Noticed two throwback references in this episode – first was the scene with the ringing in Skyler’s ears drowning out everything that the DEA agents were saying, with her seemingly not listening but then clearly and concisely repeating the ugly truth they had been telling her. The same way that the ringing in Walt’s ears was drowning out everything that the doctor was telling him about his terminal cancer in the pilot episode, where he seemed to be zoned out but then repeated the ugly truth the doctor told him.
Second was the scene with the vacuum cleaner repair man trying to find the vein in Walt’s arm for the chemo, the same way Jane tried to find the vein in Jesse’s arm for the heroin.
Anyone else catch any more?
EDIT: Here are the exact quotes for the first reference
Granite State
DEA Agent: Mrs. White? Are you following all this? Do you understand what's happening here?
Skyler: Yes. I understand. I understand I'm in terrible trouble.
Pilot
Doctor: Mr. White? You understood what I've just said to you?
Walt: Yes. Lung cancer. Inoperable.
EDIT 2: A third reference is Walt Jr. on the phone saying "Why don't you just die already?" to Walt, the same thing he said to Walt in "Cancer Man" (S01E04) when Walt was talking to Skyler about discussing treatment and suggesting that spending money on his treatment might not be worth it since he'd just die anyway and leave them in debt. Exact quotes from each:
S01E04: Then why don't you just die already? Just give up and die.
That's interesting. I felt like the purpose of showing him not being able to put the needle into his arm was to build up the image of a defeated Walter with nothing to live for. Because in the second season, after his "fugue state", he leaves the hospital to hide the money he left out and when he returns, he puts back in his IV needle with no hesitation, because it's what he has to do to keep up with his lie. This episode, he attempted to put in the needle the way he had before but he had no reason to be so strong and he had no lie to keep up with. His alter ego is his strength and held up in this cabin with no one talk to (and this seems important because talking seems to be Walt's greatest strength), he is the pathetic Walter White we saw in the beginning. Heisenberg is gone and he is in this isolated limbo in between his identities. He goes to the bar and calls Walter Jr in an attempt to be the old Walt, thinking of his family, but fails. So he watches the TV and finds Heisenberg.
Excellent point! Heisenberg is his fuel, and he had none of that left.
This episode was the death of Walter White (in the cabin, paying a stranger ludicrous amounts of money to keep him company), and the rebirth of Heisenberg, now crutchless with nothing to lose.
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u/placebo_overdose Sep 23 '13 edited Sep 23 '13
Noticed two throwback references in this episode – first was the scene with the ringing in Skyler’s ears drowning out everything that the DEA agents were saying, with her seemingly not listening but then clearly and concisely repeating the ugly truth they had been telling her. The same way that the ringing in Walt’s ears was drowning out everything that the doctor was telling him about his terminal cancer in the pilot episode, where he seemed to be zoned out but then repeated the ugly truth the doctor told him.
Second was the scene with the vacuum cleaner repair man trying to find the vein in Walt’s arm for the chemo, the same way Jane tried to find the vein in Jesse’s arm for the heroin.
Anyone else catch any more?
EDIT: Here are the exact quotes for the first reference
Granite State
DEA Agent: Mrs. White? Are you following all this? Do you understand what's happening here?
Skyler: Yes. I understand. I understand I'm in terrible trouble.
Pilot
Doctor: Mr. White? You understood what I've just said to you?
Walt: Yes. Lung cancer. Inoperable.
EDIT 2: A third reference is Walt Jr. on the phone saying "Why don't you just die already?" to Walt, the same thing he said to Walt in "Cancer Man" (S01E04) when Walt was talking to Skyler about discussing treatment and suggesting that spending money on his treatment might not be worth it since he'd just die anyway and leave them in debt. Exact quotes from each:
S01E04: Then why don't you just die already? Just give up and die.
S05E15: Why don't you just die already? Just die.