The end is upon us. One of the most intense and gripping TV shows of all time will see its conclusion at 9pm this Sunday, September 29th. After 5 seasons of drama, comedy, and action, AMC’s landmark Breaking Bad will air its final episode. Expectations couldn’t be higher for the finale, with viewers hoping for the many loose ends created not only by the most recent season, but every season in the past to finally be wrapped up. But what should a loyal fan of this show expect from this finale? How can Vince Gilligan possibly wrap up over 60 episodes of gut-wrenching spectacle in a single 1 hour and 15 minute production? I guess that’s only for him to know, and us to soon find out. Here are the 7 biggest questions leading up to the finale that will hopefully close the curtains on this benchmark in television production.
1. Will Jesse finally die?
Poor Jesse. All the kid wants is for the lights above him to go out. He has seen and been involved in more mind rupturing activity than anyone besides Walt, and many of the viewers seem to forget he’s still so young. We’ve seen mental breakdown after breakdown, and at certain points wished for an end to the miserable life he has lived. So will this finally be when Jesse can receive the “fade into darkness” he so craves?
2. What will happen to Skylar?
Everyone’s favorite character to hate, fans have been waiting for Skylar to die since Season 1. She’s always nagging Walt and it’s hard not to despise her and want her to simply back off and let Walt run the table. Ironically though she provides the most sound advice of anyone on the show, but good advice means less action, right? Hopefully the script will give the fans what they want.
3. Will Walt fight for his family or against them?
In possibly the shows greatest episode, “Ozymandias”, viewers got an indication that Walt may no longer feel the urge to protect his family. After engaging in a knife fight with Skylar, stealing Holly, and in the most recent episode getting torched by Walt Jr. over the phone, can we blame Walt for no longer feeling the drive to defend them? He claims to have engaged in every illegal endeavor for them; so is it possible that his love runs deep enough to prevent him from turning on them as well? Or will his vengeance lead him to do the unthinkable?
4. How did the public find out the connection between Walt and Heisenberg?
To the extent of the fan’s knowledge, when Walt begins his tenure in New Hampshire the only living characters who are able to make the connection between Walt and Heisenberg were Skylar, Marie, Saul, Todd’s crew, Walt Jr., and Jesse. So how in the world did Elliott and Gretchen Schwartz find out? How is it that in the opening episode for part two of season 5 that Walt returns to his home to find ‘Heisenberg’ spray-painted on the wall? Something must have happened between the time of Walt moving to change his identity and hearing the Schwartz’s interview on television. But what exactly happened?
5. Will Todd’s Uncles continue to run the show?
Now that they have Jesse producing at 92% purity and are in possession of nearly all of Walt’s money, who is really prepared to stop Todd and his Uncles? After now threatening Skylar and killing two DEA agents, Gomez and Hank, can we expect Walt to have a legitimate shot at ending their rampage? Although who am I kidding? This is Heisenberg we’re talking about and we’ve seen what happens when somebody crosses him. It should be really interesting to see how that one plays out.
6. What’s going to happen to Saul?
A fan favorite from the first time his commercial ran across the TV in the White household, Saul has been as consistent as anyone on the show. He’s been there through all of Walt and Jesse’s plunders and always “knows a guy who knows a guy” in any situation of their needing. As viewers, we know that AMC already has plans for a spinoff surrounding his character, but what can we expect from him in the finale? Will he help Walt? Or will he stay true in his quest to change identity? I think I’m speaking for everyone though when I say I hope we at least get to see him one last time on the Breaking Bad stage.
7. Will Walt kill himself, be killed, or maybe even survive?
Probably the biggest question surrounding this last episode is what will happen to television’s most compelling character, Walt. Will the cancer finally consume him? Will Todd’s Uncle’s get the best of him? Will Skylar kill him? Will he kill himself? These are all options, but which should we expect? Walt has been through heaven and hell (probably more hell) on this show and many wonder how he’s still alive to begin with. In the end though, death seems inevitable for Walt. He’s escaped it too many times already and what better closure than to finish him off once and for all. Is the great Heisenberg a mortal?
Although many questions surround the episode, there is no doubt that Vince Gilligan and AMC will deliver one of the most prevailing and powerful finales in all of television history this Sunday. Will it be Hamlet-esque where all of the main characters meet their demise, or should we expect a more sensitive closure and happy ending? At this point it’s all speculation, and until 9:00pm on Sunday the answers to these questions above will remain unknown. But when the episode finally meets running time, hold on to your seats, because it’s going to be a wild ride.
Image courtesy via Breaking Bad Screen-grab
