OT - What is going to happen in the Breaking Bad finale?

Submitted by Erik_in_Dayton on

It's been a long week on ye ol' board, and I figure we could use a distraction.  I ask the mods to grandfather this topic in from OT season to our current non-OT season. I think Brian's numerous Walter White references allow for that. This is like a post about The Smiths.

So, what do you think will happen?  Will Walt live? Will he manage to get his money back and somehow get it to his family?  Will Jesse live?  What about Skyler, Marie, Junior, Lydia, and Todd & the Nazis*?   

My prediction:  Walt dies but gets a least some money to his family.  Vince Gilligan said that he thinks the ending isn't too bad for Walt, though people might think he's crazy for saying that once they've seen the final episodes.

I can't imagine Jesse - poor Jesse - making it out of all of this alive.  I'd love to see him live, get some of Walt's money, and adopt Brock, but that's the sort of fairytale ending that looks like it is not at all in the cards. 

I think Skyler, Junior, and Holly all survive.  Their deaths would be cruel even by Breaking Bad standards. 

I think Todd, Jack, and the rest of their gang of sociopaths all die.  I think Lydia will get away, though, as a nod to the fact that high-level criminals in suits tend to skate while street-level criminals do not.

I think we haven't seen the last of Marie.

I think Badger will write his Star Trek  screenplay on a burrito wrapper and lose it when it is shredded by a Roomba.

 

*Todd & the Nazis were a well-reviewed, if controversial, proto-punk band in the '70s.

An Angelo's Addict

September 26th, 2013 at 11:08 AM ^

There is no way Walt makes it out alive. I believe Jesse will though. I started to think at the end of the last episode was that Walt plans to use the Ricin on himself, but I never really took him for the suicide type. But now after your post I'm curious whether Marie may be the one that kills Walt. Todd and his uncle's gang are goners

Blazefire

September 26th, 2013 at 11:23 AM ^

But in Ep1, he tried to shoot himself after gassing Emilio and Krazy-8. Safety was on, but he pulled the trigger. It shows that when he can't come to terms with all the bad he's done, that's his way out.

I think Jesse is simply going to find Walt lying dead in bed one morning from the lung cancer, and everyone is going to go "WTF!?! SEINFELD!"

pinkfloyd2000

September 26th, 2013 at 11:08 AM ^

The final shot being Jesse, with newly-adopted son, Brock, in a beautiful beach house somewhere in the tropics, looking out over the ocean...the camera pans to a back room, and we can see that Jesse is in possession of all of the money barrels.

But yeah...we're probably not gonna get that.

As far as what I think will happen? I'm really not sure now. What is Walt's M-60 for? Todd's uncle and crew? Or Jesse? And how will the ricin (which we saw Walt retrieve earlier from the ruin that was once his home) play into all this?

I'm really going to miss this show once it's gone. I think it's safe to say that this is a prediction that has 100% accuracy.

1464

September 26th, 2013 at 11:09 AM ^

My perfect ending:

Walt attempts to kill the nazis but is killed after getting only a few.  Jesse remains unfreed, cooking meth to keep the kid safe.  The White family (probably not named that anymore) hears reports that high grade blue meth is still surfacing for years down the road.  They never have closure on Walt.  They wonder if he has forgotten about them for all these years, but in reality, Jesse has slaved away for years to try to keep the nazis content.

That would be an appropriate ending.  Drug Lord Icarus.  Jesse and Walt's ambitions get the best of them.  Walt ends up dead to his family, before being killed.  Jesse is a prisoner in a crueler place then a prison.  And it's all for nothing.

1464

September 26th, 2013 at 12:17 PM ^

To add onto my theory, Jesse and Todd are representations of Walt.  Jesse is Walt, the talent and the kindness towards his fellow humans.  Todd is Heisenberg.  The ruthless, calculating, uncaring sub-human pitbull.  It's fitting the Todd is holding Jesse captive.  Does Walt succeed in eliminating Todd, in a way freeing himself from Heisenberg?  I say no, the series is too grim.

ijohnb

September 26th, 2013 at 12:39 PM ^

killed Gale, and for that he certainly has some devine, moral retribution coming, no doubt.  But Gale was a drug dealer, same as Jesse, same as Walt, same as Gus.  Gale put himself in harms way, not saying his death was justified, only that I think Jesse has sufficiently paid for that transgression at this point.   I believe Jesse can be partially redeemed, and I don't think he will die, though it is hard to imagine him not wanting to.

reshp1

September 26th, 2013 at 11:13 AM ^

Isn't Walt dead one way or the other? I'm of the opinion he does a lot of knocking this episode and the body count is very very high. The last part of the previous episode implies the Walter White is already gone and only Heisenberg is left.... and I don't think Heisenberg is too keen on people ripping off his money and his formula.

MichGoBlue858

September 26th, 2013 at 11:16 AM ^

I'm still rooting for Walt to have a good ending even though he has done some horrible stuff. The end of the last episode gave me chills with the music playing in the background.

pinkfloyd2000

September 26th, 2013 at 11:16 AM ^

Kinda cool. And more than just a little sad, too.

Vince Gilligan re-introduced Grey Matter into the story after hearing from a young fan, dying of cancer, who suggested that it would be nice to have some closure as to this part of the story. Vince worked it in -- in no small way -- as was seen at the end of the last episode, and will surely be seen in the finale.

Vince offered to reveal the ending of the series to this fan a while back, and he declined, saying that he was going to live long enough to watch it for himself. Sadly, he passed away just a short time ago.

LSAClassOf2000

September 26th, 2013 at 11:19 AM ^

Although it is entirely possible that I could get overruled on this, I am willing to keep this one here. There's a large enough fanbase for it on the blog, and given the the last few days, it might actually be therapeutic for some folks to discuss something like "Breaking Bad". Somebody discuss something....anything. 

1464

September 26th, 2013 at 11:44 AM ^

Bye week as well.  There are likely as many BB fans on here as Lions or Tigers fans, though Detroit sports are quasi topical in the rulebook.  I'm the type that would like OT posts that have the gravity of this (albeit only to a certain set) allowed during the season.

pinkfloyd2000

September 26th, 2013 at 12:52 PM ^

There is also the old song "El Paso," written and recorded by Marty Robbins, which has a character in it named "Feelena" -- I know, spelled differently -- but the lyrics involve a shootout and a gunslinger dying in Feelena's arms (Feelena being his lover).

The shooter, incidentally, feeling remorse for what he has done, flees to the badlands of New Mexico to hide out.

Hmmm.

Proclus

September 26th, 2013 at 1:31 PM ^

I'm positive that this is at least partially the reference. I'd even bet the song makes an appearance in the soundtrack, like in the episode "Caballo sin Nombre." You forgot the most relevant part of the song's narrative, though: after hiding out in New Mexico for a while the narrator irrationally returns to El Paso to see Felina even though he knows it's suicidal.

Also, I think the alternate spelling isn't relevant: as best I can tell the spelling "feleena" comes from the title of a different Marty Robins song, not the lyrics to El Paso. The Spanish name would obviously be spelled "Felina"

MGoGolf

September 26th, 2013 at 11:22 AM ^

leaves Todd for Jesse.  Walt then poisons the 'founders' of his company after buying all it's stock in the name of his wife/kids.

Walt succumbs to cancer.

 

 

Huma

September 26th, 2013 at 11:55 AM ^

I like this idea, too.  I somehow think there will be a connection (either revealed as already exisitng or to be created in the finale) between Madrigal and Grey Matter.  Gretchen mentioned that they were speaking out about Walt to ease investor concerns about a dip in the Grey Matter stock price -- maybe Madrigal swoops in and buys the entire company or Walt buys a controlling interest.  I have no idea how this works into the broader plot, but I have a feeling something like this will come up.

smitty1983

September 26th, 2013 at 11:23 AM ^

Nazis to kill grey matters people and give them the rest of his dough to save Jessie, nazis survive, family survives, and the ending scene is him and Jessie cooking somewhere no one knows.

harryddunn

September 26th, 2013 at 11:35 AM ^

Walt's had months in seclusion to reflect about his treatment of Jesse- upon hearing about the blue meth, he puts the pieces together and realizes Todd's gang has enslaved him

So Walt goes and has a Scarface moment with the band of nazis as an olive branch to Jesse, as well as settling a personal score...afterward, Jesse rejects the olive branch, shoots Walt (and maybe himself? for Jesse, that might be the only 'happy' ending- and Brock gets orphaned, eats more Fruit Loops, whatever)

Lydia gets the ricin in her tea, since she's a threat to Skyler & Holly

 

PS i'd read a theory about Badger's story that's entertaining:

Spock:Walt

Kirk:Jesse

Chekov:Jack

Scotty:Todd

Uhura:Lydia

so Lydia distracts Todd, whose already established casual shooting style winds up killing Uncle Jack?

Goblue89

September 26th, 2013 at 11:37 AM ^

The machine gun is definitely for the Nazi's.  I belive Walt kills them all and in doing so discovers Jesse and simply lets him go.  I believe the ricin is for Lydia (they make it a point to show how much sugar she uses with her tea).  Lastly and this one is more of a stretch, I think Walt is somehow able to extort money from Grey Matter and give it to his family before he ultimately sucombs to his cancer. 

RDubs

September 26th, 2013 at 2:02 PM ^

I like the idea of Walt finding a way to extort money out of Grey Matter.  It's likely the only means he has left to get money to his family.  There could be potential there for blackmail.

In the last episode, during the shot of Walt coughing at the feet of Sal, the camera seems to go out of its way to frame Walt within an unfinished stud wall filled with PINK insulation. Given all the Checkhov's gun thingies and color code references used in the show, it could be that Grey Matter made part of its fortune on a chemical compound that goes into insulation, knowing all the while that their product causes cancer, likely even the source of Walt's lung cancer.

Also, this could all be false, but Walt would certainly be willing to make up such a story...kinda like the confessional he made for Hank and Marie.

CLord

September 26th, 2013 at 11:42 AM ^

After offing the Nazi gang, Walt gets bit in the neck by a mosquito carrying the blood of a rabid pig, and becomes the first zombie that leads to the apocalypse preceding Walking Dead, and a new Walking Dead series is spawned revolving around Walt going around eating rats and people and eventually having a final confrontation with the Walking Dead survivors.

Bluegriz

September 26th, 2013 at 12:02 PM ^

I think Walt visits his partner from Grey Matter, because he wants people to know it wasn't just the company name he contributed to.  I don't know if the huge gun in the trunk is for Grey Matter or the Nazis. Does Walt care about avenging Hank's death anymore?  Walt essentially turned himself in before getting reincentivized by the Grey Matter thing.  He knows his family hates him.

The ricin...  I could see him using it in a way that isnt revealed to us until later.

Marie won't be able to do much while she's in protective custody.  I guess she may no longer be in protective custody since at least 4-6 weeks have passed while Walt was in the cabin.  Marie still loves Skyler and the kids.  If she does get an opportunity to kill Walt she would do it.

Lydia dies.

Jesse has been slaving away for the entire time Walt is in the cabin.  Maybe Walt seeing his blue stuff on the market makes it obvious Jesse is cooking it.  Walt might think that is fitting for Jesse and leave it alone.  Jesse knows the Nazis will kill Brock if he tries to escape, so the only way he gets out is suicide, or someone else rescuing him.  Maybe the Feds find it?  It would be great to see Jesse get himself out with Chemistry ... like how they gassed the two guys in the RV in season 1 or how they killed the guys down in Mexico.  If Jesse has an opportunity to kill Walt, he kills Walt.

Fe - Iron (Blood)

Li - Lithium (Meth)

Na - Sodium (Tears)

I would end the series by showing that home video clip shot during Holly's baby shower where Walt sincerely tells Holly that her family loves her.

Walt dies.

 

hackattack13

September 26th, 2013 at 12:05 PM ^

Walt will use the Machine Guns to kill the Nazis (except Todd who Jesse will kill), free Jesse who will save the kid, and give Jesse one of the barrels the Nazis took to live off of for the rest of his life.  Walt will kill the Gray Matter people with Ricin and explain how he built that just like he built his meth empire while he watches them slowly die.  Then he will try to meet up with his wife and kids but just ends up watching them creeply and leaving them the money before he walks away without contacting them.  Show ends with him putting on his Heizenberg hat and walking into a sunset