I'll start off by talking about the song in the beginning of the episode, which, in typical 'Breaking Bad' fashion, was clearly foreshadowing Walt's eventual end. In fact, Walt never looked so alone as he did in this episode. His loneliness and his complete surrender to his fate were devastating to watch. They projected so clearly on his body language, the way he crouched and walked with such light, lifeless steps , made him look helpless. To see the change from how high this man had risen to how low he had crashed was brutal, but it was honest, and that's the beauty of this show. It doesn't shy away from showing things as they are, and I don't think anyone would have been satisfied with an ending that didn't involve Walt's death. He knew he was heading for his death. In fact, everything he did in this episode showed he was actively seeking it out, just wanting it to end on his terms without leaving any loose ends.
Speaking of loose ends, I have never seen a show give so much closure to its audience, because it was simply THAT good at making sure any and every storyline was wrapped up. Walt confronted the people responsible for the sense of shame and lack of self-fulfillment that he felt at the beginning of the show. He turned the tables on them, holding them by the throat with the false threat of death, finally empowering himself and showing how confident and accomplished he has come to feel. He secures his family's financial future. In perhaps the most tear-jerking scene of the show, he gifts his wife with an immense sense of inner peace, to finally reveal his true selfish motives for cooking meth, to own up to it and admit how much he loved it; how powerful and important it made him feel. Now she can sleep soundly knowing that it wasn't her and her kids that forced his hand, that made him become what he became. Watching him hand her the lottery ticket, seeing his daughter one last time and watching his son behind the window like a distant stranger was absolutely heart-breaking. At least I can rest knowing that Hank and Gomez, both immortalized as true heroes in the show, will get the decency of proper burial that they deserve. Jesse will live free, maybe pursuing his search for compassion, love and meaning that he's been looking for for a while now. He really deserves it, too. After everything he's been through, seeing him begin and end the journey with Walt from the start, it's only fitting to remember Jesse as someone hopefully embracing a brighter future, to see that he and Walt have come to peaceful terms and that Walt really does care about him in the end. Todd and the family were all slaughtered like they should be in an absolutely epic last stand by Walt. It's always amazing to see these elaborate science tricks that Walt can cook up, making him so much more than just a meth cook. It was pure poetic justice to see Jesse strangle Todd the way he did, almost translating the months of pain and suffering he held in into a slow and painful killing of Todd. Uncle Jack taking the bullet from Walt, avenging the near identical circumstances under which ASAC Schrader was killed. And the ricin that lay unused for seasons on end finally found its place. Everybody got what they deserved. The final scene was beautiful, seeing Walt where he belonged, touching and eying everything with so much passion and nostalgia, before lying on the ground as he peacefully fell into an eternal sleep to the sound of "Baby Blue", almost like a soothing lullaby. No matter how bad Walt had broke, nobody would have wished for him the shame of being caught and arrested, making it so fitting that he die on his own terms, just as the police stormed the lab.
On a side note, I was pleasantly surprised at the way the writers managed to fit in Badger and Skinny Pete. As always, they found a way for them to do some typical, hilarious, "no questions asked, do as you're told" dummy work that unknowingly serves to a much more genius plot in the grander scheme of things. It definitely lightened the mood and was refreshing to see them one last time before the show's end. Everybody is significant in this show, and it's nice to give credit to all those that had some kind of role in Walt's odyssey from even its earliest beginnings.
No words can begin to describe the mix of emotions any 'Breaking Bad' fan will feel after watching this finale. Sadness, relief, satisfaction, excitement, awe. Vince Gilligan did it perfectly, at a time when so many other series finales were a huge disappointment. This is a finale that speaks so true to the characters, the themes and the epic story that is 'Breaking Bad'. It was an absolutely flawless end to the best work of art ever to make it to the television screen. 'Breaking Bad' will forever be remembered.
Speaking of loose ends, I have never seen a show give so much closure to its audience, because it was simply THAT good at making sure any and every storyline was wrapped up. Walt confronted the people responsible for the sense of shame and lack of self-fulfillment that he felt at the beginning of the show. He turned the tables on them, holding them by the throat with the false threat of death, finally empowering himself and showing how confident and accomplished he has come to feel. He secures his family's financial future. In perhaps the most tear-jerking scene of the show, he gifts his wife with an immense sense of inner peace, to finally reveal his true selfish motives for cooking meth, to own up to it and admit how much he loved it; how powerful and important it made him feel. Now she can sleep soundly knowing that it wasn't her and her kids that forced his hand, that made him become what he became. Watching him hand her the lottery ticket, seeing his daughter one last time and watching his son behind the window like a distant stranger was absolutely heart-breaking. At least I can rest knowing that Hank and Gomez, both immortalized as true heroes in the show, will get the decency of proper burial that they deserve. Jesse will live free, maybe pursuing his search for compassion, love and meaning that he's been looking for for a while now. He really deserves it, too. After everything he's been through, seeing him begin and end the journey with Walt from the start, it's only fitting to remember Jesse as someone hopefully embracing a brighter future, to see that he and Walt have come to peaceful terms and that Walt really does care about him in the end. Todd and the family were all slaughtered like they should be in an absolutely epic last stand by Walt. It's always amazing to see these elaborate science tricks that Walt can cook up, making him so much more than just a meth cook. It was pure poetic justice to see Jesse strangle Todd the way he did, almost translating the months of pain and suffering he held in into a slow and painful killing of Todd. Uncle Jack taking the bullet from Walt, avenging the near identical circumstances under which ASAC Schrader was killed. And the ricin that lay unused for seasons on end finally found its place. Everybody got what they deserved. The final scene was beautiful, seeing Walt where he belonged, touching and eying everything with so much passion and nostalgia, before lying on the ground as he peacefully fell into an eternal sleep to the sound of "Baby Blue", almost like a soothing lullaby. No matter how bad Walt had broke, nobody would have wished for him the shame of being caught and arrested, making it so fitting that he die on his own terms, just as the police stormed the lab.
On a side note, I was pleasantly surprised at the way the writers managed to fit in Badger and Skinny Pete. As always, they found a way for them to do some typical, hilarious, "no questions asked, do as you're told" dummy work that unknowingly serves to a much more genius plot in the grander scheme of things. It definitely lightened the mood and was refreshing to see them one last time before the show's end. Everybody is significant in this show, and it's nice to give credit to all those that had some kind of role in Walt's odyssey from even its earliest beginnings.
No words can begin to describe the mix of emotions any 'Breaking Bad' fan will feel after watching this finale. Sadness, relief, satisfaction, excitement, awe. Vince Gilligan did it perfectly, at a time when so many other series finales were a huge disappointment. This is a finale that speaks so true to the characters, the themes and the epic story that is 'Breaking Bad'. It was an absolutely flawless end to the best work of art ever to make it to the television screen. 'Breaking Bad' will forever be remembered.