Walt just wanted to make sure the finale would be exciting.

Because every step of their journey has torn apart the lives of the two main characters and everyone around them and left piles of dead bodies behind. Because they're mass-manufacturing meth for a criminal operation distributing across the entire southwest, one with the power and muscle to take out the Mexican cartel's distribution channel to America. Because Walt and Jesse are in way, way, way over their heads, and they can't get lucky forever.

add me to the list of "that ending was so badass awesome that i don't even care if it was a little bit unrealistic". if some perceived implausibility was enough to ruin your enjoyment of that amazing sequence, and all the build up to it, then i don't know what to tell you -- you may be taking the wrong approach to living?

I know it's necessary for the show but is Walt really that valuable to Gus? Surely the Whitman-quoting lab assistant learned Walt's recipe and production methods in the few times they cooked, he even wrote it down.

Not to be too much of a nit about what is and isn't realistic about the show but...

It did seem out of character for ChickenMan to allow the hit on the little kid. My read of Pollo was that he uses violence very selectively. He recognizes that keeping a low profile is the best way to stay in business. Killing a little kid, by two guys that are so close to him (Pollo), doesn't fit that profile imo. If there is one thing that is bound to generate heat from The Man, it is killing little kids. It definitely doesn't make sense given that there is an alternate way to deal with the situation that would lead to far less hassle. Walt of course would be pissed about the death of Jessie but he is a rational guy. He would understand and he would get over it.

Damn, just long a rather long post...so I'll keep this short for now and maybe get back to it later.

As Nath reminded me, excellent reviews as always from Sepinwall and The AV Club, definitely worth a read. Walt's motivation has always been the prosperity and security of his family, which might help explain his Heisenberg-esque "Full Measure" to protect his surrogate son at the end of the episode, while potentially risking his real family's future.

Has Walt finally accepted all that he's done, that he's a "bad guy", that he is Heisenberg? I'm expecting more Heisenberg type solutions to problems in the finale, should be a good one.

Why does everyone think that Walt will be related to the killings?

I think Jesse runs and Walt gets a new partner.

I'd be pretty shocked if Gus sanctioned the hit on the kid. It seemed obvious to me that his "no kids" line was vague enough that they took advantage of it.

In fact, as someone who stepped in to keep the peace, I wouldn't be surprised if Gus was a little pissed that those guys escalated the situation intentionally (and between this and it being the murder of a kid, this is probably why he ends up not just getting rid of Walt).

No way Gus doesn't sense what happened imo.

Gus is obviously going to think Jesse did it, but Walt's "Run" line makes me think he's going to step up and try to take the hit for this, assuming Gus won't kill him over it. Walt's trying to save Jesse here, so I imagine he'll fess up to Gus next episode. Otherwise this is all in vain, and Jesse is dead...once they find him.

its been made pretty clear that jesse is part of his family

Great episode. Lots of good stuff in here this week but one thing that made me LOL that i haven't seen anyone mention is when Walt is yelling at Jesse telling him "your actions, they affect other people"

In the span of about 20 minutes I went from thinking holy crap Jesse is so dead, to holy crap how are they going to kill off Gus?

I have no idea what is going to happen next week, but it is very clear that Jesse and Gus can no longer coexist, and since Walt has obviously shown his loyalty lies with Jesse, I think bad things will happen to Gus.

My guess would be that Walt makes a Gus-style move and offers the Cartel a shot at taking out Gus and season 4 is about the power struggle to fill the void left by Gus' demise.

I don't know how he would go about getting in touch with them to do this. Would he risk somehow trying to get to them through Hank? I doubt he would let Hank know directly what he is doing unless Gus threatens him directly, but he may ask some questions about the investigation into his shooting and find a way to get to them through that.

That would be kind of a leap for gus to die, not saying it isnt possible but i mean he does pay walt 15 mill a year, although i admit i have no idea whats going to happen.

Walt is obviously taking the fall for jesse and making Gus think they it was only walt and jessie had nothing to do with it. Now how he explains himself to Gus and everything be ok... idk. We know that it wont go well though otherwise it would make for crappy television.

At what point do Walt and Jesse just call it a day for the meth game? They couldn't make it work on their own, they couldn't make it work being partners with an OG, now they couldn't do it being partners with the consummate professional! I think its time for them to just go full time back to the car wash/nail salon!

Gus is the guy who plays checkers when everyone else is playing chess. It will be a major development when events even begin to spin out of his control (let alone killed/betrayed by Walt) -- and I doubt we are any where near there.

I have no idea who killed the kid, why, and what the consequences will be. You wouldn't think a couple of dealers are going to do something as provocative as kill someone without Gus's approval. And even so, Jessie would still have a problem with the LA Kings, or whatever their affiliation is.

So you have this apparently intractable problem-- that will probably turn out to have some solution that has Walt and Jesse cooking together season 4 episode 1...

yep, first time ever afaik

Walt can't quit. He came to this realization a couple episodes ago and flirted with killing himself as far as I could tell.

that would be the logical thing to do for sure but jesse has come to terms with being a bad guy and likes it meanwhile walt is trying to make more money for his family, plus obv the show couldnt go on that way

You are not good at board games.

heheeheeh! i got that backwards. Thank you.

Walt has always got off big time when parading around as his badass Heisenberg alter-ego. I think Jesse's "bad guy" persona is more about accepting responsibility for the damage he's caused, whereas Walt has tried to rationalize his role in everything that's gone wrong. "We aren't murderers", even though he's killed how many people now?

They went over this a couple episodes ago, Walt met his money target, his family is secure, he's cancer free, he doesn't know why he's still cooking. He has no motivation for it anymore. But it's pretty unlikely that he can just quit now, especially seeing as how he just racked up a pretty large debt to Gus.

Wouldn't be surprised to see Walt cooking against his will in S4, out of fear and obligation. Also expect to see a very angry Hank walking again at some point and back on the chase after getting a "helping hand" from Marie, does he have his balls back now (motivation)? As for Jesse, who knows? Don't expect that Gus is going to change his mind now about how to deal with that situation. Doubt he'll make the same mistake a 3rd time, and opt for another "half measure".

Agree. I always figured that the show will end with Walt basically falling on his sword to ensure that his family is left alone (and possibly Jessie) one last chance for him to do something to "protect" his faimly.

Why is it that every show i watch has one whiny emo male character?

the wire - mcnulty ( though he had his moments )
lost - jack
Breaking Bad - jesse.