# 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:** 5
**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 26, 2013, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/81 "2013-09-26T19:23:49Z")
> [@BlackKnight](#): > > I know the Bin Laden thing was just a minor slip up on the part of the writers, and I know it makes no real difference in the show, but I like to think Uncle Jack was a conspiracy theorist who thought Bin Laden was already dead and was just “kept alive” for propaganda purposes. Compare with a hypothetical, “Even faking the moon landing wasn’t this hard!” Can you remind me about the Bin Laden reference? ---
**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 26, 2013, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/82 "2013-09-26T19:24:18Z")
OK, I found the source of the September birthday: It’s the [divorce papers](http://images.wikia.com/breakingbad/images/c/c8/Divorce_papers.jpg). Hard to argue with that one, then. (Of course, in any case, neither a September or February birthday for Walt fits with Jane “turning 27 next month” and her date of birth being given as April. In that case, it would have made more sense for Walt’s birthday to be in December.) I think I’ll just settle for the timeline being thoroughly boned, and just take it as a reminder to get that shit right when I write my own hypothetical future TV show. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/83 "2013-09-26T19:29:25Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Can you remind me about the Bin Laden reference? Walt’s first meeting with Jack’s crew in the seedy motel room, where they were orchestrating the jailhouse killings. Jack says to Walt something to the effect that “I gotta be straight with you, man. Taking out all these guys is doable, but maybe not the way you want it done. I mean, whacking Bin Laden wasn’t this hard.” ---
**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 26, 2013, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/84 "2013-09-26T19:41:30Z")
And if anyone is wondering what the heck I’m talking about, my last two posts were supposed to go in the “Granite State” episode thread. :smack: Sorry. ---
**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 26, 2013, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/85 "2013-09-26T21:20:40Z")
Completely trivial item, but for some reason I remember Gray Matter being headquartered in Santa Fe. Anyone know if that’s right? ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/86 "2013-09-26T23:21:05Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Completely trivial item, but for some reason I remember Gray Matter being headquartered in Santa Fe. Anyone know if that’s right? I don’t know if they specified, but Gretchen and Elliott live in Santa Fe so it would make sense. ---
**Author:** ![lesh17](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9fc348/32.png) [@lesh17](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lesh17)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/87 "2013-09-27T00:41:50Z")
> [@Martian Bigfoot](#): > > I don’t think it’s the start of a chemical reaction, but the conclusion of one that has played itself out. The composer, Dave Porter, said that he put the theme in that scene because in his interpretation, it’s the point when Walter White and Heisenberg have merged into one person. > > I tend to agree with that. As I said in one of the other threads, I think “Lambert” is the synthesis of the thesis/antithesis pair of Walt/Heisenberg. Which I think is a good ending to Walt’s arc. > > Plus, there’s something about the body language of “Lambert” in the flash forwards. This is clearly a man on a mission, but he doesn’t have that nervous Heisenberg energy about him. He seems calm, resigned to his fate somehow. The thing I really love about this is how it ties in with the theme of change in chemical reactions as introduced in the pilot; i.e. “Growth, Decay and Transformation”. Heisenberg has reached his zenith, fallen to rock bottom…and now we are about to see something new. Very exciting. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/88 "2013-09-27T00:56:35Z")
In the “Ozymandias” thread someone mentioned that it was probably the longest thread ever about a single TV episode. The “Granite State” thread could top that. But this thread could easily reach 100 posts before the episode even airs. I doubt if that has happened before. ---
**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 27, 2013, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/89 "2013-09-27T01:26:12Z")
> [@Bumbershoot](#): > > But this thread could easily reach 100 posts before the episode even airs. I doubt if that has happened before. Though, to be fair, the other ones weren’t started about a week before the episodes aired. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/90 "2013-09-27T01:30:14Z")
> [@Martian Bigfoot](#): > > Though, to be fair, the other ones weren’t started about a week before the episodes aired. 😉 For that matter, this thread could easily be merged with the “Granite State” thread. …Which would put it _very_ close to overtaking the “Ozymandias” thread! ---
**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 27, 2013, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/91 "2013-09-27T01:32:49Z")
> [@lesh17](#): > > The thing I really love about this is how it ties in with the theme of change in chemical reactions as introduced in the pilot; i.e. “Growth, Decay and Transformation”. Heisenberg has reached his zenith, fallen to rock bottom…and now we are about to see something new. Very exciting. Spot on comment Lesh, the transformation has started. ---
**Author:** ![stoplight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@stoplight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stoplight)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/92 "2013-09-27T03:39:09Z")
What if we find out that Todd is actually working for Walt…oooooooohhhhhhhhh noooooooooooooo and Todd takes out Lydia with the Ricin and guns down his Uncle while Walt is busily destroying Gray Matters’ stock price and has Saul aggressively shorting it, oh wait Saul is working at a cinnibun or his he? I do wonder why Todd had reservations about killing Skylar especially at Lydia’s request. The only ones he has so far refused to kill are Jesse and Skylar hmmmm…come on Sunday… ---
**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 27, 2013, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/93 "2013-09-27T03:44:43Z")
> [@stoplight](#): > > I do wonder why Todd had reservations about killing Skylar especially at Lydia’s request. The only ones he has so far refused to kill are Jesse and Skylar hmmmm…come on Sunday… I think it’s purely his respect for Walt. That time he told his uncle the story of the Great Train Robbery, you could tell Todd was just in awe of Walt’s abilities. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/94 "2013-09-27T05:28:42Z")
I’m sure he has no great love for Jesse; he just needs Jesse to get into Lydia’s woodworking coochie. Can’t hardly fault the guy for that. I’d give her some wood to grind. He probably didn’t kill Skyler out of respect for Walt. Maybe because Walt didn’t treat him like a retard when they were working together, or maybe because Todd is actually way smarter than he acts and respects Walt’s intellect. ---
**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 27, 2013, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/95 "2013-09-27T11:40:07Z")
> [@Washoe](#): > > I’m sure he has no great love for Jesse; he just needs Jesse to get into Lydia’s woodworking coochie. I dunno. Remember the spider that Todd keeps after shooting Drew Sharp? That seems like a pretty clear foreshadowing of Jesse in the cage. Although what it means exactly, I’m not sure. Maybe Todd just likes keeping pets, and Jesse is a more fun pet than the spider. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/96 "2013-09-27T12:40:36Z")
Minor thought, for Better Call Saul - I am sure we’ll start a thread speculating on it after the BBFinale, but I thought I would drop it here: - Do people think it will be an open-ended series, like old-school U.S. TV series, or a closed arc, like BB? If it is a closed arc, it would be “more” possible (IMHO) to take place _prior_ to BB because it could end cleanly without running up against BB continuity issues. If it is an open-ended show, then having Saul start off in an “Omaha Cinnabun” could be great - we could see how Saul gets back in the game over time. That could be done in a closed-arc way, too - but if they go with open-ended, it would make more sense (again IMHO) to start after BB… **FINALE speculation** : Skyler turns and gives up Walt, accepting jail time and leaving Holly to be cared for by Marie and Flynn/Jr while she is in the slammer. That leaves a final showdown with Jesse (who has dealt with the AB, Todd and Lydia and escaped - or Walt killed them, leaving Jesse). So by the time Walt and Jesse battle, Walt is alone - and the final battle with Jesse is the last stand; Jesse will have become Walt’s last connection to his original intent and humanity. Jesse and Walt end up fighting and, at the critical point, Jesse dies\* while saying something that reaches into Walt, and forces Walt to realize what he’s done and all the costs. Walt dies\* - not redeemed, but aware. Fade to Black. \*One of these deaths will be due to the Ricin. Gotta have closure with that. ---
**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 27, 2013, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/97 "2013-09-27T12:50:39Z")
Walt will eat the ricin, then he’ll go blast all the Nazis with “Ride of the Valkyries” blazing in the background. That’s all I’ve got. ---
**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 27, 2013, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/98 "2013-09-27T13:18:14Z")
With all of the foreshadowing they’ve done over the entire series, I’m almost 100% sure that Marie will end up with, at least, Holly. Don’t know if it will be because Skyler dies or in prison (or something else), but Marie will end up with the baby she never could have herself. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/99 "2013-09-27T13:21:45Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > With all of the foreshadowing they’ve done over the entire series, I’m almost 100% sure that Marie will end up with, at least, Holly. Don’t know if it will be because Skyler dies or in prison (or something else), but Marie will end up with the baby she never could have herself. I vote Skyler = jail, so that Marie gets her kid AND there is a demonstration of what it really means to be there for “Family” - in contrast to Walt’s broken intentions. And Flynn will be involved to show that, too - he’s always been the person representing a simple belief in the right values that Walt was espousing for his own needs… ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591/100 "2013-09-27T13:25:55Z")
> [@Martian Bigfoot](#): > > Walt will eat the ricin, then he’ll go blast all the Nazis with “Ride of the Valkyries” blazing in the background. I love the smell of blue meth in the morning. Smells like… Victory. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-bad-5-16-felina-9-29-13-series-finale/669591.md?page=6)