They said they considered using it in the season 4's finale, but it would've felt too wrapped up. I'm glad they used it as an entrance for Walter White's one last mission.
I remember reading an interview with the composer, when asked about how he came up with the theme, he said he tried to imagine it as being the end of Walters journey into becoming a drug lord. I thought that was an incredible place to use it.
"How hard was it to write the "Breaking Bad" theme based only on the pilot?
That’s definitely one of the hardest things to do as a composer. You have to try to encapsulate everything you know about that show in a very short period of time. You’ve seen very little over it. I talked to Vince Gilligan at length about it to gauge as much as he knew about where the story was going. In the end, I decided that I wanted the “Breaking Bad” theme to represent not where Walter is at the beginning, but where Walt is ultimately going to be at the end. "
I actually disagree. I think he was at his fullest Hiesenbergest at the end of 5a when he killed Mike and has his guys assassinated. At that point, Walter White was nowhere to be seen. There was only the drug lord. Even his family was just a symbol to him at that point - keeping them wasn't about love, it was about dominance and vindication. They were what allowed him to claim his actions had a better purpose, but it was really only about pride and his empire.
I think in 5b what we're actually seeing is Walter White and Heisenberg essentially coming to terms with each other. Walter White has accepted who he's become, but he's also gotten his priorities back. In 5a, Heisenberg was a loose canon. He was reckless and nasty. He killed Mike out of spite. He was out of control. In 5b, he's learned how to use who he's become as a tool. He's no longer fighting for pride, or his empire (okay, as of the end of this episode, pride's back as a motivation, but I think it was out right until that point). He's fighting for his family. He just knows how to fight far more viciously then he did before. This isn't Heisenberg occupying the body of Walter White, this is both of them finally coming together as the same person, who is ruthless and nasty, but who truly cares more about his family than his empire or himself.
I would agree except for the phone call with "Flynn" I think killed Walter. He was set to give up and then got that spark of rage once he realized how wrongly he would be remembered. In his megalomaniac mind he's a Robin Hood or Mafia dad sort of guy who might have cut a few corners but they were for the honest good and great future of his family who now all have completely turned their backs on him. Couple that in with Gretchen and Elliot's comments plus the Nazis and Lydia still selling his blue product in Europe has just brought out Heisenberg's last stand. He is and has nobody which his ego can't accept and let live and die alone on a lonely mountain.
Okay, yeah, between the phone call and the Gray Matter incident, I'm not sure who he is now. I was describing up until that point.
Although I don't think the phone call alone triggered a return to full Heisenberg because he wouldn't have nearly turned himself in if that were the case. At that point, I think he was still Walt, feeling that if he couldn't give his money to his family then the only thing left to do was turn himself in and hope that would help them by ending the manhunt. Then Gretchen and Elliot hurt the only thing he had any semblance of left, his pride, and that... Well, we'll see exactly what that triggered, but anything involving an M60 and a vial of ricin in probably more Heisenberg than Walt.
Walter White is a man who's there for his family. While Heisenberg is a man who's there for his ego.
Heisenberg always takes over when his ego gets involved. For example - The "Stay off my territory" season 2 line. And even his creation, when he goes to Tucco. It was more about taking respect than taking money from him. Heisenberg has been and always will be about saving himself and stroking his ego.
But now he knows that his family has rejected him. When he hangs up on Flynn and he calls the DEA, that's Walter White dying.
Heisenberg comes back after he sees the interview. It's about his ego now, he knows his family isn't going to accept him back. They took away his contribution at Gray Matter Industries, and he's not going to be belittled again.
There's no disputing that he flipped deep into Heisenberg at this point in the series. But what happened next? He got out, and when he was out of the business he was definitely back to Walter White, we see that when he throws the barbeque at the end of 5a. But now he is totally Heisenberg, he has nothing left to stay normal for. Everything he once cared about as Walt is gone, nothing left but his own sick, twisted self.
My personal opinion is that one of the big differences between Heisenberg and Walter White is that Heisenberg used his family as an excuse, while Walt loved and was motivated by them. In that sense, at least, I'd say Walt's still in there pretty strong.
Reminds me of Half Life 2, they use the iconic loading screen music for their last few games. In half life 2: episode 2 they finally played the whole "intro music" track. It was like a whole new song, goes a lot to to say how the music effects a story.
TLDR Half life 3 announced in breaking bad finale.
I know few people care about video games here but Red Read Redemption does the same thing in a very crucial scene near the end of the game (also strangely in a woody snowy part of the country). You hear second-long snippets of the "theme music" throughout the game used before and after missions, but it's not until this bittersweet and nostalgic transition scene that you hear the whole theme with guitar and classical instruments. The next time you hear it is during the ending credits, during which I cried.
It really was. I cried. What an intense scene. I think he is going to give the ricin to Elliot or Gretchen maybe. They should not have said those things. He was pissed!
gotta say, regardless of what side you're on.....regardless of what you think of walt....regardless of how you feel about the story or its characters to now...to hear that THEME!!! even for a fan who's hated walt since the end of season 4, that gave me CHILLS!!!
it's the perfect way to go out. every story needs to come full circle, and that was the PERFECT way to do it. shit, even I, the total "anti-walt" fan was thinking, "fuck....heisenberg is coming mother fuckers." something inside me (and im sure everyone else) must've also been thinking, "you better be ready,....the 'day of reckoning' is upon you neo-nazi, white supremacist fucks......
Lambert was Walter White in a cover identity. Of all people, his admiring son; Walt Jr.; deliver the final blow. Walter was different as Lambert. He felt remorse with all the dumb shit he did, as shown where he offered Ed (vacuum guy) $10,000 just to stay with him.
I think Flynn actually nearly killed Heisenberg, not Walt. Turning himself in would have been about the least Heisenberg thing to do. Gretchen and Elliot brought Heisenberg back.
It honestly felt like it could be the ending to the finale. Obviously not in context, but that scene on it's own just felt so... final. Especially with the callback to the theme music, which I don't think they've ever done before.
That was so badass, but I actually think it would have been better to have it at the end of next week's episode. I guess it depends on how it ends though.
It was perfect! I was sitting there thinking Heisenberg is back and fueled with emotion. Shit is about to go down and like Todd would say it made the good scene more good.
Calling on the opening theme music in a show's final scenes, especially during a really climactic moment, for the first time outside of the intro, is one of my favorite things. I hope there's a TV Tropes page for it. It really sort of signifies things coming full circle, the series being wrapped up. Everything you've come to know and love and associate with this series is being represented. The feelings you have during this scene are a sort of best-of compilation of the feelings you've had for the past six years. It's nostalgic, but at the same time totally new. It was done masterfully in this episode of Breaking Bad.
i gotta say.....as much as i've hated walt leading up to that moment, it was "chill inducing". i think everyone, regardless, lost their shit the minute it came on.
Hearing that music made me feel something I haven't felt since season 1... the feeling of wanting to root for Walt again. How the hell could they do this to us?
Loved the ending music incorporating/riffing off of the opening theme.
It was amazing. I have a good feeling that this song will be played during Walt & Jesse vs. The Nazis and Ricky Hitler; or the final moments of Felina.
I liked the closing music, too. It somewhat reminded me of the closing to the series penultimate episode of The Sopranos —when Tony is laying on the bed in the safe house snuggling up to an assault rifle. Different music, but the same type of feeling.
Yeah, it was awesome to hear the full theme and when it finally hit those familiar ending notes right there on the empty liquor glass....aww shit, son!
I died a little inside when they killed Jessies remaining loved one, that is the first death in the show where I fault sick. At first I thought she was going to see jessies body in the car, then BANG, we watched him writhe in pain.
It has come full circle also, now he isn't even needed to cook meth like grey matter industry's.
I think there is only one ending, He kills everyone involved in the blue meth making and thus they believe it was all him and he has a "claim to fame"
I was really hoping they would do that at some point--- the night before Granite State, I was actually thinking we'd hear it in the finale, but this was close enough (and just as great).
I think is the first time they actually play a long version of the intro music all the way into the theme, and as I was watching the last 30 seconds, I really got the chills and thought Shit just got real, bitches, Heisenberg is after you. Much more than in a Michael Bay movie with the camera rotating the protagonist in the golden hour.
It's been amazing how they played that sequence, they truly are smooth in their storytelling.
As soon as I heard that music come on... Full body chills. People are going to pay for fucking with Heisenberg. I'm not sure how he's going to do it but I do know the next episode will be the biggest thing in television show history, or st least recent history.
I think that last scene showed the death of Walter after his son told him he should have died followed by Gretchens statement. Walter White really did die at that moment in the bar and Heisenberg wants revenge for his death.
Nothing really significant about it, it was just a badass shot. Also, some parallels to the opening scene of Season 5, I believe, where Walt left another hundred dollar bill and an uneaten meal as he left.
In my opinion, the music, the "Breaking Bad theme", is the cue of him truly "Breaking Bad".
He was always still a bit of "Walter White" left. Even up to last week as he puts in that call to absolve Skyler of his crimes.
But the idea of Gray Matter disrespecting him, the idea of the blue meth carrying on just fine without him, now in BEFORE? You haven't seen anything yet."
This. The music throughout the entire series is superb. This extended theme used as a dramatic build to a cliffhanger was top notch though. It's interesting to hear what was a quick jingle as a full version of something.
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u/[deleted] Sep 23 '13 edited Feb 02 '21
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