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it was definitely a happy ending for Walt

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Good point, and I agree.

What I dislike about that ending is that it violates the moral arc of the universe that the writers themselves created. By the facts of the universe as the writers constructed it in the series, Walt has no right whatsoever to have any sort of happy ending.

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Dying was inevitable for Walt. The destruction of his family wasn't nearly as painful to Walt as the idea that his work would go to waste or get stolen from him. With those qualifiers in mind and the resulting actions that followed, it was definitely a happy ending for Walt.

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That is one facet of the ending I hadn't payed attention to. You're right, Jesse being linked to the last of the blue meth probably wont be connected. Walt gets to leave his money to his family, and dies as Heisenberg. He loses everything, but since being Heisenberg was that much more important. He dies with a legacy; similar to Pablo Escobar or John Gotti.

He dies the way he wanted, as Heisenberg.

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What I dislike about that ending is that it violates the moral arc of the universe that the writers themselves created.

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so...... Andrea?

Happy ending for Walt? His wife hates him. His son hates him. His protégé hates him. He's responsible for his brother-in-law's death. Got the majority of his work stolen from him because of poor decision-making. And he's bleeding out his gut.

Oh yeah, but he got to kill some Nazis and touch his lab one last time. Happy-happy-joy-joy.

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Yep.

Given Walt offered his "life's work" of $80 million just to spare Hank, how can it be a happy ending where he got what he wanted?

Again, it didn't turn out as dark for him as it possibly could have, but it's still pretty damn dark.

[This message has been edited by DannyDuberstein (edited 9/30/2013 5:02p).]

Walt had a happy ending, compared to dying in that prison in Vt.

Walt got a tiny, itty bitty dash of satisfaction. Not happiness.

just getting sick of seeing so many online "experts" reviewing the finale talking about how the ending didn't stay true to the rest of BBs themes. another common complaint, "well Walt ended up winning and Gilligan shouldn't have let him win".

well the reality is that sometimes the bad guy or anti-hero does win. sometimes endings dont conclude in the absolute darkest most humiliating way possible for the bad guy. and sometimes even, the bad guy isn't as bad as society has made him out to be.

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Head Ninja In Charge
user level: TexAgs Legend posted 4:36p, 09/30/13this user's public profilesend private message to useredit this replyobject to this reply



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Exactly. The thought that this was some sort of happy ending is moronic. Just because they didn't kill every last person on the show doesn't make it a "happy" ending.


But reality was Walt got revenge on everyone he wanted to get revenge on. He got to die on his own terms more or less. He literally threw out of the window the notion (lie) that he was doing all of this because of his family, so the destruction of his family seems less impactful now.

What it really came down to for Walt was the life. He literally says "I did it for me. I liked it. I was good at it. And I was alive."

In the end, that's what mattered to him and those were the ends he was able to tie up, the ones that mattered to him. That's where the "happy" ending (if that's the right term) comes from. Walt's priorities were being the best meth cook in the world first, his family second. The fact that he was able to resolve his first priority the way he wanted to makes it a victory for Walt.

Dying was inevitable for Walt. The destruction of his family wasn't nearly as painful to Walt as the idea that his work would go to waste or get stolen from him. With those qualifiers in mind and the resulting actions that followed, it was definitely a happy ending for Walt.

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Well said. Walt won. I can't think of anything else they could have *realistically* done in the finale to make it any better, given where he started alone in the frozen car. We know that Walt and family weren't going to be celebrating on some beach with Coronas as the ending. We knew Walt was going to die, and he was able to die on his own terms while dealing out justice to those who had wronged him while also gaining some form of forgiveness and/or closure from those he had wronged. And he successfully laundered the 10mm

[This message has been edited by InternetFan02 (edited 9/30/2013 5:14p).]

I don't really see the problem or any violation of moral arcs. Yes, bad things always caught up to everyone else. But Walt was always our special, complex bad guy. I think most BB fans kept pulling for him while hoping that he didn't teeter too far past the edge of unforgivable. And, no matter what happened, he did "keep getting away with it."[/jesse] When death was inevitable, him "getting away with it" by going out on his own terms seems perfectly congruent with the rest of the series. Sometimes through smarts, and sometimes through dumb luck, he was always 2 steps ahead of everyone else, so orchestrating the ending exactly how he wanted is consistent with that, IMO.

I can see how people who were off of the pulling-for-Walt train might feel cheated that he didn't get it as bad as some other, more innocent characters. But that dissatisfaction is more about your own sense of what Walt deserved, rather than internal inconsistencies in the writing.

[This message has been edited by North Dallas Forty oz. (edited 9/30/2013 5:19p).]

Walt had an unhappy ending, compared to the pool party before Hank had to go pinch a loaf.

seriously, f this show

love the internet

What's the situation in season 2?

[This message has been edited by Unthought known (edited 9/30/2013 5:31p).]

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just getting sick of seeing so many online "experts" reviewing the finale

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Pretty sure that's exactly what this thread is all about: giving our opinions on a complex show and, in this case, its ending.

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just getting sick of seeing so many online "experts" reviewing the finale

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I would suggest you steer clear of the sports boards, then. Although I have no idea why you're bothering signing into a fan-based message board.

this is called ending on a high

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love the internet

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What it really came down to for Walt was the life. He literally says "I did it for me. I liked it. I was good at it. And I was alive."

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I think I finally put my finger on why I turned against WW somewhere along the way. In his final moments, if you asked him whether he'd go through it all again knowing how it would all end up, I think the answer would be yes - if he's being honest.

It's the story of a guy lived a normal joe schmoe life for 50 years. Gets cancer. Uses meth to leave his family tons of money and feel "Alive" again before it's all over.



[This message has been edited by hennessy11 (edited 9/30/2013 5:44p).]

Think I watched 4 or 5 episodes of BB, but must say Baby Blue by Badfinger was a most excellent choice...

http://www.infinitelooper.com/?v=cJ7T2bUbLDA#/201;312

Didn't Gilligan say at one time the plan was to have Jesse die in season one or two, but kept him around because Aaron Paul was so good? Anyone else find it funny he lived through it all?

Just watched. Beautiful ending... Was expecting and half-hoping for something really dark, but this was more satisfying.

2 things:

-Todd trying to compliment Lydia on her blouse. Amazing.

-Walt lifting his shirt and showing there is not a wire, with a "you gotta be kiddin me" attitude.... Gilligan definitely having some fun with the fans, yes?

Has no one mentioned Todd's ringtone?

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-Walt lifting his shirt and showing there is not a wire, with a "you gotta be kiddin me" attitude.... Gilligan definitely having some fun with the fans, yes?

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thought the exact same thing at the time.

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Exactly. The thought that this was some sort of happy ending is moronic. Just because they didn't kill every last person on the show doesn't make it a "happy" ending.

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What's moronic is the inability to see how "feel good" this ending was, as was already pointed out. Given the circumstances for Walt, this could not have played out any better for him. He died on his own terms, was able to say his final goodbyes to his family, killed everyone he needed to, was able to at least possibly give his money to Flynn, saved Jesse, and got to go out like the drug kingpin that he was in his own mind. I think it was a great ending, and I loved this show, but I really did want that dark ending. I didn't want Walt to "win", I wanted his luck to run out for once. Again, I still believe it was a good ending, just think it could've been better.

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Has no one mentioned Todd's ringtone?

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Best part of the episode for me

and why'd you want the dark ending?

So I could crawl up into a ball and cry, duh!

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I didn't want Walt to "win", I wanted his luck to run out for once.

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For once? You did see the last two episodes, right?

If Walt had failed, Skylar goes to the DEA so they can find the bodies thinking she is in the clear and the Nazis come to kill Holly and her. I'm sure it would've pissed plenty of fans off, however.

He was pretty damn lucky, actually. The Nazis saved him from being taken in and dying in jail like a b*tch and still destroying his family.

And he still got to keep $11 million despite giving the Nazis everything.

In my mind, Walt had already called the cops to the compound. He gets his crack at them first but if it fails they still go down and his family is safe

[This message has been edited by Tobias funke (edited 9/30/2013 6:24p).]

He had mentioned that the cops would come to him. I think it's safe to say he gave them some kind of tip on the compound location.