# Breaking Bad "Full Measure" S3 Finale 6/13/10 + Director Interview Spoilers



## billboard_NE (May 18, 2005)

Edge of the seat and holding my breath. 

My Tivo had a recording time of 1 hour 48 min.?? Imagine my disappointment when the extra 48 min is for a sneak peak for Rubicon?? 

I am not sure I can wait another year for this show to return, but what am I going to do?


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## john4200 (Nov 1, 2009)

Walt is good at thinking fast under pressure. But he has made yet another bad decision -- I think that Jesse's idea of turning in Gus and Witness Protection has got to be better than cooking for Gus after killing Gale. If he thought it was tense in the lab this week, I can hardly imagine how it will be going forward.

Walt may be good at thinking fast, but his long term planning is not so hot. I was disappointed that he did not take the precaution of having the details of Gus' operation stashed with third parties to be released upon Walt's death or disappearance. Even if he did not, he could have claimed that he did to buy himself some more time.

Does anyone have any doubts whether Jesse put a bullet into Gale's head?

The first time I watched it, I thought Jesse changed his aim a little to his right before firing. But I watched it a few more times and I think it was just the camera shifting angle -- you can see the wall in the background moving.


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

You know this is just the beginning of the end for Gus. We have "The Cartel" gunning for Gus, so we have two options coming -- Walt takes over Gus's operations; or Walt makes a deal with "The Cartel."

... all after a full season of a Walt vs. Gus war for leverage, of course. 

BTW, Rubicon was great. Can't wait for it to start in August.


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## mrdazzo7 (Jan 8, 2006)

Can someone explain to me exactly what the scene with Mike and the Asians was about? I was working on some stuff while watching that part and wasn't following what happened. I know it had something to do with the cartel, but what exactly was it? 

And yeah, I agree that Walt's plan was a little stupid for the long-term. All Gus really needs to do is get someone else to learn his method. I'm sure Gus has a back up plan somewhere since Walt obviously cannot cook forever. No matter what Walt does now, if Gus lives, he dies. Maybe this stuff with the cartel will eventually lead to Walt taking Gus's place... 

I feel bad for Jessie... he didn't want to do what he did at all, but he knew it was the only way to save Walt, who had just saved him. Actually I really feel bad for Gale... dude was in the wroooong business. It would have been interesting if Walt had gone to the DEA as suggested and instead of witness protection, became an informant... could have set up some interesting stories for next season, but then it would strongly water-down the point of the show, which is good people turning into bad guys. 

Also, killing Gale might keep Walt alive, but it doesn't stop Gus from continuing to go after Jessie, or even Walt's family. All Gus has to do is threaten Walt's family and Walt will do whatever he wants. What is to stop Gus from killing say Skylar, or even bed-ridden Hank, and telling him they'll kill his entire family if he doesn't cook? 

I felt this season was good, but not nearly as good as season two. A lot of the drama in this one didn't really make sense, like Jessie magically running into the sister of the kid who killed Combo and then going after them knowing he'd be killed, or Jessie stealing meth from a hyper-violent cartel knowing he could get caught, or Walt and Jessie executing a man to save their own lives when doing so is no where near a guarantee of everyone's safety.

Not saying it was crap, obviously, but in my opinion I think they struggled a bit to come up with some of the conflict. Season two was damn near perfect in that regard (except for the reveal of all those "flash forwards"). I love the ending of this one though because one can only imagine the ramifications for everyone involved.


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## john4200 (Nov 1, 2009)

I did not completely follow the opening scenes. The PI came in and killed 4 guys who may have been threatening the Asians. The Asians were in business with Gus somehow, and had not been returning calls from Gus. So Gus sent the PI in. It seemed like the PI had some idea of what was going on, but did not know exactly who the 4 guys were.

What kind of gun did the PI have? I was surprised that it looked like his first shot hit both guys. Does that type of gun, with a suppressor (which I believe slows down the muzzle velocity) have the power to go through two guys?


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## spikedavis (Nov 23, 2003)

I was absolutely riveted in the last 10 minutes. I had no idea what was going to happen. 


Poor Gale.


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## speaker city (Sep 28, 2005)

mrdazzo7 said:


> Can someone explain to me exactly what the scene with Mike and the Asians was about? I was working on some stuff while watching that part and wasn't following what happened. I know it had something to do with the cartel, but what exactly was it?


Seems to me the Asian dude was selling chemicals to Gus. If he's to be believed, the cartel dudes were holding him hostage and preventing him from selling and delivering chemicals to Gus. The entire sequence was beautiful. The music had that 70's cop show/porno bow chicka wah wah sound to it. If you had any doubts about Mike's badassery, they were laid to rest in that sequence.



john4200 said:


> What kind of gun did the PI have? I was surprised that it looked like his first shot hit both guys. Does that type of gun, with a suppressor (which I believe slows down the muzzle velocity) have the power to go through two guys?


The pistol was an H&K M23. .45 ACP with a suppressor from that range _could_ penetrate a body.

EDIT: just rewatched the scene and noticed the bullet penetrated both dudes then broke the window. Unless the round penetrated both men's throats a la Dwight Schrute, I'm pretty sure that's impossible.

I think Gale is dead. Pretty sad, but oh well. Lie with dogs, etc.

Overall, I thought the finale was excellent. I was in suspense the entire time. I really dug the intro with young Walt and Skylar looking at the house they would end up living in. I liked how the show started with the shot of the duraflame log in the fireplace, and then later we see firewood in the fireplace when Walt gets the call from Jesse. A small detail from a crazy finale, but i thought it was worth mentioning.

Do we really have to wait a year for season 4 ??


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## Regina (Mar 30, 2003)

Saul: Ever play Laser Tag? It's good cardio, and you get to shoot at kids!


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## NatasNJ (Jan 7, 2002)

Yeah. I don't get Walt's long term thinking here at all. You remove Gale which keeps Walt alive for a short period of time. Not sure what the thinking beyond that is. 
With Gale down even if Walt is cooking it will be at gunpoint it seems. So this plan makes little to no sense.


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## NatasNJ (Jan 7, 2002)

Another thing I noticed. When the PI was about to kill Walt, Walt mentioned searching for Jesse in Virginia and I think the PI seemed surprised that Walt knew that. Kind of hinting that he knew the Lawyer was in cahoots with Walt & Jesse. Could fall back onto Saul next season.


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## pdhenry (Feb 28, 2005)

speaker city said:


> I think Gale is dead.


I don't hold out much hope for Jessie, long term...


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## NatasNJ (Jan 7, 2002)

pdhenry said:


> I don't hold out much hope for Jessie, long term...


I think before the show ends he will be 6ft under but I think he is critical for the show to move forward. The few episodes without him were much weaker. Jesse & Walt are the two untouchables. Anyone else can be knocked off without a major drop.


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## nataylor (Apr 26, 2000)

NatasNJ said:


> Yeah. I don't get Walt's long term thinking here at all. You remove Gale which keeps Walt alive for a short period of time. Not sure what the thinking beyond that is.
> With Gale down even if Walt is cooking it will be at gunpoint it seems. So this plan makes little to no sense.


They were going to kill Walt. Walt needed out of that situation, and all things considered, although not perfect, his plan was pretty good. As Walt said, Gus has a huge investment in this operation. He needs the cooking to continue no matter what. It can not stop. Walt is the only person who can do it. Gus can not kill Walt with no one to take over the cooking. Gus can't do anything that would prevent Walt from cooking (like hurting his family). Walt's in a pretty good position (at least compared to being just minutes away from being killed).


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## type_g (Sep 9, 2002)

Anyone else notice, when the PI guy shot the guy through the wall, the wall had no bullet hole?? Weird, but great season ending to bad have to wait so LONG for next season.


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## Legion (Aug 24, 2005)

I didnt like the logic at all in this episode. Yes Gus has alot of money wrapped up, but his ROI isnt being measured in days and it isnt being measured by anyone but him. So what if he shuts down a week or two? So what if a substandard cook came in? You are talking meth here, not pumpkin pies. Methheads are usually not known for their fine palates. 

You go the full measure. You dont worry about who is going to cook the same quality of meth for you.


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## nataylor (Apr 26, 2000)

Legion said:


> I didnt like the logic at all in this episode. Yes Gus has alot of money wrapped up, but his ROI isnt being measured in days and it isnt being measured by anyone but him. So what if he shuts down a week or two? So what if a substandard cook came in? You are talking meth here, not pumpkin pies. Methheads are usually not known for their fine palates.
> 
> You go the full measure. You dont worry about who is going to cook the same quality of meth for you.


But Walt is using a non-standard method of cooking. There might not be anyone else willing to work for Gus that could even pull off a sub-standard cook.


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## Legion (Aug 24, 2005)

nataylor said:


> But Walt is using a non-standard method of cooking. There might not be anyone else willing to work for Gus that could even pull off a sub-standard cook.


Would Gus risk life in prison on that? Walt is not a team player.....he is a problem......Gus has to insure that his business can continue and that he can trust his people before all else.

If he could no longer trust Walt, he would eliminate that variable. Would it harm the operation? Short term yes, long term no. And sometimes you have to retreat to move forward.


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## catcard (Mar 2, 2001)

Legion said:


> I didnt like the logic at all in this episode. Yes Gus has alot of money wrapped up, but his ROI isnt being measured in days and it isnt being measured by anyone but him. So what if he shuts down a week or two? So what if a substandard cook came in? You are talking meth here, not pumpkin pies. Methheads are usually not known for their fine palates.
> 
> You go the full measure. You dont worry about who is going to cook the same quality of meth for you.


Drugs dealers at Gus' level are not any different from a large corporation. They have customers and commitments for delivery as well as quality expectations. I imagine Gus' operation is sending product to a network of distributors - not directly to low level dealers. If Gus cannot deliver product for a week or two, the distributors would go to someone else for what they need. If they do that, who's to say, they don't continue with the alternate source? In addition, if Gus' operation did suffer some type of interruption, that could be an indicator that Gus is not totally in control of his operation. This would definitely be of interest to the cartel. Gus must to keep producing and keep up appearances that his is in complete control.


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## Gerryex (Apr 24, 2004)

speaker city said:


> I think Gale is dead. Pretty sad, but oh well. Lie with dogs, etc.


I'm not so sure! The way I saw it Jessie did move his arm with the gun away from Gale. Also I find it EXTREMELY hard to believe Walt would sanction killing someone in cold blood who was not a direct threat to him. Yes, I know Walt just killed one of the dealers after running over the other one, but they were a direct threat to him and Jessie.

I'll bet that when the next season begins Gale is still alive and Walt's plan was really something else.

If it ends up that way I'll post a link back to here from the new season's first episode and will say "I told you so!!!"

Gerry


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## nataylor (Apr 26, 2000)

Legion said:


> Would Gus risk life in prison on that? Walt is not a team player.....he is a problem......Gus has to insure that his business can continue and that he can trust his people before all else.
> 
> If he could no longer trust Walt, he would eliminate that variable. Would it harm the operation? Short term yes, long term no. And sometimes you have to retreat to move forward.


I'm just going by the internal logic of the show. Walt said "The cooking CAN NOT STOP." Assuming he's right, Gus has to keep Walt around until there is a replacement.


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## john4200 (Nov 1, 2009)

Gerryex said:


> I'm not so sure! The way I saw it Jessie did move his arm with the gun away from Gale.


I don't think so. I replayed it several times and you can clearly see the wall moving in the background, which indicates the camera is moving.

Also, what could the plan possibly be? One of Gus' people will be there in a matter of minutes. There is no way that Jesse could have killed Gale, cleaned up the blood, and got rid of the body before Gus' person gets there. The only living Gale possibility I can think of is that Jesse got Gale to come with him, and they both disappear. Maybe that could work (although with Jesse, it seems likely he would screw it up), but then why shoot the gun at all?


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## TampaThunder (Apr 8, 2003)

Interview with series creator on season finale and some discussion of upcoming season (no spoilers though): http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/whats-a...ator-vince-gilligan-post-mortems-season-three

You do get an answer on whether Jesse killed the guy or not.


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## pdhenry (Feb 28, 2005)

TampaThunder said:


> (no spoilers though):
> 
> You do get an answer on whether Jesse killed the guy or not.


Knowing that could be perceived as a spoiler...


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## billboard_NE (May 18, 2005)

Gerryex said:


> I'll bet that when the next season begins Gale is still alive and Walt's plan was really something else.
> 
> If it ends up that way I'll post a link back to here from the new season's first episode and will say "I told you so!!!"
> 
> Gerry


Or an "I was wrong......"


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## jrinck (Nov 24, 2004)

If, as some are saying, the wall moved instead of Jessie's arm, it could be they're showing it from Gale's perspective and he's trying to move out of the way as Jessie shoots.

Jessie could have still hit him straight on, or perhaps just wounded. But Jessie doesn't stick around long enough to find out. 

Key people that die in this show don't tend to die on the first shot, it seems.


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## jimest (Jan 27, 2002)

Gale is not dead or they would have showed it.

Why does Gus want Jessie dead? Walt is the one that killed the drug Dealers not Jessie.


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## nataylor (Apr 26, 2000)

jimest said:


> Gale is not dead or they would have showed it.
> 
> Why does Gus want Jessie dead? Walt is the one that killed the drug Dealers not Jessie.


I'm sure Gale is dead.

I think Gus wants Jesse dead because 1) he agreed to keep the peace and broke that dela and 2) he knows a lot about the operation and Gus has never trusted him.


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## markymark_ctown (Oct 11, 2004)

from Alan Sepinwall's interview with Vince Gillgan. Gale is dead.

*
Q: We can talk about the future in a little bit, but right now I want to talk about that scene. You wrote it, you directed it, and it sounds to me like you don't intend for there to be any ambiguity by the way you cut the final bit of it.*

_
A: In my mind, no, I don't intend for there to be any ambiguity. Let me start this by saying I always am reluctant to tell the audience afterward what to think or how to feel. I really prefer it when the audience comes to their own conclusions. But in honest answer to your question, I never really intended for there to be any ambiguity. But it's funny: in the editing room, my editor and some other people were saying that the way it counter-dollies around, it looks like he's changing his point of aim before he pulls the trigger. For what it's worth, I did not intend for it to feel that way. I've been hearing from the people who've already seen it that it looks like he's changing where he's aiming. That is not intentional. I did not see it that way when I was directing. *It's not wrong for you to think he shot this guy.* _


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## markymark_ctown (Oct 11, 2004)

full interview here. good stuff.

http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/whats-a...ator-vince-gilligan-post-mortems-season-three


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## speaker city (Sep 28, 2005)

Gale is dead. Vince Gilligan confirmed it in his podcast. It was not meant to be ambiguous. The camera moved so that the viewer got Gale's perspective when Jesse pulled the trigger.


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## stellie93 (Feb 25, 2006)

Wow--spoiler city here. Not that I care. 

I love that Jesse still calls him Mr. White.


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## NatasNJ (Jan 7, 2002)

Clearing up something in this episode is not a spoiler. It is clear the director/writer did not mean to cliff hang whether or not Gale was shot. It was a cliff hanger on that Gale was shot.


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## stellie93 (Feb 25, 2006)

I thought any info from any source other than the show itself was a spoiler. But, like I said, it's fine with me. I'm just waiting for the spoiler police to descend on us.


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## ElJay (Apr 6, 2005)

Gale being dead is a spoiler? I thought it was an obvious camera move into Gale's perspective.


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## hyimted (Apr 13, 2003)

Gerryex said:


> I'm not so sure! The way I saw it Jessie did move his arm with the gun away from Gale. Also I find it EXTREMELY hard to believe Walt would sanction killing someone in cold blood who was not a direct threat to him. Yes, I know Walt just killed one of the dealers after running over the other one, but they were a direct threat to him and Jessie.
> 
> I'll bet that when the next season begins Gale is still alive and Walt's plan was really something else.
> 
> ...


it wasn't a matter of gale being a direct threat. it was a matter of self-preservation. by knocking off gale, walt ensures that gus will not kill him because ... now ... gus _needs_ him. basically, if gale is alive, and gus feels confident that he can replicate walt's cooking ... then it's adios for walt.

we'll accept your apology at the beginning of next season.  

edit: i'm glad they tacked on rubicon at the end ... looks interesting!


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

stellie93 said:


> I love that Jesse still calls him Mr. White.


I hate you. I was coming here to post this one sentence:

"It's amazing that after all the crap they've gone through together, Jesse still calls Walt Mr. White."

But noooooooooooo. You had to post it half a day before me. Thunder stealer.


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## Carlucci (Jan 10, 2001)

I'm not sure I understood why Walt needed killin', from Gus' point of view. Gus has said that he eschews violence, and I thought he was telling the truth when he said he didn't order the murder of the young boy. He was mad at Walt for not letting him take care of the dealers himself, sure, but let's review what would have happened if he let Walt live:

1. He has Walt, a family man, not overly ambitious, as his cook until he either succumbs to cancer or retires. Walt seems resigned to not having Jesse as his #2 anymore.

2. He has Gale as the assistant, a worthy successor to Walt, ready to step in when Walt is done.

3. Jesse, having gotten his retribution, and having x million dollars in pocket, can move on, anywhere he wants, start cooking if he wants, or go legit.

I guess Gus just felt that Walt was too much of a liability? 

Also, what do you make of that opening sequence where they showed Walt and Skylar looking at their house? I'm puzzled by that. It seems Skylar was the voice of reason and Walt, strangely, wanted to buy a house above their means. Is this meant as foreshadowing next season, with Walt making extravagant purchases with his freshly car-washed money, arousing the suspicion of Hank? What other purpose did it serve?


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## JPA2825 (May 15, 2000)

Intro seems to possibly suggest further examination of how Walt got "screwed" from being a chemist at Sandia wanting a bigger house & family to a High School chemistry teacher making ends meet with the 1 kid they did have.

If I was Walt, I would have suggested an "earn out" to Gus. "I don't want to cook, but I have the recipe & know-how. Gale is a good student and presumably loyal to you. I will teach him, consult with him and hand over the keys to the lab when he's ready and when our current deal is up. After that, you pay me a reasonable sum, make sure Hank's bills are taken care of and I will sit quietly by my pool / at my car wash until the Cartel kills you or I die from the cancer."


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## SeanC (Dec 30, 2003)

jimest said:


> Gale is not dead or they would have showed it.


I would say it this way; Until they show Gale dead on the show, he is not dead.


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## mwhip (Jul 22, 2002)

I feel ripped off. Too classic of a cliffhanger for a show of this caliber.


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## getreal (Sep 29, 2003)

SeanC said:


> I would say it this way; Until they show Gale dead on the show, he is not dead.


I agree. The director clarified that Gale has been shot, but nobody has confirmed that the shot was fatal. Yet.


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## Gerryex (Apr 24, 2004)

getreal said:


> I agree. The director clarified that Gale has been shot, but nobody has confirmed that the shot was fatal. Yet.


I also agree!! My original prediction of Gale not being dead still stands. Yes, the info from Vince Gillgan certaintly indicates that Gale was indeed shot, but it does NOT say that he is dead. I still maintain that Walt's plan was NOT to kill Gale but rather somethine else that would serve to prevent Gus from having Walt killed. What Walt's true plan is I have absolutely no idea (!!) and we'll have to wait for next season to find out. (Also to find out if I'm right or wrong!!)

Gerry


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## Mike Lang (Nov 17, 1999)

To the one member who keeps reporting several members in this thread:
The spoiler warning is in the thread title.


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## NatasNJ (Jan 7, 2002)

Mike Lang said:


> To the one member who keeps reporting several members in this thread:
> The spoiler warning is in the thread title.


Your post made me crack up.  I love this place.


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## BK89 (Oct 11, 2005)

Gerryex said:


> What Walt's true plan is I have absolutely no idea (!!)
> 
> Gerry


I don't think the writers know yet either!! I also think Gale is shot but not dead.

That scene when Mike the PI told Walt he needed him to go "downstairs" was pretty tense!  Pretty good season overall...


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## hyimted (Apr 13, 2003)

Carlucci said:


> I'm not sure I understood why Walt needed killin', from Gus' point of view.
> 
> I guess Gus just felt that Walt was too much of a liability?


pretty much my thought. gus was okay with walt  knew he was solid, let him pick his own assistant, etc. things are going well. then walt says, "hey, i don't like gale, i want jessie". gus knows this is a risk but says fine. then look at all the shizzle that happens next.

now gus is thinking, "walt is crazy, jessie needs to be axed, i need to find a replacement pronto!"


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## eMarkM (Apr 28, 2003)

<sigh>...C'mon guys, Gale has been murdered. He's dead. Did you really need to see Gale's body dropping to the ground to prove it? This is another in a long line of body bags that Walt and his decisions have left behind. VG's comments pretty much confirm that he meant no ambiguity by the scene.

What would be the purpose to cliff hang "is Gale dead or not"? We learned just enough about him to care about him a little and see that he's as innocent as a guy can be in this business. We're not going to see him recovering in a hospital and becoming a main character in the show in season four. Not a chance. He's gone and Jesse is now a murderer.

The show is very much about the consequences of your actions. Jesse, who heretofore has done nothing quite this heinous despite his proclamation that he's "the bad guy", will now have to live with the guilt of shooting a guy *dead* in cold blood.


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## NatasNJ (Jan 7, 2002)

eMarkM said:


> <sigh>...C'mon guys, Gale has been murdered. He's dead. Did you really need to see Gale's body dropping to the ground to prove it? This is another in a long line of body bags that Walt and his decisions have left behind. VG's comments pretty much confirm that he meant no ambiguity by the scene.
> 
> What would be the purpose to cliff hang "is Gale dead or not"? We learned just enough about him to care about him a little and see that he's as innocent as a guy can be in this business. We're not going to see him recovering in a hospital and becoming a main character in the show in season four. Not a chance. He's gone and Jesse is now a murderer.
> 
> The show is very much about the consequences of your actions. Jesse, who heretofore has done nothing quite this heinous despite his proclamation that he's "the bad guy", will now have to live with the guilt of shooting a guy *dead* in cold blood.


Agree 100%.

It does scare me that the writers don't seem to have a master plan with this story. So far they have pulled it off fairly well. (only a few minor gripes) but I hope they don't end up ruining a great thing.


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## getreal (Sep 29, 2003)

eMarkM said:


> <sigh>...C'mon guys, Gale has been murdered. He's dead. Did you really need to see Gale's body dropping to the ground to prove it? This is another in a long line of body bags that Walt and his decisions have left behind. VG's comments pretty much confirm that he meant no ambiguity by the scene.
> 
> What would be the purpose to cliff hang "is Gale dead or not"? We learned just enough about him to care about him a little and see that he's as innocent as a guy can be in this business. We're not going to see him recovering in a hospital and becoming a main character in the show in season four. Not a chance. He's gone and Jesse is now a murderer.
> 
> The show is very much about the consequences of your actions. Jesse, who heretofore has done nothing quite this heinous despite his proclamation that he's "the bad guy", will now have to live with the guilt of shooting a guy *dead* in cold blood.


Since VG was clear about Gale having been *shot*, but specifically omitted any reference to Gale being *killed*, the door is open for the conjecture that Jesse did NOT sell his soul by crossing the line of committing murder. Shooting Gale would leave blood evidence for Mike & Victor to assume he has been killed, thereby sparing Walt's life.

Having said that, Jesse was clearly remorseful about his obligation to Mr. White, and Jesse is clearly not a long-range planner. One can still hold out some hope for Jesse that he has not crossed that line that Walt has already crossed _(i.e., cold-blooded murder)_.

So it's *probable* that Gale is a goner, but it's *not absolutely clear* by what has been shown to us at this point. A wounded Gale could have been urged to run for his life, as Jesse could have told him that he was ordered by Gus to execute him, but that Jesse took it upon himself to spare him and to put the fear of Gus into him. That scenario could play out next season. I certainly do not foresee a wounded Gale to develop into a major character.

It's okay for the audience to hold various interpretations of the same scene until next season when this issue will be more clearly resolved.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

mrdazzo7 said:


> Can someone explain to me exactly what the scene with Mike and the Asians was about? I was working on some stuff while watching that part and wasn't following what happened. I know it had something to do with the cartel, but what exactly was it?


The Cartel sent people from Mexico to probe the weaknesses in Gus' operation. They had taken his chemical supply warehouse hostage. Mike went in and took them out, thus showing the Cartel that there wasn't any weakness in that part of the operation. That scene served two purposes: it shows that the Cartel is still active and they're not sitting idly by while Gus takes over their US manufacturing and distribution, and it show's what Mike is capable of. This makes the ending much more tense, because we now know that Mike does the wet work for Gus.


mrdazzo7 said:


> And I felt this season was good, but not nearly as good as season two. A lot of the drama in this one didn't really make sense, like Jessie magically running into the sister of the kid who killed Combo and then going after them knowing he'd be killed, or Jessie stealing meth from a hyper-violent cartel knowing he could get caught, or Walt and Jessie executing a man to save their own lives when doing so is no where near a guarantee of everyone's safety.
> 
> Not saying it was crap, obviously, but in my opinion I think they struggled a bit to come up with some of the conflict. Season two was damn near perfect in that regard (except for the reveal of all those "flash forwards"). I love the ending of this one though because one can only imagine the ramifications for everyone involved.


I think this season was great. Nearly every story has some kind of "coincidence" that leads a character to discover something and move the plot forward. I wouldn't call that magical, I'd call it good story telling. Jesse stealing meth from the lab was also explained very well, when he told the story about building the box, and wanting to involved in something from a hands-on basis. Finally, executing Gale made perfect sense in the situation. Gale knowing Walt's methods makes Walt expendable. Take Gale out of the picture, and suddenly Walt is the most valuable person in the operation again. Walt realized this early on, which is why he insisted that Gale be replaced in the first place.


NatasNJ said:


> Yeah. I don't get Walt's long term thinking here at all. You remove Gale which keeps Walt alive for a short period of time. Not sure what the thinking beyond that is.
> With Gale down even if Walt is cooking it will be at gunpoint it seems. So this plan makes little to no sense.


What other choice did he have in that situation? Either he gets killed, or he kills Gale and makes himself valuable again. There is no need for long-term thinking in this situation. It's all about self-preservation. And now that Walt knows that Gus intends to replace him, Walt is bound to take some extra precautions to ensure that nobody else can learn his methods.


Carlucci said:


> Also, what do you make of that opening sequence where they showed Walt and Skylar looking at their house? I'm puzzled by that. It seems Skylar was the voice of reason and Walt, strangely, wanted to buy a house above their means. Is this meant as foreshadowing next season, with Walt making extravagant purchases with his freshly car-washed money, arousing the suspicion of Hank? What other purpose did it serve?


I think we were supposed to realize how much Walt has changed in the last 16 years. He used to be impulsive and confident, and now he's quiet and brooding and careful. But at the end of this episode, that impulsiveness came out again, and it probably saved his life, at least for now.


BK89 said:


> That scene when Mike the PI told Walt he needed him to go "downstairs" was pretty tense!  Pretty good season overall...


I don't get the point of taking Walt downstairs to kill him. I guess they were still using the ruse of there being a leak in the lab to get him down there, but once it became clear to all involved what was going on, I don't see why Mike insisted that Walt go downstairs. Killing Walt down there would just contaminate the lab and mean they'd have to carry the body back up the circular staircase. Why not kill him right where they are and save themselves the extra work?


----------



## danterner (Mar 4, 2005)

getreal said:


> Since VG was clear about Gale having been *shot*, but specifically omitted any reference to Gale being *killed*, the door is open for the conjecture that Jesse did NOT sell his soul by crossing the line of committing murder. Shooting Gale would leave blood evidence for Mike & Victor to assume he has been killed, thereby sparing Walt's life.
> 
> Having said that, Jesse was clearly remorseful about his obligation to Mr. White, and Jesse is clearly not a long-range planner. One can still hold out some hope for Jesse that he has not crossed that line that Walt has already crossed _(i.e., cold-blooded murder)_.
> 
> ...


I respectfully disagree with your analysis here. I think Gale definitely is a goner. Asserting otherwise is like saying that it is only probable that (LOST spoiler, regarding certain characters maybe having had sex)


Spoiler



Sun and Jae had sex, on Lost, because they were only shown naked in bed together, post-coital, and not actually actively copulating.


This scene is just as clear, for me. If the first bullet missed, or if it was just a flesh wound, I believe that Jesse would fire again. And again. His goal was to kill, and once he committed to firing the first shot there's no way he would have left without having finished the task. He could have gone to the police, as he had suggested Walt do. He could have gone to Gale but given Gale the opportunity to flee to Tahiti. He didn't. He went there commited to the act of murder. Recall Mike's story to Walt about not taking half-measures? (I believe the episode was titled Half Measures). Well, this episode was titled Full Measure. Killing Gale was the full measure. The only way he's still alive is if somehow Jesse thought he was dead and left while he still had some life in him. Maybe things will change in the writer's room between now and next season, but I sincerely doubt that the intent was to end this season with the cliffhanger being "Is Gale alive? Is he dead?" I don't think that's where Vince Gilligan is going. I believe his goal was to end the season showing Jesse haven broken bad to the point that he's now a murderer. Not an attempted-murderer.

Seeing Walt call Jesse, gain the upper hand, and transition from Walter White to full-on Heisenberg made for some wonderful television. I reversed it and watched the scene a second time, trying to figure out just how much of Walt's pleading for his life/offering up Jesse was genuine versus how much was a Heisenbergian manipulation of the events to allow him to get the call in to Jesse. I'm left thinking that it was pretty much entirely the latter. He's so damn cool as he unruffles his jacket and stares down Mike and the underling-guy -- it's portrayed not as a man who has gained the upper hand, but as one who has had it from the start and is just now laying his cards on the table. Mike's reaction as he realized and put everything together was priceless.


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## pdhenry (Feb 28, 2005)

I just rewatched the last 5 minutes.

That was not a wounding shot...


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## SeanC (Dec 30, 2003)

pdhenry said:


> I just rewatched the last 5 minutes.
> 
> That was not a wounding shot...


I get how people can make their own minds up about what happened, but THEY DON'T SHOW THAT.

For all we know Jesus Christ himself materialized in front of Gale the moment Jesse pulled the trigger.


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## pdhenry (Feb 28, 2005)

The freaking shot was right between the eyes!

But point taken about Jesus Christ...


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## DanB (Aug 14, 2001)

well, from what I saw I'd say he's dead.

Also, I remember seeing Bryan Cranston on some talk show (maybe Travis Smiley) saying that this season we'd see Walt


Spoiler



go to the dark side and see what a dark character he's become (paraphrasing)


.


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## DanB (Aug 14, 2001)

oh, and I'm surprised Walt didnt need another windshield  I was thinking it was going to be some kind of running gag this season.


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## Mike Lang (Nov 17, 1999)

NatasNJ said:


> Your post made me crack up.  I love this place.


I've edited the title again for more clarity. I've never seen the show so I wouldn't know what are spoilers and what aren't, especially since I'm still being told by others that there aren't any yet in this thread.


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## CraigK (Jun 9, 2006)

danterner said:


> Seeing Walt call Jesse, gain the upper hand, and transition from Walter White to full-on Heisenberg made for some wonderful television. I reversed it and watched the scene a second time, trying to figure out just how much of Walt's pleading for his life/offering up Jesse was genuine versus how much was a Heisenbergian manipulation of the events to allow him to get the call in to Jesse. I'm left thinking that it was pretty much entirely the latter. He's so damn cool as he unruffles his jacket and stares down Mike and the underling-guy -- it's portrayed not as a man who has gained the upper hand, but as one who has had it from the start and is just now laying his cards on the table. Mike's reaction as he realized and put everything together was priceless.


Thanks for that. I got the show out of the Recently Deleted folder to watch the last few minutes again based on your post. 

Mike's words to Walt when he first arrived at the laundry could be taken two ways that I didn't notice the first time around: "Walter, the sooner you figure out what this is the sooner we all go home."


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## speaker city (Sep 28, 2005)

I'm having a hard time understanding how some of you think there is any possibility of Gale being alive.

"HURR DURR WE SAW GALE GET SHOT BUT NOT GET KILLED"

Grow up.


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## Jeeters (Feb 25, 2003)

DanB said:


> oh, and I'm surprised Walt didnt need another windshield  I was thinking it was going to be some kind of running gag this season.


He *does* need another windshield. I thought it a small joke at the beginning of this episode when the show him waiting in his car for Mike to show up. He still has all the tape on the windshield from when he had it replaced, yet it has a big starburst crack in it, right on the driver's side.


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## SeanC (Dec 30, 2003)

Mike Lang said:


> I've edited the title again for more clarity. I've never seen the show so I wouldn't know what are spoilers and what aren't, especially since I'm still being told by others that there aren't any yet in this thread.


Regardless of whether or not you've seen the show, interviews with show staff should be spoiler tagged when posted in a show thread.

http://tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=7582956&highlight=spoiler#post7582956



justapixel said:


> You can frequent a million other forums, and they have their own rules. This forum has the rules it has for a reason. Please read the rules here:
> 
> http://tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=271608
> 
> ...


As JAP says, that couldn't be any clearer.


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## Legion (Aug 24, 2005)

Jeeters said:


> He *does* need another windshield. I thought it a small joke at the beginning of this episode when the show him waiting in his car for Mike to show up. He still has all the tape on the windshield from when he had it replaced, yet it has a big starburst crack in it, right on the driver's side.


Thats i becaus ehe had run over the two dealers the night before. Mike told him to get the car fixed after that meeting, which probably would of included the windshield. They made a point of showing the repaird car when Walt goes back to work.


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

SeanC said:


> As JAP says, that couldn't be any clearer.


Isn't there a rule someplace about not discussing the rules in forum posts? I believe you're suppose to PM a moderator if you have an issue.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

SeanC said:


> Regardless of whether or not you've seen the show, interviews with show staff should be spoiler tagged when posted in a show thread.
> 
> http://tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=7582956&highlight=spoiler#post7582956
> 
> As JAP says, that couldn't be any clearer.


Except for JAP's quote is talking about sharing "spoiler" information from other sources. In this case, the information being shared isn't a spoiler of upcoming events. It's a clarification by the writer/director/producer to eliminate any unintended confusion. It relates directly to what's already been shown and discussed in this episode. Just because you thought the ending was a cliffhanger doesn't mean this thread should remain free of information dispelling that notion.


----------



## SeanC (Dec 30, 2003)

I can't believe this is even debatable.

That's a ridiculous distinction. If he didn't intend for the end of the show to be a cliff hanger, then he did a horrible job. That he doesn't think it's a cliff hanger is irrelevant. The end of the show is open to interpretation. You know what wouldn't have been open to interpretation? Showing a bullet hole in Gale's head, but he didn't do that.

If he has to explain the ending in an interview, then, once again, by the spelled out, and defined rules of the forum, that should be a tagged spoiler.


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## SeanC (Dec 30, 2003)

dswallow said:


> Isn't there a rule someplace about not discussing the rules in forum posts? I believe you're suppose to PM a moderator if you have an issue.


I have availed myself of all the normal channels to get this issue addressed. I don't know why they don't just remove the rules altogether, because then I would have nothing to complain about.


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## pdhenry (Feb 28, 2005)

I think there's room to bend the rules when, as you observe, they intended it to be unambiguous (_per the verbatim words of a key member of the creative team_) and failed at that. Once you accept that the final camera angle was a POV shot, it's clear that Gale was shot in the head.

Whether he survives may be another story (if you insist), and thankfully there's been no spoiler on the eventual outcome.

The spoiler rules should apply when parts of the story are withheld until a future ep. In this case the ambiguity is in your mind.

But it's interesting to see your spirit behind all this. It's a TV show. It's an Internet forum.


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## SeanC (Dec 30, 2003)

pdhenry said:


> I think there's room to bend the rules


And there I disagree. As always there is a group of people who either don't care about spoilers or see how the information they are providing is a spoiler, and then there is the other group who does not wish to be spoiled.

I've seen and participated in several spoiler wars before. I did what I was supposed to do, and now here we are, as usual, the thread totally derailed and discussing the merits of rules and spoilers.

And as usual, the people who don't care shrug their shoulders and wonder why I have to come along and ruin their fun, but they don't even consider the fact that they ruined mine the second they didn't spoilerize outside information that proves their point of view.


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## markymark_ctown (Oct 11, 2004)

Mike Lang said:


> To the one member who keeps reporting several members in this thread:
> The spoiler warning is in the thread title.





SeanC said:


> I have availed myself of all the normal channels to get this issue addressed. I don't know why they don't just remove the rules altogether, because then I would have nothing to complain about.


we have a winner...i mean a whiner


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## pdhenry (Feb 28, 2005)

It's not a spoiler. If you think it was, you weren't paying attention during the show (and the editing helped).

We have it on the authority of no less than the director - *it's not a spoiler*.

The event we're discussing wasn't ambiguous. The camera work made it seem a bit so, but at the end of the day the camera moved into Gale's POV and we were looking straight down the barrel when Jesse pulled the trigger. Where's the ambiguity? The only thing the interview does is confirm that there's no ambiguity, whether Gale was shot isnt a spoilable outcome.

This is one time when the spoiler police are on the wrong side of the discussion, IMO. But we'll let you keep your hat and your badge anyway. Have fun!


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## SeanC (Dec 30, 2003)

pdhenry said:


> We have it on the authority of no less than the director - *it's not a spoiler*.


So. What.

The opinions, writings, thoughts, and/or comments of the show staff are spoilers if they come from a source other than the show as aired.

His comments come from someplace else where he has to explain the ending, hence the ending was unclear, hence open to interpretation, making his comments spoilerific.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

SeanC said:


> And as usual, the people who don't care shrug their shoulders and wonder why I have to come along and ruin their fun, but they don't even consider the fact that they ruined mine the second they didn't spoilerize outside information that proves their point of view.


How was your fun ruined? You misinterpreted a scene and the correct interpretation was clarified. The scene wasn't intended to be interpreted the way you did, so while your ignorance and naivete may have been spoiled, the show certainly wasn't.


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## SeanC (Dec 30, 2003)

From my point of view I would call it incredibly naive to assume that any character is dead until you actually see a dead body.

An equally valid explanation of the ending as seen could be:

Jesse shoots past Gale's ear and he passes out, because had he been shot in the head the camera should have snapped back.

So which way is it? That the ending specifically shows him being shot in the head because of the camera angle. Or, that can't possibly have happened because the camera stays rock steady.


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## pdhenry (Feb 28, 2005)

SeanC said:


> Or, that can't possibly have happened because the camera stays rock steady.


Demonstrably false. (i.e., the camera moves. Granted it was smooth and easy to miss).

Unless it's *the room* that's moving.

This is the whole "you weren't paying attention" discussion above.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

SeanC said:


> From my point of view I would call it incredibly naive to assume that any character is dead until you actually see a dead body.
> 
> An equally valid explanation of the ending as seen could be:
> 
> ...


Now you're really reaching. The camera cut off right after the shot was fired. And it was a stylized POV, not what Gale actually saw. It's not like Gale was rotating around, it was the camera.

Bottom line: Jesse knew that he had to kill Gale in order to save Walt. Shooting past Gale or doing something other than killing him will mean that as soon as Gus' guy shows up and see's Gale is still alive, Walt will be dead.

I'll grant you that we don't know for sure that Gale is dead, and the writers could decide to open next season with some kind of surprise on that front. But what we can't really debate is whether Jesse actually shot Gale. I think that's been pretty well established.


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## SeanC (Dec 30, 2003)

pdhenry said:


> This is the whole "you weren't paying attention" discussion above.


And you're making it up as you go along.

The camera slides to the right to be directly in front of the gun, then it fires.

From this all I can possibly say for sure is that Jesse fired the gun. That anyone can definitively say anything beyond that is well, just silly. It's not shown, so it didn't happen.


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## pdhenry (Feb 28, 2005)

Except that we all know otherwise.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

SeanC said:


> It's not shown, so it didn't happen.


Using that argument, Gus hasn't ever distributed any meth to anyone. It wasn't shown, so it didn't happen.

Give it a rest. Lots of things are implied in movies and TV shows. They don't have time to show every little detail, and they rely on the intelligence of the viewer (some shows more than others) to fill in the gaps. In this case, the director (who was also the writer, producer and showrunner) decided to use a stylized way of telling the story. Perhaps in hindsight, that wasn't a great decision. But he didn't do so in order to leave the outcome open ended. He simply did so because he thought it would be cool.


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## Carlucci (Jan 10, 2001)

SeanC said:


> The camera slides to the right to be directly in front of the gun, then it fires.


False. The camera slides to be directly in front of the gun, then we hear a loud noise and see a flash. Who is to say it wasn't a lightning strike?


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## speaker city (Sep 28, 2005)

SeanC said:


> From this all I can possibly say for sure is that Jesse fired the gun. That anyone can definitively say anything beyond that is well, just silly. It's not shown, so it didn't happen.


Yeah, how silly for us to assume that Gale is dead because we saw a pistol being discharged inches from his face from his POV 



SeanC said:


> For all we know Jesus Christ himself materialized in front of Gale the moment Jesse pulled the trigger.


That, my friend, is silly.


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

SeanC said:


> And you're making it up as you go along.
> 
> The camera slides to the right to be directly in front of the gun, then it fires.
> 
> From this all I can possibly say for sure is that Jesse fired the gun. That anyone can definitively say anything beyond that is well, just silly. It's not shown, so it didn't happen.


The director clarified that Gale was shot. He stated it was unintentional how the camera angle change could be interpreted as the gun being pointed differently. He did not mean for it to be ambiguous in any way. Gale was shot.

That is very different than the director saying something like he wanted you to be unsure, but that come the next season you'll find out he's been shot, or not been shot, or been shot and died, or been shot and not died or been shot and not died yet. These cases would be spoilers. Because he's revealing something he will do later on in the show.


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## SeanC (Dec 30, 2003)

I'll just quote myself because it's easier:



SeanC said:


> So. What.
> 
> The opinions, writings, thoughts, and/or comments of the show staff are spoilers if they come from a source other than the show as aired.
> 
> His comments come from someplace else where he has to explain the ending, hence the ending was unclear, hence open to interpretation, making his comments spoilerific.


It doesn't matter what his "intent" was, the show they aired is what is it is, his comments after the fact are what they are, comments outside the scope of the aired show.


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## john4200 (Nov 1, 2009)

I'm not sure why there are so many posts about this. Neither side is going to persuade the other. And the administrator has already ruled. What is the point on continuing the debate?


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## terpfan1980 (Jan 28, 2002)

john4200 said:


> I'm not sure why there are so many posts about this. Neither side is going to persuade the other. And the administrator has already ruled. What is the point on continuing the debate?


I suspect that someone is trying to get themselves a temporary vacation away from the forums with their continued poking at the mods and their own reinterpretation and fine distinction reading of the rules. Otherwise, I just don't get it either.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

SeanC said:


> It doesn't matter what his "intent" was, the show they aired is what is it is, his comments after the fact are what they are, comments outside the scope of the aired show.


Have you seen the title of the thread? His comments are covered.


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## SeanC (Dec 30, 2003)

DevdogAZ said:


> Have you seen the title of the thread? His comments are covered.


That was an after the fact edit by a mod.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

SeanC said:


> That was an after the fact edit by a mod.


Exactly. And it constitutes the official ruling for this thread as to whether the director's comments are considered a spoiler. They're not.


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

SeanC said:


> I'll just quote myself because it's easier:
> 
> It doesn't matter what his "intent" was, the show they aired is what is it is, his comments after the fact are what they are, comments outside the scope of the aired show.


Except it was also pretty clear to those who watched the show with their brain engaged and could see that it was the camera angle moving and not the gun.

If you're going to ignore what's in front of your face, the director being the one to correct you doesn't make his or her comments on the matter a spoiler.


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## jrinck (Nov 24, 2004)

How I'd script the opening of next season:

_<after replaying close-up of Jesse firing the gun towards Gale...>_
_
<shot from behind of Gale falling to the ground>_

_<close up of Gale's face, eyes open staring upward, bleeding from the left eye>_

*JESSE <staring down at Gale>:* Too good for your own good.

_
<Jesse runs out. Return to close-up of Gale. Radio in background becomes audible again to a commercial advertising for Saul. "Better call Saul!">_

_<shift to laundry, Mike still pointing gun at Walt>_

*Walt (to Mike):* Kill me now and it's your body they'll find down there tomorrow.

_<close-up of Mike looking very upset>_

*Walt:* I'm leaving now, and you WILL have to kill me to stop me. _<Walt begins to walk past Mike>_

*MIKE:* Walt! We didn't bring you here to kill you.

_<Walt stops and turns around, looking confused>_

*MIKE:* We could have killed you anywhere. You won't like why we brought you here, but it wasn't to kill you.

*WALT <looking upset, nervous and angry>:* Who or what is down there?

*MIKE:* You need to go down there to find out.

_<Walt rushes down to the lab and bursts through the door and is frozen in place by the sight of Saul's body hanging from the ceiling>

<Seconds later, Mike appears behind Walt>_

*MIKE: * 1,000 pounds by next Friday and the body comes down, assuming Gus doesn't have me kill you first for this little stunt you just pulled.

_<Mike turns to leave, walks a few steps, pauses, and turns around>_

*MIKE: * How does it feel ordering the hit on an innocent man, Walt? When going for full-measure you need to make sure you don't go overboard because you can never go back.


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## danterner (Mar 4, 2005)

jrinck said:


> How I'd script the opening of next season:
> 
> _<after replaying close-up of Jesse firing the gun towards Gale...>_
> _
> ...


So, is Gale alive or dead here?



I hope your scenario doesn't happen -- Saul is too damn good a character to die. I love him!


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## jrinck (Nov 24, 2004)

danterner said:


> So, is Gale alive or dead here?
> 
> 
> 
> I hope your scenario doesn't happen -- Saul is too damn good a character to die. I love him!


I'm pretty sure Gale is dead. It wouldn't matter, though. If you were Gale, suppose you survived the gunshot, would you want to go back to that line of work?

Saul is an important figure, and a great character, but knows way too much. Mike can't trust him anymore, which means Gus can't trust him anymore. He's kind of got to go.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

I wonder what Walt intends to do for an assistant. Jesse is _persona non grata_, so its unlikely to be him. Anyone Gus chooses will be tasked with learning the process so they can replace Walt. Walt doesn't know or trust anyone he can choose. Should make the beginning of S4 pretty interesting.


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## jrinck (Nov 24, 2004)

DevdogAZ said:


> I wonder what Walt intends to do for an assistant. Jesse is _persona non grata_, so its unlikely to be him. Anyone Gus chooses will be tasked with learning the process so they can replace Walt. Walt doesn't know or trust anyone he can choose. Should make the beginning of S4 pretty interesting.


Walt may be the best, but sometimes having the best comes with too much baggage. Look at Terrell Owens in the NFL. Great, great receiver, but way too much trouble than he was otherwise worth.

If Gus doesn't mind lowering his standards a bit, I'm sure he can find someone who can take over and produce near-quality with a lot fewer headaches.

And after all, as Gus worries, Walt will be gone soon regardless.


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## danterner (Mar 4, 2005)

DevdogAZ said:


> I wonder what Walt intends to do for an assistant. Jesse is _persona non grata_, so its unlikely to be him. Anyone Gus chooses will be tasked with learning the process so they can replace Walt. Walt doesn't know or trust anyone he can choose. Should make the beginning of S4 pretty interesting.


Is Walt really planning on continuing with the status quo with Gus, though? That relationship is pretty much dead, I would think. Walt made a play that allowed him to walk away with his life, because Gus needs him, but I think Walt would be a fool to stick around with Gus until Gus does manage to find a replacement for Walt. At this point, I think Walt's pretty much got to part ways with Gus and go full-on Heisenberg by and for himself. I imagine Season 4 will be Gus vs. Heisenberg. At best, he'll have the same type of uneasy but respectful relationship with Gus that Gus has with the cartel. I really don't see Walt continuing under Gus' thumb, though.

Hopefully Walt didn't sign a covenant not to compete.


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## getreal (Sep 29, 2003)

Walt wanted out of the cooking business when Gus first approached him. I don't see him wanting to try to compete with Gus.

And Hank would not arrest Walt if he ever figured out that Walt is Heisenberg. Walt paid for his therapy, after all.


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## mrdazzo7 (Jan 8, 2006)

getreal said:


> Walt wanted out of the cooking business when Gus first approached him. I don't see him wanting to try to compete with Gus.
> 
> And Hank would not arrest Walt if he ever figured out that Walt is Heisenberg. Walt paid for his therapy, after all.


The Hank thing was probably my favorite aspect of the season--I love the way the whole thing unfolded, and I think the scene with him and Walt literally pulling on the same door was genius--there is absolutely no way to get those two character psychically closer to each other without revealing the truth.

I also love that Walt's drug money is paying for Hank's recovery because it brings Hank and Marie straight into the middle of this absurd situation. Same with Skylar--at least instead of being lied to and nagging she's now part of the problem.

As for Walt's next move, I don't know. the only real benefit I can see to killing Gale is that it would save Walt from being killed at that time, but he's so obviously dead anyway. Gus is gonna force him to cook and will still own him, while being able to threaten every member of his family whenever he wants. Gus knows absolutely everything about Walt. All he has to do is threaten Walter Jr. and Walt will cook for him forever.

The interesting thing is that I don't think the writer's even know where it's going. That Vince Gilliagan interview thats omeone linked to was very informative--I always thought they had a very specific master plan for the show but they don't. They have ideas, the argue back and forth, and they write as they go. They put themselves in an interesting position because they have to find a plausible way to continue the story, which is really hard with how they left it.


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## NatasNJ (Jan 7, 2002)

mrdazzo7 said:


> The Hank thing was probably my favorite aspect of the season--I love the way the whole thing unfolded, and I think the scene with him and Walt literally pulling on the same door was genius--there is absolutely no way to get those two character psychically closer to each other without revealing the truth.
> 
> I also love that Walt's drug money is paying for Hank's recovery because it brings Hank and Marie straight into the middle of this absurd situation. Same with Skylar--at least instead of being lied to and nagging she's now part of the problem.
> 
> ...


They have to have some ideas on where the story goes from here. Not saying anything is locked in on how things proceed but I would be amazed if they talked the story up to this point and not a second beyond where it went black.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

mrdazzo7 said:


> The Hank thing was probably my favorite aspect of the season--I love the way the whole thing unfolded, and I think the scene with him and Walt literally pulling on the same door was genius--there is absolutely no way to get those two character psychically closer to each other without revealing the truth.
> 
> I also love that Walt's drug money is paying for Hank's recovery because it brings Hank and Marie straight into the middle of this absurd situation. Same with Skylar--at least instead of being lied to and nagging she's now part of the problem.
> 
> ...


I don't think Gus has any more leverage over Walt than Walt has over Gus. Gus has all kinds of committments that he can only fulfill with Walt's help. Assuming Gale is dead, Walt has Gus over a barrel. Sure, Gus could try to put pressure on Walt by threatening family members, but Walt knows where Gus lives and works and can just as easily put pressure on Gus. And let's not forget that Walt is dying and only got into this business because he really had nothing to lose. Gus, as a respected business owner, has a lot to lose. So I think Walt's position isn't as weak as you think.

I think after some initial tension between them to start the season, they'll realize that they both need each other and neither can really co-exist without the other. I'd like to see Walt use his leverage to become more of a full partner. That would be the ultimate "break bad" for him to go from chemistry teacher, to small-time meth cook, to employee of big-time meth ring, to full-on drug kingpin.

I also think the ending of the series will be the ultimate irony - Walt got into the business because he was already dying from cancer and wanted to provide for his family. At the end of the series, his cancer will be in complete remission, but he'll be killed by something else. And instead of leaving a pile of cash for his family, he'll leave them with nothing, because Skylar will be involved with Walt's money laundering and the Feds will confiscate everything.


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## Carlucci (Jan 10, 2001)

mrdazzo7 said:


> I always thought they had a very specific master plan for the show but they don't.


That explains why Marie's shoplifting/kleptomania suddenly disappeared.


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## danterner (Mar 4, 2005)

getreal said:


> Walt wanted out of the cooking business when Gus first approached him. I don't see him wanting to try to compete with Gus.


That's a great point. However, Walt hadn't yet gone "full measure" at that time. I think that we've now seen a significant new step in Walt's metamorphosis into Heisenberg and he may now indeed want to compete with Gus.

Remember the episode last season where Walt is down-and-out and not cooking, but when he runs into a pretender-to-the-throne at the local Home Depot he follows him out into the parking lot, puffs up his chest, and tells the cookers to get off his territory? I think we may now see that on a grander scale, with Walt taking a similar stance with Gus. They may have an uneasy truce, but I could also see them as direct competitors. As far as drama goes, I think the latter is more dramatic and so that's the direction the show will tend to tilt.

Also bear in mind that Walt found his own Danny. He didn't go for the Gus-approved LaserTag, but rather his laundering is set up to be more autonomous with Skylar and the carwash. He's got the beginnings of the infrastructure now to compete. He's not at the same level as Gus as far as distribution (not even close) but I don't think he'll stay as Gus' employee next season. He'll strike out on his own.


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## mrdazzo7 (Jan 8, 2006)

Dev, I think yourre on the right track for the ending... its definitely not gonna be happy. This is the type of show that will end with every single character ruined. 

As for the qriters plan, I'm sure they know what their options are following the finale but he made it sound like it could go anywhere. It didn't sound like the did it knowing exactly what happened next


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## mrdazzo7 (Jan 8, 2006)

Dev, I think yourre on the right track for the ending... its definitely not gonna be happy. This is the type of show that will end with every single character ruined. 

As for the qriters plan, I'm sure they know what their options are following the finale but he made it sound like it could go anywhere. It didn't sound like the did it knowing exactly what happened next


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## DMHinCO (Dec 14, 2000)

Even though they are the ugliest vehicles on the road, I am going Aztek shopping. They are indestructible.

I'm going to miss this show over the long, long break.

By the way, I wonder if the kill-Walt-at-the-laundry plan was put into action only after Walt left his house to eliminate Gale. It seems Vince was waiting a house or two away just in case Walt came out.


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

DMHinCO said:


> It seems Vince was waiting a house or two away just in case Walt came out.


He'd been following him for awhile.


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## Numb And Number2 (Jan 13, 2009)

NatasNJ said:


> They have to have some ideas on where the story goes from here. Not saying anything is locked in on how things proceed but I would be amazed if they talked the story up to this point and not a second beyond where it went black.


As long as Marie doesn't end up with Ted I have no preference how they end the series.


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## TampaThunder (Apr 8, 2003)

Numb And Number2 said:


> As long as Marie doesn't end up with Ted I have no preference how they end the series.


Now that would be a twist no one would see coming!  I'm assuming you mean Skyler and Ted and not Hank's wife, Marie.


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## max99 (May 23, 2004)

Interesting development in the "Is Gale Dead?" saga.


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## mrdazzo7 (Jan 8, 2006)

max99 said:


> Interesting development in the "Is Gale Dead?" saga.


Good read--adds to what I was saying yesterday about how they really don't have it as planned out as I thought they did... it makes it even more impressive that the end result is what it is. I like to write and find it very difficult to just to just start something without knowing exactly where it's going, so I'm impressed that these guys can do it like they do and still end up with great, tight storytelling. Vince Gilligan is becoming one of my favorite writer/producers along with Joss Whedon and JJ Abrams.

As for the Gale situation, I'm actually with Vince--it didn't occur to me for a second that the shot wasn't fatal. The camera pans around so that the audience is taking Gales point-of-view staring down the barrel of the gun as it goes off--I'm shocked by how many people interpreted that differently. I love that he is shocked also. It's reminding me of the fire-storm that erupted over people thinking the images over the credits after the Lost finale were part of the story (which I still can't believe was even a question).


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## TampaThunder (Apr 8, 2003)

What a crock. Maybe Vince should post a few polls asking internet fans what should happen next season. I never thought there was a doubt Gale was killed and Vince has stated there was never meant to be any doubt. The fact that he would even consider changing this because of online reaction by fans is ridiculous.


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## pdhenry (Feb 28, 2005)

TampaThunder said:


> What a crock.


:up:
The show has a loyal fan base because there's more integrity than that.


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## Numb And Number2 (Jan 13, 2009)

TampaThunder said:


> Now that would be a twist no one would see coming!  I'm assuming you mean Skyler and Ted and not Hank's wife, Marie.


I mean Marie, beautiful Marie. I want to date her on Flag Day.


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## ElJay (Apr 6, 2005)

It's nice of Gilligan to humor the crazy fans who can't figure out when a camera is moving, but I hope it's nothing more than that.


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## BK89 (Oct 11, 2005)

Gale is Jessie's constant. Jessie was trying to trigger a near death experience so Gale could "remember".


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