Final Predictions for “Breaking Bad”
Spoilers sure to abound, so please Rot13 your comments.
I think that Walt’s freakout during his final moments in the White household with his wife and children showed him for what he really is: a failed, fragile man, disappointed in the way his life turned out, eager to blame others for that, and desperately trying to make it what he thought it ought to be. He wanted to be an alpha male, the guy who brings home the bacon for a family that loves and admires him. But he wasn’t. Or isn’t. Maybe he once was… flashbacks show a different side of him before leaving Grey Matter, before becoming a teacher, and before becoming a father. The house was supposed to be temporary… just a starter home until they were ready for something bigger.
But he probably was never that guy. He left Grey Matter because he couldn’t hang in the big leagues. He had to wash cars to make ends meet. He was in a relatively empty marriage with a wife who didn’t hesitate to cheat on him when he thought she was doing the same and with a son who didn’t want his name, looking to his uncle instead of his father as his primary male role model.
Walt worked hard to change all this… but couldn’t. No matter what he did, it ultimately failed. He was ready to give in, until yet another person called him to the carpet for these failings: when Walt saw his former partner indicate that Walt contributed to the name and nothing else and heard Gretchen say that the real Walter White was gone… well, he couldn’t stand for that. No one was going to deny him his place in history. Add the revelation that someone is still making blue meth, diluting the legend of Heisenberg, and Walt has to go back and go out on his own terms.
I don’t buy the theories that he is going back for the Grey Matter folks. That doesn’t accomplish anything, not for him. He’s going to take out the Nazis in one last desperate grasp to regain his family. He thinks that taking out the men who took out Hank will somehow, someway earn him his family’s good graces. When it fails to do this, the ricin cigarette emerges… for Walt himself. No one takes out Heisenberg but Heisenberg. Not cancer, not Gus, not the cops, not the Nazis. Only Heisenberg himself. He goes out on his own terms, a complete and utter failure. Something he was all along, at least when judged against his own expectations.
Walt was and is the supposed impotent 21st century male. He is Michael Douglas’s character from “Falling Down”. He is mad at a world that did not deliver on the promise of a “Leave It To Beaver”-style life. It is always someone else’s fault. His bitterness consumed him, spawning Heisenberg, and leading to the most destructive of downfalls.
But what do y’all think???
The end won’t be some fishing copout like the screen going black in the middle of the last scene.Report
But hopefully they will explain why he becomes a lumberjack.
As long as they do that, it’ll be OK.Report
So long as it doesn’t all turn out to be limbo, I’m okay.Report
I can handle Limbo so long as there’s no Jimi HendrixReport
Well, the velociraptor was unexpected.Report
But I totally expected the Spanish Inquisition.Report
Not possible. surprise and fanatical dedication to the pope. No one (not even you) expects the Spanish Inquisition.Report
I’m a couple seasons behind watching this on Netflix, but I can make one prediction already.
This is one show, as great as it is, that won’t have much life in international syndication. The premise simply won’t make any sense to people in civilized countries.Report
Don’t take this comment the wrong way—I’m in no way questioning the nobility of your generosity with other people’s money—but you have the premise of the show completely wrong. He had insurance, and his former business partner offered to pay for the world-class doctor that his insurance wouldn’t. His decision to cook meth wasn’t about the medical bills. See Agoraphilia or McArdle for details.Report
BB,
It’s a pretty big stretch to get that out of what Rod wrote. Perhaps he was referring to the issue with medical care and insurance, but there are about a billion other ways it also could have been read. Next time, inquiring about what he meant instead of assuming the worst would be preferred.Report
No, this was a thing a couple of weeks ago. That’s why at least two people wrote posts debunking it. What else is peculiar to the US that a left-leaning person would call uncivilized that would at least superficially appear to be relevant here? Not guns, since much of the violence doesn’t involve guns. Not banning meth, since pretty much every country does that. I guarantee you he was talking about health care.Report
I didn’t see the thing (was it here or elsewhere?) so I don’t have a context for it. There are a number of ways in which “Breaking Bad” is a uniquely American show and/or might appeal uniquely to an American audience. A number of these factors can be described as uncivilized. Health care/insurance didn’t enter my mind when I read the comment.Report
I read the comment as Brandon did.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/lukelewis/if-breaking-bad-had-been-set-in-the-uk
Though it seems to be doing at least reasonably well in the UK:
http://thequietus.com/articles/13460-breaking-bad-series-5-reviewReport
The comment reads to me as being about the sheer violence of American culture. Including, but not limited to, guns. However (a) I haven’t yet seen one episode of the show and (b) evidently some people have made it about health care.Report
I think it is a real stretch to make the entire show about health care. Yes, there are two plot points that revolve around how medical care will be paid for, but those are plot devices more than overarching themes. Considering that Walt’s initial motivation is as much about leaving his family a nest egg as much as it is about paying for his care, I think people are forcing it. I don’t remember all the specifics from S1, but seeing as how he was a public school teacher, his wife gave birth during the show, and his son has CP, it doesn’t seem like being bankrupted by medical costs is really a crux of the show. Walt must have some form of insurance and they never once mention money with their other major pressing medical issues.
IF people are making the show about health care/insurance (and I’m sure there are those who do), they are forcing it.Report
@glyph
I think that oversimplifies the story. Vastly so. As I said to Will, my memory tells me Walt was as motivated by the desire to leave his family taken care of after his death, which he assumed would be relatively immediate.Report
Kazzy, I’m not signing on to the interpretation, just pointing out that it’s a relatively common and popular one, and I don’t think Brandon was reaching to have read Rod’s comment the way he did.Report
I posted a comment with links to the two debunkings I mentioned, but it seems to be caught in the spam trap.Report
@brandon-berg
I don’t see anything from you in the spam filter. Try again and I’ll make sure it goes through.
Just to clarify my position, if people are making an argument that BrBa is about health care/insurance, they are misrepresenting the facts of the story and vastly missing the point of the show. They are really doing a lot of shoehorning to support a political ideology.
If Rod indeed meant that with regards to his “civilized” comment, well, I think he’s wrong on that. If he didn’t mean that, than it appears we are all in agreement on the relevance/accuracy of that theory.Report
I’ll just do two comments. Here’s Glen Whitman at Agoraphilia.Report
And here’s McArdle.Report
The agoraphilia link more or less lines up with what I’ve argued here:
– Walt has insurance
– This insurance is sufficient to cover his wife’s pregnancy and his son’s cystic fibrosis
– Walt is motivated more by a desire to leave money for his family after his death
Now, health care/insurance do provide major plot devices at least twice. Walt does seek treatment from a nationally recognized cancer specialist, which is not covered by his plan. And Hank’s rehab utilizes the services of a non-covered specialist. These are important facts for the story. But none of them are a scathing indictment of the current health care/insurance system, at least no more than the fact that meth is illegal is a scathing indictment of our war on drugs. They are simply realities of the BrBa world, because they are more or less realities of our current American society.
Any attempt to make either of those realities more than what they are is stretching to the point of losing credibility.Report
And I assume that you were just trying to score some cheap rhetorical points rather than actually claiming that the appeal of the shore is based entirely on fear of medical bills, which would be silly.Report
Nyy va nyy, V gubhtug vg jnf n tbbq-abg-terng raqvat. V jnf rkcrpgvat fbzr zber cebsbhaq pbzzragnel, ohg vafgrnq jr tbg n arng-naq-gvql, vs snagnfgvpny, svany fprar gb bhe npgvba zbivr.
Fbzr bs gur rneyl fprarf jrer ernyyl jryy qbar, rfcrpvnyyl gur ragver rcvfbqr ng gur Fpujnegm. Gur fubgf bs uvz va gur ubhfr naq gurz va gur ubhfr naq gur ynggre univat ab vqrn bs gur sbezre… jbj. Naq V yvgrenyyl whzcrq jura gur erq ornzf nccrnerq, rira gubhtu gurl jrer whfg n pbhcyr bs erq qbgf bs yvtug. N ernyyl jryy qbar frdhrapr. Cyhf vg jnf avpr gb frr Onqtre naq Fxvaal Crgr ntnva! Gur fprar jvgu Fxlyne jnf fvzvyneyl jryy qbar, jvgu gur fybj erirny bs uvz orvat va gur ubhfr naq univat ab vqrn ubj ybat ur’q orra gurer be ubj be jura ur neevirq, naq Fxlyne’f pnyz “5 zvahgrf”… qnza.
Gur svany fprar sryg n ovg “Qvr Uneq”-l. V thrff V qba’g xabj jung gur nygreangvir jnf. Ur pbhyq bs qbar fbzrguvat purzvfgel-eryngrq, yvxr sebz frnfba 1, ohg gung jbhyq unir znqr vg ernyyl uneq sbe uvz gb fnir Wrffr be (cbgragvnyyl) uvzfrys. Vg fgvyy fubjrq uvz hfvat uvf fpvragvsvp travhf gb fbyir ceboyrzf. Ohg ebob-tha qvq srry n ovg bhg bs cynpr tvira gur birenyy gbar bs gur fubj. Vg jnf n cybg qrivpr, ohg n arprffnel bar V fhccbfr.
Ubj qvq gur pbcf fubj hc? Jrer gur Anmvf pybfr rabhtu gb bgure crbcyr gb urne gur fubgf? Be qvq Wrffr pnyy gurz?
Fbzrguvat V ernyvmrq jnf gung gurl arire bssvpvnyyl fubjrq Jnyg’f qrngu xaryy. Gurer vf n cneg bs zr gung jbhyq ybir vs Tvyyvtna naabhaprq gurl jrer pbzvat onpx sbe n 6gu frnfba be n zbivr, naq gura vg jnf whfg na raqyrff ybbc bs Jnyg va n irtrgngvir fgngr va n ubfcvgny orq. N ovt tbgpun gb gur phyg gung fheebhaqrq gur fubj.
N srj dhrfgvbaf erznva, ohg V guvax gurl’er gur xvaq gung pna erznva. Jung unccraf gb Wrffr? Uvf zvaq vf zhfu, ur vf cebonoyl rzbgvbanyyl qrnq vafvqr, ur’f orra culfvpnyyl nohfrq. Sbe n juvyr gurer, vg frrzrq yvxr qrngu jnf gur rnfl jnl bhg. Ohg abj ur’f serr. Abj jung? Ur arire jnagrq nal bs guvf… ur jnagrq fbzr rnfl zbarl naq fbzr rkpvgrzrag. Znlor ybir. Ohg abj jung?
Jung unccraf gb gur erfg bs gur Juvgr pyna? V nffhzr gurl whfg qb gurve qnzarqrfg gb cvrpr n yvsr gbtrgure. Znlor gurl trg gur zbarl, znlor abg. V nffhzr gurl qb… be ng yrnfg gur Fpujnegmrf gel; V guvax gurl’er gbb fpnerq gb qb nalguvat ryfr.
Jung unccraf gb Fnhy? Qhqr’f va Bznun abj… jung pna gung bssre uvz?
Jnyg yrsg n genvy bs qrfgehpgvba. Ab bar’f yvsr jnf orggre sbe uvz univat orra va vg. Naq lrg ur fbzrubj frrzrq unccl jvgu uvf yvsr’f jbex ng gur raq. Pbagrag. Nf ur fnvq, ur qvq vg sbe uvzfrys. Ur jnagrq gb srry nyvir, ab zber guna jura ur yrnearq ur jnf qlvat. Uvf zrgu jvyy yvxryl or gur terngrfg guvat ur rire nppbzcyvfurq, naq vg vf svggvat gung ur qvrq jvgu gur znpuvarel ur qrfvtarq gb znxr vg.Report
Jung unccraf gb Wrffr? Ur qevirf njnl sebz pncgvivgl, naq ur arire fgbcf qevivat. Ur orpbzrf n fgerrg enpre.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2369135/Report
Breaking Bad retained a ridiculously high level of consistency and narrative drive for its entire run. If I still place some other series above it in the pantheon, those other shows are either not yet done (so could still flub it) and/or flagged in quality or momentum at some points in their run (even if they rallied for the end). It’s a great, great piece of pulp, if a teensy bit over-hyped and -analyzed right now.
I want all that out of the way so I can nitpick just a WEE bit on the finale (which was very satisfying overall).
1.) V jvfu jr’q tbggra fbzr vaqvpngvba, ng fbzr cbvag, nf gb rknpgyl jung jrag qbja jvgu Terl Znggre naq Tergpura/Ryvbg/Jnygre. Jr xabj JJ sryg fyvtugrq, ohg jr qba’g xabj gb jung qrterr gung jnf whfgvsvrq, be vs vg jnf whfg nabgure vafgnapr bs JJ cevqr.
Jvgubhg gung vasb, gur fprar jurer ur vagvzvqngrf gur Fpujnegmrf vagb ynhaqrevat uvf zbarl sbe Sylaa vf, gubhtu jryy-npgrq naq irel grafr, qrrcyl hapbzsbegnoyr. Vg’f na ryrtnag naq vatravbhf fbyhgvba gb JJ’f ceboyrz, ohg V jbhyq’ir yvxrq gb xabj gb jung qrterr gurl “qrfreir” be “bjr” gb or greebevmrq naq qentbbarq vagb freivpr (abgr: V xabj ab bar ERNYYL qrfreirf vg, ohg vg’f qenzn, lbh xabj jung V zrna) – vs jr xarj gurl ober ng yrnfg fbzr erfcbafvovyvgl jnl onpx jura, gura gur fprar jbhyq unir cynlrq orggre, rzbgvbanyyl, gb zr. Fher, JR xabj vg’f whfg Onqtre naq Fxvaal Crgr bhg gurer, ohg gurl qba’g, naq gung’f cerggl greevoyr.
2.) Vg frrzrq n yvggyr fvyyl gung Hapyr Wnpx nyybjrq uvzfrys gb or onvgrq vagb oevatvat Wrffr va, ng yrnfg jvgu gur”cnegare/eng” wvor. V fhfcrpg guvf znl unir orra qbar sbe gvzr, fvapr (gb zr) vg jbhyq unir orra zber qenzngvpnyyl fngvfslvat sbe Jnygre gb xvyy nyy gur Anmvf, gura tb bhg gb gur jnerubhfr naq frr jvgu uvf bja rlrf gur xvaq bs pbaqvgvbaf Wrffr jnf orvat xrcg va.
Be nygreangryl, JJ pbhyq unir onvgrq Wnpx jvgu n fyvtugyl qvssrerag irefvba bs “ubabe” – gung vf, gurl unq n pbagenpg gb xvyy Wrffr, gurl fubbx ba vg; jr nyernql xabj gung Wnpx unf fbzr fbeg bs frafr bs n pbqr, fvapr ur yrsg JJ fbzr bs uvf zbarl (lbh pbhyq nethr gung Wnpx fnj gnxvat gur erznvaqre abg nf “gursg” ohg nf “frirenapr, naq cnlzrag sbe gnxvat pner bs gjb QRN ntragf sbe JJ”). Cerfhznoyl Gbqq xabjf ol abj ubj gb pbbx, gurl pbhyq unir oebhtug Wrffr va gb pybfr gung pbagenpg nsgre JJ pnyyf gurz ba vg. Ohg gur jnl gurl tbg rirelbar va gur fnzr ebbz frrzrq fyvtugyl pbagevirq.
V nyfb jbhyq unir yvxrq gb urne Jnygre fnl “fbeel” gb Wrffr – V xabj Wrffr jbhyqa’g (naq fubhyqa’g) ohl vg, naq ab “fbeel” pbhyq rire pbire gur zntavghqr bs rssrq-hcarff uvf nffbpvngvba jvgu JJ unf envarq qbja hcba uvz (zl jvsr pbzzragrq gung Wrffr’f svany “qb vg lbhefrys” vf jung ur fubhyq unir fnvq gb JJ va rc. 1), ohg vg fgvyy jbhyq unir orra avpr, naq V guvax Penafgba pbhyq unir fbyq vg, ur’f n uryy bs na npgbe; sbe nyy gung ur’f yvrq gb rirelbar (Wrffr zbfg bs nyy), ur’f nyfb fubjrq, ng gvzrf, uvf gehr snpr gb Wrffr bayl. Ohg gurer ner cebonoyl tbbq ernfbaf guvf qvqa’g unccra, naq V’z cebonoyl va gur zvabevgl urer.
Fcrnxvat bs, vg nyfb jbhyq unir orra avpr vs ur’q svtherq bhg n jnl gb trg fbzr pnfu gb Wrffr. Qbrf Wrffr unir nal fgnfurq naljurer? Be vf gur zna pbzcyrgryl oebxr?Report
Nit picking is high praise. It means you cannot find any huge flaws.
V guvax ur yrsg Terl Znggre ibyhagnevyl (cnegyl qhr gb jungrire unccrarq jvgu uvz naq Tergpura), naq ernyyl ybfg bhg jura vg tbg ovt jvgubhg uvz. Ur cebonoyl jnf n ovt cneg bs vg, ohg ur fbyq uvf vagrerfg. Va bgure jbeqf, V qb abg guvax Tergpura naq Ryyvbg npghnyyl qvq nalguvat gb fperj uvz bire, ohg ur oynzrf gurz sbe uvf zvfgnxr.
Ur znl abg unir xabja gung Wrffr jnf n pncgvir. Ur zvtug ernyyl unir oryvrirq gung Wrffr jnf n jvyyvat cnegare, naq ur jnf cynaavat gb gnxr qbja Wrffr jvgu gur erfg. Ur jnf hanjner bs gur oyhr zrgu hagvy Onqtre naq Fgvaxl Crgr gbyq uvz nobhg vg.Report
V qb abg guvax Tergpura naq Ryyvbg npghnyyl qvq nalguvat gb fperj uvz bire, ohg ur oynzrf gurz sbe uvf zvfgnxr. Guvf vf n ernfbanoyr fhccbfvgvba, ohg pbasvezngvba bs vg (rvgure jnl) pbhyq unir znqr gur fprar cynl n yvggyr orggre VZB.
Ur znl abg unir xabja gung Wrffr jnf n pncgvir. Ur zvtug ernyyl unir oryvrirq gung Wrffr jnf n jvyyvat cnegare, naq ur jnf cynaavat gb gnxr qbja Wrffr jvgu gur erfg. – Dhvgr cbffvoyl gehr, ohg gur orfg jnl gb trg Wrffr va gur ebbz vs gung jnf gehr jbhyqa’g or gur “cnegare” wvor, jbhyq vg? Vs Wnpx & Wrffr gehyl JRER cnegaref, jul jbhyq Wnpx orra onvgrq naq unir oebhtug Wrffr va?
Ur jnf hanjner bs gur oyhr zrgu hagvy Onqtre naq Fgvaxl Crgr gbyq uvz nobhg vg. V guvax ur yrnearq bs gur oyhr zrgu ba gur Puneyvr Ebfr frtzrag, Onqtre naq Fxvaal Crgr whfg pbasvezrq vg.
Fcrnxvat bs, ubj qvq Jnygre yrnir gur one orsber gur pbcf tbg gurer (cubar erprvire fgvyy bss gur ubbx naq qevax fgvyy ba gur one, fb ur pna’g unir orra tbar ybat), trg onpx gb gur pnova, trg nyy uvf pnfu, naq trg bhg, nyy nurnq bs gur pbcf? V cerfhzr ur zhfg unir fgbyra n pne ng gur one naq jr whfg qvqa’g frr gung cneg, ab jnl pbhyq ur unir znqr vg ba sbbg va gvzr.Report
Ur znl abg unir xabja gung Wrffr jnf n pncgvir. Ur zvtug ernyyl unir oryvrirq gung Wrffr jnf n jvyyvat cnegare, naq ur jnf cynaavat gb gnxr qbja Wrffr jvgu gur erfg.
Gb sbyybj ba, JJ FGVYY pbhyq unir oryvrirq guvf, naq tbar bhg gb gur jnerubhfr gb xvyy Wrffr, gura frra jung gur erny fgbel jnf jvgu uvf bja rlrf, jbeqyrffyl. V guvax gung jbhyq unir orra zber qenzngvpnyyl cbjreshy. Ohg V nz jbaqrevat vs gurer jnf n gvzr snpgbe, naq qbvat vg gur jnl gurl qvq vg jnf whfg zber rssvpvrag fgbel naq gvzr-jvfr (gnpxyvat Wrffr gb gur sybbe erqhprf gur onpx naq sbegu orgjrra Wrffr naq JJ nf gb jurgure be abg JJ vagraqf gb xvyy Wrffr).Report
V nyjnlf haqrefgbbq Jnyg’f qrcnegher sebz Terl Znggre gb or gjbsbyq: Jungrire unccrarq orgjrra uvz naq Tergpura (juvpu zvtug unir orra erny be zvtug unir orra jung bar bs gurz jnagrq naq arire ernyvmrq… yvxryl Jnyg); naq Jnyg’f hajvyyvatarff vanovyvgl gb nffhzr gur evfx gung pnzr jvgu orvat cneg bs n fgneghc. V qba’g qbhog ur jnf vagrteny gb vgf fhpprff, ng yrnfg vavgvnyyl, ohg ur pbhyqa’g unat jvgu gur ovt oblf. Ur tbg bhg… gbbx gur fnsr ebhgr… orpnzr n grnpure jvgu n fbyvq, fgrnql cnlpurpx, vafhenapr, crafvba, rgp. Ur pbhyqa’g jurry naq qrny jvgu gur ovt oblf. Vg’f abg jub ur jnf. Naq, va glcvpny Jnyg snfuvba, vg jnf nyjnlf fbzrbar ryfr’f snhyg.
V qb guvax ur cebcreyl nccrnyrq gb Wnpx’f frafr bs ubabe va gung Wnpx jbhyq arire cnegare jvgu n “eng” yvxr Wrffr. Naq nf EE fnlf, Jnyg qvqa’g xabj rknpgyl jung gur angher bs gurve eryngvbafuvc jnf. V guvax vs Wrffr jnf n gehr cnegare, ur jbhyq unir gnxra uvz bhg. Ernyvmvat ur jnfa’g, ur qvqa’g jnag gb bssre gurz gur fnzr sngr. Nyy va nyy, gung fprar jnf n ovg fvyyl (ng yrnfg jvguva gur birenyy senzrjbex bs gur fubj… ohg abg fb fvyyl nf gb znxr zr natel), fb fhfcraqvat n ovg zber qvforyvrs jnf bxnl ol zr.
V nyfb gubhtug gur oevrs synfuonpx gb Wrffr va gur jbbq jbexvat ebbz (juvpu V unq pbzcyrgryl sbetbggra nobhg) qrzbafgengrq ubj fb zhpu bs gur fubj nf nobhg gur cbjre bs perngvba. Naq vg’f bccbfvgr… qrfgehpgvba. Gung vf zhpu bs jung purzvfgel vf… perngvba, qrfgehpgvba, genafsbezngvba, punatr. Nf jr fnj, Jnyg fbba orpnzr zbgvingrq abg fb zhpu ol zbarl ohg ol perngvat fbzrguvat jbaqreshy… fbzrguvat ur snvyrq gb qb jvgu Terl Znggre naq gur erfg bs uvf yvsr. Nf ur fnvq gb Wrffr ng bar cbvag (cnencuenfrq), “Jura ryfr jvyy lbh trg gur punapr gb or gur orfg ng fbzrguvat?” Urvfraoret naq gur oyhr zrgu jnf fbzrguvat ur perngrq. Jura Wrffr tbg vagb gur jbbq jbexvat, vg fpengpurq n fvzvyne vgpu, juvpu jnf bar bs gur gvzrf ur jnf qbja ba gur ohfvarff. Gung jnf n pyrire pbaarpgvba naq fubjrq gung guvf jnf zber be yrff n frnzyrff cvrpr bs jbex jvgu pyrne gurzrf naq checbfr.Report
Fcrnxvat bs, ubj qvq Jnygre yrnir gur one orsber gur pbcf tbg gurer (cubar erprvire fgvyy bss gur ubbx naq qevax fgvyy ba gur one, fb ur pna’g unir orra tbar ybat), trg onpx gb gur pnova, trg nyy uvf pnfu, naq trg bhg, nyy nurnq bs gur pbcf? V cerfhzr ur zhfg unir fgbyra n pne ng gur one naq jr whfg qvqa’g frr gung cneg, ab jnl pbhyq ur unir znqr vg ba sbbg va gvzr.
Ur jnf uvqvat va gur fabj-pbirerq pne ng gur ortvaavat, naq lbh pbhyq frr gur erq naq oyhr synfuref pbzr hc oruvaq uvz. Vg znl unir orra qbja gur ebnq sebz gur one, orpnhfr vg frrzrq yvxr ur unq orra va gur pbyq sbe n juvyr. Ur pbhyq unir qevira onpx gb gur pnova gb trg gur pnfu.
V nterr gung gvzr jnf n snpgbe. Guvatf qvq frrz n ovg ehfurq va gur ynfg rcvfbqr. Vg jbhyq unir orarsvggrq sebz nabgure 15-20 zvahgrf. Wrffr nyfb arrqrq gb or gurer gb xvyy Gbqq.Report
V guvax gurl jnagrq gb fubj Jnyg fnir Wrffr. Ur zvtug n pbafpvbhf qrpvfvba naq qryvorengr rssbeg gb xrrc uvz nyvir. Pubbfvat abg gb fubbg uvz nsgre svaqvat uvz va gur pntr jbhyq unir sryg qvssrerag. Rira vs ur eryrnfrq uvz sebz uvf pntr, vg jbhyqa’g unir sryg gur fnzr.
Naq ur hygvzngryl gbbx n ohyyrg gung jbhyq unir uvg Wrffr. Unq ur tbar syng, ur vfa’g fubg.
V guvax gurer jnf yvxryl n ybatre qrynl. Gur one jnf abg cnegvphyneyl ohfl. Gung qevax pbhyq unir orra gurer n juvyr, nf pbhyq gur cubar unir orra. V qbhog eheny AU pna zbovyvmr n sbepr yvxr gung ng gur qebc bs n ung. Gung pnyy yvxryl unq gb pvephyngr guebhtu gur QRN, cebonoyl SOV, ybpny nhgubevgvrf, n cyna unq gb or chg va cynpr, rgp. Gung fuvg gnxrf fbzr gvzr. Gur onegraqre jnf cebonoyl whfg nfyrrc ng gur jurry bs uvf one.Report
Gur ynfg rcvfbqr fhecevfrq zr. Gur cnggrea bs gur svefg unys bs gur frnfba jnf oevyyvnag fpurzrf jvgu uvqqra synjf. Gur tvnag ryrpgebzntarg qvq qrfgebl Thf’f CP, ohg vg erirnyrq gur frperg onax nppbhagf naq gurl ghearq vagb n zhpu ovttre ceboyrz. Hfvat gragrq ubzrf gb pbbx tbg Jnyg zvkrq hc jvgu gur Anmvf. Gur terng genva eboorel pnhfrq gur qrngu bs Qerj Funec. Naq gura va gur frpbaq unys, rirelguvat jrag jebat, yrnqvat gb gur ubybpnhfg va Bmlznaqvnf naq gur boivbhfyl qlvat Jnyg ybfg naq nybar va Tenavgr Fgngr. Fb gur ynfg guvat V rkcrpgrq jnf n Jnyg jubfr penml fpurzrf jrer jbexvat ntnva. Uvf fpurzr vaibyivat Ryyvbg naq Tergpura jnf n pbzcyrgr fhpprff, naq shaal nf uryy bapr lbh ernyvmrq gung gur “gbc uvg zra” jrer Onqtre naq Fxvaal Crgr nezrq jvgu ynfre cbvagref. (Vg’f n tbbq guvat gur Fpujnegmrf qba’g bja n png; Onqtre pbhyq abg unir erfvfgrq znxvat vg punfr gur qbg.) Bhgfznegvat Ylqvn jvgu ure bja nany-ergragvir penmvarff jnf cresrpg gbb, nf jnf xvyyvat ure gb gvr hc n ybbfr raq, fbzrguvat fur fb bsgra fhttrfgrq. Gur Anmv rkgrezvangvba jnf n pnyyonpx gb Thf’f ryvzvangvba bs gur pnegry, naq rirel ovg nf hayvxryl gb jbex, fvapr va obgu pnfrf zvffvat n fvatyr ivpgvz jbhyq unir qrfgeblrq gur cyna. Gubhtu bs pbhefr Hapyr Wnpx naq Gbqq unq gb yvir ybat rabhtu gb or xvyyrq ol gur cebcre niratre. Naljnl, V guvax V’z qvfnccbvagrq.Report
Bar guvat V’ir orra cbaqrevat vf gur ebyr bs Tbq va nyy guvf. Gubhtu Jnyg vf cbvagrqyl abg n eryvtvbhf zna, ur cenlf gb trg ubzr, naq gur xrlf qebc vagb uvf unaq, naq gung zbzrag ernyyl fgbbq bhg gb zr.
Gurer unir orra bgure bppnfvbany “zrffntrf sebz gur bgure fvqr” – Fxlyre ng Sbhe Pbearef (nqivpr fur vtaberq), Jnyg fcvaavat gur tha gung cbvagf ng gur Yvyl bs gur Inyyrl (nqivpr ur qvq abg). V qba’g xabj vs gurl nygbtrgure sbez fbzr pburerag gurzr be abg; V guvax OO vf zber bs n chyc/abve fgbel* guna fbzr fbeg bs nyyrtbel; ohg fgvyy.
* nybat gubfr yvarf, nf pbby nf Sevat naq gur oebguref jrer, gurl jrer n ovg fhcreivyynva-l/ynetre-guna-yvsr. Gung jnf n frpgvba bs gur fubj V yvxrq n yvggyr ovg yrff guna vgf fgneg, jvgu vgf Pbra-rfdhr ybj-erag varcg pevzvany uvwvaxf (jvgu npvq-svyyrq ongughof va cynpr bs jbbq puvccref) naq pybfr sbphf ba pevzvany cebprff.
V gubhtug nsgre Sevat jnf qvfcngpurq, naq gurl oebhtug gur arb-Anmvf va, vg erghearq n ovg gb gur rneyvre srry.
Fbzrbar cbvagrq bhg gung abg bayl vf “Sryvan” n punenpgre va gur Znegl Eboovaf fbat, naq na nantenz sbe “svanyr” (juvpu V fnj vzzrqvngryl), vg’f nyfb purzvpny flzobyf – SrYvAn (Veba, Yvguvhz, Fbqvhz), juvpu fbzrbar fhttrfgrq flzobyvmrq “Oybbq, Zrgu naq Grnef”.Report
V qba’g xabj vs V jebgr guvf nobir, ohg V sryg yvxr gur svany rcvfbqr jnf zber bs n “Yrg’f jenc hc gur zbivr” guna n “Yrg’f znxr n cebsbhaq fgngrzrag ba fbzrguvat.” Juvpu jung V’ir ernq sebz Tvyyvtna (abg zhpu, ohg fbzr) vaqvpngrf jnf uvf guvaxvat. V qba’g xabj gung guvf jnf fhccbfrq gb or fbzr cebsbhaq eriryngvba ba gur angher bs zna be eryngvbafuvcf be cbjre be ybir be nalguvat… vg jnf bar zna’f fgbel naq gurl gbyq vg naq unq gb raq vg naq gurl qvq.
V jnf ubcvat/ybbxvat/rkcrpgvat fbzrguvat zber cebsbhaq fb V jnf n ovg qvfnccbvagrq. Ohg gung zvtug or zl snhyg. Guvf jnf abg n “Ybfg”-fglyr qronpyr. Vg jnf gur svany puncgre va na rkcyvpvgyl gbyq gnyr. Vg qvq trg pnegbbal, ohg V qba’g xabj gung vg rire cergraqrq gb or bgurejvfr. Gur pbasyngvba bs “tevggl” jvgu “ernyvfgvp” vf n snyfr bar.Report
@mike-schilling
Nf V gubhtug zber nobhg vg, V guvax V funer fbzr bs lbhe fgehttyrf. Hygvzngryl, rirelguvat va guvf svany rcvfbqr jbexrq bhg sbe Jnyg.
Ur tbg bhg bs gur one va gvzr. Ur sbhaq n pne ernql gb or fgbyra naq, url, gur xrlf ner va vg!
Jnyg znantrf gb zbir guebhtu NOD jvgubhg orvat abgvprq.
Jnyg trgf onpx ng gur Fpujnegm, rira gubhtu jr’er abg rira fher vs vgf qrfreirq. Uryy, gurl ner tbvat gb yvir va srne sbe gurve yvirf va crecrghvgl.
Ur trgf uvf zbarl gb uvf snzvyl, uvf bevtvany naq hygvzngr tbny.
Ur gnxrf bhg gur Anmvf, jub jrer N) Anmvf naq O) onq qhqrf… ohg jrer gurl ernyyl jbefr qhqrf guna Jnyg? Gurl qvqa’g xvyy Jnyg jura gurl pbhyq unir… va snpg gurl tnir uvz $11Z qbyynef bhg bs fbzr ovmneer frafr bs erfcrpg. Naq ur ynlf jnfgr gb gurz.
Naq, hygvzngryl, ur tbrf bhg ba uvf bja grezf, arire ernyyl cnlvat sbe uvf fvaf. V zrna, ur cnlf, ohg ur tbrf bhg jvgu n fzvyr ba uvf snpr.
Jul qvq rirelguvat jbex bhg? Naq jung qbrf gung gryy hf nobhg gur cngu gung Jnyg pubfr? Vg’f n ovg gebhoyvat, naq qrsvavgryl n ybbcrql-ybbc va n jbeyq bs mvtf naq mntf.Report
@mike-schilling @kazzy – it’s almost certainly not “true”, and if it were, people would be screaming, but this is an interesting take:
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2013/09/breaking-bad-finale-reviewed.htmlReport
What’s funny, is that I never thought of that angle, but as soon as I saw this email (before even clicking on the link), I thought, “Holy shit, what if it was?!?!” So, I think there are enough kernels there to justify the theory.
On the one hand, if that is the case, wouldn’t it have turned out far more pleasant? Though I suppose a counter to that would be that Walt’s psyche is so damaged that is about as pleasant as he could make it.Report
@glyph I had the same thought, except Jnyg qbrf abg xabj gur qrgnvyf bs Wrffr’f pncgvivgl.
Unrelated, but I recently read an interview where Vince stated that, when they revealed gur znpuvar tha, they had no idea who it was for.Report
@reformed-republican
I read that same interview, and am tempted to say that is a bit of gamesmanship on the part of Gilligan.
In all honesty, having binge watched the first 4.5 seasons (not all at once), I couldn’t remember exactly when different characters were introduced. Were Todd and Jack really introduced less than 15 episodes ago? It feels like they’ve been around so much longer than that.Report
@Kazzy Definitely this season. Gbqq, guebhtu gur grezvgr pbzcnal. Wnpx jnf uverq gb xvyy Zvxr’f zra va cevfba. It was the first half of the season, so it is easy to forget.
Speaking of Mike, Walt was definitely channelling him a bit in the last episode. Notably “If that’s the way this is going to go down, you’re going to need a bigger knife.”Report
@reformed-republican – Fxlyre nyfb gryyf Jnyg nobhg gur znfxrq zra guerngravat Ubyyl, naq ur jbhyqa’g xabj nobhg gung rvgure.
Fgvyy, vg jbhyq or fbzrjung nccebcevngr gung “Urvfraoret” jbhyq or va na vaqrgrezvangr fgngr (“V jnf nyvir…”). V xabj gung jura V jnf jngpuvat gur rcvfbqr V nyfb pbhyqa’g oryvrir ur jnf rfpncvat abgvpr fb rnfvyl, naq gurer jrer frireny fubgf (yvxr jura ur’f erirnyrq va Fxlyre’f xvgpura, be guebhtu gur ynhaqel ebbz jvaqbj nsgre ur frrf Sylaa sbe gur ynfg gvzr) jurer ur whfg vzzrqvngryl nccrnef, be fybjyl snqrf njnl, yvxr ur jnf n tubfg nyernql.Report
Ur nyfb zbirq nebhaq gur Fpujnegm ubhfrubyq jvgubhg n fbhaq, yvxr n tubfg.
V jvyy fnl gung fprar znqr zr pbasvqrag nobhg xrrcvat gur “PUVZR” srngher ba ba bhe nynez flfgrz. Gur bar gung naabhaprf nal gvzr n qbbe naq jvaqbj vf bcrarq. Vg pna or veevgngvat, rfcrpvnyyl vs crbcyr ner tbvat va naq bhg, ohg jr’ir bayl ghearq vg bss qhevat cnegvrf naq gur yvxr. Gung fprar? Lrn… vg’f fgnlvat ba.
Nyfb… ubj qvq Jnyg svaq Fxvaal Crgr naq Onqtre? Gung zvtug or gur zbfg haoryvrinoyr cneg!Report
He found them at a screenwriting workshop, polishing their “Star Trek” script.Report
Jnyg’f qrfcrengr qrzrnabe va gur synfu-sbejneq vf fb qvssrerag sebz gur pnyz pbasvqrapr ur fubjf va gur ynfg rcvfbqr, gung V pbzcyrgryl oryvrir gung Tvyyvtno naq gur jevgref qvqa’g xabj jurer gurl jrer tbvat ng gur gvzr.Report
Vg jnfa’g gur erny Onqtre naq Fxvaal Crgr, vg jnf pbybe Krebkrf bs gurz.Report
Actually, the whole show is a dream Walter Junior has when he falls asleep after an especially large breakfast.Report
Fb vf gur vqrn gung gurl svyzrq gur synfu sbejneq, gura gur erfg bs gur frnfba, naq gura jrag onpx naq svyzrq gur svany rcvfbqr? V’yy unir gb tb onpx naq jngpu gur synfu sbejneqf. Vg vf ernyyl qvssvphyg gb chyy gung bss naq znvagnva gbar, nrfgurgvp, naq gur yvxr. Vg pbhyq zrna n frireny jrrx ybat oernx va svyzvat sbe Xenafgba gb ertebj gur orneq naq unve (nffhzvat vg vf erny).
Cbffvoyr, ohg nqqvat n qrterr bs qvssvphygl.Report
The flash-forward was in the first episode of season 5 part 1. It was shot before any part of Season 5 part 2.Report
Thanks, @mike-schilling .
I watched 5.1 the week before 5.2 debuted, so they are sort of blended. I couldn’t even remember if the flash forwards occurred during the 5.1 or 5.2 premiere. Wasn’t there one during each? Or just the first two episodes of 5.1?Report
Let’s see: There was the “buying a big fishing gun” flash-forward in episode 5.1.1 (which is the one I was referring to above), but, now that you mention it, also the “Hi, Carol” flash-forward in episode 5.2.1.Report
That seems right. I remember there being two and that the flash fowards were more or less consecutive sequences of actions, but couldn’t remember how they were divided and where they appeared. I watched those two episodes (and all the intervening ones) in a span of about 4 or 5 days, so they blurred together.
Thanks for clarifying.Report
Znal crbcyr unir cbvagrq bhg gur vzcynhfvovyvgl bs Jnyg’f zbirzragf va gur svany rcvfbqr. Ohg V jbaqre… ubj ernyvfgvp jnf gur tbireazrag’f erfcbafr? Vg frrzrq gb or Obfgba Znenguba yriry, rira gubhtu Jnyg unq qvfnccrnerq 5+ zbaguf ntb. Vf gung abezny? Lrf, ur xvyyrq gjb bssvpref bs gur ynj naq qrnyg zvyyvbaf bs qbyynef jbegu bs qehtf, ohg jbhyq gung unir ernyyl yrq gb n angvbajvqr znauhag gung jbhyq frrz gb znxr vg cbffvoyr sbe uvz gb zbir (rira gubhtu ur qvq zbir qrfcvgr vg nyy).
V’z phevbhf. Jbhyq n grnpure-ghearq-qeht qrnyre ernyyl ynaq n frtzrag ba Puneyvr Ebfr jvgu uvf sbezre ohfvarff cnegaref? Gung frrzrq n ovg sne srgpurq gb zr. V zrna, Thf Sevat’f qrngu qvqa’g frrz gb frg bss gung yriry bs nggragvba.Report