Breaking Bad Season 5 Episode 10: We Are Family | Written by Yoh of TheTapeDeck.net
How thick does the blood bond run in the veins of Hank and Walt? Brothers through marriage, foes through faith, it’s the tale of good vs evil without clear distinction of who wears the protagonist mask. The previous week of Breaking Bad, episode 9, there was an accelerated climax that caught viewers off guard between the two, their dance has always been foreseen, but even I never imagined it would have been in the premier return. Ending with a stare off, Breaking Bad’s Episode 10: We Are Family in comparison to “Blood Money” is a dull aftershock while the former was off the Richter magnitude scale. I’ll admit it was a needed foundation layer, placing the tracks for a train of misery to glide across.
I wasn’t fond of how Hank’s and Walt’s aftermath was handled, Walter departing from the garage as if a murderous confrontation didn’t just happen. His exit doesn’t dissolve Hank’s resolve, before he’s able to pull out the drive way, Hank is phoning Skyler at the car wash for a rendezvous. Walt is unable to roadblock the two despite a speedy effort to reach his wife, but Hank is able to draw her into a one on one conversation that he sees is key to turn his Walt’s suspensions into a definite conviction. I’ve been on the “I Hate Skyler White” team for the last few seasons, yet I might have a change of mind as the damsel in distress surprisingly stares into the face of her savior and request a lawyer. The last person Hank wants involved in this tangle. He seems sincere about protecting his wife’s sister, but even more adamant about obtaining the key to Walt’s jail cell. Something I’ve notice is the White familia doesn’t like the idea of their children being taken away, and that suggestion alone is all it takes before the terror-stricken Skyler is rising from the diner table yelling “Am I under arrest?” Being that she wasn’t, Hank couldn’t keep her constrained, even though he aggressively grabs her, showing his desperation.
Skyler’s feisty escape doesn’t end Hank’s hot pursuit, while home and multiple failed attempts to reach Walt; Marie is banging on the door pleading with Sky to allow her entrance. Skyler sternly agrees to allow Marie to enter, but without Hank. I didn’t expect much from the two sisters conversing, dramatic but the compassionate Marie pleads with Skylar to again deliver her husband to the sharks, and she still tearfully apologetically rejects. Marie explodes slapping Skyler for hiding the truth assuming she knew of Heisenberg’s existence when Hank was shot. She then tries to remove baby Holly from the home, of course Skyer doesn’t allow this and a heated argument ensue. Hank breaks them up, since the removal of the baby would be kidnapping. After the two leave the premises, sitting in the car boiling with rage Marie utters, “You have to get him”. Family is a word that holds no weight in their world. Later we see interesting dialogue between Hank and Marie about how to tackle the Walt’s issue; how this will be the last case of his career once the DEA realizes that man he’s been chasing has been his brother-in-law.
While all this escalates, Walt consults with Saul Goodman about the next course of action; Saul’s obviously worried about Hank’s revelation, and even suggests sending the beloved brother-in-law on a Mike Ehrmantraut vacation. This infuriates Walt, “Hank is Family”, and even suggests that before he plays a hand in Hank’s demise that he would send Saul to where Mike resides. This comment shows the difference between Walt and Hank’s perspective – Walt still looks upon his brother no differently, while Hank sees nothing but a monster needing a cage. Walt and Saul conclude the money from the storage unit must disappear, using his two infamous lackeys; the riches are withdrawn for Walt who deposits them in the desert. He digs a grave alone in the burning sun, and buries his empire riches, cleverly buying a lottery ticket that numbers represent the coordinates.
He returns home to his wife, this is the first time the two have spoken and Walt says very little as he undresses to shower, covered in dirt, but before he can wash away the evidence of his labor – Walt completely passes out on the bathroom floor. Skyler realizes what Hank said earlier about Walt’s cancer returning wasn’t just a sympathy ploy; her husband is not only knocking on the judicial system door, but also deaths. After losing consciousness for hours, Walt awakes and confesses to Skyler that he will give up, hoping to strike a deal with Hank to give her immunity. His only request is that the money he earned will be used to feed generations of White’s; again family is never far from his foreground. Walt doesn’t fear his physical mortality, but his legacy. Sky feels confident that Hank has little to destroy their family, and suggest that they should simply lay low. I enjoyed this scene most out of the entire episode, Walt looks up upon Skyler after she questions him about the cancers return and he ask, “Does that make you happy?” and she replies “I don’t remember the last time I was happy”.
The scene switches concluding Lydia dealing with the Arizona Cartel. Their sloppy operation led to a fifty million dollar short fall, which leads to their demise. After entering their underground meth lab, and criticizing the standard of blue crystal being cooked, the argument between Lydia and the Cartel’s leader Declan is short-winded as Declan is summoned above ground about an issue. We see Lydia stays underground and gets into a fetal position, as gunshots are heard. Come to find out Todd and his uncles were hired to eliminate the Cartel, leaving a lot of questions on what Lydia could potentially be plotting.
The episode end with Hank’s return to the office, and seems ready to bring the DEA up to speed on what he’s uncovered, but before he’s able to spill the beans Agent Steven Gomez updates him on the arrest of Jesse Pinkman withholding millions of dollars. The episode begun with a man uncovering Jesse in the park, and I’m assuming he called the police. I don’t know what charges they are holding him on, but this is why Saul and Walt haven’t been able to reach him. The last scene we see is Hank walking into the room that has Jesse, hoping that Pinkman’s increase in currency will be the last link to Walt.