Happy (Sons of Anarchy)

Happy Lowman
First appearance	"Pilot" (episode 1.01)
Last appearance	"Papa's Goods" (episode 7.13)
Created by	Kurt Sutter
Portrayed by	David Labrava
Information
Nickname(s)	Happy, Hap
Gender	Male
Occupation	Sergeant-at-arms for SAMCRO
Title	Sergeant-at-arms (season 6)
Family	Mother
Nationality	American

Happy Lowman is a fictional character on the FX television series Sons of Anarchy, with his name based on the character in the famous play "Death of a Salesman". Happy Lowman is an ironic name based on his lack of happiness, played by real-life Hells Angel David Labrava.^[1][2][3] He is Enforcer for Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club, and is affiliated with the Tacoma, Washington charter at the beginning of the series, but later becomes a Nomad, meaning he has no permanent charter. As of the episode "The Push", he is now an official member of the Redwood Original. As of Season 6 he is the Sergeant-at-arms for the mother charter.

Biography

Happy or "Hap" as called by SOA members is an enforcer for the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club, and, along with Tig Trager, is commonly used to carry out the gang's murders. He is from Tacoma, Washington but frequently visits the club's charter in Charming, California where he has a good relationship with the President, Clay Morrow. It is likely that he is originally from California himself, as he mentions that his mother is from Bakersfield. A heartless assassin, he has been shown to enjoy acts of violence that even other members of the club are disturbed by. He has a happy face tattooed on him every time he kills someone. On his cut, he wears patches reading "Sgt. At Arms", "Unholy Ones", "Men Of Mayhem" and "In Memory of Opie".

Season One

Happy appeared in the first episode ("Pilot") at "Church", a club meeting. The Mayans, a rival motorcycle gang, had stolen the club's guns and burned down the weapon storage warehouse. However, Juice Ortiz, the club's intelligence officer, had re-located the guns in San Leandro. The next night, Jax Teller, Tig Trager, Chibs Telford and Clay Morrow stole the guns back from an industrial storage warehouse. They also killed two Mayan guards before destroying the warehouse and a heroin factory.^[4]

In the episode Hell Followed, Happy killed Mayan President Marcus Álvarez's son, Esai, as payback for the Mayans attempted hits on Clay and Ernest Darby. Esai Álvarez's father sanctioned the hit in a jail-house deal with Clay in exchange for SAMCRO selling guns to the Mayans. He pretended to be a churro vendor, and when Esai approached his stall, he stabbed him in the back of the neck with a knife. Happy is also seen in the closing moments of the episode, getting his 11th happy face tattoo, most likely indicating Esai Álvarez as his 11th murder for the club.^[5]

He stated in the episode Better Half that his sick mother lives in Bakersfield, and that he is thinking of "going nomad" for a while to take care of her. Clay's response to that statement was "There's always a seat at that table for you." He drove Cherry and Cameron Hayes to Canada in one of Chief Unser's trucks at the end of this episode.^[6]

In Season One's final episode, The Revelator, Happy went with Chibs and Tig to San Joaquin to kill the witness who identified Bobby Munson and Opie after the murder of Brenan Hefner. The safe house was being guarded by two sheriffs and a female ATF agent, but they managed to knock all three unconscious and gain entry to the house. When Tig saw that the witness was a teenage girl, he was having initial doubts about killing her and Happy showed his cold-bloodedness by offering to kill her instead. However, Tig stepped up but just before he shot her, Jax came in and stopped him doing so at gunpoint. Jax then told Chibs and Happy to leave, and beat Tig up for killing Donna. Later in the episode, Happy, as well as Sons of Anarchy members from across the country, attended the funeral of Opie Winston's wife Donna, who was mistakenly killed by Tig.^[7]

Season Two

At the beginning of Season Two, he has gone Nomad, but returned to Charming to help the club. He was seen at Bobby's homecoming party after his release from prison. He also helped SAMCRO members free Tig from a group of bounty hunters.

Since Chibs' near-fatal injury, Happy has been present at all of the dealings of SAMCRO, possibly filling in until Chibs is well again. Happy was arrested, along with most members of SAMCRO, when they accidentally raided a Christian retreat, falling into a trap set by a White supremacy group. He served time in prison with fellow members Clay, Tig, Juice, Bobby, and Jax. At the end of the episode, he was released along with the others.

As a nomad SAMCRO member, he served as muscle for the Charming chapter in every remaining season two episode including the finale. Due to his popularity with the fans, his role seems to be increasing. It is possible he now resides in Charming.

Season Three

At the beginning of Season Three, Happy is very involved with SAMCRO affairs, still providing muscle while SAMCRO tackles the aftermath of Abel's kidnapping. During Half-Sack's funeral, Chibs mentions that Happy will be transferring to SAMCRO. He goes with Piney and Bobby to get medicine for his sick mother, but cornered by hillbillies who are trying to steal the illegal meds from Piney's friend. When the hillbillies try to make a deal with them the SOA fire at them, because they realize that she supplies clinics. With help from SAMCRO Happy, Piney, and Bobby are all safe. In the episode "The Push" Happy becomes an official SAMCRO member. In the next episode Happy accompanied SAMCRO to Belfast. When they are arrested by officers and almost deported, they interrogate them on who hired them. When Jax tells Happy to kill one of the men, he states "Oh yes I will" but is stopped. A look into his dark mind is displayed when Liam O'Neill is being brutally tortured; Happy looks on in sheer delight while everyone else is visibly shaken. He is arrested with Jax, Clay, Tig, Bobby and Juice in the season finale, and like the others, upon learning Jax ratted, has a look of hate on his face. When it's revealed they knew and it was a Club plan, Hap laughed with the others.

Season Four

In season four, Happy is released along with other members in the season premiere. Both he and Tig love the "Jellybean", a strip club not known for the best or most hygienic dancers, the Russians like to do business at. Juice replied with "the freak circle is complete." Later in the premiere while being followed by two officers Happy served as a distraction kicking the side of the patrol car,which is what had gotten them in custody later.

While in "Custody" on the side of the road it's revealed Happy reused condoms. He defends himself saying he's not cheap just "mindful of excessive spending" which can be looked more upon when in season three he told Clay his mothers medication was very costly, giving him a bit of money troubles, another reason he's willing to do runs and hits. Later in the same episode he along with Juice, Bobby and Chibs leave Opie and Lyla's wedding early to get their guns from the Russians and kill them. This being Juice's first kill for the club (that we know of, or seen on screen). He and Kozik are only mentioned in the next episode. In episode 3 of Season 4 Happy votes no on becoming involved with the Cartel, saying "I'm sorry, but I'm a No."

In Episode 3, it is revealed that he is a neat freak. In "With An X" when one of the bricks of the Cartel's cocaine is stolen, Happy helps interrogate the prospects, pretending to bash Mile's hands with a hammer and locking them in a room with a loaded gun. When the thief is seemingly revealed to be Miles (actually Juice who Miles caught and Juice killed him and put the brick on him), Happy shoots his body calling him "a lying bitch" and confirming to Clay that "he was VERY dead." When Clay is shot, supposedly by the Niners (actually Opie, vengeful over Clay's murder of Piney) Happy agrees with Tig's attempted murder of Laroy (though Tig accidentally killed Laroy's girlfriend Veronica Pope) stating "he's gotta to die, like A LOT."

In the season finale of Season 4 Happy is seen with the rest of SAMCRO in the clubhouse at the table taking Opie's old seat.

Season Five

Happy is seen with the rest of the Club in the season premiere when their shipment of cocaine is attacked by Niners, vengeful over the death of Laroy's girlfriend Veronica Pope. He is unintimidated by Roosevelt's threats to control their problems from hurting Charming or he will call in Gang Task Force. When Opie is killed by black prisoners while inside on orders of Veronica's father Damon Pope, Happy is present at his wake. He is later seen again in "Andare Pescare" helping Jax, Tig, Chibs, and Bobby track the man who beat Opie to death, it's revealed to be the cousin of Grim Basterd President T.O. Grimm. When Tig suggests tracking down the man themselves and bashing his head in, Happy states "Second that". In "To Thine Own Self" Happy is present during the dispute with Nero's old gang and goes to meeting with them with Jax, Chibs, and Tig. When they get into a high-speed chase/shootout, Happy's head is grazed by a bullet though he is shown to not be seriously injured but he gets a thrill out of it including getting shot.

Season Six

Happy has become the new sergeant-at-arms after Bobby's resignation of Vice President and Chibs' promotion. Happy is taken by the Chinese, to be held captive until they receive the second-in-command for the IRA. He later kills the Chinese.

References