“Mr. White, he’s the devil...". Wise words from Jesse there as this week’s episode of Breaking Bad showcases the extent to which Walt's surrounding friends and foes have transgressed to the dark side, let loose their inner-monsters he has unknowingly created.
We begin Rabid Dog in the aftermath of Jesse’s rage-fueled, gasoline dousing of the White residence. As Walt approaches his house, gun in
tow, ready for an emotional and aggressive confrontation, he soon realises Jesse is not there. Although the lingering gasoline smell sure is. Before
determining Jesse's whereabouts, the priority is to hide this slight mishap (and
stench) from Skyler and Walt Jr. In an atypical Walt fashion, he weaves an
all-too transparent lie, blaming the fiasco on a bad day and a gas pump
malfunction. For their safety from toxic fumes, he then suggests they keep away
from the house and stay in a hotel for a while.
So where did Jesse go? In a flashback format we
discover that Hank barges in to the White residence just before Jesse sets it
aflame. In an emotional confrontation, once again boasting a powerful
performance from Aaron Paul, he screams in despair "he can't keep getting away with this", to which Hank declares that if they work
together, he wont. Both he and Jesse then return to the Schrader household.
So, this episode once again presents us with two camps. The
White family, residing in a glitzy hotel for their safety, and the
Hank-Jesse pairing in which an attempt to incriminate Walt is officially underway.
What both sides show however, is the extent to which each character has truly become a
metaphysical extension of Walt’s criminality.
Returning to the White family, in a wonderful piece of
characterisation, Skyler sits on the bed sipping vodka. Her role as Lady Crystal Meth is highly reminiscent of Lady Macbeth as, after discovering the truth about Jesse, requests Walt to kill him - "We've come this far for us, what's one more?". Saul, who uses the brilliant metaphor of Old Yeller, posits the same suggestion. Walt’s abhorrence at such a thought arrives hand in hand with the
startling awareness of the monstrous tendencies surfacing in those surrounding
him – all of a sudden, his nearest and dearest are suggesting the almost
unspeakable. How can Walt possibly kill Jesse, a young man with whom he shares a surrogate,
paternal relationship with?
Of course, it is this relationship that just so happens to be the inning for Hank
and his investigation. Jesse’s whole confessional story is videotaped by Hank and Gomez. At the risk of being totally pedantic, I am a little disappointed that we did not witness Hank revealing the identity of Heisenberg to Gomez but trepidation is nevertheless apparent. Both Jesse and Gomez
rightly point out that this confession will not be enough to put Walt away – after all, it’s the
word from a drug-abusing young adult against those of a cancer-ridden
ex-chemistry teacher. So what can they do, what’s the next step? Thankfully
Walt, in an attempt at reconciliation, has organised a meeting between he and
Jesse – creating an opportune moment for an undercover operation to gather
some crucial evidence. Jesse refuses at first, declaring this is a set
up for Walt to kill him. However, after going through each detail of Jesse’s
story, Hank denotes the evidence of just how much Walt cares for Jesse – using this
as persuasive detail for Jesse to finally comply.
Rightly so, Gomez questions – what if Jesse is right? Hank could well be
sending him to his death. To which he essentially responds "I don't care, either way I get my evidence". Nice. So whereas previous episodes have
elicited a sense of empathy for this shell-shocked DEA agent, it is now evident
that any genuine desire Hank had for justice has been overrun by a personal vendetta to
salvage his pride and manhood. He has developed into a selfish, manipulative
man, using Jesse as a tool to orchestrate a personal mission... sound familiar?
We already know the extent to which Walt has corrupted Jesse
over the years, but his role throughout these latter stages have caused him to transgress from a loyal puppy to a rabid dog - acting on rage, irritation
and impulse. We've seen it throughout each season and even this episode, when
he foregoes Hank’s plan and threatens Walt again, “Nice try asshole...I’m not
doing what you want anymore... this is just a heads up to let you know I’m
coming for you. See I decided that burning down your house is nothing, next
time I’m gonna get you where you really live...”. So, will Jesse be put down? Despite
genuine care and paternal association felt by Walt, this threat is a sure fire sign that Jesse won’t let up. A fact we too become aware of as he reveals to Hank that he has thought of a better way to 'get him'. So there we have it, in a
moment of regrettable realisation, Walt is aware of the true threat Jesse now poses. This leads to
the end of the episode and an all too enigmatic phone call – “Hey...Todd... I think I
might have another job for your uncle...”.
Rabid Dog is another intense affair (a repeated sentiment I
know) in which we see how Walt’s lies, manipulation and criminality has
corroded the souls and integrity of those surrounding him. Those he once cared
for and protected have been devilishly lured to the dark side and now possibly
pose the biggest threat of all.
What were your thoughts on this week's episode? Post a comment!
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