# 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:** 26
**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, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/501 "2013-09-30T19:51:27Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Given what I assume is an inability to get the rights to the Dylan song of the same name quoted above (totally would’ve worked), the Badfinger song is great, has great, related lyrics, has the Pulp Fiction Pop Juxtaposition Factor™, and unfortunately the gravity of Badfinger’s history, where two principles killed themselves as the band flamed out in many ways. The tragedy of the two principals from Badfinger finding out that their success wasn’t all it was cracked up to be paralleling Walt’s success made me love the choice, actually. The opening line actually fits better than any of Dylan’s lyrics. I’m just partial to the intro of the Watchband’s cover. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/502 "2013-09-30T19:51:34Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > By the way, Vince Gilligan [signed a deal with CBS](http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/26/business/media/breaking-bad-creator-gilligan-in-deal-for-cbs-show-battle-creek.html) for a police drama to be called “Battle Creek” and scheduled for next autumn. They’ve agreed to produce and air thirteen episode even without a pilot. Maybe it’ll be about a cereal killer… …sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/503 "2013-09-30T19:52:16Z")
Skyler is sent to prison where she’s shanked by the Aryan Sisterhood. Despondent, Junior offs himself 2 weeks shy of his 18th birthday. Holly is taken from Marie when Marie gets popped shoplifting kid’s clothes at K-Mart. Holly is sent to a foster home with a bitter grandma and another kid named Brock. Jesse hauls ass out of the compound, but makes a left turn at Albuquerque and ends up lost in Nebraska. He stops to ask for directions at some donut shop. Gilligan decides he needs a break and hires on as the first mate of a charter boat based in Hawaii. ---
**Author:** ![Subterraneanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Subterraneanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subterraneanus)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/504 "2013-09-30T19:53:52Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > The tragedy of the two principals from Badfinger finding out that their success wasn’t all it was cracked up to be paralleling Walt’s success made me love the choice, actually. The opening line actually fits better than any of Dylan’s lyrics. I’m just partial to the intro of the Watchband’s cover. At least they didn’t continue to follow in Macca’s footsteps. Or maybe they did, if those freaks were right. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Subterraneanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Subterraneanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subterraneanus)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/505 "2013-09-30T19:54:56Z")
> [@Duke\_of\_Rat](#): > > Skyler is sent to prison where she’s shanked by the Aryan Sisterhood. Despondent, Junior offs himself 2 weeks shy of his 18th birthday. Holly is taken from Marie when Marie gets popped shoplifting kid’s clothes at K-Mart. Holly is sent to a foster home with a bitter grandma and another kid named Brock. Jesse hauls ass out of the compound, but makes a left turn at Albuquerque and ends up lost in Nebraska. He stops to ask for directions at some donut shop. Gilligan decides he needs a break and hires on as the first mate of a charter boat based in Hawaii. Marie becomes a DEA agent. ---
**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, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/506 "2013-09-30T19:58:15Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > Question: Did Lydia drink the tea before Walt approached the table? > [@Joey\_P](#): > > I don’t remember and I wanted to rewatch that scene to see if he put the ricin in the stevia or in the tea since that makes a difference. > > If he put it in the Stevia she was dead before she even got there, so was everyone else involved, he just needed a way to get to the nazis. > > If he put it in the tea he may have actually been trying to strike up a deal with Lydia and/or the nazis or at the very least been trying to come up with some cash. I’m wondering if his sin-methlymine method was for real or not. He was there before her and added the ricin to a packet of Stevia, and then left it as the only packet available on her table. She asked to waiter to bring more. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/507 "2013-09-30T19:58:50Z")
> [@Subterraneanus](#): > > Yes, and, yes, you do agree, Jesse. 😉 It’s where and how the Greek Tragedy Aethestic applies, bitch! Oh man, that is silly. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/508 "2013-09-30T20:00:31Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I don’t remember and I wanted to rewatch that scene to see if he put the ricin in the stevia or in the tea since that makes a difference. > > If he put it in the Stevia she was dead before she even got there, so was everyone else involved, he just needed a way to get to the nazis. > > If he put it in the tea he may have actually been trying to strike up a deal with Lydia and/or the nazis or at the very least been trying to come up with some cash. I’m wondering if his sin-methlymine method was for real or not. We never see Walt putting the ricin in anything. But there’s a Very Deliberate Shot of Lydia putting the “stevia” in the tea, after, IIRC, Walt had left. (Technically, IIRC, we never saw her actually drink the tea; I think there was a commercial break.) So I’m pretty sure the stevia was the ricin. I’m kinda curious how/whether you could tamper with a single-serve packet like that and not have it show, but not a big deal. ---
**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, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/509 "2013-09-30T20:02:12Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > Is it odd that Walt never acknowledged the personal and societal damage done by meth? Scientists who split the atom at least considered the good and bad results of their work, but did Walt? He took pride in putting out a quality product, but he didn’t go past “Well, at least my product isn’t killing people because of impurities.” It was brought up in one of the first few episodes and he dismissed the issue by saying something about how people were going to buy meth whether he sold it or not. That seemed pretty typical of Walt’s arrogance. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/510 "2013-09-30T20:02:26Z")
I fully expect this show to get the full academic treatment; undergraduate papers, graduate theses, undergraduate course, etc. There’s already a [book coming in November](http://www.sunherald.com/2013/09/27/4986360/new-book-takes-scholarly-look.html) from a professor at the University of Southern Maine, “Breaking Bad: Critical Essays on the Context, Politics, Style and Reception of the Television Series.” Of course, it’s not the first television series to get the attention of academics. A lot of times, it seems they’re giving heavy-duty attention to fairly lightweight material but I think Breaking Bad is worthy of serious consideration. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/511 "2013-09-30T20:02:52Z")
The Stevia: I believe he doctors the packet in the booth he walks up to first, before he turns around. Then he takes the packets from the container on her table, betting correctly that impatient Lydia will ask for some but reach into the container on the other table. IIRC. ---
**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, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/512 "2013-09-30T20:09:51Z")
> [@Duke\_of\_Rat](#): > > Holly is sent to a foster home with a bitter grandma and another kid named Brock. And Lydia’s daughter. ---
**Author:** ![Subterraneanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Subterraneanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subterraneanus)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/513 "2013-09-30T20:11:55Z")
“Better call Old Joe!” ---
**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, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/514 "2013-09-30T20:12:50Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > He was there before her and added the ricin to a packet of Stevia, and then left it as the only packet available on her table. She asked to waiter to bring more. So then it’s safe to assume that he had every intention of killing her and just told Todd about the ‘plan’ so he would lead him to Jack and Crew. ---
**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, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/515 "2013-09-30T20:13:59Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > The Stevia: I believe he doctors the packet in the booth he walks up to first, before he turns around. Then he takes the packets from the container on her table, betting correctly that impatient Lydia will ask for some but reach into the container on the other table. > > IIRC. So a nationally wanted fugitive is able to just wander around a restaurant fiddling with packets of sugar? No one asks him questions? No one recognizes him? And how does he get the ricin in the packet and then reseal it for Lydia to open? ---
**Author:** ![Subterraneanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Subterraneanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subterraneanus)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/516 "2013-09-30T20:15:19Z")
Fugitives wander around doing stuff all the time. Focus less on what’s possible, and more on what it means. ---
**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, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/517 "2013-09-30T20:17:13Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > So then it’s safe to assume that he had every intention of killing her and just told Todd about the ‘plan’ so he would lead him to Jack and Crew. Yeah, all he was looking for was a way into that compound so he could get the trunk popped open. He already has his plan in motion when he met Todd & Lydia. He was completely full of shit about his “alternate method” for making meth. I’m also 100% sure he was planning (and hoping) that he’d be cut down in the hail of gunfire. ---
**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, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/518 "2013-09-30T20:19:42Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > When they showed up carving that box at the beginning of the show I thought I remembered something from season 1 about him making a box? Did I make that up or was that callback? It’s a callback to the episode _Kafkaesque_, where Jesse tells a story at the N.A. meeting about making a box in a woodworking class, getting it perfect, and then trading it for weed. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/519 "2013-09-30T20:20:28Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > So then it’s safe to assume that he had every intention of killing her and just told Todd about the ‘plan’ so he would lead him to Jack and Crew. Right- he didn’t have a new method to cook that didn’t need methylamine. It was just a ruse to get him there. Of course he probably didn’t realize they weren’t buying it and wanted to kill him too! ---
**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, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/520 "2013-09-30T20:25:34Z")
> [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](#): > > So a nationally wanted fugitive is able to just wander around a restaurant fiddling with packets of sugar? No one asks him questions? No one recognizes him? And how does he get the ricin in the packet and then reseal it for Lydia to open? I assumed that he tampered with the package beforehand (which shouldn’t be that hard, just slice it open, add the ricin, glue it back together carefully, and Lydia probably wouldn’t notice unless she looked for it), and then quickly swapped it at the table he knew Lydia would sit at before she got there. Still, no real guarantee that Lydia would put it in her tea, or worse, that someone else wouldn’t end up doing so instead of her. As for not being recognized, I guess the Lambert “disguise” looks different enough from any pictures of him shown on the news. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591.md?page=25) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591.md?page=27)