-This post, obviously, will contain A LOT of spoilers.
-I may have a tendency to rave about the genius of the show. This post is about THIS SHOW'S END SPECIFICALLY, so any debate bringing in other shows is pointless. I have NOT seen shows like Homeland, The Newsroom, Game of Thrones or even Downton Abbey: But it's solely because I've been extremely invested in this one (I promise to broaden my horizons after Sunday...and after I come out of my finale-induced coma).
Take a deep breath, and let's go:
What We Know
Saul Goodman is in Nebraska (he lost the vacuum cleaner lottery), Jesse is still cooking for the White Supremacists (as Wikipedia calls them), Todd is still a creep, Skyler/Flynn/Baby Emmy (Emmy..not Holly) have left the house and Skyler White--er, Lambert, is driving a taxi part time.
Oh...Walter White? Yeah, he's in this episode...for about 51.5 minutes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMlNl0fKwxQ) Walter White, in the video, is in New Hampshire after creating a new identity as Mr. Lambert. After failing to talk his son into accepting a package full of money (all happening in a bar with an uninteresting hockey game going on. TURNOVERS!), Walt calls the Albuquerque DEA office: "I'd like to speak with the agent in charge of the Walter White investigation...[this is] Walter White."
Soon after White orders a drink similar to his good old pal Hank, Charlie Rose pops on the telly interviewinggggg GRETCHEN AND ELLIOTT SCHWARTZ. To those of you who don't know/can't remember, the Schwartzes were colleagues with Walter early on, before White sold his share for $5,000. "I sold my kids' birthright for a few months rent."
In the Charlie Rose interview, the Gretchen and Elliott are donating a crud-ton of money to drug recovery in the southwest, while distancing themselves from Walter White by saying he was only responsible for the name (As Elliott said: "As far as I'm concerned, his contribution begins and ends right there"). As to if Gretchen thinks Walter White is still out there..."No, he's not...I can't speak to the Heisenberg that people refer to him-whatever he became, the sweet, kind, brilliant man that we once knew long ago, he's gone."
DING DING DING! I'll take "Things you don't want to say to Bryan Cranston on a night he didn't win the Best Actor in a Arama Series Emmy" for 1,000! The beauty, as I posted earlier on Facebook, is the combination of writing, directing, acting and the DAGGER that is the Breaking Bad theme (full version can be heard here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMt1ILTzCac) to wrap up this episode. I watched the ending maybe five more times...and teared up immensely.
What Will Happen
This brings us to the predictions/speculation/words that Vince Gilligan will make us look stupid to say part of the post. I've got a couple big things I think will happen but will touch on several characters.
-I think Heisenberg lives to see the end. After learning a) His family wants NONE of his money and b) That blue meth is still out there (AND AT 96%!!!!!!), Mr. Berg is not about to let another empire of his get run by...not him.
-No, I do not think Walt goes after Elliott and Gretchen. The plot is too thick and what they SAID was key. Then again...I'm not Vince Gilligan.
-If there's a "committing suicide" card, I think Marie holds it. SHE has nothing. SHE lost the husband that was doing nothing BUT good (the means, debatable, but overall good). Her face in the car, which was the only time we saw her during Granite State, was eerily reminiscent of Skyler trying to drown herself. Just to get out.
-The ricin, you say? I'm glad you asked! I really don't have a "formula" as to who I think will get it and I don't buy into the "Walt takes it himself!" theory. Really? He essentially beat cancer TWICE, survived many guns pressed against the head and is now on a vengeance. Once again, I don't see the cliche "coming to justice" where Walt realizes he has screwed up and takes the ricin himself. Anyway...I HOPE it's for Lydia. She is a liability because of how stupid and pointless her existence is and getting rid of her would make sure a back-to-Heisenberg transition goes smoothly (Plus, he almost already used it on her once).
Overall, I think the show ends with Walt killing Jesse, seeing that Jesse is empty and, as he tried to escape in Granite State, BEGGED Uncle Jack and the gang to kill him. Instead they shot Andrea (AHHHH!!!!). Walt becomes "the cook" again. Back in Live Free or Die's (season 5 premiere) opener, Walt tells Lawson (the gun dude): "This is never leaving town." The other quote that stands out as I watch that opener NOW, after the penultimate episode has aired: "Business." The innocent Denny's server asks what brings the New Hampshire-ite to the ABQ. "Business"...because that's all Heisenberg has left. After
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Creator Vince Gilligan has already said the finale will be "polarizing not matter how you slice it", which is why I'm ok with my prediction. And, as I choke on my own tears come Sunday around 9:16 p.m., I hope I can take solace in the fact that I'm wrong.
