As we head into the final eight (8) episodes of Breaking Bad, one of the best programs I've watched on television, and one has to admit that we've been on one heck of a journey in following Walter (Bryan Cranston), Jesse (Aaron Paul), Hank (Dean Norris) and their significant others and family, played by Anna Gunn, Betsy Brandy, RJ Mitte. And along the way, we've been privy to some fantastic character criminals, the most notable, Gus, played by Giancarlo Esposito.
As Breaking Bad winds down its story, we've followed and learned about Walter White's journey.
But is Walter White a victim of circumstance, bad timing? Or is he a mass murderer? Was he nasty in nature all along, or driven by events, and a victim of circumstances yet again, beyond the cancer?
This journey, is written as it happened in Walter's timeline and not as we watched it and learned about it.
Regardless, this journey is one of the ages of TV characters. And is what makes Breaking Bad one of the best shows on TV, to date.
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We know that for Walter, life became a bit of a down trodden peice of destiny. From the chemist who lost his bid at being a part owner of a large company, to having become a high school chemistry teacher to make ends meet. We watched Walter learn he has cancer and his desperate bid to make sure that no matter what, his family is provided for after his passing.
But as we all know, his bid to secure his family's future went afoul on a happenstance opportunity when he accompanied his brother-in-law on a drug bust and he watched Jesse make a break for it from that bust.
Walter learned some of the details of this underworld of the meth business and realized that with his chemistry skills, and Jesse's connections, he could create that nest egg for his family and he could die in peace.
It seemed to be a simple plan. Make some pure meth, make enough money to stash under the house, then get out.
Oh, but if it was that easy.
One thing led to another. Walter's meth, being the purest ever seen, was a hit with the underworld and the cops. Things developed in such a way that Walter needed his entire stash to fix a situation that took place early on.
And that happened a few times.
It was a vicious cycle for Walt, as he balanced his dark life and trying to keep his family ignorant of his new background career.
Time went on, competitive drug cooks and drug lords wanted or threatened Walt's ability to make that nest egg for his family. Being a true survivor at his core, he replied in kind, doing what was necessary to survive this new world.
In the meantime, his cancer went into remission. But the momentum Walt and Jesse developed in this new career took on a life all its own. He could not be stopped.
And one more thing. Over this period of time, Walter suddenly became in charge of his life rather than being on the receiving end of the usual bullshit where people took advantage of him.
And Walter liked this new self-confidence.
When he said, "I am the danger," that was the moment he admitted it to everyone... his family, himself, the TV viewers.
And from that point on, Walter turned darker than we had ever seen before.
He became the master planner of his own destiny within the meth industry. And getting nastier every step of the way, to make sure he not only stays in control, but that he become the end all of the meth kingdom.
- - -
But through it all, Walter started out as the victim of cancer.
It was cancer that drove him to freak out about his family after his passing. It was love and dedication that forced his mindset in this direction.
To take advantage of an industry where so much money was to be had, and to use his expertise to make the best meth, just made sense to Walter.
Sure, it wasn't the smartest move on the planet, but it was the quick fix to provide for his family. Driven by his love for them.
And up until a point, I rooted for him, no matter what walter had to do.
But then one thing led to another.
-
Walter Became a (Mass) Murderer
Having to defend himself from various factors... from local thugs and rival dealers, to finding himself driven to kill Gale, Gus and then finally, Mike in episode 7 of season 5, was the last straw for me.
Mike was too likable of a bad guy and his passing started the downward slide of Walter's popularity with TV fans.
He had to kill (and dissolve) Emilio in the pilot episode. Then Krazy-8 and later Combo.
When he let Jesse's girlfriend, Jane, die in her sleep, that was wicked and yet, it seemed necessary to meet his goals. There were rival dealers, then he forced Jesse's hand to kill Gale. Victor had to go. Walt's greatest coup was using another pawn to kill Gus, Hector.
By the time he killed Mike, I had the tally of deaths under Walter's belt to be at 188.
That's because I added the victims of the 167 passengers on the Wayfarer 515 and JM 21 flights in season two. They would not have died if Jane had not died and her father, being distraught, having caused that air accident.
-
Hence, we head into the final eight episodes of season five (you can call it season 5.2 or just get over it AMC and call it season 6 for Christ's sake.) and now, we're watching as Hank starts putting things together, and is starting to eye his own brother-in-law.
Of course, all due to Walt's ego from time to time.
Along the way, we get to watch what pans out for Jesse and Walt's family, especially his wife, Sky, whose been dragged into this also.
As season five started, we got a teaser scene of Walter buying a gun. A large gun. We didn't see how that panned out, because as always, we're going to be kept waiting for that one. As season five.two starts up, I hear we're in for one more teaser opening scene.
And from "what I hear," these last episodes of Breaking Bad will rock.
- from BeS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
But is Walter White a victim of circumstance, bad timing? Or is he a mass murderer? Was he nasty in nature all along, or driven by events, and a victim of circumstances yet again, beyond the cancer?
This journey, is written as it happened in Walter's timeline and not as we watched it and learned about it.
Regardless, this journey is one of the ages of TV characters. And is what makes Breaking Bad one of the best shows on TV, to date.
-
But as we all know, his bid to secure his family's future went afoul on a happenstance opportunity when he accompanied his brother-in-law on a drug bust and he watched Jesse make a break for it from that bust.
Walter learned some of the details of this underworld of the meth business and realized that with his chemistry skills, and Jesse's connections, he could create that nest egg for his family and he could die in peace.
It seemed to be a simple plan. Make some pure meth, make enough money to stash under the house, then get out.
Oh, but if it was that easy.
One thing led to another. Walter's meth, being the purest ever seen, was a hit with the underworld and the cops. Things developed in such a way that Walter needed his entire stash to fix a situation that took place early on.
And that happened a few times.
It was a vicious cycle for Walt, as he balanced his dark life and trying to keep his family ignorant of his new background career.
Time went on, competitive drug cooks and drug lords wanted or threatened Walt's ability to make that nest egg for his family. Being a true survivor at his core, he replied in kind, doing what was necessary to survive this new world.
In the meantime, his cancer went into remission. But the momentum Walt and Jesse developed in this new career took on a life all its own. He could not be stopped.
And one more thing. Over this period of time, Walter suddenly became in charge of his life rather than being on the receiving end of the usual bullshit where people took advantage of him.
And Walter liked this new self-confidence.
When he said, "I am the danger," that was the moment he admitted it to everyone... his family, himself, the TV viewers.
And from that point on, Walter turned darker than we had ever seen before.
He became the master planner of his own destiny within the meth industry. And getting nastier every step of the way, to make sure he not only stays in control, but that he become the end all of the meth kingdom.
- - -
But through it all, Walter started out as the victim of cancer.
It was cancer that drove him to freak out about his family after his passing. It was love and dedication that forced his mindset in this direction.
To take advantage of an industry where so much money was to be had, and to use his expertise to make the best meth, just made sense to Walter.
Sure, it wasn't the smartest move on the planet, but it was the quick fix to provide for his family. Driven by his love for them.
And up until a point, I rooted for him, no matter what walter had to do.
But then one thing led to another.
-
Walter Became a (Mass) Murderer
Having to defend himself from various factors... from local thugs and rival dealers, to finding himself driven to kill Gale, Gus and then finally, Mike in episode 7 of season 5, was the last straw for me.
Mike was too likable of a bad guy and his passing started the downward slide of Walter's popularity with TV fans.
He had to kill (and dissolve) Emilio in the pilot episode. Then Krazy-8 and later Combo.
When he let Jesse's girlfriend, Jane, die in her sleep, that was wicked and yet, it seemed necessary to meet his goals. There were rival dealers, then he forced Jesse's hand to kill Gale. Victor had to go. Walt's greatest coup was using another pawn to kill Gus, Hector.
By the time he killed Mike, I had the tally of deaths under Walter's belt to be at 188.
That's because I added the victims of the 167 passengers on the Wayfarer 515 and JM 21 flights in season two. They would not have died if Jane had not died and her father, being distraught, having caused that air accident.
-
Hence, we head into the final eight episodes of season five (you can call it season 5.2 or just get over it AMC and call it season 6 for Christ's sake.) and now, we're watching as Hank starts putting things together, and is starting to eye his own brother-in-law.
Of course, all due to Walt's ego from time to time.
Along the way, we get to watch what pans out for Jesse and Walt's family, especially his wife, Sky, whose been dragged into this also.
As season five started, we got a teaser scene of Walter buying a gun. A large gun. We didn't see how that panned out, because as always, we're going to be kept waiting for that one. As season five.two starts up, I hear we're in for one more teaser opening scene.
And from "what I hear," these last episodes of Breaking Bad will rock.
- from BeS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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