The season finale of AMC's Breaking Bad, "Face Off," finds Walt (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse (Aaron Paul) plotting to kill Gus (Giancarlo Esposito). They get a lucky break when they find Tio Hector (Mark Margolis) more than willing to cooperate, even volunteering as a suicide bomber. Tio manages to blow up Gus, and Walt rescues Jesse from Gus's men. Together, Walt and Jesse burn down the lab. What Jesse doesn't know, though, is that Walt is the one who poisons Brock (Ian Posada).
Is it truly necessary to see Gus post-explosion? His ruined face is an extremely memorable, gruesome moment that will not soon be forgotten. Breaking Bad frequently delivers on shock, but this one might just be a haunting nightmare not easily shaken away. His manner of death gives the episode's title a double meaning.
With "Face Off," Breaking Bad presents a whole new Walt. Slowly, over four seasons, Walt gets deeper and deeper into the criminal world. This year, it seems like Walt is trying very hard to be the bad ass kingpin. Sure, he's afraid for his life, and those of his family. But he's also pretty willing to embrace the tactics needed to survive as such a man. From sending a helpless neighbor woman into his house, which he correctly suspects is being watched, to poisoning an innocent little boy, Walt demonstrates a lack of basic human compassion. Plus, when it's all over, his response is "I won." Call me crazy, but what goes down doesn't seem like a win for anyone.
Is this change irreversible? That much is unclear. Walt is quick to sacrifice whoever needs sacrificed for the sake of his family, or possibly just out of self-preservation. Walt begins to look like Gus, who kills to make a point, and kidnaps Jesse to get him back to cooking meth. If Walt is rapidly turning into what Gus is, and Gus certainly never shows any signs of reverting back to a decent human being, than it might be too late for the former chemistry teacher. In fact, realizing what Walt is doing, his wife, Skyler (Anna Gunn), even looks scared of him as they speak on the phone.
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Article comments
1 - Igor
This is a pretty Puritanical review of a drama that constantly calls into question the value and efficacy of those very Puritanical mores. The drama itself has dealt in a much more nuanced and satisfactory way with those issues.
2 - nimrod1313
You mention that Walt "rescues" Jesse. If you mean the scene where Walt goes to the laundry then I think you should watch the episode again. Walt had no way of knowing Jesse was at the laundry. As far as Walt knew Jesse was either in custody or at the hospital. Walt was at the Laundry to destroy the super lab before the DEA came for another visit.
3 - Jerome Wetzel
Igor - I would never argue that my review is as good as the series. Those writers are Awesome! I just do the best that I can.
nimrod1313 - You may very well be right! I didn't consider that. His rescue may be purely coincidental. Excellent point.
4 - athena
Great episode. This is really worthy to be the final episode of the season. I bet a lot of people are looking forward for the upcoming season.
5 - karlos
how can you be sure walt poisoned brock ? it's even more possible that gus had the berries taken from the garden or even put the plant there for capncook to discover and have a reason to kill him.
6 - Jerome Wetzel
Karlos - It is true that Gus may have framed Walt as a final insult. I still think that Walt did it, but that's a very interesting theory, and certainly worth considering.
7 - El Bicho
karlos' theory is not worth considering at all because of how wrong it is. Setting aside the interviews where Vince Gilligan states that Walt was responsible, not sure what series a person has been watching if they think it's more possible it could have been Gus and not Walt.
The series is about Walt breaking bad, and each season finds him doing badder things. Walt sinking to yet another level to where he's willing to risk a child's life to complete his goal is in line with that or as karlos would have you believe the writers have thrown out the series' premise by making Gus responsible.
Also, who has consistently used science to accomplish his goals, Gus or Walt? And why would they plant the plant in Skylar's backyard and not that of his condo where he's living.
I like pondering about things as much as the next fella but Walt poisoned Brock. Case closed.
8 - Yakno
"is it truly necessary to see Gus post-explosion?", the author writes right next to a photo of Gus post-explosion.
9 - Jerome Wetzel
Yanko - Yep! I didn't say it wasn't truly necessary. I was just musing on that point.