Full Measure

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Full MeAsure
Synopsis: With Jesse on the run, Walt bargains with Gus and concocts a plan to provide for his and Jesse's safety.
Season	3
Episode	13
Directed by	Vince Gilligan
Written by	Vince Gilligan
Running time	47 minutes
Air date	June 13, 2010
U.S. Viewers	1.56 million
← Previous	"Half Measures"
Next →	"Box Cutter"

"Full Measure" is the thirteenth episode of the third season of Breaking Bad and the thirty-third episode altogether. It is also the season finale.

Summary

Teaser

Sixteen years previously, a realtor shows a younger Walt and Skyler (pregnant with Junior) the house where they will eventually live. Walt, then working at the prestigious Sandia Laboratory and envisioning a bright future with three children, worries they aren't setting their sights high enough with this house.

Act I

In the present, Walt sits in his car in the desert until an SUV arrives. Mike phones Walt and instructs him to walk toward the SUV. Meeting him halfway, Walt is frisked by Mike. Soon he is confronted by Gus, who demands to know why he put them all at risk for Jesse, a "worthless junkie". Walt explains that Jesse wanted revenge against Gus's dealers for killing Tomás, and perhaps thought Gus had given the order. Gus denies ordering the murder. Walt suggests that Gus has two options: kill Walt and spend months searching for Jesse, or overlook the incident and continue their partnership. Gus accedes, but insists on choosing Walt's new lab assistant.

When Walt reports to the superlab the next morning, he is surprised to see that the locks have been changed and that Gale has been reinstated as his assistant.

Act II

Four cartel hitmen go to a warehouse owned by Gus's chemical supplier, Duane Chow, and take him and his secretary hostage. Mike appears and effortlessly kills all four of the hitmen. He then shoots Chow through the hand and orders him to have his assistant drive him to the hospital -- the wound is Chow's penalty for not informing Gus about the situation. At Gus's office, Mike and Gus examine the gunmen's passports and agree that the cartel is looking for weaknesses to exploit in Gus's operation.

In the superlab, Walt and Gale cook while Victor observes them from the catwalk. Alluding to previously upsetting Walt, Gale promises to follow his instructions exactly and to be the perfect lab assistant. Walt assures him that he's doing fine. Later, Gus surprises Gale at his apartment and tells him about Walt's diagnosis. He tells Gale that he plans on keeping Walt as long as he wants, but asks Gale to learn how to master Walt's cooking process in the event that he dies.

Act III

Mike heads to Saul's office in order to find Jesse's whereabouts. Saul initially invokes attorney-client privilege, but when Mike threatens him, Saul lets Mike sneak a peek at a notebook containing the name of a trailer park in Virginia. Later, Saul drives Walt to the laser tag business, unknowingly being followed by Victor. Once inside, it is revealed that Jesse is hiding out in the laser tag. Saul warns both of his clients that Mike will soon realize the Virginia address is a decoy. Speaking privately with Jesse, Walt says that he is only safe until Gale feels confident enough to take over the lab. They decide that they have to kill Gale, and debate over who should do it. After Jesse states he doesn't want to be a murderer, Walt says that he will kill Gale instead.

Act IV

That night, as Walt is leaving his house to go kill Gale, Victor pulls up and tells him to get in, claiming there is a chemical leak in the lab. At the industrial laundry, Walt sees Mike and knows he's about to be executed. Walt seemingly offers to give up Jesse. Mike demands to know Jesse's whereabouts, but Walt explains that since he moves around, Walt must call him to arrange a meeting. Back at the arcade, Jesse receives Walt's call and is instructed to kill Gale. Jesse cuts the call, grabs the gun, and runs off.

Mike and Victor draw guns on Walt, but Walt tells them to hold off, reciting Gale's address. The two recognize the address and what is about to happen; Victor immediately leaves to intercept Jesse while Mike phones Gale. However, music and a noisy teakettle prevent Gale from hearing his phone vibrate. As he pours himself a cup of tea, Gale hears a knock on his front door. He answers. It's Jesse.

"You don't have to do this," Gale pleads.

Jesse pulls out his gun and points it at Gale's head. Gale, at first thinking it's just a hold-up, offers he take whatever he wants, adding he has large amounts of cash; but it soon dawns on him that none of that will do, and that Jesse is there to kill him. Gale begs for his life. Jesse -- his eyes tearing, and fighting back every impulse not to do this -- reluctantly fires the gun.

Official Photos

Trivia

• This is the first episode to be directed, but also both written and directed, by Vince Gilligan since the "Pilot".
• Walt donning the signature black pork pie hat of his "Heisenberg" persona was Bryan Cranston's idea - (donned at first to keep the desert sun off his newly shaved head whilst on set.)
• The flashback teaser in this episode is the only time in the series that we see Walt without any facial hair whatsoever.
• The Mandarin translation of the exchange between Chow and his Secretary: "Peng, are you still there?" "Of course I'm still here! Where else can I go?! What is going on?! I have a husband and kid at home, I have to go home and take care of them! You do not pay me enough, somebody got killed right in front of me!"
• Previous episode was named "Half Measures", in which Mike gave a speech about how he took a half measure and something bad happened because of it, causing Mike to tell Walt not to take any more half measures, so, as the title reads, Walt took a full measure.
• The song "Crapa Pelada", which can be heard in Gale's apartment, is about a bald Italian cook.
• This is the first episode to feature "The Long Walk Alone (Heisenberg's Theme)", which becomes a staple theme.

Production

Credits

• Starring
• Guest Starring
• Co-Starring
• Uncredited

Starring

Bryan Cranston as Walter White Anna Gunn as Skyler White Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman Dean Norris as Hank Schrader (credit only) Betsy Brandt as Marie Schrader (credit only)

RJ Mitte as Walter White Jr. Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman Giancarlo Esposito as Gustavo Fring Jonathan Banks as Mike Ehrmantraut

Guest Starring

• David Costabile as Gale Boetticher

Co-Starring

Jeremiah Bitsui as Victor Louis Herthum as Realtor Kaija Roze Bales as Granddaughter James Ning as Chow Tiley Chao as Peng

Eddie J. Fernadez as Cartel Gunman #1 Ben Bray as Cartel Gunman #2 Toby Holguin as Cartel Gunman #3 Eddie Perez as Cartel Gunman #4

Uncredited

• Unknown actress as Stacey Ehrmantraut

Featured Music

• "308 Negra Arroyo Lane" by Dave Porter (as Walt & Skyler look around their future home and as Walt sits at home feeding Holly)
• "The Long Walk Alone (Heisenberg's Theme)" by Dave Porter (as Walt walks over to meet Gus and at the start of the end credits)
• "Shambala" by Beastie Boys (as Mike breaks into the Golden Moth warehouse and takes out the cartel henchmen)
• "Crapa Pelada" by Quartetto Cetra (in Gale's apartment when Gus visits)
• "America the Beautiful (Reprise)" by Pat Boone (in the reception of Saul's office)
• "滿場飛 (Man Chang Fei)" by 張帆 (Zhang Fan) (in Gale's apartment when Jesse arrives)

Memorable Quotes

Walter: "[answers phone] Yeah?"

Mike: "Walter, you see us?"

Walter: "Yeah, I see you."

Mike: "I'd like you to exit your vehicle and start walking toward us."

Walter: "And then what? I'm gonna need some...some kind of assurance."

Mike: "I assure you I could kill you from way over here if it makes you feel any better."

―Mike organizes the meeting of Walt and Gus in the desert.

---

Mike: "You know I haven't slept since Thursday? I was out all night cleaning up after you. I need my sleep."

Walter: "You said no half measures."

Mike: "Yeah. Funny how words can be so open to interpretation."

―Walter and Mike about the half measures.

---

Mike: "Now when I say I'm looking for Pinkman, we both know why, don't we? And you pretending otherwise only wastes my time and serves to annoy me."

Saul: "Look, Mike, there are rules to this lawyer thing."

Mike: "Is that right?"

Saul: "Yeah! Attorney-client privilege. I mean, that's a big one. That's something I provide for you. I give up Pinkman, well, then you're gonna be asking, "Ol' Saul gives 'em up pretty easy. What's to keep him from giving me up?" Y'see, so, then where's the trust?"

Mike: "I trust the hole in the desert I'd leave you in."

Saul: "Yeah, that's...an argument."

Mike: "Saul, don't make me beat you until your legs don't work. Now tell me where to find him. You know it's the right thing."

―Mike persuades Saul to reveal where Jesse is hiding.