Breaking Bad ended the first half of its season five last Sunday, and if you haven’t checked out the recap and our weekly power rankings, now’s the time to do so. However, as we take a breather for the next ten months, there’s a lot to digest, mull over, and consider as we head into the final eight episodes. Some have suggested that Sunday’s episode could’ve doubled as a satisfying series finale, but I think there were too many open questions that still need to be answered. I doubt that Gilligan will answer ALL of the nagging questions remaining, but these 9 open ones seem like the most important to consider over the break.

The Vial of Ricin — The ricin, still unused, re-appeared in Sunday night’s episode, and was nearly used to take out Lydia before she hatched a plan to distribute the meth in Czechoslovakia. It’s not gone yet, though. Walter put it back behind the electrical socket, and it will no doubt reappear next season. Who will be the recipient? Early odds are on Hank.

Jesse’s Gun — A literal Chekhov’s gun, in the final scene with Jesse, he slid a gun across the floor after a meeting with Walt in which he feared he might need to use it. A close-up on a gun like the one employed in this episode wouldn’t be by accident. Not in Vince Gilligan’s world. The gun will certainly come back into play, but who will be its victim? Walt? Hank? Todd?

What’s Up with Todd — Speaking of Todd, we were given no indication of how he dealt with Walt retiring from the meth business. There are four people at the moment, who could really do Walt in: Jesse, Skyler, Lydia, and Todd. Todd is easily the more expendable of the four, and the one most likely to disappear without raising any eyebrows, although at this point, his uncle (and Devil from “Justified”) could connect the potential death of Todd back to Hank, should they want to do so.

What’s Jesse’s Role — Meanwhile, Jesse has a gun, two duffel bags worth of money, and a lot of free time on his hands. Walt is the centerpiece of the show, but Jesse is Breaking Bad’s most dynamic character. How does he fit in to the second half of the season? Hank’s pursuit of Heisenberg, it seems, is the only thing that could bring the two back together. Will Jesse turn on Walt? After all, Jesse is in the midst of a deep crisis of consciousness, he’s terrified of Walt, and he doesn’t appear to have a lot to live for. Will he sacrifice himself to take out Walt? I think Jesse could ultimately end up the hero of Breaking Bad.

Is He Really Out — There were a lot of questions surrounding whether Walt is actually out of the meth business, and it’s hard to believe that he could’ve gotten out so cleanly, not without putting himself in danger with his new distribution partners, nor raising the eye of Lydia and Todd. Surely, those two have enough money to remain content, but I seriously doubt Walt’s new stateside and international partners would so easily allow him out of the game, not unless he left the keys to Todd, who has taken over the business.