'Breaking Bad' 5x13 - "To’hajiilee”

“To’hajiilee” (5x13) Review by Kartik Chainani

            “Todd, I think I might have another job for your uncle…” those were the words uttered by Walter White that we were left hanging on last week. This week, we got to see just how well that job might play out in what I believe was arguably one of the best Breaking Bad episodes of all time. Words can’t even describe the rush, fear and adrenaline that are felt during this episode, but I’ll try my best. Last week we were left wondering what Jesse’s new plan to bring down Walt would entail, and if he would even have time to carry it out before Walt sent out the cavalry. Just as predicted, Jesse told a very pissed off Hank and Gomez that Walt’s money is the best evidence to go after, because “that greedy bastard would never get rid of it.”           

When Hank starts devising a plan to find out where Walt’s money is, we really get another glimpse at the transformation Hank has made throughout this show. Early on, we never would have expected that he would be so capable of lying and conspiring in such a Heisenberg-like manner. While Huell isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, the lies Hank spins to manipulate him into telling them where Walt’s money is really were pretty brilliant. The roles of power have definitely shifted in the past couple episodes, as we see Hank getting a step ahead of the game, and Walt now taking desperate and hasty measures.

Walt asks Todd and his neo-Nazi family to take care of Jesse in the same fashion that they took care of the 10 inmates in separate prisons who knew about Walt earlier this season, and they finally see a chance to get what they want. Todd’s cooking hasn’t been up to Lydia’s Heisenberg-standards, and Walt needing something from them is the perfect chance to fix this. Though Walt had sworn to his family and even himself that he was out, we all know that deep down, he can’t resist that apron. Forced to make a deal, killing Jesse in exchange for “one last cook”, things were looking up for the White family. Only one problem: how can Walt draw out Jesse? As the only way he knows how, Walt sees fit to pay another visit to young Brock and his mother Andrea, in hopes that a phone call from her mentioning Walt will be enough to send Jesse running over there. However, as Saul points out, Jesse isn’t as dumb as Walt thinks. For that matter, neither is Hank, who sees right through the voicemail Andrea left on Jesse’s phone. Walt’s plan to draw Jesse out goes kaput, and it becomes Jesse and Hank’s turn.

After another brilliant fake picture by Hank gets sent to Walt, seemingly showing his barrels of money, Walt desperately rushes out the door to get it, ironically in the same way he hoped Jesse would rush to Brock. The scene when Walt frantically drives into the desert to stop Jesse is nothing short of brilliant, and another prime example of the beautiful writing of Breaking Bad. Jesse definitely isn’t as dumb as Walt thinks, and even manages to convince him to stay on the phone the entire drive out to the money as well as confess over the phone to a number of his crimes without even realizing it. As if pulling a fast one like this on the great Heisenberg wasn’t enough, Jesse’s dialogue in this scene is so satisfying to anyone who’s been eagerly waiting for him to get his revenge. His voice-over doesn’t even sound like an average phone call, but more so booms over the background noise, almost as if it was a voice inside Walt’s head. We also finally get to hear Jesse call him ‘Walt’ as opposed to the term of respect ‘Mr. White’ that we’ve heard from him for 5 seasons.

             Finally, we get out to To’hajiilee, and the blood is pumping for both the audience and the characters. But we’ve only just begun. Walt realizes he’s been trapped and calls in his reinforcements for help. However, once he discovers that Jesse isn’t with a gang, but with his brother-in-law, he realizes its over for him and calls it off. This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for, Hank especially. He finally has the great ‘Heisenberg’ in handcuffs, and this nightmare can be put to rest. But we all know by now, there are no happy endings in Breaking Bad. 

Vince Gilligan and his team of genius writers have already shown us in flash-forward scenes, that this is not when Walt goes down. Walt’s cavalry arrives, fully strapped, just as he’s been sat in the back of Hank’s car. In one of the most bone-chilling scenes I’ve ever scene on television, we sat at a standoff between the neo-Nazis and Hank and Gomez. Both parties opened fire, and the credits rolled over the screen. 

Besides Walt, who we know is sure to survive, everyone’s fate is at risk at the moment. It seems more than likely that at least one of these three characters will bite the dust in the beginning of next week’s episode. As usual, we’re left with too many questions waiting to be answered, and are forced to starve our addiction for another seven days.