Breaking Bad Season 5 Episode 13 To'hajiilee Recap, Analysis, Review

‘Breaking Bad’s second part to season five is building to a dramatic finale. Every episode either matches or tops the last and we are now only a mere three episodes away to the ending of one of the greatest TV shows every made.

Following the ending of episode 12 with Walt’s phone call to Todd (the Matt Damon look alike), saying he has a new job for his uncle, we are homed in on Todd, Lydia and Jack (Todd’s uncle) in a meth lab. These opening scenes in the first five minutes take place slightly before Walt’s phone call. Just before the opening titles, we once again here the phone call, arranging a meeting discussing the hit on Jesse.

It’s now a game of cat and mouse, Walt is after Jesse (still unaware he is now working with Hank), and his brother in law is constantly plotting ways to catch Heisenberg. Throughout the last two episodes we have been witnessing Hank’s failed attempts pile on top of one another.

This week Hank takes a different approach and decides to listen to Jesse’s plan, go after his money. Whist this is all taking place Walt is finalising a deal with Todd’s uncle (Jack) to put a hit out on Jesse, in exchange for Walt to cook one last batch, teaching Todd how keep the meth’s purity at Heisenberg’s signature standard.

The plans are great in this episode, you watch each take place simultaneously as they edge each other our slightly. Walt decides to bait Jesse out into the open by contacting Andrea, playing the caring friend along the way to get her to bring Jesse to him, stating that they had a little argument. She offers to contact him and leaves a voice mail.

But Hank has Jesse’s phone and is as smart as Walt. The only slip up Hank has made is that he was unaware his wife, Marie, accepted money from Walt and Skyler to pay for his medical bills. Hank has Jesse’s phone and immediately knows Walt’s ploy, saying “Nice try asshole”.

Just before this scene you see Hank setting up an interview with Huell, (Saul’s bodyguard). Playing on a fake scenario that Walt is out to kill him, to tie up loose ends regarding the poisoning of Brok. This is drilled into Huell with Hank showing him a staged picture of Jesse murdered on the floor. The plan works, and some vital information is gained, Walt put his money in oil drums and that it is buried somewhere.

Huell’s disappearance doesn’t go unnoticed with Saul arriving at the car wash, asking questions. Is Jesse going around killing people off one by one? This isnt something Walt is willing to believe.

While Walt Jr is learning the ropes of the car wash, being taught by Skyler, all seems well until that text message to Walt, who is also present at the car wash. A photo message showing an open barrel with the money, followed hastily by a phone call.  

Jesse is on the other line as Walt sprints out of the car wash into his car and driving towards where he buried the money. Walt is panicking, this money means everything to him, and in the heat of the moment, still on the phone to Jesse all the way through this journey, he slips up. Walt says on the phone about why he poisoned Brok and saying how he killed Gus for Jesse. As the viewer we know what he has done, this phone call is a hoax, a ploy so Hank can track Walt to where the money really is. We already know from a previous scene that the van didn’t have GPS, which is what Jesse says he used to track his movements to find the money, plus the phone call is more than likely being recorded if so Hank now has his evidence.

The phone goes silent after Walt’s last comments and when Walt arrives at To’hajiilee, he soon realises he has made his first mistake. Jesse is nowhere to be seen and with a car approaching Walt knows he has been set up and now trapped.

Walt calls Jack to come kill Jesse, saying that he is approaching and probably has back up. As the car pulls up Walt gives the coordinates to his position over the phone but then realizes Hank is with Jesse. He is stunned and you feel a defeat wash over him. He says don’t come to Jack, he can’t kill his brother in law (which he told Saul a few weeks back).

Walt is defeated, trapped with no escape. He walks out from behind a rock, Hank, Steven and Jesse all fixated on him. Hank gets him in cuffs after he walks towards them, and you see the contrast in emotions between Hank and Walt. Hank is almost overjoyed as he reads him his rights.  Whilst the defeated Walt is fixated on Jesse, Walt’s main target throughout. Jesse spits in Walt’s face resulting in a fight breaking out that is resolved in moments.

Hank puts Walt in his car and calls Marie to inform her of the good news, she replies with “I love you” and the phone call ends. As the viewer we are expecting Walt to get out of this scenario somehow, he always does right? But there is no way out for Walt, he is powerless.

Then you realise as a two car’s approach, Jack and Todd. They jump out the cars and everyone raises a weapon. Jack and Todd have another four men all taking cover behind the car, meanwhile Hank and Steven are in the open, Jesse hiding in one vehicle with Walt repeating a constant scream of “no, Jack, its off, don’t do it” in another car.

The tension builds, Jack says, ‘prove your cops and we will leave’. But neither of Hank and Steven have any ID and don’t reply. One of Jack’s men then open fire which hastily begins the firefight. Hank and Steven manage to get to cover behind the car that Walt is stationed in. As gunfire rains in from everywhere Walt hits the floor so not to get hit and everyone exchanges bullets.

Then the only disappointing part to the episode, the screen goes to black. No one is yet to get hit but it’s almost certain that only one party is going to get out of this one alive. It’s going to be a painful week of waiting and what looks to be a painful episode next week. Six vs Two, it’s hard to see how Hank is going to get out of this one alive.

Breaking Bad season 5, episode 14 “Ozymandias” airs next Sunday (the 15th of September).

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