"Live Free or Die" is the first episode of the fifth season of Breaking Bad and the forty-seventh episode altogether.
Summary[]
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In 2010, at a Denny's restaurant, a man is served his breakfast: bacon, eggs and hashbrowns. The man breaks his bacon strips in half, then arranges the pieces into the number 52, referencing the White family's birthday tradition. The man is revealed to be Walter White – in deteriorating health and sporting a different pair of glasses, a full head of hair, an unkempt beard and no wedding band. It is a year into the future.
Walt gives a false name and bears a fake ID from New Hampshire. Excusing himself to the bathroom, he meets with Lawson, his previous gun dealer. Exchanging an envelope of cash for a set of keys, Walt asks if Lawson has included instructions; Lawson replies that he printed some pages from the Internet. When concerned that "it" might leave the country, Walt gives his word that "it" won't even leave town. He exits the restaurant and goes to his car to retrieve a duffel bag. Then he locates the car that the keys from Lawson belong to. In the trunk, "it" is revealed to be an M60 machine gun. Walt looks around cautiously, drops his bag with the gun into the trunk and then closes it.
Act I[]
In 2009, immediately following the death of Gus and the destruction of the superlab, Walt returns home and disposes of all the evidence linking him to the pipe bomb, then quickly remembers to also throw out the potted Lily of the Valley plant from which he took the toxin used to poison Brock. Skyler and Walt Jr. return shortly after and, although Junior is excited that Gus' death means Hank will be labeled a hero, Skyler privately tells Walt that she is now afraid of him. Walt takes a drink of celebratory whiskey, but suddenly remembers a detail he has overlooked: the camera footage from the superlab.
Meanwhile, Hank and Gomez survey the charred remains of the superlab, noting that it was identical to the designs found in Gale Boetticher's notebook. Gomez remarks that the bodies found in the ruins have been burned beyond recognition, including their teeth. Hank notices the melted remains of the lab's security camera.
The meeting in the desert
In Mexico, Mike feeds chickens outside the makeshift hospital where he has been recuperating from the shootout with the Cartel. After Barry Goodman informs him of Gus' death, he immediately drives off in a fury. Returning to New Mexico, he crosses paths with Walt and Jesse in the desert. As both cars stop, Mike gets out of the car and immediately pulls a gun on Walt to avenge Gus. Jesse quickly jumps in between them and tells Mike that if he wants to kill Wait, he'd have to kill him, too. Mike, who has grown fond of Jesse, who also saved his own life, agrees to lower his gun. The duo asks Mike where Gus kept the footage from the security camera, reminding Mike that the footage would implicate all three of them. Mike informs them that the footage was stored on Gus' laptop, which was kept in the back of the restaurant. Unbeknownst to them, Hank is already at Los Pollos Hermanos, where he watches the Albuquerque Police Department collect Gus' laptop as evidence.
Act II[]
Mike fakes a call to the ABQ PD, finding out that the laptop has been placed in their evidence room. He tells Walt and Jesse that the laptop is now completely inaccessible and that their best option is to leave the city permanently. Walt suggests that they have an incendiary device get picked up by the police and placed in the same evidence room, which Mike angrily refutes, saying the fire suppression system in the room rules out that idea. As they argue, Jesse suggests that they use a giant magnet to destroy the laptop. Acting on this idea, the trio meet with Old Joe at his junkyard to borrow a large industrial magnet he uses to move wrecked cars. Mike has doubts about the plan and wants to wash his hands of the situation, but Jesse convinces him the plan can only succeed if the three of them work together. Meanwhile, Saul visits Skyler at the car wash to inform her that Ted had an accident and has just woken up from a coma.
Act III[]
At the junkyard, Walt, Jesse and Mike conduct a preliminary test of by affixing the magnet upright to the interior of a moving truck, wired to twenty-one car batteries. After the magnet is activated, Jesse slowly approaches the truck with a new, freshly-activated laptop. After a few moments, the magnet scrambles the laptop's display before blacking out completely. The magnet yanks the laptop out of Jesse's hands, smashing it to pieces against the side of the truck. Joe's crew is elated to see that the test is a success and Jesse cheers about his idea working. Walt asks Joe for twenty-one more batteries to double the electrical current to the magnet.
Ted in the hospital
Meanwhile, Skyler visits the hospital and finds Ted, who has been fitted with a halo brace to treat his severe spinal trauma. Skyler, her face etched with guilt and on the verge of tears, greets Ted. When the medical professional leaves, Ted informs Skyler that he hasn't said a word to anyone and that he told the authorities he merely slipped. Now fearful of Skyler after Huell and Kuby had been sent to see him and believing that Skyler would eliminate him, he repeats that he will keep his silence and asks for his daughters and family to be spared. Rather than inform Ted that she isn't what he assumes her to be, Skyler merely regains her stern composure and firmly replies with "Good."
That night, Mike hides his face and sprays fluid on a security camera and bypasses the gate control into the APD parking lot. Walt and Jesse drive the magnet-equipped truck alongside the exterior wall outside the evidence room. The magnet disables the guard's computer, confusing him. Slowly, items inside the evidence room are drawn to the wall, setting off an alarm and alerting the other officers. Determined to ensure that the operation will work, Walt cranks the magnet up to its maximum current, sending a force so strong it tips the truck over against the wall. Police burst into the evidence room to see all the metallic material stuck against one wall, prompting them to realize something is happening outside. They head outside and surround the truck, only to find no one inside.
Meanwhile, Walt and Jesse have escaped in Mike's car as Mike drives. Mike is doubtful of the scheme's success since they abandoned the truck, which was not part of the plan, but Walt insists that no fingerprints or traceable evidence were left behind and that the authorities would not be able to trace the truck to the junkyard. Mike questions why they should be so certain that it worked, to which Walt smugly responds: "Because I say so."
Act IV[]
The note behind the photo
As police clean up the evidence room, they confirm that Gus' laptop has been destroyed. However, when verifying a smashed picture frame bearing a photo of Gus and Max Arciniega, they notice that the photo has become dislodged from the matting, revealing a list of account numbers for a bank in the Cayman Islands.
The following day, Saul tries to explain to Walt why Skyler gave $600,000 to Ted. Walt reprimands Saul for allowing his wife to give such a large amount to a man she was sleeping with. Saul, exasperated by this ungratefulness, lambasts Walt for making him hold onto the ricin cigarette and becoming privy to the poisoning of a child. He attempts to sever all ties, insisting, "We're done." However, Walt rises out of his seat and backs Saul into a corner of his office, menacingly telling him, "We're done when I say we're done." That night, Walt returns home to a frightened Skyler and tells her that he knows what happened with Ted, saying, "I forgive you." She reluctantly accepts his hug.
Official Photos[]
Trivia[]
- This is the first episode in the original release of the series to have new opening titles. In these titles, barium (Ba) is shown with the correct electron configuration, 2-8-18-18-8-2. In the old opening titles, barium (Ba) is incorrectly shown with the same electron configuration as bromine (Br), 2-8-18-7. The new opening titles are used in all episodes of the Netflix release of the series.
- The episode title "Live Free or Die" refers to New Hampshire's state motto and the license plate on Walter's car. Additionally, the motto is a foreshadowing that Walter's fate might either be a life of freedom, or death.
- The episode title "Live Free or Die" might be a reference to The Sopranos episode with the same title name. Both are final season episodes referencing the New Hampshire state motto and depict a character on the run having breakfast at a diner. Additionally, both situations happen after the characters' secrets are exposed to the public (Walt's "Heisenberg" identity and Vito being homosexual).
- This is the shortest episode of the series at 42 minutes.
- This episode was the series' most-watched episode at the time of its airing with 2.93 million viewers, but was later passed by "Say My Name", which had 2.98 million.
- This is the first episode since "Crazy Handful of Nothin'" where Walt has a full head of hair, albeit only in the flashforward.
- Walt's New Hampshire car is an older model Volvo, which happens to be the same brand of car Gustavo Fring drove.
- Mike mentions that the police evidence room will have Halon because it doesn't destroy evidence. Halon fire extinguishing systems accomplish this by choking out the oxygen, not by water deluge.
- Old Joe references string theory, a theory which is a candidate for a "theory of everything," and the "god particle," which is another name for the Higgs boson. The Higgs boson was actually discovered just 11 days prior to the airing of this episode; it was just a theoretical particle up until July 4, 2012.
- The episode correctly shows the effects of a magnetic field on a laptop or computer. It would have little effect on the laptop components (barring metal reinforcements, which can be attracted), but will destroy a magnetic hard drive. Thankfully for the trio, Gus' laptop was a Samsung RV511. an older model that doesn't use solid-state drives (flash memory), which are immune to strong magnetic fields.
- The behavior of the magnet inside the truck and the tipping is correct as well. As electromagnets are not omnidirectional, i.e. they work in a specific direction, the truck elements did not cave in. Furthermore, the tipping was a result of the attraction to the ferrous metal rods embedded in the reinforced concrete walls of the evidence room. At maximum setting, the truck could not keep the magnet immobile and it tipped.
- The truck used to contain the magnet is a 1977 Ford F-350.
- The laptop that Walt and Jesse used to test the magnet is a Dell Latitude D630.
- This episode confirms Saul had Huell take the ricin-laced cigarette from Jesse's pocket.
- Marie Schrader does not appear in this episode.
- Todd Sopher, who portrays one of the Magnet Guys, appears in the episode Fatty Fat Fat as Saul's Client.
Episode References[]
- Walt's arranging of "52" with bacon mirrors Skyler arranging "50" with veggie bacon in the "Pilot".
- True to other season premieres, the first few seconds of the episode overlap with part of the previous season's finale.
- Walt and Jesse witnessing Tuco's wrath. ("Seven Thirty-Seven")
- Reports of the plane crash. ("No Más")
- Jesse shooting Gale. ("Box Cutter")
- However, this is the first season premiere to not feature any characters being killed.
- Ted Beneke describes his memories of the accident with "I tripped and fell. That is all I know", which is very close to "I woke up; I found her; that's all I know." told by Jesse in "ABQ" to the police.
- The opening scene where Walt hands over his ID from New Hampshire to the waitress alludes to the events of "Granite State."
Production[]
According to Vince Gilligan in an interview, their original plan for the outcome of the M60 question was for Walt to use the M60 to save Jesse from Jack's gang. The plan was for Jesse to be arrested, convicted and heading to prison, and Jack's gang would be on the way to kill him while he was in a prison bus. However, they scrapped the idea because they knew that Walt "wasn't Rambo."[1]
Production[]
Credits[]
Starring
|
Guest Starring
Uncredited
Filming Locations[]
- A flash forward shows Walt having his 52nd birthday at a Denny's. The Denny's where this was filmed has since closed, as well as the Valero gas station in the background. As Walt walks to the Cadillac, the "Columbia" street sign is focused for a second. It is now a Chipotle Grill located at 2608 Central Ave in Albuquerque.
- The police station where Walt, Mike and Jesse use a magnet to wipe the laptop in the evidence locker is the real NW Area Command police station located at 10549 Cibola Loop NW. Filming was done at the back gate and roof. The location where the truck was parked can be seen from outside the gate. The sign shown in the scene does not exist (although it was accurate so it may have been removed).
Featured Music[]
- "Love is Running Through Me (aka "Running Through Me")" by Javaroo (during the teaser in Denny's)
- "Music for Your Soul (aka "Conversations")" by David Castle (during the teaser in Denny's)
- "Cleaning House" by Dave Porter (as Walt cleans up the bomb making equipment & Lily of the Valley from his house)
Memorable Quotes[]
- Walter: "So are you going to talk to me here? Are you going to show some kind of–I don’t know–some kind of mild relief that I’m alive?"
- Skyler: "I am relieved, Walt. And scared."
- Walter: "Scared? Scared of what?"
- Skyler: "You."
- ―Walt and Skyler in their bedroom.
- Mike: "Son of a bitch. Son of a bitch!"
- Jesse: "(Mike draws gun on Walter, and Jesse blocks his way) Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold up! Hold up!"
- Mike: "Get out of my way, kid."
- Jesse: "Wait! Wait a minute, all right? Let him talk."
- Mike: ""Let talk?" I am done listening to this asshole talk. Now get out of my way!"
- Jesse: "He's got something you need to hear, all right?"
- Mike: "What'd you do, Jesse? Do you even know? Do you even know what you've done?!"
- Walter: "Yeah, he saved his own life--"
- Mike: "One more word."
- Jesse: "Mike. Mike. If you kill him, you're gonna have to kill me. Come on."
- Mike: "Oh, Jesse. Jesus. What is it with you guys?.. Honest to God."
- ―Mike expresses his disgust of Walter and Jesse.
- "Keys, scumbag. It’s the universal symbol for keys."
- ―Mike to Jesse and Walter.
- "You know, I can foresee a lot of possible outcomes to this thing, and not a single one of them involves 'Miller Time.'"
- ―Mike to Jesse, Walter, and Old Joe
- "Yeah, bitch! Magnets!"
- ―Jesse after his plan works.
- Mike: "Well, you got all the answers. So you tell me, Answer Man, did all that even work just now?"
- Walter: "Yes. It worked."
- Mike: "And I'm supposed to take that on faith? Yeah? And why? How do we know?"
- Walter: "Because I say so."
- ―Mike and Walter about the ploy's success.
- "We're done when I say we're done."
- ―Walter to Saul after Saul tried to quit.