Katey Sagal on That Shocking 'Sons of Anarchy' Episode

SPOILERS -- In the next to last episode of the series, big, big things happened.

ByABC News
December 3, 2014, 9:40 AM
Actress Katey Sagal attends the Television Academy's 23rd Hall of Fame induction gala at Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel, March 11, 2014, in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Actress Katey Sagal attends the Television Academy's 23rd Hall of Fame induction gala at Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel, March 11, 2014, in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Jason LaVeris/Getty Images

— -- MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!!

In the penultimate episode of "Sons of Anarchy" Tuesday night, we expected big things as we head into the series finale. Boy were we right!

But seeing the death of the iconic Katey Sagal was still shocking nonetheless.

“I was glad I made it to 12,” Sagal told Vulture of making it to the second to last episode of the 13-episode final season. “You never know with this show.”

Sagal's character Gemma Teller was killed by her son Jax, played by Charlie Hunnam, in retaliation for her killing his wife Tara.

The former "Married With Children" star opened up to Vulture about when she found out her character was getting the ax.

"I knew I was going to come to my demise about three or four episodes into this season ... Kurt told Charlie and me at the same time that Gemma was going to die at the hands of her son," she said.

Sagal, 60, said it was "extremely emotional" shooting that last scene after having worked alongside Hunnam and her husband, show creator Kurt Sutter, since 2008.

"It almost makes me cry talking about it. It was very sweet — those last moments before Charlie and I walked out to the garden, we were just crying and hugging each other, and then we’d roll ... It wasn’t only Jax and Gemma’s farewell, it was Katey and Charlie’s farewell after working together for seven years," she said.

Sagal added that by turning her back to Jax, so he could shoot her in the back, she was going out a mother first and foremost, no matter what.

"It’s part of her mothering and loving him that she feels he needs to kill whoever killed Tara. She feels like she’s doing him that favor. It’s that, combined with the fact that she’s too afraid to do it herself. She needs him to help her do that, and to do it for himself," she said.

As for having two iconic characters under her belt, Sagal admitted she "never thought that would happen again" after "Married With Children."

"I was pretty blessed to have it happen once, and then to have it happen again in such a different way was amazing. My husband and the FX network both took a shot on me," she said.

The "Sons of Anarchy" series finale airs next Tuesday on FX.