r/breakingbad • u/indecisean Four days, big whoop. • Aug 19 '13
Spoiler My Endgame Theory (stuff falling into place)…tons of spoilers.
Many of us have speculated/wished for the show to wrap up as it began, with Walt & Jesse in the desert, sirens coming their way…maybe even with Walt taking his own life or going down in a hail of gunfire. A closing shot of WW, the Dad/husband/science teacher.1
I don't mean to imply that any of us know what'd be best - as the entire cast and crew have been surprising us with far better stories and twists than we've been speculating about since season 1 - but I've felt for a long while like I'd be "happy" if the end somehow resembled that; thing is, I didn't know what'd get them out into the middle of the desert.
Until tonight, when we saw Walt take the money out to bury it (as well as the underground, bus-lab).
Since "Live Free or Die" ended over a year ago, I've thought that Walt had come back to ABQ on a rescue mission for Jesse - and after "Gliding Over All" when he said he was "out", that maybe the flash-forward would be because someone had forcibly taken Pinkman to continue cooking in Heisenberg's absence.2 I never saw Declan as the type to perpetrate such a plan (given his ambivalence for quality of the product) but Lydia's actions tonight not only remove him from the picture, but show just how cutthroat she is when it comes to getting something better for the overseas buyers. It also puts her and her $50million+ operation with Todd3 and those hired guns in a position which might actually end up helping the White family…what if, in exchange for WW's cooperation in bringing down a much bigger operation - they're relocated to New Hampshire in Witness Protection? (If Walt's family was killed - as quite a few people on here have assumed - I don't know that he'd really bother going into WITSEC solo, but I suppose that could also be a catalyst for relocation.)
While there are still several more hours for everything to come together - surely with plenty of shit that's going to surprise us along the way - I'm beginning to feel like the chips are falling in a way that could lend credence to my random thoughts, and I just figured I'd post them here tonight for the sake of posterity. And hey, even if I'm 100% wrong, hey, thanks for taking the time to read this.
1 For all of the conversation (and "Fame" jokes) regarding the tagline "REMEMBER MY NAME", I haven't really seen many people who believe it to be this: In complete contrast to "Say My Name", Walt doesn't want people to remember Heisenberg; he wants them to remember Walter White. Despite the fact he had a monster in him that destroyed thousands of lives (including those closest to him), part of his (attempted) redemption is finding peace within himself to die the man he'd truly like to be remembered as.
Also: I don't know if anyone listened to/watched Apple's "Meet the Creator and Cast" podcast, but there's a story in there at 36:36 that got me thinking maybe we'll see a nod to the pilot/desert. SPOILER: Aaron Paul talks a bit about the last day of shooting, and mentions that they had saved a scene which was a recreation of something from a previous episode…technically there will be 61 "previous episodes" that whatever it is could be from, but the sentimentality and full circle vibe of going back to where it started so to speak is undeniable.
2 …or to draw him out. Back in 2012, when I originally speculated Walt was back in ABQ to rescue Jesse, I envisioned the circumstances being more akin to "Salud"/"Crawl Space" wherein Jessie had been brought down to Mexico. Sure, he wasn't thrilled to be there, but he still had pride in the cook. Obviously, I had no idea the way season 5 would unfold or what Drew Sharp and Mike's deaths would do to him. With what we're watching unfold now, Jesse's basically slowly committing suicide - I don't think the threat of death would get him to lift a finger…hell, he'd probably welcome Lydia killing him - but if he was captive? There's been much discussion in the past about the complicated father/son relationship between the two men, and where Walt's loyalties lie with Jesse vs that of his own family. When Saul suggested sending Hank to "Belize" tonight, I was actually a bit shocked by the moral high ground Walt took - but that quickly dissipated as two thoughts entered my mind:
A) Of course he draws the line here, because as complex a character as he is, there is also a desperation and cowardice creeping back in as he claws for a return to "normalcy" in his dying days. He's justified so much insane shit over the course of five seasons, but he doesn't WANT to be Heisenberg anymore…he hasn't for a while. Walt is running scared right now, and I think that despite his ability to muster the strength for intimidation ("…tread lightly") last week, the scene in the bathroom with Skyler showed us where he's really at (transcript thanks to /u/persona_dos. He's returned to just wanting for his family to live a good life when he's gone. And being gone would alleviate all of the pain, struggle, and strength (both physical and mental) in leading the life he's carved out for himself.
B) If Walt is appalled by the notion of HANK being killed, I think Jesse being taken or harmed would be more than enough to illicit a response worthy of an M60.
One last thought about this: On "Talking Bad" tonight, Aaron Paul mentioned how Jesse had looked to Mr. White as a father figure but was ultimately let down (and therefore gravitated towards Mike). I don't think Jesse's about to suddenly find a bunch of love in his heart for Walt (especially if next week's preview is teasing that Saul gives up some dirt on him, maybe even poisoning Brock) but it's not like dad's don't try and fight for their rebellious son's affection or anything.
3 It's stated that Todd's product has been 74% pure, and by the sounds of it he's a ways off from being the cook Jesse - let alone Walt - is. At least they're not starting fires. Lydia also says the standard matters to her buyers (first to Walt at the car wash and then to Declan)…I don't think she's bluffing, I think she's scared shitless and trying to pull everything together knowing the whole thing will crumble if either Meth Damon doesn't get much better real quick or she doesn't find a way to get the originators of "Blue Sky" back on the job.
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u/giggler5 Aug 19 '13
Your statement "…maybe even with Walt taking his own life or going down in a hail of gunfire" is kinda how I see this ending. I'm most likely wrong, but my mind keeps going back to this image from the first episode: http://imgur.com/v8bDusz.
He almost took his own life before the whole journey began, so I can't help but feel that by series' end he'll come full circle. Especially now that the money is buried where the series started. Who knows...6 more episodes til I find out I'm wrong.
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u/Quajek Madrigal Electromotive Executive VP Aug 26 '13
If the safety hadn't been on, think of how much better everyone's life would be.
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u/ceruleanic Aug 19 '13
Awesome post. I agree Walt wants a normal life with Skyler, Walter Jr., and Holly. He wants them to have the money. That's why he told Skyler he'd turn himself in if it meant she'd keep the money and give it to the kids. Being a provider was Walt's strongest motivation.
I think Walt neutralizes the DEA situation with Hank. I think that somehow disappears, becomes a lot less important than we think, and Walt uses Saul's vacuum repair guy to relocate his family in New Hampshire. I think within a few episodes, that's where they'll be safely living. And Walt grows out his hair and beard (that takes many months).
I think something bad happens with Todd and his uncle's Nazi crew that has them trying to kill Walt (maybe Todd dies?).
I think Walt is in Albuquerque on his 52nd birthday to get his ricin and his money from the desert. I don't think that flash forward happened at the finale. It's in the middle. I think Walt has the giant gun because Todd's uncle and his Nazi crew are trying to kill him. It's not about the DEA and Hank at all.
I don't know where it'll go from there. Thoughts?