# Breaking Bad 5.16 "Felina" 9/29/13 SERIES FINALE **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 24, 2013, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591 "2013-09-24T17:31:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 22
**Author:** ![nivlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/421 "2013-09-30T17:40:45Z")
> [@Martian Bigfoot](#): > > It’s one of the three terms you need to know from Aristotle’s Poetics when discussing tragedy, along with [hamartia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamartia) (the “tragic flaw”, or a mistake or error in judgement) and [peripeteia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peripeteia) (a turning point, or reversal of circumstances). Well, those, and [catharsis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catharsis). More words to add to my vocabulary! Appreciate it. ---
**Author:** ![nivlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/422 "2013-09-30T17:43:23Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > I don’t understand why everybody thinks it stretched credulity that the Nazis didn’t check the trunk. Why should they? They had Walt unarmed and led him into the house - why would they be worried about what he had in the trunk? Should they have foreseen an M-60 rigged to a garage door opener? Well, for one thing, why couldn’t Walt had someone with weapons inside the trunk? But I was OK with this screw-up by Jack’s gang since they’re not the sharpest minds around. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/423 "2013-09-30T17:44:52Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > He has a lot of information that can be used to negotiate some kind of plea deal at least. Not really. Pretty much everyone he could possibly rat out is either dead or missing. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/424 "2013-09-30T17:45:45Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > I had posted earlier that I think Jesse will keep on driving towards Alaska, but I now recall that his whole thing with throwing away the money and spilling his guts to Hank was to unburden himself and accept penance for all of his wrongs. Maybe he’s since had a change of heart and will consider his imprisonment by the AB as “time served” but I can also see him going to the police and paying his dues. He has a lot of information that can be used to negotiate some kind of plea deal at least. How many hours to Alaska if you only stop for gas? He’ll keep driving. He has a need for… oh, never [mind](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2369135/). ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/425 "2013-09-30T17:46:17Z")
> [@CJJ](#): > > Agreed, but I think Walt was playing Jack to the extent that (1) he wanted Jesse in the room, presumably to be wiped out by the machine gun, and (2) he was stalling for time by playing on Jack’s pride to honor the initial agreement that Jack kill Jesse. > > Walt had to know that the “plan” he pitched to Todd and Lydia would be rejected, so he knew that Jack would try to kill him. I think his plan was to just get everybody in the room and hit the key fob (perhaps even killing himself in the process), but once his keys were taken he had to improvise. And then he improvised again when he saw Jesse in chains. And it’s not until Walt saw Jesse was a captive instead of a partner that he decided to save him. That does make that part of the ending more satisfying to me. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/426 "2013-09-30T17:48:40Z")
> [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](#): > > I am glad Jesse was freed, but won’t he now just end up in jail? With Walt dead, Jesse is the only one left to pay for all this. The DVD with Jesse’s confession is still at the Nazi lair, which the police will find. I guess jail is better being than a meth gimp. But I don’t see the future as being so good for Jesse. Even if Jesse’s confession is still lying around, like Hank told Gomie a few episodes ago, it’s not really proof of anything. They’d need something else. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/427 "2013-09-30T17:54:06Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > And the ending of the song: Yep. Almost makes you forgive him. [QUOTE=Uncle Jack] The heart wants what the heart wants. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![WmJames](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@WmJames](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WmJames)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/428 "2013-09-30T17:56:57Z")
I notice in reading reviews that the gang of white guys in BB are variously referred to Nazis, Neo Nazis, White Supremacist, etc. I do vaguely recall in the prison episodes that they had Aryan Brotherhood contacts there, but I can;t recall what they were called in the show (not interpretation of reviewers) Does anyone how they were described in the actual show? If it was an insult (e.g. those “neo Nazi mother hubbards”) or how they would describe themselves – did they see themselves as Nazis, neo Nazis, White Supremacists, Aryans, or just a gang of white guy hit men and drug dealers? ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/429 "2013-09-30T17:57:29Z")
> [@Martian Bigfoot](#): > > How many hours to Alaska if you only stop for gas? He’ll keep driving. He has a need for… oh, never [mind](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2369135/). He’s driving right into his new movie! ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/430 "2013-09-30T17:58:08Z")
I started to type a big reply to something but can someone jog my memory here… How did it go from Lydia telling Todd not to have anything to do with Walt to him showing up at the clubhouse? I assume I’m just forgetting something. Also, what was the deal with Jack bugging Walt about the car and asking about the engine? The only reason I can guess is to show that he had absolutely no suspicions about him at all. Everything was very friendly between them. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/431 "2013-09-30T17:58:41Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > Not really. Pretty much everyone he could possibly rat out is either dead or missing. I was thinking any info on Drew Sharp would be his best bet. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/432 "2013-09-30T17:59:10Z")
> [@WmJames](#): > > I notice in reading reviews that the gang of white guys in BB are variously referred to Nazis, Neo Nazis, White Supremacist, etc. > > I do vaguely recall in the prison episodes that they had Aryan Brotherhood contacts there, but I can;t recall what they were called in the show (not interpretation of reviewers) > > Does anyone how they were described in the actual show? If it was an insult (e.g. those “neo Nazi mother hubbards”) or how they would describe themselves – did they see themselves as Nazis, neo Nazis, White Supremacists, Aryans, or just a gang of white guy hit men and drug dealers? They’re part of the Aryan Brotherhood. But Nazis is easier to type/spell and it’s more fun to say. It’s a jail gang essentially composed of white supremacists but a combination of the show not going down that road and a lack of other races on the show (other then Mexicans) meant we really didn’t explore the ins and outs of the gang that much. Besides, the show had a pretty narrow path and it stayed true to it’s course. If you want to learn more about the AB, that’s what Sons of Anarchy is for. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/433 "2013-09-30T18:00:14Z")
> [@nivlac](#): > > Well, for one thing, why couldn’t Walt had someone with weapons inside the trunk? But I was OK with this screw-up by Jack’s gang since they’re not the sharpest minds around. Because as far as they were concerned Walt was a broke, pathetic has-been who was desperate for a few bucks at that point, not a criminal mastermind. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/434 "2013-09-30T18:00:59Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Jesse said it was the exact site of their first cook (and that was confirmed by the fade in/out at the opening scene). If that’s the case there’s at least a chance he can get out there again…Walt did. He didn’t drive out there with the money and start digging and then realize that, in all of the desert, he just happened to stop in the same place as he did the first time he drove out there. The coordinates were for Skyler to find the money later, after he died, not for him to find it again, he knows where it is and I think it’s safe to say that Jesse does as well. And if he is unsure, he can climb a hill and look for the cow house. Jesse has nothing to offer in exchange for a lighter sentence because there are no bigger fish for the government to fry. If you like the idea of Jesse getting a second chance in life, then we should accept that the Nazis destroyed the confession (likely, imo) and that Marie doesn’t really know anything. When Lydia called Todd and asked if “it was done”, I thought for a moment that Todd was supposed to kill all the AB guys. He probably would have if Lydia wanted it. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/435 "2013-09-30T18:03:09Z")
Overall, I didn’t like the ending. It was too neat and clean. The fact Walt seemed to develop the superpower of invisibility was ridiculous. Not to mention the luck he had in everything just lining up perfectly in each situation. How did he get in and out of Skyler’s apartment? There were police guarding it! And the fact he saved Jesse is just not believable. Walt saw Jesse as the cause for everything going to shit. He was ready to have his head blown off in the desert. Now he sees him in chains as the meth slave and he has a change of heart? Sorry, no. It was so obvious Lydia was going to get the ricin, going many episodes back. Fine. But then they have to beat it over our heads by having that ridiculous phone call? Yes, we got it she was poisoned! Having one third of the episode devoted to the Grey Matter people sucked. The finale was nearly half over and nothing had even happened! Lastly, why does Walt deserve to win in the end? He basically got everything he set out to do, had no real repercussions for his actions. The only honest ending for him would have been for him to lose everything, including Skyler and the kids. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/436 "2013-09-30T18:04:21Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > I don’t understand why everybody thinks it stretched credulity that the Nazis didn’t check the trunk. Why should they? They had Walt unarmed and led him into the house - why would they be worried about what he had in the trunk? Should they have foreseen an M-60 rigged to a garage door opener? If they had checked the trunk, Walt’s plan wouldn’t have worked. If they hadn’t let him park in the exact right spot, or he hadn’t gotten his keys back, or Jack hadn’t been so worried about blood on his living room floor, or hadn’t bothered with fetching Jesse, it also wouldn’t have worked. It doesn’t matter: This was the fantasy ending, and realism doesn’t enter into it. That’s why it’s also OK that Todd and uncle Jack happened to survive the gunfire, so our heroes could take them out properly. The show has been trying possible endings on for size for a while now. Walt retires, Hank wins, Walt dies from cancer alone in New Hampshire, Walt gives himself up to the police. If you want the realistic ending, that’s more like the end of _Granite State_, just before the Gray Matter interview comes on. Of course this episode stretched credulity, but that was kind of the point. A hundred things had to go exactly right for that ending to come off. But the show has had tons of episodes where if things had been just slightly different, Walt would have been toast, and I think it has always been pretty self-conscious about it. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/437 "2013-09-30T18:05:12Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I started to type a big reply to something but can someone jog my memory here… > How did it go from Lydia telling Todd not to have anything to do with Walt to him showing up at the clubhouse? I assume I’m just forgetting something. She was saying that they should tell Walt they’re interested so he can show up and they can murder him. She went from being afraid of him to putting him out of his misery. > [@](#): > > Also, what was the deal with Jack bugging Walt about the car and asking about the engine? The only reason I can guess is to show that he had absolutely no suspicions about him at all. Everything was very friendly between them. My take on it was that it was a way for that guy to subtly search the car. ---
**Author:** ![Krazy-8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Krazy-8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krazy-8)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/438 "2013-09-30T18:07:19Z")
> [@by-tor](#): > > Jesse drove away in an El Camino, the same car that he wanted to buy at the tow-truck lot but did not have enough money for at the time. Bitchen’ El Camino Bitches! ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/439 "2013-09-30T18:07:41Z")
Oh and what was the deal with Walt taking the watch off? Was it the one Jesse gave him? Why does this matter? ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/440 "2013-09-30T18:08:06Z")
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