Breaking Bad is one of the best TV dramas of the 21st century and to some, at least, one of the best ever made. A big part of that is down to the show’s main character, Walter White; a mild-mannered chemistry teacher who turns to a life of crime after being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.
Bryan Cranston’s performance as Walt is truly fantastic, but it’s the way that the character slowly transforms throughout the series that makes him so captivating. His actions are a great indicator of his loosening grip on morality, but more often than not his words paint a much clearer picture of exactly what’s going on inside his brilliant mind.
10 “Say My Name”
Walt’s Heisenberg persona is constantly growing stronger throughout the show’s early seasons, but it’s not until season five when it becomes strong enough to fully take over. Having spent so much of his life afraid, it’s in this moment that Walt finally realizes that he doesn’t need to be scared any longer.
The way that he dictates terms to Declan is something that he would have never dreamed of doing prior to his run-ins with Gus. Knowing now the things that he is capable of though, Walt feels comfortable enough to assert his dominance and remind his competitor exactly who he’s dealing with.
9 “I Am The One Who Knocks”
While Walt certainly knows what he’s capable of, Skyler still sees him as the same pathetic pushover that he was before he started cooking. Of course, it helps that at this point there’s still a lot that she doesn’t know about her husband. As a result, that she’s terrified about what might happen to the White family is completely understandable.
After hearing her out, however, Walt decides that it’s time to set the record straight. As he so aptly puts it, he is the danger now and has absolutely no intention of ever being a victim again. It’s here that Skyler finally comes to realize what her husband has become and begins to further distance herself and her children from him.
8 “Run”
The final two episodes of season three are amongst the best that the show has to offer, but the standout moment comes right at the end of the penultimate one. High on substances and desperate for revenge, viewers can only watch as Jesse slowly ambles closer towards his own demise. Then, out of nowhere, Walt’s trusty Pontiac Aztek flattens the two rival drug dealers. He gets out of the car, puts a bullet in one of the dealers’ heads, and utters just one powerful word to his partner.
Having previously been warned by Mike that there would be no more half measures, Walt’s actions are an indication that he’s finally realized that he’s going to have to get his hands dirty if he wants to survive. What’s more, it shows just how much he cares for Jesse and that he’s willing to risk both his life and his freedom in order to keep him safe.
7 “I Won”
When Walt first agrees to go into business with Gustavo Fring, he’s given the false impression that he’s entering into a partnership. As season three unfolds, however, it quickly becomes apparent that this is not at all the case. Walt and Jesse are more like Gus’ slaves than his partners and both can be replaced if need be (well, providing the other continues to cooperate, that is).
After Gus decides that he has had enough of Walt and starts grooming Jesse as his replacement, Walt and his family find themselves in great danger. Skyler is terrified of what could happen, but Walt seems to see it more as a game or some kind of battle of wits. This idea is solidified not long after when he tells his wife that he “won”.
6 “I’m In The Empire Business”
There comes a point in the story when Walt has made more money than he could ever realistically hope to spend. Rather than riding off into the sunset, however, he continues to cook despite no longer needing to do so. This confuses Jesse, but Walt’s explanation reveals that his motivations have now changed.
Money is still important to him, but building something bigger than himself now seems to be his primary aim. It’s this drive to be the best that explains a lot of Walt’s actions during the final few seasons of the show, although the sad reality is that after his relationship with Skyler falls apart; it’s all that he really has left.
5 “I Could Have Saved Her”
Walt’s decision not to intervene when Jane began choking has some rather catastrophic consequences. As well as the horrific plane crash caused by Jane’s grieving father, it also leads to Jesse falling into a deep depression. Given the negative influence that she was having on him though, there’s an argument to be made that her death may well have saved his life.
Why exactly Walt chooses to confess to his partner isn’t entirely clear. He may have wanted to hurt Jesse because of his betrayal or maybe he knew that Jesse still harbored feelings of guilt for her death. Whatever the reason, it was an incredibly powerful moment and yet another example of how Walt often toys with his supposed partner.
4 “If You Believe That There’s A Hell”
Perhaps one of the more blatant examples of how Walt bends Jesse to his will can be found in the seventh episode of season five. With his partner beginning to question why the pair are still cooking meth and also grieving the death of yet another innocent child, Walt completely tears him down.
Not only does he remind Jesse that cooking meth is the only thing that he’s ever been good at, but he also points out that while Todd’s actions were bad, both he and Jesse have taken their fair share of lives. He certainly doesn’t go as far as condoning what Todd did, but he does try pretty hard to sweep it under the rug.
3 “Tread Lightly”
Prior to Hank’s moment of realization, he and Walt had enjoyed a great friendship. Sure, they probably weren’t the kind of guys who would have been friends had fate and familial bonds not brought them together, but both men made a real effort to make things work. What’s more, there’s also a great deal of mutual respect between them.
When the pair suddenly find themselves at odds though, the atmosphere changes in an instant. Hank vows to bring Walt to justice, but his brother in law takes things a step further by issuing a thinly-veiled threat. He’d likely have never followed through with it, but that he could even utter those words at least made us question it for a moment.
2 “F**k You And Your Eyebrows”
Bogdan was written in such a way that it was incredibly difficult not to hate him. He treated his employees like slaves and showed a complete lack of compassion following Walt’s cancer diagnosis. It’s for that reason that Walt’s resignation from the car wash was so enjoyable for viewers.
For all the hate we harbored for this diabolical boss, there was very little that we the viewers could do to express it. Thankfully, Walt was on hand to put him firmly in his place and that he finally acknowledged those caterpillar-like eyebrows was just an added bonus.
1 “I Did It For Me”
Throughout the entirety of Breaking Bad, Walt justifies his actions by telling himself that he’s only doing it for his family. While this may have been true when he first ventured into the world of crystal meth though, his motivation clearly changes as he gradually becomes hardened by his new surroundings.
By the time the show’s final season rolls around, the Walter White we once knew has completely transformed into a remorseless criminal and it’s only then that Walt changes his tune. It’s more like a moment of realization than a confession though, with Walt finally accepting that his actions were driven by self-gratification rather than providing for his family.
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