[meme] ten things | "guess I got what I deserved..."
Because she's nothing if not a rule-breaker, horatios used the Five Things meme that went around a week or so ago to ask for my TOP TEN Walter White Moments of 2013. Obviously, such a topic warrants, nay, requires, an entire post dedicated to just that. Yes.
5.09 | BLOOD MONEY | "If that’s true, if you don’t know who I am, then maybe the best course would be to tread lightly."
I love this scene for so many reasons! Firstly, from a storytelling POV and knowing there were only seven episodes after this one in which to wrap everything up, I love how it escalated the whole scenario so quicky and yet so believably. Secondly, I loved the almost physical ~shift (once again) from Walt to Heisenberg. I loved Hank's paradoxical responses ("I don't give a shit about family..." and "Get Skyler and the kids here..."). I love the physicality of the scene (the 'behind the scenes' video shows us that Dean Norris always intended to make proper contact with the punch, despite not making Bryan Cranston privy to this before hand!). From the very moment the garage door started to slide closed the already-super-high tension just skyrocketed. Also, amazing acting from both Dean and Bryan in this... GUH. Perfect set up for what was to come. PERFECT PERFECT PERFECT.
5.10 | BURIED | "Hank is family!
During a discussion with Saul regarding the fact that Hank is onto him, Saul suggests sending Hank on a "trip to Belize". At first, Walt doesn't understand what Saul's getting at, it's not until Saul clarifies his meaning with "You know... where Mike went?" Walt's immediate (and vehement) reaction is that this is NOT AN OPTION BECAUSE HANK IS FAMILY. And this never really waivers? Not even in 'Ozymandias'. It's hard (deliberately no doubt) to separate Walt's genuine beliefs from the lies he told over and over to himself that eventually became beliefs. And maybe that's the point? Maybe we're not supposed to be able to differentiate them, because it's not like WALT was able to differentiate them, at least, not at this point. So yeah, I love this scene for what it tells us about Walt's thought patterns. I mean, Hank is a GENUINE THREAT to him, both here and later on, and, unlike his willingness to eventually throw Jesse under the bus, Walt can't do it with Hank. Because family. Or, more likely, Because Manufactured Justification. BUT... I dunno! His response here (and in 'Ozymandias') is so STRONG AND DEFINITE. WALT DRAWS THE LINE AT KILLING FAMILY BUT NOT AT, YOU KNOW, DESTROYING IT BEYOND ALL RECOGNITION. Heeeee.
Also, "I'll send you to Belize..." Walt and Saul had some amazing dialogue exchanges over the seasons.
5.11 | CONFESSIONS | Too many quotes to, you know, quote...
There's not one particular Walt moment in this episode that really stands out for me, rather it's the combined scenes of verbal manipulation that are produced, BAM BAM BAM one after the other. We've often seen, in the absence of a science based solution, Walt fall back on verbal manipulation. Jesse is often his victim, and that's the case again in this episode. But also, we see him use words to manipulate Walter Junior ("my latest scans show a shadow on my lung,"), and also, use the 'fake confession' on the DVD in an attempt to manipulate Hank (and, by extension, Marie). Then there's the scene with Jesse out in the desert where he's all "you should get a change of scenery..." I think only Skyler is better at this tactic (and that's only because we've seen Walt's monologuing be completely ineffectual on a number of occasions, example: 'Box Cutter'). And while Jesse sees straight through Walt on this occasion, his tactic still works perfectly. It's not the speech he give Jesse that brings Walt undone in the end after all...
What I've loved most about Walt's attempts at verbal manipulation is that even though we, the viewers, can absolutely see through his act and, typically, are privy to his intentions, there's often vague truths hidden in what he's saying, or, at least, things that could be the truth. Which is what makes him so capable of this form of abuse, imo. Because it's easy for him to justify... or, at least, so easy for him to slip into the role where those justifications are the truth. His whole life is one big theatre production at this point AND I LOVE IT SO!
5.13 | TO'HAJIILEE | AKA the one where Walt shows his true colours...
Walt's sheer panic at the thought of Jesse burning his money is SO FREAKING SPOT ON! Cue the manic car trip and the last ditch attempt at getting Jesse to toe the line with the power of speech. It was never going to work of course, not least because it's JESSE that is doing the manipulating in this scene. I think this is the most transparently honest we've seen Walt in SEASONS. And I don't mean with regard to what he's saying to Jesse, his desperate pleas for Jesse to "think of the children!" (paraphrased), not that. I mean his full blown HORROR at the thought of his money being burned. THAT is the real Walter White; he finally stood up. Also, an honourable mention in this episode (I need to save top ten spaces for 'Ozymandias' and 'Felina'!), to Walt's reaction to realising that Hank is there in the desert. I honestly think he gives it up, then. For all his bravado, killing actual family members is a line too far for Walt, and it is Walt in this scene, not Heisenberg. This is Walter White, and he is out. Because of Hank...
5.14 | OZYMANDIAS | OMFG
Can I just submit the whole freaking episode and be done with it? Because, from start to finish, it's one giant piece of GENIUS. There is NOTHING in this episode that is not necessary or is over-done or under-done or irrelevant or even just, like, great? THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH SUPERLATIVES ON THE PLANET TO ADEQUATELY ENCAPSULATE MY FEELINGS FOR THIS EPISODE OF TELEVISION OKAY?
Firstly the two telephone calls that Walt makes. One in the flashback during the cold open, and then, later, after he's taken off with Holly and is attempting a last-ditch Keep Skyler Out Of Jail Free play. It still BAFFLES ME how so much of fandom COMPLETELY MISINTERPRETED the second phone call, but I'm not going to get into that here. That effing phone call, man.
I MEAN, HONESTLY...
Also, the scene from the start where Jack kills Hank. Hank/Dean Norris wins for line delivery, "you're the smartest guy I ever met, but you're too stupid to see: he made up his mind ten minutes ago." But Walt/Bryan Cranston absolutely NAILS the non-verbal responses. HIS FREAKING FACIAL EXPRESSIONS, MAN!
For me, the SHEER EMOTION in this scene is rivalled only by Skyler/Anna Gunn and the scene where she's on her knees in the street, screaming. Also, it heralds the return of Heisenberg, and Walt's always reached for Heisenberg when he's at his most vulnerable, it's what makes the transition so stark, so shocking. His switch from emotional devastation to being able to flaunt his role in Jane's death in Jesse's face... GAHHHHHHHH. THIS FREAKING EPISODE, I TELL YOU!!!! I CAN NOT.
I'm just gonna close with this,
"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" ... "WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE A FAMILY."
Because I can't even talk about the scene those lines are from with anything other that CAPSLOCK KEYSMASH. Okay?
5.15 | GRAINTE STATE | "Then, and only then, will I be finished..."
Delivered with an accompanying death rattle that speaks to the fact that, for Walt, 'finished' has a pretty specific meaning right about now...
5.16 | FELINA | "I did it for me..."
Again, another whole episode of UTTER PERFECTION. Which, given its significance as a series finale, probably makes it even BETTER than 'Ozymandias', which didn't have quite so much riding on it.
What I love most about 'Felina' is how it takes EVERY SINGLE OUTSTANDING LOOSE END THAT YOU CAN REMEMBER (and half a dozen that you'd completely forgotten about) and wraps them up, methodically and systematically, until there's literally nothing left that doesn't feel ~complete by the end of the epsiode (with one exception that I am forever grateful for, and that's Huell's whereabouts!). The episode has Lydia, it has Gretchen and Elliot, it has Skinny Pete and Badger, it has Todd's crush, it has soundtrack GEMS, it has the ricin, it has the robot, it has the superlab, it has Jesse, it has Holly, it has Skyler, it had amazing cinematography, it has Walt getting rid of the watch Jesse gave him, it has stevia, it has Jesse killing Todd, it has a dude dying on a freaking mechanical chair that continues to pump, it has Heisenberg, it has science, and it has Walter White.
Walt wins.
BOOM! Yes. Probably the standout scene for me, but, I dunno... the whole freaking episode is a thing of beauty from start to finish. I love the final show-down between Walt and Jesse. Walt's instinctive response to save Jesse once the truth of his situation is evident (I guess we'll never know whether Walt could ever have gone through with that...), I love when Jesse reclaims something of himself and refuses to kill Walt. I freaking LOVE the silent 'moment' they have before Jesse rides off into the night like the mad-man he probably now is. I love that Walt's final moment was in the superlab. I love that he died with his eyes open, that there was no hint that he was just peacefully moving on. He died and he knew it and it was THE MOST PERFECT CHARACTER DEATH I HAVE EVER COME ACROSS. Which feels oddly traitorous to say given that Walter White is my favourite character of all time, ever, in the history of everything. But, as the song from the very start indicated... "I guess I got what I deserved..."
Aaaaand, I've lost count of how many moments I've detailed here. Likely WAYYY more than the ten horatios asked for. OOPS!
Basically, this show. This character. I will never be the same again. I have no regrets.
5.09 | BLOOD MONEY | "If that’s true, if you don’t know who I am, then maybe the best course would be to tread lightly."
Click to viewI love this scene for so many reasons! Firstly, from a storytelling POV and knowing there were only seven episodes after this one in which to wrap everything up, I love how it escalated the whole scenario so quicky and yet so believably. Secondly, I loved the almost physical ~shift (once again) from Walt to Heisenberg. I loved Hank's paradoxical responses ("I don't give a shit about family..." and "Get Skyler and the kids here..."). I love the physicality of the scene (the 'behind the scenes' video shows us that Dean Norris always intended to make proper contact with the punch, despite not making Bryan Cranston privy to this before hand!). From the very moment the garage door started to slide closed the already-super-high tension just skyrocketed. Also, amazing acting from both Dean and Bryan in this... GUH. Perfect set up for what was to come. PERFECT PERFECT PERFECT.
5.10 | BURIED | "Hank is family!
During a discussion with Saul regarding the fact that Hank is onto him, Saul suggests sending Hank on a "trip to Belize". At first, Walt doesn't understand what Saul's getting at, it's not until Saul clarifies his meaning with "You know... where Mike went?" Walt's immediate (and vehement) reaction is that this is NOT AN OPTION BECAUSE HANK IS FAMILY. And this never really waivers? Not even in 'Ozymandias'. It's hard (deliberately no doubt) to separate Walt's genuine beliefs from the lies he told over and over to himself that eventually became beliefs. And maybe that's the point? Maybe we're not supposed to be able to differentiate them, because it's not like WALT was able to differentiate them, at least, not at this point. So yeah, I love this scene for what it tells us about Walt's thought patterns. I mean, Hank is a GENUINE THREAT to him, both here and later on, and, unlike his willingness to eventually throw Jesse under the bus, Walt can't do it with Hank. Because family. Or, more likely, Because Manufactured Justification. BUT... I dunno! His response here (and in 'Ozymandias') is so STRONG AND DEFINITE. WALT DRAWS THE LINE AT KILLING FAMILY BUT NOT AT, YOU KNOW, DESTROYING IT BEYOND ALL RECOGNITION. Heeeee.
Also, "I'll send you to Belize..." Walt and Saul had some amazing dialogue exchanges over the seasons.
5.11 | CONFESSIONS | Too many quotes to, you know, quote...
There's not one particular Walt moment in this episode that really stands out for me, rather it's the combined scenes of verbal manipulation that are produced, BAM BAM BAM one after the other. We've often seen, in the absence of a science based solution, Walt fall back on verbal manipulation. Jesse is often his victim, and that's the case again in this episode. But also, we see him use words to manipulate Walter Junior ("my latest scans show a shadow on my lung,"), and also, use the 'fake confession' on the DVD in an attempt to manipulate Hank (and, by extension, Marie). Then there's the scene with Jesse out in the desert where he's all "you should get a change of scenery..." I think only Skyler is better at this tactic (and that's only because we've seen Walt's monologuing be completely ineffectual on a number of occasions, example: 'Box Cutter'). And while Jesse sees straight through Walt on this occasion, his tactic still works perfectly. It's not the speech he give Jesse that brings Walt undone in the end after all...
What I've loved most about Walt's attempts at verbal manipulation is that even though we, the viewers, can absolutely see through his act and, typically, are privy to his intentions, there's often vague truths hidden in what he's saying, or, at least, things that could be the truth. Which is what makes him so capable of this form of abuse, imo. Because it's easy for him to justify... or, at least, so easy for him to slip into the role where those justifications are the truth. His whole life is one big theatre production at this point AND I LOVE IT SO!
5.13 | TO'HAJIILEE | AKA the one where Walt shows his true colours...
Walt's sheer panic at the thought of Jesse burning his money is SO FREAKING SPOT ON! Cue the manic car trip and the last ditch attempt at getting Jesse to toe the line with the power of speech. It was never going to work of course, not least because it's JESSE that is doing the manipulating in this scene. I think this is the most transparently honest we've seen Walt in SEASONS. And I don't mean with regard to what he's saying to Jesse, his desperate pleas for Jesse to "think of the children!" (paraphrased), not that. I mean his full blown HORROR at the thought of his money being burned. THAT is the real Walter White; he finally stood up. Also, an honourable mention in this episode (I need to save top ten spaces for 'Ozymandias' and 'Felina'!), to Walt's reaction to realising that Hank is there in the desert. I honestly think he gives it up, then. For all his bravado, killing actual family members is a line too far for Walt, and it is Walt in this scene, not Heisenberg. This is Walter White, and he is out. Because of Hank...
5.14 | OZYMANDIAS | OMFG
Can I just submit the whole freaking episode and be done with it? Because, from start to finish, it's one giant piece of GENIUS. There is NOTHING in this episode that is not necessary or is over-done or under-done or irrelevant or even just, like, great? THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH SUPERLATIVES ON THE PLANET TO ADEQUATELY ENCAPSULATE MY FEELINGS FOR THIS EPISODE OF TELEVISION OKAY?
Firstly the two telephone calls that Walt makes. One in the flashback during the cold open, and then, later, after he's taken off with Holly and is attempting a last-ditch Keep Skyler Out Of Jail Free play. It still BAFFLES ME how so much of fandom COMPLETELY MISINTERPRETED the second phone call, but I'm not going to get into that here. That effing phone call, man.
I MEAN, HONESTLY...
Also, the scene from the start where Jack kills Hank. Hank/Dean Norris wins for line delivery, "you're the smartest guy I ever met, but you're too stupid to see: he made up his mind ten minutes ago." But Walt/Bryan Cranston absolutely NAILS the non-verbal responses. HIS FREAKING FACIAL EXPRESSIONS, MAN!
For me, the SHEER EMOTION in this scene is rivalled only by Skyler/Anna Gunn and the scene where she's on her knees in the street, screaming. Also, it heralds the return of Heisenberg, and Walt's always reached for Heisenberg when he's at his most vulnerable, it's what makes the transition so stark, so shocking. His switch from emotional devastation to being able to flaunt his role in Jane's death in Jesse's face... GAHHHHHHHH. THIS FREAKING EPISODE, I TELL YOU!!!! I CAN NOT.
I'm just gonna close with this,
"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" ... "WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE A FAMILY."
Because I can't even talk about the scene those lines are from with anything other that CAPSLOCK KEYSMASH. Okay?
5.15 | GRAINTE STATE | "Then, and only then, will I be finished..."
Delivered with an accompanying death rattle that speaks to the fact that, for Walt, 'finished' has a pretty specific meaning right about now...
5.16 | FELINA | "I did it for me..."
Again, another whole episode of UTTER PERFECTION. Which, given its significance as a series finale, probably makes it even BETTER than 'Ozymandias', which didn't have quite so much riding on it.
What I love most about 'Felina' is how it takes EVERY SINGLE OUTSTANDING LOOSE END THAT YOU CAN REMEMBER (and half a dozen that you'd completely forgotten about) and wraps them up, methodically and systematically, until there's literally nothing left that doesn't feel ~complete by the end of the epsiode (with one exception that I am forever grateful for, and that's Huell's whereabouts!). The episode has Lydia, it has Gretchen and Elliot, it has Skinny Pete and Badger, it has Todd's crush, it has soundtrack GEMS, it has the ricin, it has the robot, it has the superlab, it has Jesse, it has Holly, it has Skyler, it had amazing cinematography, it has Walt getting rid of the watch Jesse gave him, it has stevia, it has Jesse killing Todd, it has a dude dying on a freaking mechanical chair that continues to pump, it has Heisenberg, it has science, and it has Walter White.
Walt wins.
BOOM! Yes. Probably the standout scene for me, but, I dunno... the whole freaking episode is a thing of beauty from start to finish. I love the final show-down between Walt and Jesse. Walt's instinctive response to save Jesse once the truth of his situation is evident (I guess we'll never know whether Walt could ever have gone through with that...), I love when Jesse reclaims something of himself and refuses to kill Walt. I freaking LOVE the silent 'moment' they have before Jesse rides off into the night like the mad-man he probably now is. I love that Walt's final moment was in the superlab. I love that he died with his eyes open, that there was no hint that he was just peacefully moving on. He died and he knew it and it was THE MOST PERFECT CHARACTER DEATH I HAVE EVER COME ACROSS. Which feels oddly traitorous to say given that Walter White is my favourite character of all time, ever, in the history of everything. But, as the song from the very start indicated... "I guess I got what I deserved..."
Aaaaand, I've lost count of how many moments I've detailed here. Likely WAYYY more than the ten horatios asked for. OOPS!
Basically, this show. This character. I will never be the same again. I have no regrets.