I have been thinking about the ricin being Walt's way out for a while now. And, I agree. Walt and Jesse's relationship is really complicated. Jesse simply couldn't handle the chaos anymore, especially after Todd killed the boy. But, Walt has always been very protective of Jesse. And, also jealous of him.
When Gus Fring asks Walt why he works with this "junkie", Walt simply replies that, "he does what I tell him". Soon after that Gus starts sending Jesse out with Mike, and I think he was trying to see if Walt is correct and Jesse does what he is told. I think Walt couldn't handle Jesse being involved with anyone but him. There were a lot of reasons to get rid of Fring; but, I have to wonder if one of them was Walt not liking Fring using Jesse for Fring's own purposes.
Jesse belongs to Walt; I'm sure there must be some psychological explanation for it.
It is so true that we were not robbed. I was thinking, as someone up thread said, that this is entirely believable. Amazing this story can stay so tight without any shark jumping.
Walt will definitely go back to rescue Jesse, but I have no idea how he learns of Jesse’s situation. The truth about Walt and Jesse’s relationship is that Walt cares about Jesse, and the whole time in the desert when Hank was “arresting” Walt, he felt a deep sense of betrayal. He was hurt, and he told Jesse about Jane to hurt him back.
Here’s one question: what was Jesse telling Todd in the pit? He said something like, “I gave you what you wanted. I told you where the tape is. No one knows about except me and him. Go to his house and you’ll see for yourself.” What is that all about? The confession tape that Walt made in the first episode was crunched up and destroyed, so that’s not it. I am not aware of any other “tape” and the DVD wouldn’t incriminate the rednecks.
Witness protection for Skylar and the kids? Maybe. They have to go somewhere, and the house is empty.
The ricin is for Walt? Maybe. But if he was going to do himself in he wouldn’t choose a drug that takes 3 days.
The ricin is for Lydia? Maybe. But Walt doesn’t hate her and he is no longer in need of trying to maintain his innocence, so there’s no need to eliminate threats to his secret. He doesn’t give a damn about Lydia. I think the ricin is for someone he hates — someone he wants to suffer. I don’t know who.
I really should get out of the Breaking Bad prediction business, because I have been wrong about everything. So I’ll just point out some things I loved about this episode:
Walt rolling that barrel through the desert was sheer poetry, and I loved that truck he bought.
I was impressed with Marie’s confrontation with Skylar — exactly how it might have happened in real life. Skylar’s facial expressions when Marie tells her Walt is in custody is priceless and brilliantly played.
Walt’s desperate attempt to get his family packed and out of the house was chilling. So well acted, filmed, and edited. “We’re a family! A family...” It was then that he realized he lost his family for good. Intense. And when he ever picked up Holly and took off, my mind was blown.
The phone call is evidence that Vince Gilligan is superhuman. Who among us could have imagined such a brilliant turn of events? Such an elegant use of verbal violence designed to absolve Skylar of any involvement, and she quickly caught on with the same sharpness that she has shown throughout the entire series.
I am just happy to have two more episodes to savor. This isn’t just a show. It is an amazing work of art.