Kurt Sutter fans have been waiting patiently for his next twisted tale of justice, knowing the origin story for the Sons of Anarchy's central M.C. would more than likely be coming via the previously announced prequel project. But it's entirely possible the recent election may have changed all that, as Sutter's response to Donald Trump's win came through a thought-provoking letter where he questioned the positive impact of his creative influence, and he made a vow to shoot for more positivity in his productivity. And that doesn't exactly bode well for another chapter of one of TV's most violent series. Here's the appropriate segment:
My point is this. I love being a misanthrope. My default is always anger and aggression. I feel empowered when I eviscerate the things that I don't like. Or more accurately, the things that scare me. But I know to dump hate and fear on top of this precarious political climate makes me part of the problem.So for my own sanity and in the spirit of hope for my kids and all citizens of the world, I promise to look for the similarities rather than the differences. And instead of complaining about beliefs and policies I don't think are right, I will try to put that energy into something productive that incites change rather than derisiveness.
I don't think anyone was ever going to mistake Kurt Sutter for Mr. Rogers if they saw him in their neighborhood, but this is what fans love about him, and his biggest critics rarely saw Sons of Anarchy's gunfights and sadistic acts in any kind of metaphorical form. But it's easy to understand that in this day and age, offering up virtuous and hopeful metaphors through deadly weapons and violent aggression might not be the wisest option. Still, nobody wants to think about a favorite TV show possibly getting scrapped for any reason.
Note that I'm obviously not trying to put words into Kurt Sutter's mouth or into his Internet post here, and it's absolutely possible that he retains every intention to bring the story of The First 9 to audiences in the future. (And that's the future I hope for.) But he shared in the past that the basic outline for the prequel's narrative would have followed a disillusioned John Teller as he arrives home from the Vietnam War, and the dynamics of how torn apart the country was at that point, thus leading to the formation of SAMCRO. It would be extremely hard to tell that story without directly reflecting the currently political and social climate in the U.S. or focusing heavily on separatist issues. Not impossible, just not easy.
Now, we will almost definitely still see the upcoming Sons of Anarchy spinoff about the Mayans go through, and that show will probably have its own new outlook now that Donald Trump will be President. As well, there's always the comics and video games and other places. So it's not like the franchise is going to dissipate and float off into a Charming summer breeze or anything. But Kurt Sutter might not be interested in wading through that mindset in the near future. Maybe one day...
