Is JT Teller Still Alive? Sons Of Anarchy Theory Explained

The Sons of Anarchy motorcycle club was founded by John “JT” Teller, who died many years before the events of the series, but what if he didn’t die and actually came back to Charming at one point? In 2008, Kurt Sutter took the audience into the world of motorcycle clubs in the action drama TV series Sons of Anarchy, which lived on for a total of seven seasons. Sons of Anarchy was praised for the performances of its main cast as well as the themes addressed in it, and while there were many reveals throughout the series and many mysteries were solved, there are some that have made way for a variety of theories.

Sons of Anarchy took viewers to the fictional town of Charming, California, to meet Jackson “Jax” Teller (Charlie Hunnam), VP of the title club at the beginning of the series and the son of JT. The events of Sons of Anarchy kick off when Jax finds his father’s manifesto, in which JT shared his ideas and views for the club, which were very different from those of the club’s current President (and Jax’s stepfather), Clay Morrow (Ron Perlman). This, along with other problems within the club and with other groups, sends Jax on a journey that makes him question his relationships, family, and role in the club. Although JT only appeared in photos and brief flashbacks, he was an important presence throughout Sons of Anarchy, and his death even triggered a series of dramatic events.

The many mysteries and lies around JT’s death led to the death of Clay and unleashed other conflicts that ended up taking more lives, as were those of Jax’s mother, Gemma Teller-Morrow (Katey Sagal), and Jax himself. However, a theory suggests that JT never died and he actually returned to Charming to bring Clay, Gemma, and SAMCRO down, and he did so under a new identity: Lincoln Potter (Ray McKinnon).

What Happened To JT Teller In Sons Of Anarchy

JT Teller served two years in Vietnam, and when he returned home, he and his best friend Piermont “Piney” Winston founded the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club, as they saw the deterioration of the country and faced discrimination and economic hardship, like many other veterans. JT and Piney founded the club in hopes that they could rediscover the feeling of brotherhood they found in Vietnam, but without many economic opportunities out there, the club started making money in the black market by smuggling weapons, drugs, etc. This was the opposite of what JT had envisioned for the club, so he started writing his manifesto, titled The Life and Death of Sam Crow: How the Sons of Anarchy Lost Their Way, in which he detailed what he wanted to achieve with the club and how this should operate. However, by then, Clay and Gemma were already secretly together and looking to take control of SAMCRO, and the only way they could achieve that was by getting rid of JT.

Clay and Gemma planned JT’s death, with Clay forcing Lowell Harland Sr. to sabotage JT’s bike so his death would be seen as an accident, and in order to better cover his tracks, Clay killed Harland once the job was done. On November 1993, JT was riding his bike when he was hit by a semi-truck and dragged over 100 yards. JT lived for two days before passing away from his injuries, and so Clay became SAMCRO’s President and later married Gemma – and with Unser’s help, they kept the details behind JT’s “accidental” death a secret.

Sons Of Anarchy Theory: Lincoln Potter Is JT Teller

There were a couple of details throughout Sons of Anarchy that have made viewers believe there was more to JT’s death. It’s widely believed that JT knew he was going to die, as there’s no way he wouldn’t have noticed something was off with his bike, and if he had wanted, he wouldn’t have ridden it. Even Jury White, the President of the Sons of Anarchy Nevada charter, mentioned to Jax that JT’s bike was “an extension” of him, so he would have known right away if there was something wrong with it, suggesting that JT basically killed himself. Others, however, believe JT faked his death, and some theories have gone as far as to suggest that he became U.S. Attorney Lincoln Potter, who joined Sons of Anarchy in season 4.

Lincoln Potter arrived at Charming to investigate SAMCRO and bring it down, and for that, he started blackmailing Juice Ortiz (Theo Rossi). As Juice had concealed his African-American father from the club and an old club rule didn’t allow black members, Potter used this to manipulate him and through him try to bring SAMCRO down. The theories, then, say that Unser helped JT fake his death and create a new identity, but JT returned many years later, now as Potter and after having facial reconstructive surgery, to take Clay and Gemma down as revenge, though that also meant destroying the club. However, there aren’t details that can actually support the idea of JT becoming Lincoln Potter, and if Jax’s father had faked his death and wanted revenge for what Clay and Gemma did to him, he surely would have found other ways to do so that wouldn’t hurt the Sons of Anarchy club and his son.