Sons of Anarchy Season 6 Episode 12 Online

The final scenes had me rooting for Tara to get to that office safely with her boys. 

And yet the moment Tara told the agents not to follow her to the house to get the kids I knew it was never going to happen. 

I figured Unser would probably let her go but to be honest I though Wendy might put up more of a fight, not that I thought she'd win. Tara was determined. She's the mother to those boys and nothing would stand in the way of keeping them safe. 

But what is her plan?  I understand her not wanting to turn SAMCRO over to the Feds. They've been her family. And leaving Jax is one thing but sending the man she loves to prison is quite another. 

All that being said I have no idea how she thinks she can escape both the MC and the law. If she's got a master plan I can't wait to find out what it is.

Unfortunately that probably won't help Jax.  As the truth sunk in I couldn't help but wonder if it was Karma. Two seasons ago Tara made it clear she wanted out of this life but Opie's death pulled him back in. Since then, every decision has been for the betterment of the club more than his family. 

Was losing them inevitable? We'll just have to wait until the final episode of Sons of Anarchy Season 6 to find out. 

C. Orlando was a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow her on Twitter.