Last Night's Breaking Bad

This season has done a good job in alienating the audience from Walter White. Basically, he's been running around being an insane, selfish, jerk hole for so long now that most audience members have transferred their loyalty to either Jesse or even Walt's wife Skyler (whom was once the most hated character in the series). That started to change last episode where a vulnerable Walt confessed an apology to his son. This week, Walt broke my heart I finished the show feeling just emotionally roughed up.

But I am ahead of myself.

Most of the show was following up on the running plot points of late. It was good but not outstanding up that point. Skyler was still trying to get Ted to pay off the IRS, but now he has a sudden case of the conscience. Skyler's solution was definitely out of the ordinary but promises to be final. Hank is getting closer to the truth about the Chicken man Gus, so close that Walt had to have create a car accident to slow him down. Worse though, Jesse has nearly totally turned to the Gus side and has agreed to be the new cook for the meth. His only sticking point is that Gus would not kill Walter. This bemused Gus mightily, but he agrees.

So.....

Ten minutes to the end of the show, Walt is in the desert. Tied up like a turkey. Gus tells him how it is, Walt is out. Walt is not to bother Jesse ever again, and if Walt was smart he would practice being invisible. Walt for a smart guy is not smart. He crows that the only reason he's still alive is despite everything Jesse won't give him up. Gus just smiles and says "for now." Gus is a man who waited twenty years to revenge on the cartel.  Gus knows it is just a matter of time.  But that doesn't mean Gus can't have fun now, Walt has been the burning thorn in his side for two seasons now.  It's time for some payback.  Gus tells Walt that Gus is going to kill Hank, and if Walt does ANYTHING to interfere then Walt's wife, his son, and infant daughter will die. 

They leave Walt in the desert.

What can Walt do?  He can't let them kill Hank, but he has to protect his family.  He goes to his lawyer and asks for the number of the man who can get them new identities.  Saul gives the number but tells him they will need at least a half a million dollars.  Walt's all, "No problems," and asks Saul to call and tip off the DEA that there's a hit on Hank.  So now Walt's in the crawl space. 

There is not enough money.

He looks up through the hole and there's his wife.  He asks where the money is.  He's hoping she has it, maybe at the car wash getting it nice and clean.  But Skyler tells the truth that she gave it to Ted.  Right then, right there, Walt finally broke and broke bad.  He knows in his heart he has just killed his family and his tears become an insane laughing fit.  Everything that he has done, he has done with them as a reason and now it is over.  Skyler leaves him laughing under the house.