Halfway through the last "half" season, Breaking Bad is digging up the past, and getting ready to bury the present.
Tonight's episode, which shall only this once be referenced as "To'hajiilee" for spelling reasons, opens with Todd & Company. There is a cute, subtle anti-smoking piece, where Todd recommends that Uncle Jack wear a mask as to not breath in toxic fumes; he repeats his sentiments about precaution (mirroring the previous episode in which he bemoaned the nanny state) and asked Todd to hurry up so he could go smoke.
Todd, hurrying, takes out his meth: not cooked but in its final stage. It currently holds a 76% purity: an improvement, although (as Lydia there points out) marginal. But a bigger problem is that it is not blue. Blue is the brand. It was Fring's Blue, Hiesenberg's blue. They're willing to dye it, like farm-raised salmon or something, and Todd thinks he can fix it the right way by following Mr. White's teaching. Lydia is nervous about all of this (what's new) but is expresses her somewhat desperate faith in Todd. Todd offers to have Uncle Jack "straighten things out" with people pressuring Lydia, which she politely declines. There are some funny moments in this set of scenes:
1. Arguing whether or not the not-blue meth looks a tiny, itty-bitty bit blue. Maybe aqua-marine? Color fight!
2. All the guys are checking out Lydia. Kind of creepy.
3. Todd's ringtone is "She Blinded Me Science". Apparently Walt's teaching has inspired him into the halls of geek.
Awesome. Cut to Breaking Bad intro.
Then we move to the Hank-Jesse-Gomez out-brief, following the disastrous non-meeting that took place at the end of last meeting. Jesse points out that Walt would never destroy his money, and knows someone who might know where Walt's money is. Then there's some mischievous photo work with some steak for Jesse's brains.
Next we quickly see that Hank and Gomez have obtained Huell, our favorite bodyguard. The DEA (unaware about Walt still, naturally) has "encouraged" him to stay at their place, while he is absolutely not under arrest. Then they fool him into thinking that Jesse had been executed with their steak-brains Jesse pic. They sell a tale of Saul selling out his henchmen, and Walt trying to tie up loose ends. One of these loose ends, you might recall, is the poison cigarette being taken from Jesse, something with which Huell absolutely did have something to do. Huell, upset at seeing Jesse's "body", spills the beans that seven barrels of money went off in a van, not knowing where but knowing the van came back dirty. He also shares that Kuby rented the van from a specific place, a place that USED to have GPS (but doesn't anymore, as it turns out-- more on that soon). Huell is told not to try to call Saul through nasty intimidation tactics-- calling Saul would lead to his death, as far as Huell knows.
Walt is meeting with Todd and Uncle Jack, where we find that Todd doesn't have too high an opinion of Jesse's badass level (although that might have been different if he had any idea about Jesse's part in the Cartel Extermination in "Salud"). The Aryan boys want Walter to cook with Todd, since any money he offers pales in comparison against what they could make cooking his meth. Walt reluctantly agrees to do ONE cook-- after the job is done. Uncle Jack says they could kill him tonight if he wants-- just let him know where he is.They're willing to kill on a dime, and for nothing more than some Walter White tutor time. These are not people you want to mess with-- they're proving themselves as scary as the cartel ever was, but with less drama and more down-to-business. Walt doesn't know where Jesse is, but he thinks he can flush him out.
Walt goes over to Andrea's place, and sees Brock once more. Always an awkward meeting between these two-- always adding mystery to how he got poisoned in the first place. Walt gets Andrea to call Jesse, using Jesse's "using" as an excuse for extra concern. Of course, the Aryan boys would have been waiting for Jesse, who would have died before he knew what was happening (the way Walt intended). Lucky for Jesse, who probably would have fallen right into THIS trap, Hank intercepts the message that Andrea leaves. Nice try, Walt.
Hank comes back after finding out that the van rental does NOT have GPS on it that tracks all its movements-- ACLU lawsuit or something. But Walt doesn't know that.... a trap!
Walter Jr. is working in the car wash, wishing everybody an A-1 day. He asks what we all ask: why say that? But it reinforces their brand. Saul comes in, and has to PAY FULL PRICE at the car wash. Jr. recognizes him from the commercials, for which Saul has good humor. Saul's bruises are still showing-- occupational hazard. He gets a great Saul line: "Don't drink and drive... but if you do, call ME!"
Saul. I love you. Saul, however, is not feeling the love, despite his big ol' billboard in the background-- Huell is missing and Saul is worried that Jesse has him. Radio silence.
Jesse photo-texts a picture of one of the "barrels" of money, and tells Walt that he found six more.Jesse tellsWalt that he will be burning 10,000 a minute until Walt meets him where his money is, AND he can't hang up on him to try to get help or something awful. Walt tells Jesse that his cancer is back, and the money is for his children-- "CHILDREN? Are you seriously going to go there" is Jesse's reasonable response.
Walt tells Jesse that all the murders he did, he did as much for Jesse as for himself. It's not true-- except for the gang-bangers, who Walt totally killed mostly for Jesse. That's the one weird fly in the Breaking Bad ointment that's always been confusing-- why not just let Jesse die then? But Walt is paternalistic towards Jesse, who he still thinks is too stupid to see that he was trying to help. With friends like these, who needs enemies.
Walt arrives, and quickly realizes he's been conned. He starts scoping out different positions-- in part to see anyone coming, and in part to make sure no one is already there. He calls the Aryan guys, and tells them the coordinates of the place. He sees Jesse, who he would have approached violently himself-- but then sees that Hank and Gomez are with them. Check. They see Walt's car. Check. He lets the Aryans know--nevermind, Hanks is there and he is off limits, so the hit is off. Check. Hank eventually gets Walter to step out, and puts the man in handcuffs. Checkmate. Hank got 'em.
But this is Breaking Bad, and there is always another move for the king.
Walt is in handcuffs, and calls Jesse a coward (who then goes full Flavor of Love and spits on him). Hank calls Marie, and tells her the good news and that he loves her (that can't be good). They put Jesse and Walt into different cars and get ready to drive off....
...And, of course, here come the Aryans. Armed to the teeth, and their guns are quickly aimed at Hank and Gomez, who return a firing stance aimed opposite.
Open fire. Bang, bang bang. Hank and Gomez seek cover, Walt and Jesse duck in their respective cars. Bullets are whizzing around everywhere.
End!
No, that can't be the end! I won't make it... another... week... GAHH!
Final Thoughts:
1. Tough Aryan guys having a color fight reminds me of Steve Buschemi during Reservoir Dogs, probably an intentional reference.
2. The barrel photo was in the backyard for Hank, where the dirt might not match, but Walt would be too freaked to notice. Where they BBQ'ed plenty of times.
3. It's the first place Walt and Jesse ever cooked. We knew that, but still-- very sweet, Walt.
4. Hank having a sweet, tender "I love you" moment with Marie is a TERRIBLE thing for Hank, because this is Breaking Bad and it kind of sets him up for an entirely appropriate death. A death where he got his final goodbye to Marie in-- in a way. "Why is there what looks like brains in our garbage can?" might foreshadow Hank's brains getting thrown out of his skull very soon.
5. I thought Gomez had a good chance of surviving to the end, but it's not looking too good for him either right now. So far so good, though. As the actor said in the post-show talk, he's the one guy who never broke bad. He also got a "good job, buddy" in-- another sweet moment that might mean he's soon to be toast.
6. Walt was trying to warn Hank when the Aryans showed up. But what was he really going to tell him?
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