Day 24: Flist-created February Meme

[falafel_musings]

Day 24: Rant about your favorite Breaking Bad moment. janie_tangerine

Comments

[falafel_musings]

I think that might have been a perfect ending for Walter White - but not for Heisenberg.

Yes. I agree. This speech represents the last moment of human clarity for Walter or rather, Walter realizing the point of no return where he lost his humanity. By the end of S3 he goes full measure Heisenberg but until then (you're right) he is in his sad sorry slave mentality and he is mourning for his former self.

However when it comes to Walter Vs Heisenberg many fans will say that Heisenberg was always his true self and Walter was just the shell that Heisenberg had been hiding in. But the speech makes it so much more complicated than that. I feel like everything Walt is saying in this moment is true. There's part of him that truly wanted a redemptive death. Just as there's another equally genuine part of him that would never be satisfied with that.

that speech represents an attempt at evading responsibility for the whole of his work. Like I said, Walt evades two big confessions in the speech 1) admitting that did a very evil thing to

[hollywoodlawn]

There's part of him that truly wanted a redemptive death.But I think this is also a hindsight that comes to him because of the fractured mental state he's in. The fly itself can be a metaphor for Walt's crumbling sanity or Walt's continued guilt contaminating all the glory he's been trying to build for himself. In that moment, he's fully aware of his ineffectualness in Fring's organization ("there's no more room for error with these people" is him acknowledging his employee status, no longer cocky with the flush of being the star.) He's seen the price of his arrogance, and he's not able to kid himself any longer that he's put him and his family (and extended family) in jeopardy

[falafel_musings]

I think there is a mutual understanding between Walt and Jesse when he tells him, "he told me not to give up on family ... and I didn't". There can be no other meaning in that statement, and I think that Jesse gets that

Really? I don't read it that way at all. When Walt says "Never give up on family. And I didn't. I took his advice" I think Jesse takes that to mean Walt not giving up on Skyler and his kids. Also, the moment Walt says that he talked to Donald and they spoke about family, I think Jesse is just desperately wanting to hear something about Jane. I think the true meaning of Walt's words is completely missed by Jesse. At least that's always been my interpretation of that moment.

For so long, I held up those scenes as proof that Walt cares deeply for Jesse, that Walt's actions to save Jesse really stem from his love. But I can't really believe that anymore. I still believe it in that moment. BrBa is a "study of change" and the Walt who makes this speech greatly transformed before the end of the show. I would agree that

[cylune9]

I love this entry and the so many thoughtful replies. I just want to add my own.

klsjdfl;akhdkghosaihgldhjgkldjflkgj nooooooosdlkfgyyeeesssssss. sigh.

[waltzmatildah]

klsjdfl;akhdkghosaihgldhjgkldjflkgj nooooooosdlkfgyyeeesssssss. Your thoughtful reply is pretty much my thoughtful reply ♥

[falafel_musings]

Hehe! Thanks for your insights, Lune. My feelings exactly.

[waltzmatildah]

Thank you so much for the link to the Fly screenplay!!!

[falafel_musings]

Have you not seen it before? Enjoy! Check out the bottom of the page. There are links to most S3 scripts there.

[waltzmatildah]

Nope, I hadn't seen it before. I've only read the screenplay for the pilot episode so, thanks again!!

[ever_neutral]

Because instead of realizing that he had created his perfect exit for himself, Walt was busy realizing how much he cared about Jesse.

[cries an ocean of bloody tears and flings self into it to drown]

I haven't watched this flaw-free episode in so long that I barely remember this monologue, but - perfectly put.

[falafel_musings]

I haven't watched Fly in a while either. I have to be in the right mood because I always savour it when I do rewatch.

[frelling_tralk]

Walt can never seem to save Jesse without destroying him all the more. But here at least Walt is acknowledging that he has betrayed Jesse and his own humanity with an act that can never be defended or forgiven.

Beautifully put :sniffs:

For a show that is so character-centric and so focused on watching Walt's character deteriorate, I will never understand those that dismiss Fly as pointless filler

[falafel_musings]

I know! I always consider the Fly episode to be the perfect 'Janus' phase of Walt's transition. The point where Walt is aware of both the good person he has been and the bad person he is becoming. I don't think there is any other point in canon when Walt sees both who he has been and who he is becoming so clearly.

[cylune9]

ooooh. Nice.

[falafel_musings]

Thanks! BTW, since we have a good discussion going I submitted this post to your Tumblr meta community but I don't think it's been approved yet.