I don't see Walt making it to witness protection and having to live like a schnook. Like lhprop1 said and I believe too, his ego is to big and his criminal abilities to small to be able to handle the top spot. I think he'll end up dead. Just a guess.
I believe it was eluded to during the other big sit down at Gus's chicken coop compound. But it just makes sense, especially since the Mexican cartels want one thing and one thing only. A % doesn't seem like enough of a big deal to go to war over so it's either Walt or the recipe, which even Gus doesn't have. It's a good way to make Walt flip, cooperate with the DEA, etc. Otherwise he finds himself chained to an underground lab in the middle of nowhere Mexico for the rest of his life.
So was he just taunting that old man? I really need to focus more when Im watching this shit. The beginning was a flashback to right after Hank's shooting, then the old school flashback with Manny, and then I thought it was present day when he was asking the old man if today was the day. Anyway the pool scene was awesome.
Definitely present day during the taunting. I think there is a lot more to the story but what I got from the basics is 'In the long run, I beat you and you're drooling in a wheelchair with no motor control, trapped inside your head and with - wait for it... a diaper that smells like its been soiled for days. I think I win bitch'.
It kind of goes to show why Gus put up with Walt's demands for Jesse. Also, isn't the old man in the wheel chair supposed to be a native Spanish speaker? I know it's T.V. and all but his accent makes me cringe.
Surprised no one's commented yet. I thought this last episode was by far the best of the season so far. Not really to excited with Ted and Skylars new deal but what ever. The brooding silence in the final scene is why I love shows that take risk like this one. I have the feeling Jesse's last words to Walt will end up as empty as his hospital bed rant about Hank after that beat down. I've actually really enjoyed Walt and Jesse's disconnect this season but shit will inevitably go down and neither will be able to get through without the other. As cool as Gus is, I am so so on the Chess master super criminals. They seem to be setting it up that he'll once again have the whole thing clocked from the start and will pull some shit like when he had the federalies blow away the last cartel head. Don Corleone and later Michael in The Godfather series were the same, with a few slips. Basically had everything figured out and in control the entire time.
Something's got to change between the start and the end of this season and I reckon it's likely to be either Hank or Gus dying. My money is on Gus with the cartel taking over his business.
So this bullshit with Skylar and her former boss and then her staring at the hidden money. What do you make of that? If this cunt gives away Walt's money to 'ensure that they aren't caught up by the feds' he's going to lose his shit. I know I would
Is there any doubt? I'm a bit annoyed by this season. The pace has been sort of slow. I'm excited to see what happens with the whole Hank thing, though. edit: Was just browsing the imdb page and holy shit is that a cool poster: Spoiler
Holy shit. Spoiler Gus is officially the best criminal in history. Killing off the entire fucking cartel leadership in one blow?
Fucking brilliant episode. I agreed with Winterbike about the season being somewhat slow compared to last year, but man, after watching the most recent episode, I've gotta revise my stance here. Spoiler Gus is a goddamn genius. He has been bottling up all that hatred and desire for revenge against the cartel for 20 year, and now he's managed to kill almost all of them almost single-handedly. Sure, he might not make it out alive, but nevertheless he's managed to consistently outmaneuver much larger, more powerful enemies. If they all make it out alive, I'm curious to see whether this ordeal will make Jesse reconsider his loyalties. And I also want to see how another murder is going to play on his conscience as well. Speaking of which, I loved how Jesse was able to bluff the cartel chemist. He just responded to all of his suspicions without flinching. I also liked how Mike and Gus were looking at him with respect while he was yelling at the chemist. Awesome monologue by Brian Cranston - I loved that whole exchange between Walt and Jr. I've hated him almost all season because of his petty behaviour and huge ego, but in one scene he manages to win me back. Great acting chops right there. It reminds you how much of a sad, tragic, and kinda pathetic figure that Walt is when you really get down to it. Only one thing I didn't like: Spoiler The way the cartel was killed was a little cliche for my tastes. It feels almost too easy. Maybe I'm nitpicking a bit, but I usually expect something more creative from a show with such consistently excellent writing.
I loved the character development that happened this episode. Jesse fucking finally pulled his head out of his ass after 4 seasons. Walt's 5 minute part in the episode showed some brilliant acting and Skyler got hit smack in the face with some reality. That said: Spoiler The whole cartel thing was a huge "who gives a shit" moment for me. We know fuck all about the boss, his reach or the size of his operation. He's just some guy who killed some other guy. The ramifications of Gus' actions are not tangible so instead of going "holy shit" (like I would if Walt did that to Gus for example), it was mostly "meh". The whole thing seems like a deus ex machina to get Jesse and Walt on different sides. As I previously said, it did provide for some great character development on the ones we already know, but I really wish they'd gone about it in a different way.
Well, we know enough about him to know that he ran the cartel for 20+ years, that his reach covered most of Mexico and was venturing into the U.S., that he killed Gus' original partner, and that he was a big enough deal for Gus to offer him 50 million dollars to avoid a drug war. Oh, and Jesse and Walt's divide has been building up for a couple episodes at least, most notably the previous one, when Jesse beat the shit out of Walt and told him to never come back. I'm growing to truly hate when people throw around the phrase 'deus ex machina', especially when they italicize it. Anyways, what a great fucking episode. Not sure I've ever had such a hard on for a character in a drama like I do for Gus. Dude's a fucking robot. A cold, calculating, super polite, murderous, drug dealing robot. I thought the way Skylar got the IRS off her old bosses' back was kinda weak, and I'm not sure if it's realistic or try hard to bring an old story line back for new complications, but I think that's just me being picky about a show that's so stellar. Even when it's weak, it's really fucking good. What's everyone's thoughts on Walt making a similar attempt on Gus' life? Obviously he's trying to poison him, but what about Walt having to drink the poison so Gus does as well?
I've definitely noticed this as well, but I'm not necessarily against the slow pace. It seems like a lot of shows, after the first couple seasons, have a hard time keeping their momentum after the initial conflicts are resolved and resort to speeding up the pace in an attempt to keep the audience interested. I haven't watched Weeds in a couple years, but I remember this happening with that show. Started out awesome, but after a couple/few seasons it seemed like the show kept having to one-up itself: she survives one bad guy, so then there's a bigger one; she gets by him, then there's a bigger one, who's REALLY bad, etc. To some degree BB has done that too, but the growth has seemed more natural to me. Now, in the fourth season, they're slowing down and really focusing on building the characters and story arcs slowly. I like that, plus when there is an eventful episode like last night, it's all the more awesome.
Thinking about the cartel poisoning in those terms makes it seem more interesting. I too, thought a bottle of poisoned tequila was kind of weak, expectations were set high after the frame up he did with the last cartel boss. Though, the beginning to end execution was ballsy. Trusting Jesse enough to travel to Mexico to bluff his way past a chemist took some guts. You think with his godlike foresight he probably could have easily made Walt go with him. Walt might be a loose cannon at times but in reality is still scared and way over his head, something you think Gus could manipulate easily.
I might not have been paying attention, but how do we know that "his reach covered most of Mexico"? Also, that list might read "The Supreme President of Everything" for all the good it does: he was introduced and killed off in the space of 2 episodes, meaning that scene had no emotional impact whatsoever and the build-up of the cartel thing the entire season was essentially worthless.
You've heard of the cartel in previous seasons, yes? You know there's been a meth pipeline coming up into the U.S. for longer than Walt's been a part of all this, right? Well, turns out Don Eladio's been the guy running it for 20 years. Just because we've only seen him on screen in the last two episodes, doesn't mean he came out of nowhere, that we don't know his reach, that Gus' actions are not tangible, and most certainly doesn't make Eladio just "some guy who killed some other guy" (I assume you meant Gus' original partner). So you really don't see the "full circle" aspect of Gus waiting 20 goddamn years to kill his drug world adversary/the man who killed his original partner? Gus standing IN THE EXACT SPOT where he was forced to stare in the eyes of his dead partner, then later yelling at potential survivors that "Eladio is dead, you have no reason to fight. Leave peacefully or fight me and die!" -- all this carried no emotional impact and was kind of "meh" for you? Fair enough, I guess, but if this is all because you didn't see the character until recently, I think you're missing out on a bit. I meant the potential for Walt or Jesse (though that's looking less likely) poisoning Gus and having to do the same thing Gus did to Eladio (drinking and throwing it up). But the fact that it's something I could think up means it's most likely not gonna happen. It was incredibly ballsy to go down there with just his main henchman and fairly un-proven cook and essentially cut of the cartel's head, though at this point, we really shouldn't be underestimating the size of Gus' balls. Pretty sure he's got three. Can't wait till he goes to the old folk's home and gloats to Tio.
That picture is fan-tastic. I think this season has seemed slow because last season ended so dramatically. So much went down in the last few episodes, it would be impossible for the show to maintain that pace without turning into 24* or Human Target or some other turd. I'm just happy they still care about details in this show. For me, it's a huge part of what has made it so great over the seasons. E.g. in this episode, Gus stood in the exact spot where Eladio made him watch his boy die, while taking poison inhibiting pills and thinking about his revenge. He knows there's a good chance he will also die, but he's planned and analyzed, and takes a tremendously ballsy risk that he thinks will play out. Also, talking about details: Mike pulling out the garrote as he walked up behind Eladio's main guy, presumably the only cartel member not poisoned, nearly gave me chills. *I thoroughly enjoyed seasons 1-3 of 24, but Jack Bauer can only shoot so many women in the knee caps before it gets old.