I feel like I should smelt the metals & forge my own Emmy awards, so I can be sure they get more. It's like they purposely put scenes in every episode that just scream "Greatest show on tv!"
He only brought it up again to manipulate Jesse. I know that Gretchen and whatshisname are wealthy, but the company isn't necessarily worth billions just because Walter says it is. She took my children, the business is all I have left, and now you want to take that from me. Fuck you, Walter. You guilt trip like the world champion. I knew he'd suck Jesse back in. sigh. For the first time Jesse said the words he needed to say.....is a meth empire something to be proud of? No, it isn't. Walter isn't winning anything. If it were a matter of money, he'd taken the tax free five million and go on with life. He and Skyler have their own business with the car wash. He doesn't have to cow tow to anyone anymore. He could be set--but he's not worried about his family. He despises Skyler and vice versa. It's about power. It's about Walter calling the shots and being right. No one forced Walter to leave Gray Matter. He made a personal decision that turned out very, very badly, but that's on him. He can't turn back the clock with the sleazy meth business. It's not that he misses his kids. It's that Skyler "took them from him." It's not about wanting Jesse to stay in his life. It's about Walter deciding when and where Jesse walks away, though Jesse provides a much needed ego boost for Walt. I still think there's some twisted affection for Jesse that exists on Walt's part, but he loves himself more at the end of the day. Todd's annoying. They should have put a cap in his ass. Last but not least, gods but that dinner was painfully, brutally funny and awkward.
Well, I'm going to stop posting here until the show is over because I don't want reactionary fan opinions coloring my perception of the show. However, I will say one thing ... Walter is the man! That is all.
Vince Gilligan said that Walt's story is about going from Mr. Chips to Scarface. Walt is beyond Scarface now. Yes, Tony Montana was an insane and extremely violent junkie, but at least he had some standards, like not willing to kill the kids with that Bolivian journalist. Walt in his current state would've pushed that button. And I wonder just how desperate Mike is that he listens to Walt's bullshit again and not just shoots him on the spot.
Over the course of the Mike's appearances, it's been clear he's getting tired of his job and slowly losing his edge. Letting Lydia live was one example, his desire to get out for some quick cash is another, and now he's going to listen to one more of Walt's hare-brained schemes because he knows if he doesn't, he could simply end up with nothing. That dinner scene was awesome. Jesse was trying so hard to be a good guest, and Skyler was just having none of it. It was great the way Walt just did it to screw with both of them. I'm curious, does anyone else know if the little "arc welder" Walt made out of the wires is plausible? That seems like an awful lot of power to be coming out of a standard 120V power supply. It was a pretty badass move, though. It's never been totally clear why Walt got out of his old company, although it was speculated that Skyler had Walt Jr. and, with all his problems, Walt needed a job with steady income and good insurance. Either that, or something happened between him and Gretchen--maybe it was both. I do hope we find out by the end of the series. I liked the way Jesse brought up the money issue, because I was wondering the same thing myself. "I'm the empire business." Yeah, have fun carrying that massive ego around, Walt. Makes you an easy target. What the heck is that supposed to mean?
He's pretty damn desperate. That said though, Walt has the Methlamine now. Shooting him leaves everyone out any money at all Isn't anyone else somewhat amused by the fact that Walt is still Heisenberg, ala Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle? It is such a perfect pseudonym for him, seeing how the uncertainty principle deals with how the more closely you try to determine one aspect of something, like a particle's position, the more uncertain you end up being about another aspect of it, like it's momentum It's like saying Walt is slippery & unpredictable on a goddamn atomic level
At this point, I have to wonder how anyone can have any sympathy for Walt. As expected, he was able to quickly rationalize the boy's murder, and when given the chance to walk away with $5 million, he turned it down in favor of the promise of even more money. He really thinks he can pull down that $300 million with the methylamine they jacked. I suspect that next week, he will try to cut a deal with the guys from Phoenix: they buy out Jesse and Mike's share of the methylamine, and Walt instead cooks for the Phoenix market. Feeds right into his "empire building" fantasy.
Good episode, but after the brilliance of the train heist episode, I couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed somehow. The killing of that kid was a major, horrific event in the life of the series, and it just felt like it got brushed aside a little too quickly here. It seemed to me like we really needed an entire episode of them dealing with the immediate aftermath of that, and struggling with what to do about it. And not just 20 minutes or so of cleanup before we're back to making deals, arguing about money, and having awkward dinners at the White household again. Yeah I get that the kid's death plays a big role in Mike and Jesse wanting to leave the business, but I'm just not sure that was really enough. Yeah, that sounds pretty plausible.
Walts sob story about how he doesnt have anything but his meth business is obvious rationalization. Walt still has his son, who will soon be off to college anyway, and Skyler cant stop Walt for continuing to have a relationship with his adult son. Walt should divorce Skyler and get visitation rights with Holly. That five million dollars will ensure his future, his son's college education, Holly's future, easily get him some bimbo trophy wife and a nice mansion in a gated community and private security if he needs it even when he's out of the biz. Walt's problem is that what he's really after is not money or empire but a sense of self-worth. His amazing blue meth is the most significant invention he's created in his life or is likely to create. Too bad its such a destructive invention instead of something worthwhile. Walt has a lot if he'd only open his eyes and realize he doesnt need to rationalize his self worth. Just being a good dad is self worth enough, and he's in the process of blowing that. Ultimately he's a pathetic fool chasing a mirage,but he certainly wouldnt be the first.
I think that somewhere deep down inside Walt does still care about Skylar. I am almost certain he still cares deeply about his children. It's just that where they and Skylar used to be numero uno in his life, they now have slipped from that position. Walt's ego and need to prove his self worth (agree with Temis here) is now the the thing that drives him. Walt (still) has affection (twisted or not) for Jesse but not for Skylar and his kids? Makes no sense. This scene and the one with Skylar and Marie seems like about as close as we'll get to "humor" this season. Dude-- Agree that Walt has some kind of deal in mind, but how does he make a deal and stay the boss? He made it pretty clear that he likes being in business for himself so I don't see him allowing the Phoenix group any power in his territoty. By the same token, the Phoenix guys either want Walt cooking for them (both Phoenix and Albequrke, however it's spelled) or not at all. Rock and a hard place -- somebody dies.
I just feel Sorry for Colonel Young. He makes it back to earth somehow. He's kicked out of the airforce and the only way he can make money for his family is to be a methdealer. How the mediocre have fallen.
I do agree that somewhat short shrift was given to the boy's killing; although I did like that Mike sensible approach apparently overrode Walt's attempt at manipulation, with Jesse deciding to get out of the business. Even though--surprise--that didn't work out. And yes, Walt's entire motivation appears to be to make up for his past "failure" and resultant "ordinary" life as a teacher, even though he now has a chance at a happy, stable family life with baby daughter and young adult son, not to mention a still hot and relatively young wife. There are none so blind as those who will not see... Two more episodes until halftime, and I'm already dreading the wait...
the cancer may not be killing him so quickly, but it might be making him crazy. This is not the same man. It's only been 12 months in unreal time. In the final episode.. he goes to heaven. St Peter does a Superman III division/split. Good Walt and bad Walt look wits. ST Peter says: You can go to heaven, and you can go to hell. Which is when Walt and Walt make their move.
Most awkward dinner ever. It was both hilarious and painful to watch at the same time. And wasn't Jesse kind of cute, trying to be a good guest, making compliments and attemots at small talk? As for Walt, I think it was good we finally got a clear take on his motivation. It's one hell of a leap though from how he was not too long ago (I'm thinking of the scene in season 4 where he tells Jesse how he missed the right moment to die). I also liked how we got reminded by Walt's and Jesse's early adventures by Jesse himself. In the show's universe that wasn't all that long ago, and yet, from the character development point of view it's been a lifetime. It really makes me sad. What a tragedy. It was really bad-ass how Walt freed himself. I'm very curious what the plan is. My guess is that it involves killing the Phoenix guys.
After Mike and Jesse are paid their 5 million, I think Walt is going to trick Hank into arresting the phoenix gang who will be patsies for everything Mike did, and when the dust settles he has all the methylamene back. No Lydia this week.
Walter definitely thinks he can put one over on the Phoenix guys; his delusions of grandeur are infusing him with some serious hubris. He'll conquer their market, steal their market, call the shots, and if the Phoenix guys get in his way, well......that's their tough luck. In Walter's mind. His hubris is going to bite him in the ass HARD. Perhaps it's the Phoenix guys he'll end up having to run from to New Hampshire or wherever he really was in the flash forward. Gblews, it's not that I think Walter doesn't love his kids, but it's a question of how much. He acted as if Skyler had permanently removed the kids from his life and that they were hidden from him. They're not hidden. He can see them at Hank and Marie's whenever he wants. I just don't get the impression that Walt is aching with loneliness for his kids. I get the impression that Skyler being able to control the situation is what really upsets him more than the kids being gone. The whole "she took my children" bit was for Jesse's benefit. Feel sorry for me. She took my kids and now you're taking my business. Shame on you, Jesse. Guilt, guilt, guilt. If Walt wanted his kids back in the house, he could have them back in the house. Give up the meth and run the car wash. But Walter wants power and to be in control more than he wants his children close by. Yes, he loves them but--as with Jesse--he loves himself more. Walter has a twisted, dysfunctional affection for Jesse, but it's more that Walt's fragile ego needs someone "on his side," adoring him and respecting him and whatnot. Someone he can boss around. Jesse fills that role if Walt guilts him into sticking around, which he did. In all ways except sexually, Jesse is Walt's girlfriend on the side. They don't understand me, Jesse. My wife doesn't understand me. You understand me. We have each others' backs, right? I wouldn't have it any other way. Walter.
Walt is the king at guilting Jesse into doing what he wants. He takes full advantage of being a father figure to Jesse--and you don't want to disappoint Daddy, do you? Jesse still calls him "Mr. White," for heaven's sake. He must remember all the times Walt pulled him out of the fire and saved his life. And all Walt wants to do is have his little empire. "Is that too much to ask, Jesse? I have nothing left but this, and you want to take it away from me?" I'm expecting that sometime soon Walt will shoot his mouth off and spill to Jesse about Jane. Maybe he'll give a speech to Jesse along the lines of the one he gave to Skyler. "I control you. I own you. You belong to me. You only do what I say. I got rid of Andrea and Brock. I got rid of Jane. I'm the only one who's ever really looked out for you." At this point, that's probably the only thing that would permanently push Jesse out of Walt's grip.
I was surprised that we learned more about Walt's involvement with Gray Matter, but pleased to have that backstory filled in. Of course, it's possible that was just for Jesse's benefit, but considering what we've been told about thus far, I suspect it's true. Walt's totally unlikable at this point, and I don't see redemption in his future. It would take the car wash business a long time to launder five million dollars; three million (or 100 million, split three ways) might be an impossible amount. He's letting hubris get in the way of any sense, and it will be his downfall. I'm getting a real sense, though, that the flash-forward in the premiere won't be paid off until the finale next year. I just can't imagine the next two episodes being able to grind through enough story to get to that point. Perhaps we'll get another tease in the next two episodes, though.
I also suspect that the scene from the premiere will be from the show's finale. It appeals to my sense of symmetry to have the show's ending start with a scene referencing the start of the show (Walt's birthday with his age in bacon on the scrambled eggs).
Conceded, although I do think he still loves them, that love is buried under several other things Walt apparently thinks are more important. Knowing that his presence alone is keeping his children from being in their home really is making Walt look bad. There is no justification for him staying at the house knowing how it is affecting the kids. What kind of father does this?