I really enjoyed the fact that they gave Walter another chance to get out clean. He could’ve quit at the end of Face Off, and lived comfortably from his legitimate car wash income. But he thought it would be smooth sailing from here on out. But it wasn’t - a kid died for his business. So they gave him yet another chance to get out - an even better one. 5 million dollars is enough to live a very good life. He had the perfect chance at a clean break.
But he’s not interested in quality of life or a clean break or taking care of his family.
This episode more than any other previous really cements him as a bad guy.
It’s a very stark contrast to even late Season 4 (which could only have been a few weeks before Season 5 in the timeline), where Walt risked everything to save Hank and relocate his family. That’s about as much of a reset to zero as one could imagine, but now I think he’d just let Hank die and tell himself that he brought it on himself. I think taking Gus down has made Walt believe he’s untouchable.
Yeah, really—where did Walt hide the damn thing? Mike knows about every single location that we’ve mentioned. Mike probably even knows who Gretchen and Elliot are.
I have a feeling that Jesse is going to somehow attempt to make anonymous restitution to Drew’s parents out of his share of the methylamine haul. But he’s going to somehow be identified, and that will be the thing that unravels Walt’s empire.
I know this probably isn’t the case. However, when I first saw the Phoenix guys meet Mike and Jessie for the methylmene sample; I thought they were undercover cops.
There was something in the way the guy kept saying the words “blue meth” very specifically and Mike seemed to refuse to answer the question. Something like
“so you can promise me your BLUE METH will be off the streets?” (no reply from Mike). “Cause we don’t want to see any more of your BLUE METH around.” (mike just stares at him.
Then he seemed to be trying to get him to reveal the existence of and identity of the third guy (Walt). I thought they were wearing a wire and wanted audio evidence that they are responsible for the blue meth, and wanted Heisenbergs identity.
In hindsight, it’s probably not true, but the acting seemed stilted to me. What do you guys think?
Obviously no one knows about the train robbery. So Mike had to advertise that they had this Methylmene for sale. The DEA is watching Mike very closely and suspect him of being in the meth business with Gus’s old operation. They could have spied on him and found out about the deal. Threatened the Phoenix guys with arrest on the spot…UNLESS…they wear a wire and can end this blue meth deal once and for all.
Albuquerque is pretty small, he could have just driven it to a desert road side street outside town and left it parked there, been back in an hour. Looks like a water tanker, it would be safe for a day or so.
If Walt’s meth is so superior to everything on the market as we are led to believe, then why does the Phoenix gang want only the precursor? And why would any of our hapless trio of anti-heroes even entertain the offer?
I need to re-watch this episode. I’ve got some blanks to fill. I’m thinking Mike wants to unload the methlamine (is there a “y” in there?) and be rid of Walt and Jesse entirely but Walt foils him.
Because they just want to get the blue meth off the market. They’re not interested in making their own like Gus or the Mexican cartel. The chemical is methylamine (CH3NH2).
The Phoenix guy (Declan) wants the methylamine, and he wants Walt’s blue meth out of the market — to reduce the competition. So far as we know, he’s not interested in having the blue meth itself.
Mike and Jesse want out of the business entirely, each for his own reasons. (Mike is under a lot of scrutiny from the DEA. Jesse is tired of all the violence.) They were happy with the offer. They could have had $5 million and walked away, even if it meant giving up a lot more money, but continuing to face unpleasant risks.
If Phoenix group were associated with Fring, then maybe the DEA intercepted the deal on THEIR end of it. Perhaps tapped one of their phones that Mike called. The DEA wants dirt on Mike so they offered Phoenix a deal if they cooperate?
Hank had that poster board in his office with everyone’s picture and yarn connected to Fring in the center. Wonder if that guy’s face was on there?
Also why would he be so worried about competition? He’s buying 15 million worth of precursor that will generate 300 million. Walt cooks a small batch once a week in a town 500 miles away?
He feels he’ll get a bigger return on his investment if he spends $15 million and the blue meth goes away forever than if he spends $10 million and still has to compete with the blue stuff. We’re not going to learn the specifics of how much money Declan may feel he’s losing to dealers who move around and sell the blue sky in his territory or how any of that stuff works. We don’t know where his territory goes or where Gus’ ended and how the drug moves around from one place to another.
Well, the wiki you linked to doesn’t say that, though.
So maybe it’s been rewritten since the error was recognized? And I’ve listened to the Queen song several times as well as the Walt whistling, and written down the rhythm of the whistling, and the rhythm and general melodic pattern doesn’t match the song at all. So what tune is it - it’s driving me crazy.
