The end has occurred. Breaking Bad is over, and I am forever changed by the impact this show has had on my life.
At the end of last week’s episode, Walt makes it known to us that he’s heading back to New Mexico. Back in his old stomping grounds, he heads to Elliot’s and Gretchen Schwartz’s house (creepily and silently breaking in) with only a favor to ask; deposit the last of his money into a trust fund for Walt Jr. when he turns 18. They agree, but Walt makes it know that if they screw up, they will suffer, as two red laser lights shine upon their chest from a distance, making Walt’s asking of the Schwartz a must.
Walt retreats to his car, and the laser lights that were “snipers” were actually laser pointers held by Badger and Skinny Pete, who let Walt know Jesse is still alive. Walt speeds off into the night with the two cronies.
Speaking of Jesse, he’s shows up, carving a rectangular wooden box. What does the box symbolize? It’s a call back to Jesse woodworking in rehab, which brought him peace. However, Jesse is daydreaming, and in the dream, Jesse’s apron gets snagged, and brought out of the dream, we see Jesse enslaved still in the meth lab.
Lydia meets with Todd in the restaurant to discuss business. Walt interrupts saying he knows a way to make meth better and cheaper, and requests Todd to arrange a meeting with his Uncle. Walt leaves shortly after. Lydia, meanwhile, saying Todd accepting Walt back is stupid, and Todd agrees. Lydia pours her sugar into her chamomile tea…and anyone who’s watching knows that the close-up of the “sugar” is an important factor.
Walt builds a mechanism in the desert that he links to his car keys. Short scene but important.
Marie calls Skyler to let her know Walt’s in town. She tells her to keep looking out for herself, but Walt’s already in the house. He tells Skyler all he needs, significantly stating, “I did this for me.” Walt finally admits he was drunk with power. The money collected was never for his family, but for his own selfish ways. He leaves Skyler the lotto ticket with the coordinates to the burial site of Hank and Steve Gomez, and mentions how Jack’s gang took the money that was also buried there.
Walt sees Walt Jr. entering the house from a distance, but makes no attempts to speak to him. Walt walks off into the distance, as he becomes blurry in the camera’s focus.
Gaining access into Jack’s headquarters, Walt tells Jack a similar story to what he tells Lydia. As Jack is about to shoot Walt, Walt brings up how Jack didn’t take care of Jesse, and how they are partners. Jack gets pissed off and asks Todd to bring Jesse out. As soon as he does, Walt tackles Jesse to the ground, and Mr. Heisenberg clicks his keys. The moment we’ve all been waiting for:
The trunk of Walt’s car pops open. The mechanism starts to swivel the machine gun (shown in Walt’s trunk at the beginning at this half of the season) back and forth, letting off bullets into the hideout. Todd ducks down, and Jack’s gang is completely obliterated. However, Walt gets hit in the process, as he clearly welps as the machine gun makes its mess.
When the bullets stop flying, Todd gets up to check his uncle, but Jesse leaps over the creepy meth maker and chokes him to death with the chain from his handcuffs.
YEAH BITCH!
Jesse unlocks his chains as Walt plugs Jack, who was still alive. The two men, former partners, stand face to face. Walt gives Jesse his gun, and says. “Do it. You want this.” Jesse retaliates and tells Walt that if he says he wants this, he’ll do it, as he sets his eyes upon Walt’s bullet wound. Walt agrees, says he does want it, and Jesse raises the gun to put Walt down. However, Pinkman can’t do it. He drops the gun and exits. Walt hears Todd’s phone going off, and it’s Lydia. Walt tells her that he’s poisoned her with the ricin, tells her Jack’s gang is gone, and simply says “goodbye.”
Jesse and Walt share a quiet moment in the parking lot. They nod to each other, and Jesse drives off. Speeding into the night, Jesse is finally at peace, laughing as he finally earns his freedom.
Walt checks his bullet wound, and makes his way to the meth lab, subtly smiling. This was the place that he became the man we all loved to hate, and as the sirens wail in the distance, Walter slumps to the ground. As the cops invade the lab, the camera pans out, never leaving the gaze of Walter’s eyes.
The great Heisenberg is now at peace in death.
And there it is: the end. Jesse got his peace, the bad guys are dead, and our anti-hero made his amends. Breaking Bad went mostly quietly into the night, which is honestly 100% okay with me. Bryan Cranston (Walter White, duh) himself said it was unapologetic, which stands to be very true.
I made predictions about the show that were true. Honestly, that was semi-disappointing, as Breaking Bad has never been a show that was predictable. However, that doesn’t mean the ending wasn’t satisfying. It doesn’t leave any loose ends, thank God. And there is a happy ending. Jesse, the emotional core of the show, gets away alive, which was something that I really wanted, and I’m sure I’m not the only one.
Walt’s death was not surprising, although it’s so ironic that he was killed by his own method of madness, almost serving as a just dessert for the big time meth maker. And as the episode concluded, I stayed quiet, in my own “watching Breaking Bad” fashion. This show has never ceased to amaze me and take my breath away, and even tonight, as it all went down, I still felt that feeling that I’ve felt for a long time:
Breaking Bad is the best television show ever, and tonight’s episode justified it without a shadow of a doubt.
Thank to the cast, crew, and Vince Gilligan for cooking up such a brilliant idea.
Rating: 9.5/10
And now, for his thoughts on the matter, my cooking and review partner in crime, Luke Kalamar.
Thank you Logan. Bottom line, this finale was easily the greatest ending to any series I have ever seen. All loose ends were taken care of and Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) was able to get the ending he deserved. Walter White (Bryan Cranston) bowed out of this world in the most explosive way possible, remote controlled M60 and all, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Bravo to everyone involved with Breaking Bad. You ended a masterpiece masterfully. This has been cooking with Logan and Luke. Thank you for your time, and thank you Breaking Bad, for the memories.
Lol this show had such an “impact on your life” yet you think he discovered woodworking in rehab.. He did woodworking in vo-tech in high school and he only talked about it during a monologue at an NA meeting. And Jesse was going to shoot Walt, but seeing Walt’s bullet wound made him change his mind because he knew it was just a pity gift being that Walt was already dying and he’d rather see him suffer just like he had or throw his ego out the window and kill himself. Die.
Actually, Jessie told a story in rehab that he made the box in high school shop class and traded it for weed.