Breaking Bad: A Study In Transformation

BY A.J. KURZMAN

WARNING: this article contains Breaking Bad spoilers.  If you have not seen every episode of the critically acclaimed series, then maybe your best course would be to tread lightly.

“Chemistry:  The study of transformation.”

This quote means so many things to the show.  It represents how far the television series has come, from a pilot episode with well under a million viewers, to a finale that shattered rating’s records with over 10 million people watching.  Breaking Bad has become a dominant aspect of American pop culture in its five season run.  From the smaller, quieter moments to heart-stopping shootouts, there have been no shortages of iconic, series defining moments throughout this generation defining show.  We here at the Lariat picked out our favorite moments that have truly made Breaking Bad one of the greatest shows in television history.  So without further ado…

Walt Kills Krazy-8 (Season 1, Episode 3)

After Walt is pitted with the responsibility to kill a drug dealer chained in Jesse’s basement, the simple chemistry teacher is looking for any reason to not become a murderer.  After being won over with kind small talk, Walt searches for the key to unlock Krazy-8 and free him from the basement.  However, Walt makes the terrible discovery that Krazy-8 plans on killing him with a broken piece of a plate he has hidden, giving Walt no choice but to ultimately choke him to death and officially “break bad.” This was not a decision he wanted to make, however, as you could see the horror in Walt’s face when he finally comes to terms with the fact that there is no other way out.

Walt Blows Up Tuco’s Office (Season 1, Episode 6)

After Jesse is mugged and the most psychotic villain on Breaking Bad, Tuco Salamanca, steals a pound of meth from him, newly broken bad Walter White decides to make things right.  After a demand for $50,000 is refused by Tuco, Walt picks up what appears to be a crystal of meth, but is revealed to be a highly explosive mercury fulminate concoction that he uses to blow up Tuco’s office and gain his respect.  Walt is paid and his alter ego “Heisenberg” is officially born.  He leaves Tuco’s office victorious and with a smug sense of satisfaction with his new drug lord identity.

Hank vs. the Salamanca Cousins (Season 3, Episode 7)

After Walt’s DEA brother-in-law Hank Schrader murders Tuco, he unknowingly becomes the target of Tuco’s two cold-blooded and sharply dressed cousins.  Lucky for Hank, he received a phone call while in the parking lot of a supermarket warning him of the imminent attack looming one minute away.  The battle that followed was one of the most epic and surprising moments in the show as Schrader left victorious but seriously wounded.  This portrayed Hank’s resilience as a character, and sparked his continuous obsession to solve the Heisenberg case once and for all.  This case nearly brought Hank to his deathbed, and solving it became the drive his career, and life needed.  Finding and revealing Heisenberg’s secret identity would get him the closure he needs to continue his life.

Jesse Kills Gale (Season 3, Episode 13)

After Walt becomes aware of Gustavo Fring’s plan to kill him and implement Gale Boetticher, a modest, kind-hearted chemist, as head of Fring’s meth superlab, he implores Jesse to kill Gale.  Jesse abides, despite significant second thoughts in the moment, and shoots an innocent Gale (who is the one who got Walt the job with Gus in the first place) square in the face.  This marks the beginning of the end for Jesse as he began a non-stop downward spiral into true emotional instability.  Jesse’s strong moral code, and kind heart portrayed on Breaking Bad up until now makes the murder even harder on him, as the audience sees the anguish in his face, the tears swelling up in his eyes as he regretfully pulls the trigger to end an blameless man’s life.

Gus Eliminates the Cartel (Season 4, Episode 10)

Gus, Mike, and Jesse go to Mexico to cut a deal with the cartel that Gus has no intention of keeping.  After what happened 20 years ago when Don Eladio murdered Gus’ business partner, revenge is the only thing on his mind.  Gus brings fine tequila to celebrate their new deal and shares it with the whole cartel and Don Eladio himself.  After the festivities continue, Gus calmly and meticulously (as if he ever does it another way) goes to bathroom and vomits out the poisoned drink as everyone out by the pool collapses.  His brilliantly thought out plan succeeds and he leaves Mexico as the true meth kingpin.  This shows that Gus will go to any extent, including poisoning himself, to get what he wants and keep his empire intact.

Walt Beats Gus (Season 4, Episode 13)

Knowing his days are numbered, Walt must do anything possible to stay alive and avoid becoming a tied up loose end by Gus.  He teams up with one of his many enemies, Hector (Tio) Salamanca, who only agrees because Gus destroyed his empire and murdered every member of the Salamanca family.  Gus bites on the bait laid out by Walt and falls right into his trap, where Salamanca sets off a Heisenberg-made bomb strapped to his wheelchair.  An unbelievable shot shows Gus emerge from the room seemingly unscathed, only to calmly fix his tie as the camera pans around to reveal half his face had been blown off; a parallel to Gus’ two-faced identity.  Walt is no longer in danger; he has won the two-season rigorous chess match between Gustavo Fring and himself.  This is where Walt’s wife, Skyler, finally realizes what Walt meant when he said, “I am the danger.”

The Train Heist (Season 5.1, Episode 5)

This is arguably the most exhilarating and suspenseful episode of the show.  A transport train carrying 1000 gallons of methylamine is the target as Walt’s brilliantly planned heist goes into motion.  As if the anxiety-filled 20 minutes isn’t enough, the Breaking Bad team takes it one step further as the joyful energy following the success of the heist is put to rest as a young boy is revealed to have witnessed the entire thing.  That is when the lovable sociopath Todd decides to take action by murdering him. This is to Jesse’s horror, as Jesse’s morals are once again put to the test.  This is even more emphasized by the fact that Jesse is shown to be quite fond of kids (i.e. drug addicts’ son and Brock).  The entire event shows just how smart Walter White, the criminal mastermind, really is.  It also kicks off a new distance that begins growing between Jesse and Walt.

Walt Ties Up Loose Ends (Season 5.1, Episode 8 )

As Mike’s men are prepared to start revealing information that will destroy Walt and his empire, he has to take action.  Walt hires Todd’s uncle and his neo-nazi friends to pull off an epic two minute, 11-person hit in three different prisons.  The scene is unfolded beautifully as Walt’s watch ticks while the targets are stabbed and burned to death with a cheerful melody set as a soundtrack.  This marks the end of Walter White’s transformation from abused chemistry teacher, to cold-blooded drug lord as he officially takes old advice to stop taking half-measures while solving his problems.

Hank Finds Out Walt’s Secret (Season 5.1, Episode 8 )

After five and half seasons of close calls, Walt has always evaded the suspicion of his DEA agent brother-in-law.  It wasn’t until Hank was sitting in Walt’s bathroom that he made the life-changing discovery.  Grabbing a copy of Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman from behind him, Hank recognizes Gale Boetticher’s handwriting on the inside cover.  He finally pieces it all together in a scene that leaves goose bumps to all those watching, as you see the humiliation, but the victorious realization in Hank’s eyes.  What followed was the longest nine months of waiting in television history.

It All Ends (Season 5.2, Episode 16)

The only thing Walt has left to live for is to avenge Hank’s death.  The now brilliant criminal mastermind concocts a plan and executes it to perfection, killing Jack and all of his crew.  Although he is seriously wounded, he can finally die happy.  The money he worked so hard to earn is being left to his son and closure was reached with Skyler and Jesse.  He realizes the terrible series of errors he has made throughout the last couple years and finally collapses dead with the only thing he has left: his precious meth lab. The scene is made complete with a pan of Walt, laying dead and smiling on the meth lab floor, as Badfinger’s “Baby Blue” plays in the background.  The song quite literally explains White’s relationship with crystal meth, and it gives a floating sensation as the camera zooms out and the police flood in.