Sons of Anarchy gave viewers a look at the deep bonds created among the members of motorcycle clubs and the ranks and terms within these clubs, and there are some of them that can be confusing. Among those is "legacy", which applies to Jax and Opie, but their kids aren't considered as such – and here's why. Created by Kurt Sutter, Sons of Anarchy premiered on FX in 2008 and was very well received by critics and viewers from the beginning, allowing it to continue for a total of seven seasons, coming to an end in 2014. Sons of Anarchy was praised for its performances and the themes addressed in it, even if its portrayal of motorcycle clubs wasn't always accurate.

Sons of Anarchy tells the story of Jackson "Jax" Teller (Charlie Hunnam), VP of the motorcycle club Sons of Anarchy in the fictional town of Charming, California. The events of the series begin when Jax finds a manifesto written by his late father, John "JT" Teller, one of the founding members of the MC, in which he detailed his plans and vision for the club. These were very different from those of the current President and Jax's stepfather, Clay Morrow (Ron Perlman), which along with other problems within the club, his family, and other clubs, send Jax on a personal journey that makes him question his path, role in the club, relationships, and more.

Through Jax, the audience got to know how motorcycle clubs operate and the ranks within them, which go beyond President and Vice President. SAMCRO has 15 ranks, the most notable ones (aside from President and VP) being First 9, Sgt. at Arms, and Prospect, and even though it's not exactly a rank, there's a term that isn't used often in Sons of Anarchy and that has made way to some questions: legacy. Out of the known members of SAMCRO, Jax and Opie (Ryan Hurst) are the only "Legacies", but that term, unlike others like "old lady" (used to refer to the wives of club members), doesn't extend to their families, so their sons can't be considered as such.

Sons of Anarchy why Jax and Opie had to prospect

In biker terminology, "legacy" refers to the offspring of a club member who goes on to become a member of the MC, just like Jax and Opie did. As mentioned above, Jax was the son of John Teller, who served two years in Vietnam alongside his best friend, Piney Winston (William Lucking). Upon their return, John and Piney, alongside Lenny, formed the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club, and the rest is history. Piney was the father of Opie, and just like John and Piney were best friends, so were Jax and Opie, who basically grew up together. Jax and Opie, then, are considered legacies because they became full-patched SAMCRO members when they grew up, and their children can't be considered as such unless they join the club at some point. Jax worked hard to keep his sons Abel and Thomas safe and avoid them getting involved with the club in the future, to the point where he convinced Wendy (Drea de Matteo) to move out of Charming with Nero (Jimmy Smits) and Jax's kids.

As for Opie's children, they weren't safe from tragedy either. Opie's wife, Donna, was killed in Sons of Anarchy season 1 by Tig (Kim Coates) under Clay's orders but it was a mistake as they actually wanted to kill Opie. After Opie's death, his children stayed with his wife, Lyla (Winter Ave Zoli), who struggled to provide for them and her child but always counted on the help of the club, so it's possible that Opie's son (and maybe even Lyla's son, too) could become members of the club at some point. Unless Sutter reveals what has happened to Jax and Opie's children since Sons of Anarchy came to an end, it's up to every viewer to decide if they became legacies or not.

Next: How Sons of Anarchy Season 7 Subtly Hinted At Jax Killing Gemma