Tumgik
#brba meta
Text
Okay I have to jump on the “Walt could’ve just Not Done That”-is-a-horrible-take train. I just finished Gray Matter on my rewatch and the writers make it so deeply, heart-wrenchingly clear WHY Walt decides to cook with Jesse rather than taking Gretchen and Elliot’s money. And I think I get what people are misunderstanding about it
Yes, it’s a pride thing. But it’s not pride about who pays for his treatment— that’s not the heart of it. It’s pride about how he wants to die. Walt wants dignity. In the face of this terminal diagnosis, he is looking back on a life where he feels he hasn’t ever made any of his own choices, and he is looking forward to a future of deeply unpleasant and dehumanizing treatment that will most likely lead to him dying frail in a hospital bed (like his only memory of his own father). And on top of that, to have his treatment paid for by the people who stole his life’s work (and in his mind the life he should’ve had), and then to have his family taken care of by Hank after his death… Walt doesn’t see himself anywhere in that image of his life. He might as well not be there.
Walt wants to make his own choices. He wants to be in control of how he dies. He wants to go out with dignity. That is deeply sympathetic— to be at his lowest point, and reach for something to make him feel alive. The writers + Bryan cranston make this motivation viscerally clear. And that’s what makes the show WORK
The tragedy, what Walt gets wrong, is in the limited image he has of what a good death can look like. Of what truly living, with dignity and control over your life can look like. Staring death straight on and deciding to battle it side by side with your family and loved ones, accepting help, and showing vulnerability without shame— that could’ve been what he was looking for, if he was open to it. Instead, he goes a very different way.
BUT that doesn’t mean he’s acting sooooo crazy and stupid in a way that’s unmotivated and not compelling. His motivation is so clear to me on this rewatch. And that’s what makes it a beautiful tragedy
801 notes · View notes
therealslimshady · 1 year
Text
Jesse Breaking Bad is such an interesting character because on one hand, yes he was blackmailed into making meth with Walt and yes he was manipulated by him at every turn and yes Walt basically ruined his entire life. But on the other hand, yes Jesse embraced this life and yes he made horrible choices and yes he took actions that led to both him and Walt getting further embroiled in the drug world. I love me some nuanced characters. He could've stepped away at any time but he didn't!
But here's the thing.... could he have? If early show Jesse ever tried to get away from Walt, from making meth, could he have actually left? Like really, think about it. Could Jesse have ever stepped away and decided to take his life in a new direction?
Obviously we'll never know for sure because the guy always inevitably went back to making meth (even when Walt had 'quit'), but I can't help but think he would not have been able to get away.
It's like what Jesse said, Walt needed Jesse more then Jesse needed him. It feels like if Jesse ever tried to step away, Walt would just reel him back in, no matter the cost. And sure we see that very clearly at the end of season two with Jane, but even before then I don't think Jesse ever really had a chance. So long as Walt was sure he needed Jesse, he would do everything he could to make sure he stayed.
If Walter decided to quit the meth business he always tried to make sure Jesse quit too. If Walt got back in the meth business, he needed Jesse with him. Jesse was his guy. I don't think there's any universe where Walt decided to get back into the swing of things and didn't do it with Jesse. He's trapped, even if early show Jesse never fully realized.
Anyways this post doesn't have a point I just think Jesse is neat
180 notes · View notes
Text
Hate ppl who are like “I hate Skyler White but I’m not a misogynist” I don’t believe you. Like there are definitely cases of writers failing female characters and making them unlikable or one-note via shitty misogynistic writing but BrBa’s writers never once pulled that shit w her imo, not even after fans tried to pressure them into killing her off. So like why do you hate her then what’s to hate she was literally doing her best in a completely untenable situation
124 notes · View notes
girlbosswalkedoutonme · 9 months
Text
Just thinking about the scene where Jesse tells Hank that Walters not just "smarter than you" hes "luckier than you". Because this is something that Jesse knows from intimate experience like from their first meeting at the beginning show- literally the catalyst of the show- is based on pure luck. Like what are the odds that on the first tag along Walt goes on with Hank he meets not just anyone but his former student, not only that but his former student who still lives at his last known address in the school database. Out of all the drug dealers in New Mexico he stumbles across Jesse. Like imagine if he'd met Krazy 8 or Emilio or Tuco or even stumbled upon Gus's operation earlier or even if he'd tried to do it all on his own. He'd have been dead within a week bcuz literally no one else would've tolerated him or not taken the first chance they got to stab him in the back. But not Jesse tho. Jesse who is loyal and trustworthy and respects Walt. Walt could not have asked for a better partner to have put up with him. This is a fact that he takes advantage of and gets away with taking of bcuz Jesse is Jesse. Like he really couldn't have gotten any luckier that Jesse practically fell into his lap and was just there waiting for Walt to step in.
8 notes · View notes
extraterramisu · 1 year
Text
who remembers when jesse pinkman was having dinner with walt and skyler and he said he hates the shitty frozen lasagna with the shitty scabby cheese on top and then a few episodes later marie makes him lasagna? no just me? ok bye
37 notes · View notes
homunculusalphonse · 2 years
Text
no seriously, i’m so fucking sad about jesse. this kid was manipulated like hell, was treated like garbage, was neglected and insulted and left alone, and when he finally decided to tell walt to fuck himself, he’s only victim of more tragedies to come.
14 notes · View notes
dykezekiel · 2 years
Text
in the fly (brba) and in the lantern (bcs) both Walter and chuck are unraveled by a paranoia, essentially a haunting of the ghost they created. they're both guilty and they know it and they can't stand it. getting rid of the fly is supposed to be symbolic for Walter's guilt about Jane's death, or maybe just Jane herself, while Chuck is ransacking his house for the electricity which is supposed to be symbolic for his lingering guilt about his and jimmy’s relationship. or something idk
13 notes · View notes
degenderates · 6 months
Text
i'm like so genuinely surprised that considering breaking bad has been one of the most popular and well-acclaimed shows of the past decade that there isn't a larger transformative fandom surrounding it. like there are only 860 works on ao3 for walter/jesse and less than 4k works under the "breaking bad" tag as a whole. i guess that's because it was considered a mainstream, cishet-type show but it really is quite homoerotic and even without that, its honesty and viscerality in portraying long-term abuse is incredible. i compared it to hannibal to one of my friends, except with a greater age gap and even more unequal balance of power (both due to age but also the personalities of the person being manipulated--will vs. jesse).
i think it's a combination of the toxicity of their relationship as well as the concept of the show that prevented breaking bad from being a huge fandom a la tumblr style. because you have hannibal being super popular a decade after it's off the air, but breaking bad is not inherently queer the way hannibal is, both regarding the creators of the show and the content itself. however i think, like supernatural, the show says a LOT about toxic masculinity and is a very smart commentary, and the tumblr girlies would like it if it wasn't just known as a meme online (funny how again, the same thing could be said for the actual subtexts and commentaries of supernatural)
anyway this post came about because i just wish there was more waltjesse fanart</3
126 notes · View notes
izzythehutt · 1 year
Text
I love that there's really no "scientific" explanation for why Walt and Jesse are the only people who can perfectly cook the blue meth. It essentially functions as a kind of alchemical sorcery, the supernatural, demonic gift born from their twisted pact with the devil, their souls in exchange for the partnership and the "blue stuff."
It keeps them coming back together over and over again ("Your meth is good, Jesse. As good as mine.") and tears them apart (Gus only needs one person to cook it, and so he turns them against each other.) It's what Gus needs from Walt for his revenge on the cartel and motivates his manipulation of Walter back into the drug business, it's the one thing Jesse believes he's ever been good at so he goes back to doing it alone—until Hank's pursuit of them drives him back into his old partner's waiting arms, because however brilliant of a chemist Gale Boetticher is, he's not Jesse, the only partner in Walter White's life of crime he's ever actually wanted.
Jesse believes his gift the only reason Walt ever cared about him ("[Walt] made you a 50-50 partner. He didn't need to do that." "Yeah, he sort of did. I'm the only one near as good as him, so...") The happiest the two of them ever were in their partnership, the most emotionally fulfilled, peaceful and in-sync they ever were, was when they were making the blue stuff together.
Literal chemical poison.
The promise of Heisenberg's talent is what motivates Jack to come to the To'hajiilee even after he calls off the hit, when Walt himself is ready for it to be over, the fact that only Jesse can compare in skill is why he's kept alive, enslaved (as all are enslaved to sin), forced to make this perfect, blood-soaked poison or see his loved ones killed, one by one.
It's neither chemistry nor art. It's a perfect, crystal blue prison that binds them together and trapped them in a cycle of pain, death and betrayal.
582 notes · View notes
anarchywoofwoof · 24 days
Text
Tumblr media
hands to yerself jagoff
46 notes · View notes
mikuyuuss · 6 months
Text
As much as I love to hate on Walt, there's also a part of me that can understand his frustrations of not being able to share his """"achievements""" with his family. Walt always felt like an underachiever. He is an overqualified highschool chemistry teacher. His students don't even respect him. He struggles trying to make ends meet just to provide for his family, and not to mention his regrets surrounding gray matter.. (which is kinda his fault, like Eliott offered to work with him again but he refused 🤷‍♀️) but the thing thing is, all of it served to make him feel humiliated and emasculated.
And then he got into the Meth Business and he is finally excelling at something that he is good at. He finally sees himself becoming the capable breadwinner of his family. Ofc he would be proud of it, I mean who wouldn't want to share your achievements with your loved ones and be recognized for it?
Except he can't, because his family would hate him if they knew he's a drug dealer. Rather than being the capable provider that he wished to be seen, Walt thinks that he is still very much the poor and helpless dad in the eyes of his family. I remember when Jr opened a website to help fund Walt's cancer treatment even though the latter is more than capable of paying for it. Then Jr gets featured on the tv for it and the whole time the focus was on him even if Walt was the one who secretly paid it. It was kinda funny ngl, but the point is Walt WANTS to be recognized but he couldn't and that frustrates him.(Except he is. Poor Flynn, he genuinely loved and looked up to his dad as A PERSON only Walt doesn’t see that.)
This is where Jesse Pinkman comes in. Jesse knew the side of Walt that his family doesn't, someone who he can share his criminal achievements and be recognized for it. They are partners after all, except Walt is the one in control.
I think its interesting how they put so much emphasis on Jesse being Walt's former highschool student. It already establishes the imbalance between them. Walt sees his job as a highschool teacher to be humiliating already and Jesse happens to be one of his inattentive students. So the fact that Jesse grew to admire and respect him is probably something that Walt views as an accomplishment. Jesse addressing Walt as "Mister White" is very telling. It's definitely the first step to fueling his ego, and it validates his want for power.
and I feel like as Walt became more and more estranged from his family. He starts projecting those frustrations to Jesse. His students don't take his classes seriously? well at least his former student Jesse does. His own son still thinks he is "helpless"? well at least Jesse doesn't. His wife hates him? At least he still got Jesse-
Walt wants to keep Jesse around him at all times to fuel his ego. He projects not just a teacher-student relationship with him, but also a pseudo son in him, and when its convenient for him, a pseudo mistress. (Like let's be real for a second, the Skyler and Jesse parallels are too obvious. One of the creators purposely mirrored some of their scenes, the actors even joke about it) Walt is just messed up like that.
and thus poor Jesse was dumped with fulfilling all of these different roles for Walt all at once (bc most of the important people in his life couldn't give that to him) It so happens that Jesse is a lonely and impressionable young man, who also seeks for validation, but in a mentor figure. This makes him susceptible to Walt's manipulations. All of these is what led to their relationship becoming as codependent and as toxic is we know in the show. By keeping Jesse around, Walt gets to have the sense of recognition that he always wanted.
48 notes · View notes
Note
your post about walter jr supporting his parents and always showing so much kindness and maturity to them is literally the ONLY post that matters. that child deserved so so so much better and i love to see him acknowledged
Thank you friendo while I have you here can we also talk about how Walt destroys his life because of a shitty intersection of toxic masculinity + ableism (because what he’s trying to avoid, deep down, is that image of his dying father— sick. weak. feminized to Walt in his frailness) and this attitude also affects how he treats Flynn???
Look how Flynn is introduced in the pilot script:
Tumblr media
His parents “treat him as if he were able-bodied, which is how he wants it.” It’s true— and at first glance, this is a good thing. Flynn doesn’t want to be babied, he doesn’t want to be offered help at every turn in situations where he knows he can be independent. His parents provide him with a feeling of normalcy, by not over-emphasizing or dramatizing his cerebral palsy. Sometimes he will need help or accommodation, and they provide it for him, but often he won’t, and they won’t mention it. This is the rhythm they have all found, and Flynn likes it that way.
But this approach is deeply flawed. Rather than normalizing Flynn’s disability (which I think is the surface level intention), it erases it, ignores it, attempts to hide it from view and discussion. Which is unsurprisingly pretty similar to how Walt relates to his cancer + treatment. He wants to do everything alone— he banishes Skyler from his chemo sessions, and he hides himself away when he’s having chemo side effects, often locking himself in the bathroom. Walt shapes his life around his cancer in some ways (that whole cooking meth thing), but at the same time, he works hard to hide his illness, ashamed of that feminizing weakness he thinks it gives him.
And what effect does this attitude have on Flynn? Walt’s shame around illness, weakness, and disability— his idea that it’s okay to be sick or disabled, as long as you don’t talk about it? Of course, it makes Flynn feel his father is ashamed of him. And it instills that same reflexive draw towards toxic masculinity in him (think about how he idolizes Hank!).
Consider the scene where Walt is teaching Flynn how to drive (which I recently saw on my rewatch). Where Flynn wants to drive with two feet, and Walt insists he use just one, because he has to get it “right.” He has to be able to drive the same as everyone else, no matter how unintuitive that may be to his body. This conversation obviously makes Flynn feel embarrassed and ashamed. And when Flynn tries to drive the “right” way? He crashes.
This scene hits so hard for me because it’s a very clear case where the method of driving that would work best for Flynn is so clearly viable— there’s really no reason not to let him drive in the way that’s most intuitive and comfortable for him. If Walt were truly normalizing Flynn’s disability, he would let him drive that way with no comment. But that was never Walt’s real attitude towards Flynn’s cerebral palsy. Walt is treating him like he’s able bodied— he’s trying to erase Flynn’s disability. And when that attitude hits the road, it literally crashes. With the added bonus of making Flynn feel like it’s his fault for not having a body that works the “right” way.
Idk exactly where I’m going with this. Mostly wanted to say Justice For Flynn!!! And remark on what an interesting character he is. I think he’s super neglected in fandom discourse— I’m thinking a lot rn (if you couldn’t tell haha) about how he serves as a foil for Walt in terms of Walt’s attitudes about gender and bodies and power and all that jazz. As a (mostly) able-bodied person myself I would love to hear more on this topic from any disabled folks who wanted to speak on it!
421 notes · View notes
Text
the way izzy was received by this fandom rlly is the worst combo of how fans responded to kylo ren and how fans responded to, like, tyler durden or walter white.
anything i could say comparing izzy fans and kylo fans was already said in this fucking incredible post by @chuplayswithfire. but basically: izzy is a huge cunt to everyone in this show but fans take him at his word when he talks about being hardworking and competent, they minimize and excuse his actions and act like he's an innocent traumatized baby, and they focus on him, a shitty white antagonist, instead of any of the other interesting characters of color they could be paying attention to
but imo the thing that rlly makes a difference between izzy and kylo, and the thing that makes me compare him to those other two white dudes i mentioned above, is that unlike the movies kylo ren is in, ofmd is actually well-written
the first movie in the star wars sequel trilogy was pitched, written, filmed, and literally released with no ending for the trilogy in mind. the writing for the next movies was adjusted based on fan reactions, and major plot points were decided by studio executives deciding which events would make the movie more profitable. i should not have to explain to you that this is a terrible way to write a movie series. or a television series. or literally any kind of fucking story in the world.
our flag means death, or what we have of it so far, is not that. there's fully developed characters with given realistic motivations, instead of one-dimensional props that are jerked around by a constant tug-of-war between writers, directors, and studio executives. there are narrative plot points that are woven expertly throughout the story, not hints of storylines that are completely forgotten about by the next franchise, or storylines that were finished that are getting dug up again. there's a central theme to ofmd, unlike the new star wars movies, where the theme seems to be "how can we milk this fucking franchise for all it's worth." there's no goddamn queerbaiting
i'll admit that i've never actually seen breaking bad, and everything i know about it i've learned via tumblr osmosis. but from what i can tell, it's actually a very well-written show, and the whole point of the show is that walter white is the epitome of entitled and abusive white man who thinks he's super tough and badass and that everyone should listen to him and do whatever he tells them to do (lmao, sound familiar?). he ruins his life and the lives of everyone around him and idk he might die in the end. anyway dont do drugs.
fight club i have seen, and i can confirm that this is a fantastic movie that features, you guessed it, an arrogant white guy who represents the classic violent male power fantasy. the narrator, deeply depressed because he's a beta male, watches jealously from the sidelines as tyler durden starts seeking violence, first from just meeting up with random guys for consensual beatdowns, but it escalates as more and more men start joining the fight club (wow! the title of the movie!) until the club morphs into a terrorist group. also if you haven't seen it there's a Big Plot Twist that i haven't mentioned and it's pretty good. love that movie.
anyway the point is that both of those men are very obviously. shitty fucking guys. classic macho men (even tho tyler durden's fashion sense is fantastically fruity, for some reason) who crave power over others and respect in the form of fear. the whole point of their fucking characters is that in any generic action movie, they would be the heroes
and so many fans just. completely fucking miss this. there are hoards of dudebro fan guys who relate to these characters and go "wow, he's just like me!" and absolutely do not get the point of the thing they're watching. it is fucking baffling to see
anyway that's izzy stans!! an truly groundbreaking combo of your classic female fans who woobify evil white men and classic male fans who miss the entire point of characters who are written to subvert the expectations of what kind of role a character like izzy hands, walter white, or tyler durden would be expected to play!!!!! izzy hands is written to be an antagonist and the personification of toxic masculinity that ed is trying to escape from, and yet people are acting like he's the show's third protagonist.
because izzy would be a protagonist, in a different and much shittier story. and even though we all watched the same show where he very clearly is not the protagonist, people are applying that role to izzy and not actually looking at what role he plays in this show.
396 notes · View notes
Text
My feelings on Mike and esp Mike and Jesse’s relationship are so mixed and So Much bc no he didn’t do enough to help Jesse yes he continued the cycle of half measures and paid the price BUT there was enough love there that Mike DID break the cycle of forcing himself to relive Matty’s death via standing idly by as young men in his life destroy themselves … and in like a blink and you’ll miss it moment that occurred years before they expanded on his backstory bc that’s how dedicated these writers are to consistent and layered characterization… Mike dies bc he continues the cycle of half measures in failing to do all he can to help Jesse, but that doesn’t change the fact that he loved Jesse more than he hated himself, that this hitman, who killed not only for profit but to nurse his own guilt, still couldn’t bring himself to let Jesse risk life in prison to get him the money, didn’t have it in him to actively risk Jesse’s hope of a future. And Mike believed in Jesse, too, believed he could get out, or he wouldn’t have bothered. He saw someone struggling with the same churning sense of guilt that allowed them both to continue hurting others to punish themselves for hurting others, and chose, with the last of his conscience, to save him, and saw him as worth saving. Jesse is the man he could have been, the only good thing to come out of a legacy of death and horror.
89 notes · View notes
girlbosswalkedoutonme · 2 months
Text
Hating on Skyler White in 2024 is incredibly embarrassing in any situation but the worst is fanfic authors who add in random disclaimers in the notes of their fic about how much they hate Skyler. Like they write a genuine meaningful fic about how manipulative and abusive Walter is but then the end note will say "i still hate Skyler but when Walter did x abusive thing that was really fucked up 🤓☝️" like do yall hear yourselves????
2 notes · View notes
biblionerd07 · 8 days
Text
Walt always insisting his money is for his family and then paying for Jesse’s rehab out of his share, not Jesse’s, despite the fact that he has Jesse’s money and could use that…’we’ll have three kids. eventually.’ Calling him son all the time and calling Jesse family…………..
Tumblr media
18 notes · View notes