Last week on Breaking Bad, we witnessed a bit of an exodus in terms of Walt's (Bryan Cranston) coworkers. After the dramatic train heist of two episodes ago—you know, the one that culminated with a very young boy getting shot in the head, Jesse (Aaron Paul) no longer wants to be in the game. And Mike (Jonathan Banks), surly as ever, is being followed closely by the DEA, and he knows that for the sake of everyone, he has to get out. So where does that leave Walt? Mike and Jesse want him to sell his portion of Methylememe to a competing cook operation—but Walt has different plans, and he steals all of the chemical behind the other guys' backs. But Walt has a plan that he swears will benefit all three of them. We're not so sure.
WHAT WE LEARNED
Say My Name, Say My Name: Walt didn't just want to give up and get out of the game. Why? Because he's no quitter, and to be honest, he's mad with power. So when Mike and Jesse meet the men they were supposed to sell their methylamine to, Walt goes along too, because he has a new plan: Walt cooks for these outsiders, and takes 35 percent of the cut, if only these guys take over for a retiring Mike, and handle the distribution. Why should they do that? Because, as Walt points out in a verbal power play: He's Heisenberg. The man. And these guys know it. He forces the outside group's leader to "say my name. Say my name." Annnd he's officially horrifying.
A Car Wash Is a Perfect Place to Hide Methylamine: Walt needs a place to hide his methylamine, and where better than the family car wash? When Skyler asks who he's hiding it from—the police, or someone who'd kill for it—our man is mum. And just as scary as ever. Meanwhile, Mike is cleansing his life of any evidence he was ever in the game because he knows the DEA will be after him with a search warrant. So he ditches his nefarious life—guns, computer, all of it down a well—except for one bag, which he leaves locked in a car at the airport. But what for? He waits as the DEA takes over his home and searches for the goods. None of which do they find. Could he really be done?
Todd, the Child Killer, Is Walt's New Cookin' Bud: So, Jesse is done too. He's sure of it, and this enrages Walt, who tries to trick him into staying on. But it's a no go. Jesse is done, and storms off. But that doesn't mean that Walt doesn't need help. Who better than Todd, the trigger-happy dude who shot the young boy at the train heist? Probably lots of people would be better, actually.
The End of Mike: Hank has been ordered by his DEA boss to no longer follow Mike—so Hank pulls a tricky move and decides to follow Mike's lawyer instead. And it pays off, as the DEA catches Mike's lawyer at the bank, where he pays off each person who can, well, screw over our meth-making crew by telling the cops. And it's bad news for Mike: He's suddenly back on the DEA's radar. So he flees—and now that bag he has in a car at the airport is more important than ever. Walt gets the bag for him, and the two of them meet in the desolate desert. They have an argument. Walt wants the names of everyone Mike used to pay off. Mike won't give them to him, and says the only way out is to flee town. He gets in his car. But Walt isn't done. He marches up to the car filled with rage—and he shoots Mike. He shoots his partner and immediately looks stunned. What has he done? He has no idea. "Let me die in peace," Mike says after Walt apologizes. And Mike falls over. He's done. It's over. He's officially out of the game.
ONE-LINERS:
"Your play, Walter. You're all alone." —Mike
"You're every bit as good as me." —Walt
"I just wanna get my money and get out." —Jesse
"Now that we're in control, no one else gets hurt." —Walt
"The only thing we have left to do is leave town, Walt." —Mike
"I just realized that Lydia has the names, and I can get them from her. I'm sorry Mike." —Walt
"Let me die in peace." —Mike