Because this post is getting so complicated and involved, here’s a little Table of Contents so you can easily jump to any section you are interested in right off the bat. I’m going to keep updating as the season progresses, and promotional pics and teasers come out for each episode, so this will come in handy.

Table of Contents

Introduction

General Pre-Seasons Teasers and Trailers

Episode 509 “Blood Money”

Episode 510 “Buried”

Episode 511 “Confessions”

Episode 512 “Rabid Dog”

Episode 513 “To’hajiilee”

Episode 514 “Ozymandias”

Episode 515 “Granite State”

Episode 516 “Felina”

Overall Season Predictions

Spoilers (mostly relate to the premiere)

UPDATE SEPTEMBER 18: Pics, teaser and updated predictions for episode 515 “Granite State” added to the section below about that episode.

UPDATE SEPTEMBER 12: Pics and video teaser for episode 514 “Ozymandias” added to the section below about that episode. Updated predictions added for “Granite State”.

UPDATE SEPTEMBER 5: Pics and video teaser for episode 513 “To’hajiilee” added to the section below about that episode. New info added for “Granite State”.

Also, no idea in what episode, but Gretchen will be returning! You can read the article here. It mostly focuses on another upcoming project for actress Jessica Hecht but at the very beginning, it says that she was in Albuquerque filming for an appearance in the final season. What do you make of that? What episode might she appear in? My thought is that Walter’s crimes become public knowledge and Gretchen finds out what she was inadvertently helping to cover up so long ago. I just imagine that finding out the truth about Walt could bring her out of the woodwork. As could Walt’s funeral, but I’m leaning more towards the first guess. Thoughts???

UPDATE AUGUST 29: Pics and video teaser for episode 512 “Rabid Dog” added to the section below about that episode. New cast member listings at IMDB and updated predictions added for “To’hajiilee” and “Granite State”.

UPDATE AUGUST 22: Pics and video teaser for Episode 511 “Confessions” added to the section below about that episode. And a tiny little thing is added to the section for “To’hajiilee”. Betting Bad results added for “Buried”.

UPDATE AUGUST 14: Pics and video teaser for Episode 510 “Buried” added to the section below about that episode.

I’m also going to start posting my Betting Bad results after each episode airs. For others that are playing, please share your updates as well.

UPDATE AUGUST 7: A few more teeny, eensy little spoilers have leaked out about the first episode. Critics got advanced copies of 509 “Blood Money” and wrote reviews and tried not to say anything, but some couldn’t help giving a few things away. Even though these all relate to the first episode, I’m putting them down below in the Spoilers section so people who want to avoid them can, and those who want to know can read on.

UPDATE JULY 27: I did come across some actual spoilers (Comic-Con). The new info raises more questions than in answers, but I’m going to add it at the very bottom to be sensitive to those who don’t want any, even tiny, spoilers (and I’m usually one of those people but BrBa and this long wait is just killing my willpower).



BEGINNING OF ORIGINAL POST: In less than four weeks, the final episodes begin. It’s getting so close but it still feels like an eternity, all this waiting. So what to do in the meantime? Dig, dig, dig up every clue and try to figure out what it means. And there are several clues to find, so let’s put it all together and make some predictions, even though we know that Vince Gilligan and co. will no doubt prove us wrong and surprise us with things we never would’ve thought up. Still, mysteries are fun, so let’s at least try. I have gathered up a LOT of little tidbits for you all.

Last week, you got straight up predictions. This week’s post involves a little more digging. Things included here aren’t based on just trying to surmise or wish where the story will go. Everything in today’s post has been sussed out from actual promo material and articles and interviews and some general internet sleuthing.

See the thing is, I hate spoilers, and I don’t intend for this post to contain any spoilers aside from things that AMC, the actors and writers have already put out publicly. But, I also love mysteries and trying to solve puzzles and have a little too much time on my hands waiting for the final episodes, and this naturally led to a fair amount of digging and putting different things together. So if you really don’t want to know ANYTHING, you probably shouldn’t go any further.

Keep checking back, as there will be updates, as more info, videos and pics come out!

Still, these are tiny little pieces they are giving us to go on, and they’re all up to interpretation, and I’d love to hear everyone else’s take on all these little clues so please comment below with your own predictions. Let’s get some crazy, fun, probably all wrong (including mine) predictions and theories going!

All right, let’s get to it.



First, here’s the short video, “A Look at the Final Episodes: Inside Breaking Bad.” Notice that we again see Walt getting a scan. Cancer’s back, yo.

And here are two quick teasers, one of Jesse, one of Hank

And one more ten-second look, this time at Walt

Maybe the best way is to go episode by episode, especially since the titles were just released. It’s good to keep in mind though, that names are still subject to change. Last year, 507 was called “Everybody Wins” instead of “Say My Name” for a really long time. If I had to guess which episode title would change, I’d go for the finale, 516, possibly 516. More on that below.



Episode 509 “Blood Money”

(IMDB for this episode)

The description on AMC says, “As Walt and Jesse adjust to life out of the business, Hank grapples with a troubling lead.”

This episode was (up until today) listed on IMDB as “The Decision,” and was for awhile, listed on wikipedia as “A Rock and a Hard Place.” I am thinking it will focus on Hank’s decision about what to do going forward, and the title “Blood Money” suggests that he may find or figure out that his treatment money’s been coming from Walt. Will he have a talk with Marie this early where he hints at or overly states his suspicion of Walt? Seems too early for that. What else would get her to tell Hank now after all this time that the money is from the Whites? I could see Hank confiding in Marie, thinking back to “One Minute” and seeing as how the family ties are really hers, but again, this seems too early and I think it will come out in some other way. I do think the “blood” in “blood money” could mean family, as well as other implications.

Here’s a link to all the released pictures from the episode.

Already love Saul’s outfit, the mint green. What’s he up to though? If everyone’s out, and there’s no more criminal advice to give or incoming money to launder or what-have-you, what’s his deal? We only see him interacting with Jesse. Is this more of the same from the “Chicks ‘N’ Guns” extra scene? Is he trying to warn Jesse about Walt some more? Might he tell Jesse about Brock to convince Jesse what a danger Walt is?

Other than the main characters (Walt, Skyler, Jesse, Hank, Marie, Jr and Saul), this episode also features Todd, Lydia, Badger, Skinny Pete and someone named Agent Artie who’s never been in a previous episode, and a carwash patron. Agent Artie might be a new DEA agent buddy, maybe someone Hank talks to off the record or something, since he can’t pursue Walt openly, at least not yet.

I’m psyched to see Badger and Skinny Pete again since we barely saw them in the first half of Season Five (but when we did, it was awesome, remember Skinny Pete’s piano skills?) and they’re always fun to hang with. It looks like Jesse’s in a pretty bad place though, reminiscent of the beginning of Season Four when he was feeling so so guilty over Gale and was just having a drugged-out crazy-ass house party so sketchy even Badger and Skinny Pete had to check out. It looks like Jesse’s character could be sliding back into a similar state of mind and substance now, but it doesn’t look like he’s surrounding himself with hobos and strippers this time around. He’s alone. I’m also kinda psyched to see Jesse in this storyline. I love his character and always want Jesse to come out of things alive and all right in the end, but how powerful would it be if he just goes to the darkest depths we’ve ever seen Jesse go? I’m hoping for it. Big time. Bring on the despair and depravity.

Walt visits him, according to the pictures. Is he trying to help Jesse? Threaten him? They had their sort of “break up talk” in 508, reminiscing about the Bounder and all that, and Walt gave Jesse his money. So what’s he back for? These two never stay apart for long. Maybe he just wants to keep tabs on Jesse to ensure his continued loyalty? It’s also possible that Walt is genuinely trying to help Jesse.

Update: Details about the Walt/Jesse conversation are included in the spoilers section below, as are a few other choice details about the episode.

Could it be that Walt wants to cook again? I sort of doubt it, but you never know. Or does Walt figure out early on that Hank’s onto him? I doubt that too, but again, ya never know with this show.

This is the only episode that lists Lydia and Todd. What do you make of that? Will they be loose ends that Walt ties up in his usual way?

BETTING BAD RESULTS: So far, I’m in the top 5%! 3000 points out of a possible 4000 so far. Winning bets: Cancer is back, We will see Walt in a medical facility, Walt will find out that Hank knows within the first four episodes, Walt will appear in the first scene, We will hear Walt threaten someone, and We will see someone doing drugs.

Correct bets that I did not make: We will see Pollos Hermanos logo, We will see Leaves of Grass book, Walt will figure out Hank saw the inscription in Leaves of Grass.

Bets that were wrong: None so far, bitch!



Episode 510 “Buried”

(IMDB for this episode)



AMC says, “While Skyler’s past catches up with her, Walt covers his tracks. Jesse continues to struggle with his guilt.”

Skyler’s past? It has to be Ted or the IRS, doesn’t it? What other past does she have? I always thought Ted would only be quiet for so long, and maybe the time has come for him to try to blackmail her again. It would be great if they wove him back in. Ted is the character who comes back, season after season, to play a slightly different part in the story. He knows about Walt’s “gambling” and tried to blackmail Skyler once before. Don’t trust that dude, just don’t.

Jesse’s…guilt? Hmmm. It’s been awhile since Gale, and the tarantula kid, so I’m not sure exactly what Jesse is feeling guilty over, unless he’s just finally realizing all of it. Remember in “Buyout” when Walt said that once they were done cooking through the methylamine from the train robbery and making their millions off of it, there would be time for soul-searching. Has Jesse come to that point? He has nothing in his life now. Walt manipulated him into breaking up with his “instant family,” and it looks like he may go back to the crystal (and more?) and maybe he just has too much time on his hands and too much time leads to too much thinking about everything he has done. At least in Season Four when he was all fucked up over Gale, Jesse had a job to go to at the superlab, something to do to make him feel productive or at least take his mind off things a bit. But now, as Walt told him, he has nothing.

Looks like Hanks is back at work. What’s he going to do?

Walt covering his tracks – more barrels? Hence the title?

This episode doesn’t list any additional characters outside of our lucky seven.

Here’s the very short teaser:

What do you think?

BETTING BAD RESULTS: At 5000 points out of a total possible 6800. Doesn’t sound great but now in the top 2.8%, you know, somewhere between Jesse’s and Walt’s levels of meth purity. Winning bets: Hank will investigate Walt without the DEA, We will see a conversation take place in a desert, Hank tells someone Walt is Heisenberg.

Correct bets that I did not make: Declan will be involved in the plot, someone will be murdered by a gun, someone will be murdered outdoors.

Incorrect bets: Still none so far, bitch!



Episode 511 “Confessions”

(IMDB for this episode)

AMC says, “Jesse decides to make a change, while Walt and Skyler try to deal with an unexpected demand.”

So this episode, I think, is where shit hits the fan. Awhile back, AMC released A Day on Set – Part I and A Day on Set Part II and it was immediately clear that though it wasn’t stated, these both referred to this episode, 511 (the giveaways were Slovis as directer and Genni Hutchinson as writer, all this info had already been out on IMDB for awhile). So because of that, there may be a little more to put together about this episode than others.

First, in Part I, they talk about the scene where Jesse has to make a decision. From the title confessions, it seems that maybe he confesses, probably to Hank. But is that too obvious? I still grapple with the thought of Jesse really turning on Walt. Not that Walt doesn’t deserve it, and who knows what he may have learned from Saul, and maybe it could happen. It’s just that he’s not a guy who rolls, you know? Maybe the stakes have just gotten that high.

Or this could be totally misleading. Maybe Jesse’s decision is something else entirely, like he decides to get clean again and get his shit together, or he decides to warn Walt, or who knows. And the title refers to something else someone else confesses. It’s hard to say, and the writers are always so surprising.

From the Part II, we know that Walt, Skyler, Marie and Hank have dinner together. This is really hard to imagine now that Hank knows, and Walt and Skyler know he knows, and Marie knows he knows and knows Skyler has known about Walt since before Hank got shot. Marie has slapped Skyler and tried to kidnap her baby. It is really, really hard to predict what could possibly get these four to have dinner together. I’m wondering if the dinner itself is the unexpected demand.

I still haven’t given up on the idea that Ted might come back into the story somehow. He was just so hard-headed and money hungry, and it’s now been several months, and I just don’t see him as a guy who will just stay silent, so it’s possible he comes back with some blackmail demands. Who knows, the demand could even be Jr figuring something out and demanding answers from his parents. That would be pretty awesome. There hasn’t been a lot of Jr so far, so he needs to come back into the main plot more.

What do YOU think the demand will be?

One thing that struck me in this picture immediately was how Skyler and Walt have similar color palettes. The Whites are unified in beige. Also notice in this other photo from the restaurant scene released by AMC, Skyler looks nervous.

There are two extra characters in this episode. One is a carwash customer, probably not significant, and the other is listed as Jack’s Man. Jack, if you’ll recall, is Todd’s uncle, the man who helped Walt arrange the prison killings in 508. This guy is in several upcoming episodes (though Jack himself isn’t listed) including all of the last four. So he’s likely to be involved through the end of the series. It must relate to fallout from the shootout in the desert in 511, no? I doubt Todd’s cooking will cut it with Lydia’s buyer in the Czech Republic. And just from a writing perspective, this whole thread wouldn’t be introduced unless it somehow tied into the endgame, and tie back into Walt, his family and Jesse.

Here’s the video teaser for “Confessions.” I am going out on a (probably wrong) limb and say that what I think Saul is talking about is the poisoning of Brock.

What do YOU think?



Episode 512 “Rabid Dog”

(IMDB for this episode)

AMC says, “An unusual strategy starts to bear fruit, while plans are set in motion that could change everything.”

This doesn’t give us much. We don’t know whose strategy bears fruit. I was originally guessing the rabid dog would be Hank, when I first saw the episode description before the season started. Now it looks more likely to be Jesse. That could be too obvious though. Really at this point, just about anyone could become a rabid dog. Things are coming apart at the seams for a lot of characters. Skyler’s freaking out, and can see through Walt’s terrible lying. Lydia could freak out, especially since, let’s be real, Todd’s 74% isn’t that much above Declan’s 68% and he starts fires and her buyer in the Czech Republic seems pretty demanding. It could be Walt, trying to go after Jesse, manage his family life, field offers or demands from the Lydia/Todd operation if some should arise, covering his tracks if Hank goes to the DEA despite the confession video. And it could still be Hank. He’s pushed into a corner. It could be Marie. Or it could be Jesse, the obvious choice, but there will have to be some sort of twist.

There are two extra characters credited in this episode. One is called Hard Looking Dude’s Kid. The fact that he’s there but Hard Looking Dude isn’t does indicate that these lists may not yet be complete. Not a lot we can gleam from that except that there will be a kid in the episode. Another kid for Jesse to bond with?

The other extra character is called Carpet Cleaner Boss. At first, this sounded like another name for Saul’s disappearer guy. The code for someone needing to disappear has something to do with a vacuum service. Sounds pretty similar. And we can guess pretty clearly from the infamous flashforward in 501 that Walt does indeed disappear at some point. But given the events at the end of 511, I think this will be a literal carpet cleaner, needing to clean up all the gasoline all over the carpet.

Here’s the teaser for “Rabid Dog”

Vince Gilligan said on Talking Bad that the Whites will go on “staycation” which I guess means they’ll be at a hotel in town, probably as the house is getting cleaned up. Something stops Jesse from actually setting a fire. A lot of people are saying Junior could come home while Jesse’s pouring the gasoline, and I believe that would stop Jesse, that he’d never knowingly cause harm to either of Walt’s kids. Or does Hank go to watch Saul’s office and follow Jesse himself when he goes on that walk? Does Jesse stop himself? Some have suggested he comes across the DVD (or Jr does) though I’m not sure what that would exactly do. Others have suggested he sees Holly’s playpen and stops in his tracks. From the preview, it does look like Walt is looking around his house with a gun, and no Jesse is there.

The one thing I’m betting is that Walt doesn’t catch Jesse in the act and kill him. Just not happening. And that’s not out of my undying love for Jesse and wish to see him survive it all, but because of something Aaron Paul said, that Jesse would get some great “bitch!” moments this summer, one being especially epic, and none of these have happened yet. So there’s no way Walt immediately finds Jesse pouring gasoline and shoots him then and there.

Walt Jr does seem to be asking questions, maybe because of the state of his house, maybe because of something Hank says, maybe he finds the DVD (that would be kind of priceless if he really believed that about his Uncle Hank). But watching the teaser again, Jr’s tone seems too subdued for him to have (at that point) discovered anything seriously shocking about Walt, yet. I think he wants to know what happened to the carpet, that’s the truth he’s asking about.

In “Blood Money” the first words are from Marie to Walt. “You’re the devil.” In the previews, we see Jesse saying, “Mr. White, he’s the devil,” but who is he saying it to? Will the Brock poisoning push him to talk to Hank? I think it’s more likely to be someone else, that “Not to you” bearing out. Liquid Victor at the AMC BrBa forums suggested that maybe he talks to his old rehab counselor (rabid dog bringing up the old “problem dog” which was the last time he was there). I really like that idea. He could also talk to someone at APD or someone else at the DEA, which would get Hank and Walt both in trouble. I just keep thinking of Marie’s comment that if the DEA finds out Hank was sitting on this information, he could go to jail too. Whatever he’s doing in that preview, he’s wearing the same clothes he did in the last episode.

Walt says something like, “Do not float that idea again.” My first thought was that Saul suggests sending Hank to Belize again. But it could be something else, even something we haven’t seen yet. It could even about Lydia trying to get him back in again.

I still think that Walt’s (and his family’s?) disappearing is the plan set in motion that could change everything. I always thought he might fake his own death somehow too. But if he decides to do this, I think the plan comes at the very end of the episode. More has to happen first for him to decide to leave.

What do YOU think?



Episode 513 “To’hajiilee”

(IMDB for this episode)

AMC says, “Things heat up for Walt in unexpected ways.”

Totally vague description. Not much to go on with this one. And the title (had to google it) refers to a Native American reservation in NM, which is hard to know how to interpret. As said in the podcast for 510, the place where Walt buried the money is in the To’hajiilee reservation (also the same location as Walt and Jesse’s first cook). So perhaps the money is involved in some way. Maybe Walt goes there to retrieve some, or it’s discovered, or something happens with that lottery ticket. If he does put a plan into place to disappear with the family, maybe he’s back to dig up some money for the disappearer fee, which should be half a million for all four of them. Or to pay for the hit he ordered on Jesse?

Are things heating up because of Jack’s man? He’s back for this episode. Lydia and Todd’s crew? Do they want something from Walt that’s not money (or is in addition to money) in exchange for killing my sweet Jesse-pie? Lydia, Todd and Jack have been way in the background for the last two episodes (and really all half-season) so they almost have to become more prominent now. They have to be involved in the endgame or why involve them in the story at all once Walt retired? I think they’ll be back this episode in some major development.

I also have this perhaps off-the-wall theory that Todd and crew bringing the blue back to ABQ could be big trouble for Walt. It’s clear that when he retired the cook moved to that underground bus of Declan’s in Phoenix. But after that diner scene where Todd talked about the heist, they’re bringing the methylamine back to NM, presumably to set up back in ABQ, maybe even to go back to Vamonos Pest and keep using that cover since he was already involved there? This could be bad for a few reasons. One is that Gomie suggested looking into Vamonos in the last episode, so if they’re back there and he does investigate, that could be bad news bears. Also if the blue is back on the streets of ABQ, could Hank use that in some way to make someone, perhaps Skyler, think that Walt’s not actually in retirement and is lying about it?

Another character was just added to the IMDB page for the episode: Andrea. Does Jesse tell her about Walt poisoning Brock and she causes some trouble for Walt? Does Jesse get back together with her?

Here’s the teaser, probably the least telling of any we’ve had this season:

The dijon mustardy colored house Walt’s in front of is Andrea’s apartment, as first pointed out by Hank the Tank at the AMC BrBa forum. Last week everyone was SURE that shot of Jesse walking around was in front of the DEA office, when it turned out to be in the Civic Plaza, so I wasn’t sure if I should believe this but it’s a for sure. The only time I remember seeing Andrea’s apartment is in 408 “Hermanos” when Saul drops off some cash and tells Brock some story about elementary school crushes of his past. Then Saul convinces Jesse to go talk to Andrea and here’s a screenshot of Huell in Saul’s car as they drive away from her place. Definitely the same building as in the 513 promo. Is Walt there looking for Jesse? Would he do something more to Brock to call Jesse out of hiding?

Who do you think says, “Remember, no fear”? No matter how many times I play it, it still sounds like Walt to me but a lot of others say it’s not.

Two main questions linger. The first one: What exactly does Walt ask Uncle Jack to do? I think we can safely assume it’s a hit on Jesse but is it direct or is there more to it? Does he have to do something to get Jesse out of hiding?

The other big question is: What’s Jesse’s plan? How’s he going to get Walt “where [he] really lives”? The family somehow? The only thing I can think of is telling Jr the truth, which would hurt Walt but wouldn’t “get” him. The money? Some convoluted plan to get Walt to go dig some up? He does know that Saul’s guys moved it (Saul mentions this after he throws out Hank and the ricin cops) but how? And why threaten a man he knows has zero tolerance for threats? The only thing I can think of is that Jesse WANTS Walt to order a hit, knowing he’ll have to pay for it and thus will have to go get some cash and they can track him. That seems incredibly risky though? How does he know Walt won’t just murder him himself? He already thought Walt was going to do that at the square. Unless at the same time he has Hank do something to show he’s watching Walt (that way Walt can’t do it himself and would have to hire someone instead). Still seems risky. It would “get” him though–Saul said a few episodes back that the money was the only proof (when he was reasoning that Skyler talking to Hank wouldn’t actually do Hank any good, because they were moving the only evidence she could lead him to). And it could be something Hank could get behind but there is that confession video, which of course Jesse doesn’t know about. The other thing would be to attack the Heisenberg legacy, but it would have to be in a way that would cause Walt to either admit something or go digging up the money.

I’m kinda at a loss on this one. That preview doesn’t help much either. Jr at the carwash though, with Skyler, that’s unusual. They look scared. Is this when he suggests that they might have to leave town? I’m stuck on that too though. From the flashforward it really seems that they have ALL left. But I truly think that Walt will fake his own death, and soon. The following episode “Ozymandias” is about the fall of empires, so maybe he doesn’t go on the run until (the first half of) 514 but things have got to be leading up to it soon.

There’s an interesting tone to Walt’s voice when he says, “I don’t know where he is,” in the preview. Presumably he’s talking about Jesse but he doesn’t sound angry or desperate, more resigned. Maybe even as if he’s having second thoughts? I get the same sense in his voice when he says, “Do you understand?” Actually, upon another close listen with headphones, I hear that tone in just about everything Walt says. A sadness, a resignation, maybe fear. I don’t think this will be a happy Walt. And what does he have a bad feeling about?

On Talking Bad, Vince Gilligan teased that Lydia will learn a lesson about farm-raised salmon. Knowing that he’s obscure and doesn’t like to give much if anything of importance away, I think this can mean one of three things. One is that someone uses farm-raised salmon as a metaphor. Maybe akin to Walt’s metaphor of classic coke vs. generic cola that he used on Declan? Or there is some restaurant scene and Lydia is picky about whether her salmon is fresh, in the same way she was persnickety about her tea in her first scene. Or could if have something to do with shipping since Madrigal is in the restaurant business? Is something to do with salmon part of her cover? Is there where the Czechs become involved? I have said it in comments but I really believe that whoever’s involved in the end game has to become a player by this episode. Otherwise there just isn’t enough time for it to develop.

Most of this is more speculation than prediction. This upcoming episode is a tough one with SO many possibilities. You know what’s sad though? I think as soon as the “previously on” is shown, too much might become clear. For example if they show a clip of Todd’s crew driving back to NM, we can assume that the blue showing up in ABQ will be trouble. If they show Saul saying the thing to Jesse about moving Walt’s money, we know that’ll be part of his plan somehow. If we see Gomie suggesting to look into Vamonos Pest, there’s that. But now, there are just so many unknowns and so many things that could happen.

I’ll say this though, for something more definitive. I think Walt will either put his plan to leave in place by the midway point in “Ozymandias.” I think his crimes will become public knowledge either before then or after he goes away. I think he will fake his own death. Blame could be placed on Hank because of the confession DVD which starts with, “If you’re seeing this, I’m probably dead, murdered by my brother-in-law Hank Schrader.” Or possibly blamed on Marie if he finds out about her poisoning fantasies (if that gets amped up and Dave puts a few things together and informs Walt). Or he could even frame Jesse, if Jesse’s still alive at the time (think he will be).

What do YOU think?



Episode 514 “Ozymandias”

(IMDB for this episode)

AMC says, “Everyone copes with radically changed circumstances.”

Had to google this title too. It’s a poem by Percy Shelley from 1818. Here’s the text of it:

I met a traveller from an antique land

Who said: “Two vast and trunkless legs of stone

Stand in the desert. Near them on the sand,

Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown

And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command

Tell that its sculptor well those passions read

Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,

The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed.

And on the pedestal these words appear:

`My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:

Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!’

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,

The lone and level sands stretch far away”.

And for a special treat, here’s Walter White reading this poem and a compilation of amazing time-lapses.

It’s supposed to represent the fall of kings and empires. Remember how in that 501 flashforward, Walt was looking very…Walt? Not Heisenberg at all? He had hair again and was looking all haggard. The king has fallen.

This has to be when Walt disappears, right? I’m still thinking he fakes his own death. And that his crimes somehow become public.

What we know is that the gunfight continues in “Ozymandias.” In the post for “To’hajiilee” I put up detailed predictions of who survives the gunfight and who doesn’t, but even if all of that is correct (and it goes without saying that it probably isn’t), there are still so many questions. How does Walt get away? Who undoes his handcuffs? What happens with Jack and Todd and their crew? What about Jesse? What is the fallout going to be when Marie reacts to whatever happens? What’ll become of any of the confessions–Walt’s fake one, Jesse’s real one, the real one Walt made on the phone just now?

I have a feeling that a lot of this episode will focus on the family. Things are going to fall apart if Hank dies. Marie knows he just arrested Walt, and she will blame him. She might go a little crazy. She might actually try to get some poison and in that case, I think either a) she attempts to use it and the wrong person, Junior or Skyler, ends up dead (thanks Nomad for floating that theory) and Walt could be a suspect, or b) Dave informs Walt of her intentions. Also, if Skyler suspects that Walt is in any way involved with Hank’s death, I think she could flip. And if Hank does indeed die, it’s going to have a huge impact on Junior, which could shake up the family dynamic for sure. Maybe Marie will tell Jr about his father? Will someone find the false confession and believe it?

Now this episode has, by far, the most interesting list of extra characters. Gale. Tuco. Jane. Mike. Krazy-8. WHAT?!?! Aren’t all these characters DEAD? Maybe Walt, the fallen king, is finally starting to grapple with his own guilt? Is he now left with time for soul-searching? The man who posts as Don Eladio over at the AMC BrBa forums said there was an interview where Vince Gilligan said Walt will be having nightmares, but now neither of us can find said interview. If someone finds it, please send it in and I’ll link it up. Anyway, it seems a pretty good bet that maybe Walt’s conscience is catching up with him, and maybe he’s having nightmares of these people he killed directly or indirectly.

Rian Johnson directs this episode, and he’s the same director who did “Fly” and “Fifty-One” and I could totally see him directing the shit out of a dream sequence if that’s what happens.

The hint that Vince Gilligan dropped on Talking Bad was that we’ll look on Walt’s past and despair, clearly a reference to the poem, and another indication that Walt may be haunted by his past in some way. Maybe this will all be triggered by his crimes becoming public? I feel so convinced that will happen but still can’t quite figure out how. Maybe Gomez will survive the gunfight.

The teaser gives us almost nothing, only that Walt must not come home quickly (or ever) since Skyler’s trying to reach him and not for the first time. All the visuals though, are from the previous episode. These teasers are going to get sparser and sparser, I think. Here’s the teaser anyway:

There are a few other extra characters: An APD Detective, First Detective, Baby Holly and Jack’s Man. And there are police involved, which can’t be good. Investigating Walt’s disappearance? All of this must somehow be leading up to whatever brings Walt back to ABQ to buy that M60

Baby Holly is very telling as a credited actress. In the timeline of the story, by the end of “To’hajiilee” we’re still about seven or eight months away from Walt’s 52nd birthday. That means there will have to be a significant time-jump or two coming up soon, and I think that it will happen in “Ozymandias.” Before now, the character of Holly has been young enough to be played by multiple babies, twins and plastic dolls. But with a time-jump of several months, that’ll have her character old enough to be played by one actress. I think that’s what’s going on here. And the time-lapse scenery in the promo is probably the real footage from this episode, meant to show the passage of a lot more time than usual time-lapses.



Episode 515 “Granite State”

(IMDB for this episode)

AMC says, “Events set in motion long ago move toward a conclusion.”

I would bet money this is where we return to that flashforward. Partly because New Hampshire is the Granite State, and partly because this episode was originally listed as “Fifty-Two” on IMDB. I bet that Walt’s return will be the end of the episode, and all the characters get set up for the final drama of the last episode.

Extra characters on this one: Jack’s Man, Baby Holly, The Grove Patron (?) and Kid. And now Andrea’s been added to this episode as well. Someone in the comments mentioned that The Grove is a restaurant in ABQ.

Here’s the teaser video:

I like something that BettyD on the AMC forum said about this–that Walt and Saul in the same scene will probably be a flashback to before his disappearer appointment. We never did see him call for a new filter, and the writers have done a lot of episodes this season where the teaser is a slight jump back in time. So I’m going to guess this will be the teaser, Walt talking to Saul before disappearing. I also think when Saul says they’re going to be looking at Skyler, this was BEFORE Walt’s phone call to her at the end of 514 to try to take any suspicion off her. It also sounds like the cancer’s still going strong, which we haven’t seen a lot about in awhile.

Thoughts September 18th: I’ve been wrong about timing before–I originally thought Walt would disappear in 512, and that there’d be a big time-jump in 514–usually thinking things will happen earlier than they really do. But it still seems to me that the very end of 515 will have Walt heading back to ABQ, catching up with the flashforward. And that would mean there has to be a significant time-jump in 515. We also know that Charlie Rose is in this episode (article linked at the end of this episode’s section), and that Andrea is back. And at this point, it’s 50/50 on whether Gretchen comes back for this episode or the finale.

Still so many ways the story could go. I thought by this point, because there’s so little story left, that it might be easy(ish) to figure out. Of course that’s not gonna happen! There are still lots of loose ends from the previous episode–Huell and the agent watching him, Walt and Jesse’s confession tapes, the fact that Jack’s boys may go to the Schrader house to try to retrieve Jesse’s tape, everything Walt said on the phone to Skyler that was overheard by the police, all but begging them to ask a lot more questions. I think one thing is for certain (though I say this knowing there are no certainties in predicting this show): Walt’s crimes will go public this episode. That’s assuming Charlie Rose is playing himself, which is a safe bet (otherwise why would VG have been upset that he said he was appearing).

So who will go on Charlie Rose? I’m thinking…Marie? The wife of the missing-presumed-dead DEA agent, and she’s probably the person to go public. The other guess would be Skyler but I think she’s going to be under too much suspicion even with what Walt just did for her.

But a lot more has to happen. They must abandon the house, but why, where do they go? Are Skyler and Junior still alive? Did Walt leave some money for Saul to disappear them if need be? Do they go into witness protection? I keep going back to that first flashforward. I really felt, and still do, that Walt is missing Skyler, that either she is dead or has left and he won’t see her again. Still thinking that she’s not the one he comes back for. I just sense mourning in that breakfast scene.

So why does Walt come back? The big question. We know a bunch of time passes before he comes back. I still think he comes back for Jesse, as unrealistic as that seems now. In fact it’s partly because it’s so unbelievable now that I think that’s what happens. Walt has had two adversaries this season–Hank and Jesse–and Hank’s dead. It just makes sense to me that whatever the final story point is about, it makes sense that it takes place between Walt and the person he has the most dramatic, contentious relationship with, and that’s Jesse. He did something very kind (in a twisted way) for Skyler at the end of the last episode, so that even with that knife fight, they are on a more positive note at the moment. And Skyler’s been on his side all season, so I don’t think it’s her.

But then I question that, because it seems there has to be SOME more resolution with Walt and Jr. But I just don’t see it relating to the whole M60 thing. Walt took his barrel with him, but I do think that he will try to get some of his money to Skyler and Jr, or already left a lot for them (perhaps $737,000?) with Saul before he left? Maybe Skyler loses the carwash in everything that happens and he needs to come back to provide? I don’t know. But my bet is still that he’s coming back, for good or evil intentions, for Jesse.

The other thing is, Walt’s not rushing around. We have seen Walt trying to save people (and his money) and drive like a freakin’ maniac. But in these flashforward scenes, he’s stopping for breakfast, taking his time getting the ricin. That makes me think no one’s in immediate danger, and definitely not Skyler or Junior because in that case, he would be a racing fool. But a situation like Jesse’s–which is terrible but not looking to change anytime soon–would make sense with him coming back but not rushing around like a madman.

If he comes back to protect Jesse, WHY? Has he had a change of heart while on the road after time to think and reflect? Is the rest of his family totally gone and Jesse’s the only person he remotely has left? Hmmmm.

If he does come back for Jesse, the question would be how does Walt even figure out that Jesse’s alive? The person most likely to figure it out, IMO, is Lydia but she’s going to want him to stay right where he is. I originally thought the ricin might be for Walt but I now think it’s for Lydia. She’s the only person, aside from Todd (who’s psycho but not going to sell out his uncle), who knows where the compound is. So I think he’ll meet with her, just like he did in 508, get the info out of her (like he did with the names of the guys in prison) and then find a way to put the ricin in her tea.

Maybe Walt comes back to kill Jesse himself? But again, why? He surely wants Jesse dead now, but I think he would know better than anyone that Jesse’s situation now is actually worse. Ahhhh! WHO THE FUCK KNOWS WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN AND WHY?!?!

I also have this crazy idea that Walt will want Jesse to kill him. WHAT?! I know, it’s just this thought that’s been lurking for weeks now. And if that’s the case, I have no idea what Jesse would do. It’s a crazy theory, even crazier now, but I thought I’d post it anyway.

Anyway, all this stuff probably won’t even happen in 515 but 516. But it’ll be set up in the next one, I think.

It would be kinda funny if the “someone” he’s “protecting” is actually not a person at all but his barrels of cash. It’s also possible that they dropped the whole protecting thing and Walt’s just back for vengeance. But why so much later?

Here’s my thoughts as of August 29th:

I’m still stuck on what Bryan Cranston said in last year’s Rolling Stone article, that VG told him Walt was coming back to Albuquerque to protect someone. Here’s the direct quote:

Source: Rolling Stone magazine – Issue 1163 – August 16, 2012 – page 83



Filming that scene [referring to the 501 flashforward] was perhaps the only time Cranston asked for information that wasn’t in the script. “I asked Vince several specific questions. I asked, ‘Am I alone?’ And he goes ‘Yeah.’ I said, ‘Why am I coming back to Albuqueque?’ He said, ‘You’re coming back because you need to protect someone.’ And I went, ‘OK. Is the cancer back?’ He didn’t quite answer that. He said, ‘Possibly.'”

My guess is it has to be Jesse or Hank or possibly Skyler, in that order. Story-wise, for the drama to play out, he has to be coming back to protect someone that we, and the story, have cared about for awhile. This is the final showdown and for us to be invested in Walt going through all this trouble to protect someone, we have to be invested in that someone. So it has to be a major player in the story. It also makes sense if it’s someone Walt has wronged and been on the outs with, and these three characters could all place in that competition. If I HAD to guess, I’d guess Jesse. Jesse and Skyler have always been the most prominent characters other than Walt; they’ve both been in every single episode while Hank hasn’t. And Jesse and Hank are the two who Walt is now most at odds with, and I see that dynamic being good for the drama, the story. So with Jesse being in both of those categories, I’d put my money on him. Jesse’s also the most universally sympathetic (not to everyone but to most) of the three. I’m just playing out probability now.

Trying to go totally on storytelling logic (and not on my attachment to Jesse) but all of this could change so much with each new episode as the landscape of loyalties and character connections shifts. And it wouldn’t be unlike the writers to throw typical story convention out the window either. So this is just it for now.

As for who he’s protecting Jesse from? I’d say it has to be the Lydia/Todd/Uncle Jack/possible Czech connection crew. HOW exactly that’ll happen, I don’t know. But I think all of the sprinklings of this storyline into every episode so far has got to be leading to a big confrontation, and will tie back into the Walt storyline sometime soon.

Update Sept 5: Sorry this is a bit late, this has actually been out for awhile, I just kept forgetting to include it. Charlie Rose will appear in this episode. Here’s the article. This does make me even more convinced that Walt’s crimes will in fact become public. Who knows, they say he may not be making a cameo as himself but I’m pretty sure he will. Who do you think will be the guest on his show?



Episode 516 “Felina”

(IMDB for this episode)

AMC says, “The series finale.”

Well, that’s telling. This episode also had an alternate title awhile back on IMDB, which was “Crystal Clear” and I kinda hope it goes back to that. It’s kinda lame to just name the finale finale (in Italian). Maybe they are holding off on the title, afraid it’ll give something away. I still think Walt dies.

Vince Gilligan has said the ending will be very unambiguous (yay) and will feel strangely victorious. I’ve also read (though I read so much that I can’t remember where this tidbit came from) that there may be a lot of callbacks to the pilot in the finale. I’m almost wondering if there’ll be a lot of flashbacks and if that will take up a lot of time. I still think the victoriousness of the finale will be that the legend of Walt lives on, that he will be remembered. Or it could be the sense of justice coming down on Walt. Or that he dies doing something, finally, heroic and redemptive.

Still, I think the final episode will have plenty of its own drama so I do think Walt will die in this one. I think he goes in for a last stand type of thing with the machine gun and ricin. I don’t think he plans to get out of it alive. And the ricin may be for himself if he does get out alive. Maybe he’s in a situation where if he makes it out alive, he’ll immediately get sent to jail (this is a last stand after all, he may be reckless) and he wants a quick(ish) death. Maybe he wants to suffer. Who knows, but as of now, I think the ricin’s for himself. Not sure on the why as of yet though.

As far as callbacks to the pilot, I wonder if Walt’s “Confessions” video (the one that implicates Hank) will come back in some way as it’s definitely a callback to the pilot and Walt’s original video.

RJ Mitte said the ending will leave people satisfied or a little hostile, and I’m hoping for a healthy mix of both. But what does it mean?

The only extra characters listed for this one are Badger and Jack’s Man. Does Jack’s man kill Walt? Hahahaha, does Badger? That would be a huge surprise! And why no Baby Holly in the finale?



Overall

I am sure these lists of extra characters are incomplete. For example, there was a character named Lester who was listed in several of the final episodes, especially towards the end. Somehow, that name is now totally gone from all the lists for all the episodes. There are also people who could show up (varying degrees of probability) who aren’t listed, like Ted, Gus as ghost, Gomez (why isn’t he in any of these??), SAC Ramey (Hank’s boss, seems inevitable he’ll be part of it), Andrea, Brock, Declan, the actual Jack, Tim the APD detective who’s been in all the police scenes in the past (Walt going missing, Gale’s murder investigation), any cartel connections or links to Gus’s past, Gretchen and Elliot.

Another interesting thing is that in that Day on Set (I think it’s in Part II), Michael Slovis says that lots of threads come back in the final episodes, that things we forgot about in Season Three may come back now. I’m really psyched for that. Sounds like it’ll be some awesome writing.

And if you want to get real with your predictions, there is Betting Bad. It’s for candy, not money (kinda bummed, lol, I want high stakes and intrigue) and it’s very cool. There are three different levels of bets you can make, based on how likely each outcome is – Safe, Risky and Lethal – and there are five categories you can make bets in – Final Fates, Justice, See & Hear, Murder and Loose Ends. Should be fun. Who’s joining me in this?

And most of all, what do YOU make of all these scattered clues?



Spoilers

Here’s a thorough description for the teaser for 509 “Blood Money” that was shown at Comic-Con. It looks like this is another flashforward to the same time as the flashforward from 501, Walt’s 52nd birthday. What’s interesting is that the whole family has abandoned the house in a hurry, in a drop everything and go now sorta deal. Maybe I was wrong and the disappearer is for the whole family. Also, Walt’s going back for the ricin, which means it doesn’t come into play until the penultimate or final episode. Is Walt planning to use that on himself? Seems a pretty un-fun way to die. I never thought Walt himself would end up ingesting ricin, and that could be a great twist, if it happens.

A few more spoilers from 509 “Blood Money” include:-Hank takes the Leaves of Grass book with him. Actually that’s an assumption. What I know for sure is that Walt realizes it’s missing.

-When Walt goes to Jesse’s, he basically tells him they need to move forward, but not “move forward” as he’s meant it in the past, as in get back to cooking, but rather move forward in terms of resuming their normal lives now that they are both out of the meth business but Jesse is steeped in sorrow and regret. Walt really seems to think he can just go on with his old normal life as if this whole meth cook murderer thing was just a blip. This seems SO true to Walt’s character, and I’m glad to hear that’s the direction he’s taking at first. He has always told himself that he’s not a criminal, after all. Just so spot on to who Walter White is. And so spot on to Jesse that he can’t rationalize his way out of the guilt.

Thoughts?

~Emilia J

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