"Clear the contaminant."

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"Half Measures" is the twelfth episode of the third season of Breaking Bad and the thirty-second episode altogether.

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Summary

Teaser

The episode opens to a musical montage sequence of Wendy turning tricks outside "The Crystal Palace". Her finances replenished, she exchanges cash and burgers for blue meth with the rival dealers. Jesse, sitting nearby in his car, watches the deal go down.

Act I

Walter sits in his car's passenger seat while Junior practices for his upcoming driving test. When the two arrive home, Skyler privately presses Walt about their car wash scheme. Walt uses the opening with Skyler to negotiate four nights of family dinners a week, claiming that them buying a car wash would be more plausible if they seemed reconciled.

After work, Jesse takes Walt to a bar and shows him the blue meth he purchased from Tomás and the rival dealers responsible for Combo's murder. Jesse asks Walt for ricin, planning to have Wendy slip tainted burgers to the dealers when she next buys meth. Walt dismisses the plan, reasoning that he and Jesse lost a simple turf war, and that killing the dealers at this point won't achieve anything. Jesse says that he will kill them, with or without Walt's help.

Act II

At the hospital, Marie, Hank, are playing a card game when Marie baits Hank by mentioning that the doctors say he is well enough to be released. Hank, however, continues to insist that he not be allowed to leave the hospital until he can walk again.

Walt and Saul are waiting for Jesse to show at the law office. Desperate to find a way to stop Jesse, Walt suggests having him arrested somehow, reasoning that Jesse will have time to calm down if he's off the street. Meanwhile, at the Crystal Palace, Jesse tries to ease Wendy's qualms about the murder plot by appealing to her maternal instincts — she has a son named Patrick.

Mike surprises Walt with a visit to his home to tell him that neither he nor Saul will be pursuing any suggestion of getting Jesse arrested. Mike reveals that he also works for Gus, who would "take it as a problem" if Jesse landed in jail. He then tells Walt a story from his time as a police officer, when he confronted a chronic wife abuser . Mike intervened, and almost killed the wife-beater, but gave in when the abuser promised to change his ways. Shortly thereafter the man beat his wife to death. Mike's mistake was to take a half measure when he should have taken a full one. "No more half measures, Walter," he says referring to Jesse.

Act III

At the corner, Wendy sits in Jesse's car clutching a bag of poisoned burgers, but the dealers are not present. Mike and Victor take them by surprise and whisk Jesse away to the Gus's chicken farm. There, he is brought before Walt and Gus, sitting side by side, as well as the rival dealers. Gus concedes that his employees "acted rashly" in murdering Combo, but that contends that he was selling on their territory.

When Jesse accuses Walt of ratting him out, Gus tells him that without Walt, "I would be dealing with this in a very different way." Gus orders Jesse to make peace with the dealers, but Jesse refuses on the grounds that they use kids in their business. Incensed by Jesse's insolence, but committed to finding a resolution, Gus tells the dealers, "No more children," and orders Jesse to shake their hands. On the drive away from the chicken farm, Walt tells Jesse that his actions affect other people and that compromise is sometimes necessary. Jesse, furious, doesn't respond to Walt.

At the hospital, Marie gives Hank a sponge bath and playfully bets him that she can physically arouse him with a handjob. Certain that nothing will happen, Hank agrees to return home if she succeeds. She does indeed succeed; the scene cuts to Marie smiling victoriously as she wheels an annoyed Hank out of the hospital.

That night, Jesse and Andrea are enjoying each other's company in bed when the phone rings. Andrea becomes hysterical as she is told bad news by her grandmother. The couple rush to a playground, where Tomás's dead, bullet-riddled body has been found.

Act IV

The next day, Jesse is absent from the superlab, causing Walt to repeatedly dial his voicemail. That night, Walt sees a TV news report on Tomás's murder. Realizing what is about to happen, Walt abruptly leaves dinner with his family.

Meanwhile, Jesse is parked at the corner and snorts some meth to get his confidence up. Spotting the dealers' car, Jesse picks up his gun and steps out of his car. The dealers, also armed, notice Jesse approaching them and prepare for a confrontation. Just as they draw their guns, however, Walt suddenly plows into the dealers with his Aztek. One is killed instantly under the wheels; the other, badly injured, is shot in the head by Walt as he reaches for his gun. Walt looks up at the horrified Jesse and utters one word: "Run."

Official Photos

Trivia

Production

Credits

Filming Locations

The exterior of the bar where Walt and Jesse meet is shown to be "Paul's Monterey Inn", a real restaurant/bar in Albuquerque which closed in 2015 and was razed in 2016. It was located at 1000 Juan Tabo NE.

Featured Music

"Windy" by The Association (during the teaser)

by The Association (during the teaser) "Softly Baby" by The Red Garland Trio & Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis (in the background while Jesse & Walt meet in a bar)

by The Red Garland Trio & Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis (in the background while Jesse & Walt meet in a bar) "Waltz Trio Session" by Jazz Session Trio & Quartet (in the background while Jesse & Walt meet in a bar)

by Jazz Session Trio & Quartet (in the background while Jesse & Walt meet in a bar) "La Marseillaise" by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle (performed by Betsy Brandt as Marie) (while Hank, Marie & Walt Jr. play cards in hospital)

Memorable Quotes