Breaking Bad

Season 5 Episode 15 'Granite State'

by Skrastev

 

After last week’s unique episode ‘Ozymandias’, which made us keep our breath to the last second and set our expectations at quite a high level, we are glad to tell you that the Breaking Bad S05E15 – ‘Granite State’ did not disappoint us. Of course, it started, as always, with a reminder of the most interesting scenes from what we saw last week, in this case: Jack killing Hank, Todd suggesting to find out what Jesse has told the federal agents by torturing him, Walter being cut on the hand by Mary and the fight that followed. Then we see Walter Jr. calling the police, a quite disfigured Jesse kept in a cell, Walter shouting to Marie over the phone and, at last – a red van going away.

The new episode opens with the same red van arriving at a vacuum cleaners store. From the previous episode we know that the van is owned by Ed, the acquaintance of Saul who can make anyone disappear. Saul gets out of the van, realising that he really is in a vacuum cleaners store and Ed tells him he will have to stay a day or two in the basement, until he is ready with his new identity and transfers him to Nebraska, where Saul will live from now on. He takes a picture of him for the new documents. Apparently, Saul will have a ‘roommate’ in the basement, as Walt is still there, waiting to receive a new identity and life and freaking out.

The scene is over and next we see Marie being given a ride home by the police – one of the policemen giving her his word that they will find Hank and Steve. They reach the house where someone has obviously entered with force. Two policemen get out of the car to investigate while the driver takes Marie drives off with Marie. The policemen enter the house to find it upside down, with stuff lying on the floor in a mess and being broken or damaged.

Next scene shows us Jack and his buddies watching the confession of Jesse and making fun of him crying all the time. Kenny shows them the part where Jesse describes how he saw Todd killing the missing boy, Drew Sharp. We then see Jack with a gun in his hand going out with the intention to kill Jesse. Todd follows him and argue him out of this, reminding him that they have 600 gallons of methylamine that can be sold. Jack says that they don’t need more money and when Todd says that nobody refuses to earn easy millions, Jack realizes that he has fallen for Lynda. ‘Son of a bitch’, he calls him and then he starts offending Lydia under the approving nods of the others from the gang. Eventually he seems to sympathize with his nephew and takes him back inside to watch more of Jesse’s confession.

In the next short scene we are with Jesse, who holds the picture of Andrea and Bock, which has (quite conveniently) a paperclip on it. He takes it off and starts trying to unlock his nippers.

Next scene opens with Ed making vacuum cleaner deals over the phone in his shop, while underneath, in the basement, Walter’s hurriedly writing something in a notebook. He is in pain because of his cut and bandaged arm. He then tears a sheet of paper and hands it with a pen to Saul, ordering him to give him the contacts of hitters and mercenaries for a team that will hit on Jack and his gang. Saul tries to argue him out of this and make him return to Marie, because it looks as if he is leaving her ‘high and dry’, he explains that if FBI can’t get Walter, they will go after Mary and Walter JR, making their life difficult. He makes Walter hesitate and proposes him stay and face the consequences, as he hasn’t got much time left anyway. Walter bursts out, shouting that he doesn’t want to run and he is doing everything for his family, then telling Saul that he will kill Jack and give all he has to his children, after which he will be ready to die.

Ed comes in the basement and says that Saul is ready to leave, while Walter has to wait some more time for some transport to be arranged. Walter tells him that he will take Saul with him and that Saul can be useful. Saul protests and Ed leaves them for a while. Saul tries to get out of the situation, explaining that he isn’t lawyer anymore and he is going to start an ordinary life, but Walter tells him that he is part of what’s going on, whether Saul likes it or not. Saul protests again and Walter, looking extremely intimidating now, approaches him and tells him ‘You remember what I told you? It’s not over until…’ and then starts chocking with coughing, which makes him lie on the bed. Saul says ‘It’s over.’, takes his luggage and goes out.

Next scene we see Skyler and federal agents trying to convince her to give Walter away. She isn’t even listening as she is in some kind of shock, but then tells them that she clearly understands the situation but doesn’t know where Walter is. The agents advise her to discuss the matter with her lawyer and to come up with something useful for the FBI.

Next we see the police keeping an eye on the White’s house. Desperate Skyler’s inside, drinking and smoking. Then she goes to Holy’s room, where Todd and two other guys of Jack’s gang are waiting for her, masked. Todd asks her whether she has told anything about Lydia, whom she met at the car wash, to the police and after she answers negatively, he makes her promise she won’t do so later and won’t go to the police after they leave and threatens to come back if she doesn’t keep her word.

Todd meets Lydia in a coffee shop, where they sit at different tables. She is not happy to know that Skyler has been left alive despite knowing about her and wants to cease all business contacts because of the risks. Todd says that 50 pounds of the production are prepared and ready to go, but she won’t agree until he tells her it’s 92%, pure and blue as before. He tells her that Jack’s gang has Jesse and they are not letting him go, that they are working with him and things are going well and that seems to convince her.

In the next scene Ed ‘transports’ Walter to his new home in New Hampshire , which is barely furnished and has only the essential things for Walter to live there for a month. Ed promises to return in 1 month and to bring more things, but threatens him that he won’t come back if he finds out that Walter has been out of the property. That’s because Walter is wanted nationwide and he will be recognized and arrested the moment he shows out. He also tells him that the nearest town is 8 miles away, then he leaves. Walter waits to see his back, takes some money from his barrel, puts on his hat and walks towards the gate in the snow, clearly intending to go to the city. However, he gives up when he see the beginning of the snowy road and decides to leave it for the next day. He goes back home, kindles a fire and starts warming up his hands.

Meanwhile Jesse has managed to unlock his handcuffs and tries to reach the bars. He hears that Todd is approaching, puts his handcuffs again and pretends to be asleep. Todd gives him some ice cream and Jesse manages to convince him to leave the bars uncovered so that he can see the stars. Jesse leaves and Todd manages to reach the bars and to escape from his underground cell. He then moves across the yard and reaches the outer fence. However, he doesn’t climb over it as Jack’s people spot him and he bursts out, shouting at them to kill him as he won’t prepare meth for them anymore.

However, Todd finds a way to convince Jesse to cooperate. He drives him to the house of Andrea and leaves him in the back of the truck. He then goes and talks to Andrea, explaining that he is a friend of Jesse. He points the truck to Andrea, who goes out to see where Jesse is. That’s what Todd’s waiting for – he shoots her in the head before his eyes. Jesse is desperate, but they told him that they can still kill Brock if they want.

The next scene throws us a few months ahead to find Walter completely isolated from the world, his only connection being Ed. Ed brings him some newspapers and various pair of glasses to try, as they are without prescription. He brings bad news about his family, struggling with the lawyers and the bank and he brings him a round of chemotherapy. He has prepared it by himself, guided by YouTube videos and we understand that the previous time things weren’t too good for Walter after using Ed’s homemade medicine. Walter asks Ed to stay some more time with him and pays him 10 000 dollars to remain for one more hour. He then tells him that one day he will come and will find Walter dead and asks him whether he would give the remaining money to his family. Ed asks him ‘If I said yes…Would you believe me?’.

We then see Walter wake up in the property. He has lost a lot of his weight now – his wedding ring can’t hold on his finger. He certainly looks determined, fills a box with money from the barrel and takes it with him, leaving the house and the area.

Next we see him in a bar, trying to reach his son over the phone. He succeed by paying a woman to pretend she is Marie and when Walter Jr. answers, his father tries to apologise for the situation ant to clear himself with his son. Walter Jr. bursts out, shouting at Walter over the phone and ends the conversation with the words ‘Just…Just die!’

This makes Walter call the police and turn himself in. While waiting for them to turn up, however, he sees an interview on the TV. Elliot and Gretchen are there, discussing a grant announced by their foundation. They now give $28 million dollars for drug abuse treatment centers. They are accused of announcing the grand in order to clear their name from the stain the relationship with Walter has put on them. They deny Walter any credit for founding the company and say that his only contribution is the name of the company. Gretchen says that Walter exists no more and ‘Heisenberg’ has overtaken him. This makes Walter furious.

When the police arrives in the bar, Walter has already disappeared, his drink paid and not drank to the end.

So what are we going to see in the next episode? Is Jesse going to cooperate with Jack and company? What is Walter going to do? Unfortunately, we will have to wait a whole week before we find out, but we are sure it will be just as thrilling as this and the previous episodes.

Let us know what you think in the comments!