Breaking Bad Commentary: The Granite State

After everything, Walt still has the Heisenberg hat.

He’s ready to go down in a blaze of glory, but he’s got to lose it all first. Frail and broken, Walt has nothing left to lose. He’s ready to die and truly break bad.

This episode wasn’t a bloodbath, but it was a journey and sets up what will be the final chapter wonderfully. It starts off with Saul giving Walt advice to stay in town and face the music. Walt disagrees and decides to take back the money that was stolen from him so that he can give it to his children. It is clear that Walt’s intentions are to go in guns blazing and take out Todd, his Uncle Jack and crew.  As Saul is forced to start his new life in Nebraska, Walt is headed to the Granite State, New Hampshire, where the weather is cold and full of snow.

Walt’s new lifestyle is to lay low and expect a monthly shipment of his prescriptions and updates on his wife. He can’t make any calls, has no cable, or internet and is stuck with Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporioum on DVD. There is a town eight miles down the road, but he is advised not to head there because there is a great risk he can be caught.

The episode flashes a month later and Walt now has a full head of hair and a beard. His condition is worse than ever, that even his wedding ring falls off his finger due to weight loss.

While this episode did not have the explosions we expected, there were a few emotional moments that took place involving Jessie and Walt. If you thought Jessie was broken after Walt told him about Jane’s death, it is certain that he has been put in a severe emotional coma.  Walt, on the other hand, is clearly in bad health. His loneliness has definitely caught up to him as he decides to take matters in his own hands. He wants to attempt a final showdown back in Albuquerque.

This episode was a set up for the series finale, as Walt has unfinished business. We will now wait for Heisenberg’s final act, as he will either do his best John Rambo impersonation or go down like Tony Montona. All bad things must come to an end. For Heisenberg the end is certainly near.

This episode of Breaking Bad was a good set up for what Heisenberg’s intentions are when he returns to Albuquerque as was shown in the few flash forwards at the beginning of this season and last season.

 

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About Nick Valente 287 Articles
At the site, I'm a music, television and graphic novel kind of guy and that's what I'll be writing for the most part. Expect some book and music reviews as well though [insert demon horns here]. I grew up in Bensonhurst Brooklyn, the same neighborhood many of the best mafia films of our day were based on, idolizing guys like Robert Deniro, Martin Scorsese and Al Pacino. I'm also a big sports fan and follow the New York Yankees immensely.

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