I'm an avid fan of Breaking Bad, and have been for quite some time. My expectations for the finale were through the roof. I sat down with my dad to watch it and . . .
. . . it was perfect. My dad commented on the slow pace of the episode, and I loved that, because Breaking Bad is all about a slow pace with a great payoff.
There were many great moments in this episode, but one of the greatest by far was when he finally admitted to Skyler, "I did it for myself". Walter has been saying the entire series that he did it for the family, he did it for the family, he did it for the family, but he only said that to hide his true reason. He loved doing it. He was good at it. He'd always wanted to be good at something and he finally was.
He got his goodbye to Skyler, his goodbye to Holly, and a last look at the son who hates him but the son he'll love forever. He gave his family Hank's body, which showed he really truly did care.
And then he poisoned Lydia. And congratulations to all those who guessed how he'd do it. You were right.
I was talking with my friend at work about the one thing we absolutely wanted to happen in the finale, and we both agreed on Todd dying. Walt's brilliant gun setup knocked out all of the Nazis but two, Jack and Todd. Jesse got to kill Todd, which was perfect, and Walt killed Jack.
But the moment where Walt kills Jack, isn't that the moment this whole series has sort of led up to? Not the killing Jack part, but what Jack said right before that.
"If you kill me now, you'll never know where your money is."
But Walt doesn't care. He no longer cares about the money he loved so much, he no longer cares about all of his hard work. He shoots Jack and ends any trace of him empire with it.
I love how Walt saved Jesse. It brought tears to my eyes to see that in the end, despite everything, he still cared about Jesse. And though lots of you may disagree, I think there was a small shred of Jesse that cared for Walt too.
Jesse getting free. Getting away. Driving off into the future hindered by no villains or drugs. Him laughing and smiling, finally, after all this time, finally free. You can't help but smile with him.
And then Walt, mortally wounded by not only his cancer, but by his own weapon (symbolism), takes one last walk through the lab he and Jesse designed. One last walk through his empire, before he places a bloodied hand on a piece of equipment, and collapses, dead.
I am not going to try and convince you that Breaking Bad is the greatest piece of television ever created. I'm not gonna shove it down your throats or get offended if you don't agree. In my own opinion, though, I do believe that Breaking Bad is the greatest fictional story ever told.
Because the writers somehow managed to turn a bored man and a stoner kid into legacies, one ruled by his desires for an empire, and one driven by the guilt that haunts him. They took a simple idea that no one believed would work - a 50 year old chemistry teacher is diagnosed with lung cancer, so he begins to cook meth to ensure his family's financial future, and make it into an incredible story with real characters, impossible situations, and a place where the love for family conquers in the end.
As an aspiring writer, I'd be lying if I didn't say Breaking Bad is the most inspiring thing I've ever watched. It hasn't only helped me in my talents and hobbies, but it's also helped me through my depression. That may sound weird. About a year ago I was diagnosed with depression, and for a while now, I've been on pills. Lately, my depression has gotten lots worse, and somehow Breaking Bad just . . . transported me. It helped me escape from my seemingly inescapable problems, and it has, oddly, made me happy again.
I don't know what it is about this show, guys. I can't tell you why I believe it's the greatest story ever told, or how it managed to pull me out of the most challenging slump in my life to date, or why I know I'll always love it. But I can tell you this:
Breaking Bad means a lot to me. Stories have always been an important part of my life, and Breaking Bad does not take away from that. I do not know how I'll ever repay Vince Gilligan and the writers and the cast. I never will be able to I guess, but if they somehow manage to read this, I just want to say thanks.
You people have created the world's highest rated TV drama of all time, and not only that, but you've created something that has made a huge difference in my life, and I'll never be able to thank you enough.
When I publish my first book, I will dedicate it to you guys, because there's no way I would have gotten there without this show.
This is the last review I'll write, but all bad things come to an end. ;)
R.I.P Walter White.
-Jackson
