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"Say My Name" is the seventh episode of the fifth season of Breaking Bad and the fifty-third episode altogether.

Summary[]

Teaser[]

In the desert, Walt, Mike and Jesse meet with Declan. Walt informs Declan that the methylamine deal he had previously arranged with Mike and Jesse is now off the table. Explaining how his product is both superior, Walt offers a counterproposal: for Declan to buy out Mike's share and oversee Walt's distribution, guaranteeing that they will make more money than if Declan produced lower-quality product on his own. Walt also declares that he was the one who killed Gus Fring, which Mike silently corroborates with a head nod. To reinforce his point, Walt demands that Declan "say my name." Although initially feigning ignorance, Declan resignedly acknowledges Walt as "Heisenberg." Walt replies: “You're goddamn right.”

Act I[]

At Vamonos Pest, Mike takes his $5 million from Declan and bids farewell to Walt and Jesse, the latter of whom he advises to watch out for himself. As they share one last handshake, Walt glares at them from behind a window. Afterward, Walt and Jesse retrieve the methylamine from the car wash, which had to be shuttered while it was there. Skyler begs to be informed what's going on; Walt tells her to just ignore their actions because he has everything under control.

Act II[]

5x7 bank

Dan Wachsberger delivering money to Gus' former employees

Dan Wachsberger deposits the hazard pay to Gus' former men at Craddock Marine Bank, placing $15,000 into nine safety deposit boxes and a much larger sum into a tenth that's filled to the brim. In the last one, he also adds a note that says, "For Kaylee on her 18th birthday." In the parking lot, Mike thanks Dan and asks if he'll continue with the remaining funds for the nine families; Dan reassures him that he will.

Later, after hearing through the bug that Hank has secured a search warrant for his house, Mike dumps his surveillance gear and firearms into an old well in the desert. He then hides a duffel bag in the trunk of a second car and leaves it in a long-term parking lot at the airport, hiding the keys nearby. At home, Mike makes a cup of coffee and waits for the DEA to arrive, with a gloating Hank personally serving the search warrant. Mike watches The Big Heat as the agents search his residence and find nothing, much to Hank's chagrin.

5x7 Walt

Walt tries to convince Jesse that there will be no more violence

At Vamonos Pest, Jesse tries to talk to Walt about getting his $5 million so he can leave the drug business. Walt initially pretends as if Jesse isn't leaving, offering to let him set up his own cooking operation. When Jesse doesn't budge, Walt changes tack and says that he has nothing else to turn to in his life. He acknowledges Jesse's guilt over Drew Sharp's murder and takes offense when Jesse questions whether he feels the same way. Jesse asks how many people will die because of them and calls out Walt's manipulative promises that no one else will get hurt. He finally gives up and leaves, saying he no longer cares about getting his money. Walt, angered at his slipping control over Jesse, yells after him that he will get nothing.

Act III[]

In a private video conversation, Hank is chastised by SAC Ramey for allowing the Gus Fring investigation to distract him from other cases and orders him to drop the tail on Mike. Instead, Hank and Gomez decide to divert their attention to Dan.

Meanwhile, Walt and Todd prepare to cook in a fumigated house. Todd attentively takes notes and seems to give his full effort. Walt clearly misses Jesse but realizes that Todd is performing well as his new assistant. When Walt wants to talk money, more so in an effort to boast and impress, Todd refuses a salary until he has a better handle on what he's doing.

Dan deposits more hazard pay at the bank, but is soon intercepted by Gomez and the DEA. At the White residence, Walt sits down to have a microwave dinner with Skyler and attempts to engage her in conversation, but she immediately walks out of the room. The following day, Walt visits Hank's office with another bout of crocodile tears, again pretending that he is distraught about his marriage. After Hank leaves for coffee, Walt quickly removes the bug and the ethernet tracking device, per Mike's last recommendation, before he returns. Gomez draws Hank outside of his office, excited to report that Dan has flipped on Mike. An eavesdropping Walt is alarmed.

Act IV[]

While visiting the park with Kaylee, Mike receives a call from Dan inquiring his whereabouts. Mike gives his location and hangs up, but is clearly uneasy. Seconds later, Walt calls and informs Mike that Dan has flipped; the police are coming for him at that moment. Seeing a police car pull up across the park, Mike is torn between whether to say goodbye to Kaylee and be arrested or to escape the police and leave her for good. When a second police car appears, he reluctantly decides to flee, leaving behind his granddaughter at the playground.

5x7 Walt Jesse Saul

Saul, Jesse and Walt talking to Mike via cell phone

While Walt and Jesse are at Saul's office, Mike calls and asks for Saul to retrieve his duffel bag from the airport. Saul refuses, speculating that he is being watched since the DEA know that he is Mike's lawyer. Jesse immediately offers to help, but Mike refuses as he doesn't want him caught. Finally, Walt agrees to do it. Upon reaching the airport, Walt looks inside the bag; it contains some bundles of cash, a passport and a handgun in a holster.

Walt and Mike meet in a remote area near a river. Walt demands that Mike tell him the names of his nine men before he gives up the duffel bag. Mike refuses and calmly wrenches the bag out of Walt's hand. Walt sarcastically asks for gratitude, leading to a heated argument where both men trade recriminations for the way things have unfolded. Mike gets into his car while Walt, stewing, retrieves something from his Chrysler. Just as Mike discovers that his gun is missing, Walt walks up to his car and shoots him through the window. Mike attempts to drive away but crashes into a nearby rock. Walt is left agape, realizing what he has just done, then runs over only to find the car empty. Following bloody footprints, he finds Mike calmly sitting next to the river. Walt realizes he could have gotten the names from Lydia and apologizes; Mike replies, "Shut the fuck up and let me die in peace." The two watch the river in silence until Mike dies and slumps over.

Official Photos[]

Trivia[]

  • The initial title for this episode was "Everybody Wins", referring to the last line spoken at the end of the previous episode.
  • The title of this episode refers to Walter's demand for Declan to call him Heisenberg during their confrontation by urging him to "Say my name."
    • It could also be a reference to Dan Wachsberger giving up the names of Mike's men after he is interrogated by the DEA.
  • Mike Ehrmantraut is the second main character to die in Breaking Bad, and the sixth overall across Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul.
  • The movie Mike is watching is The Big Heat.
  • Marie and Walt Jr. do not appear in this episode.
    • This is the first episode of Season 5 to exclude both at once in the same episode.
  • This is the third time Skyler and Jesse have met on-screen, the first being in Episode 2 and the second being in the previous episode
  • This episode was the series' most-watched episode at the time of its airing with 2.98 million viewers, but was later passed by "Blood Money," which had 5.91 million. 
  • The crew members wore black clothing or black materials tied around their arms as a sad goodbye symbol to Jonathan Banks.
  • The code for the bank's safety deposit box room is 265.
  • The number of the deposit box reserved for Kaylee, 603, is the area code for the entire state of New Hampshire.
  • Antoine Lavoisier (26 August 1743 – 8 May 1794) was a French chemist mentioned during Walt and Todd's first cooking session. He is known for discovering and naming oxygen and hydrogen. Perhaps foreshadowing a future death, Lavoisier was killed during the Reign of Terror in the French Revolution.
  • Exasperated at having to listen to Walt's problems, Hank mimics putting a gun to his head and firing. This foreshadows the manner in which he dies in "Ozymandias."

Production[]

Credits[]

Featured Music[]

  • "The Long Walk Alone (Heisenberg's Theme)" by Dave Porter (as Walt, Jesse & Mike arrive to the meet in the teaser)
  • "Clear Waters (A)" by Alan Hawkshaw & Alan Parker (as Dan brings bacon & banana cookies to the bank teller)
  • "Overture" [From Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's, "The Nutcracker Suite"] (Remastered) by Duke Ellington (feat. Johnny Hodge & Paul Gonzalves) (while Dan fills the safety deposit boxes)
  • "Goin' Down" by The Monkees (as Walt and Todd cook for the first time)
  • "Return To Summer" by Reg Tilsley (in the background as Dan returns to the bank)

Memorable Quotes[]

Declan: "Who the hell are you?"
Walter: "You know. You all know exactly who I am. Say my name."
Declan: "Do what? I don't–I don't have a damn clue who the hell you are."
Walter: "Yeah, you do. I’m the cook. I’m the man who killed Gus Fring."
Declan: "Bullshit. The cartel got Fring."
Walter: "Are you sure? That’s right. Now say my name."
Declan: "You're Heisenberg."
Walter: "You’re goddamn right."
―Walter and Declan at their meeting in the desert.

Walter: "What have you got in your life, huh? Nothing. Nobody. Oh, wait. Yes. Video games and go-karts..."
Jesse: "Mr. W--"
Walter: "...And when you get tired of that, what then? And how soon will you start using again? (...) Look-- Look, I know how upset you are about what happened to this boy. I am just as upset as you are."
Jesse: "Are you? Really?"
Walt: "How can you say that to me? Jesus! I mean, I'm the one who's the father here. What, do I have to curl up in a ball in tears in front of you? Do I have to lock myself away in a room and get high to prove it to you? What happened to that boy is a tragedy... and it tears me up inside! But because it happened, what, am I supposed to just lie down and die with him? It's done! It makes me sick that it happened just like everyone else who has died in our wake... What Todd did... you and I have done things that are just as bad."
Jesse: "Yeah."
Walter: "All the people that we've killed, Gale and the rest. If you believe that there's a hell, I don't know if you're into that, but we're already pretty much going there, right? But I'm not gonna lie down until I get there."
―Walt tries to convince Jesse to further work with him.

Jesse: "What–just because I don’t want to cook meth anymore, I’m lying down? How many more people are going to diecause of us?"
Walter: "No one. None. Now that we’re in control, no one else gets hurt."
Jesse: "You keep saying that, and it’s bullshit every time!"
Walter: "No."
Jesse: "Always! You know what? I’m done, okay? You just give me my money, and you and I–we’re done."
―Walter and Jesse arguing at Vamonos Pest.

Walter: "Okay... Why? Why do you want this money?"
Jesse: "Because it's mine. It's my cut."
Walter: "But isn't it filthy blood money? I mean, you're so pure. You have such emotional depth. No, no, no. You shouldn't touch that dirty money. I'll save you from that, Jesse... Come on. You want it. You want it just as much as I want it. And it's not wrong to want it. Okay? So stay and work with me... and you can make ten ti—Twenty times as much."
Jesse: "Whatever, man. You don't wanna pay me, I don't care."
Walt: "Yes, you do."
Jesse: "It's on you, all right? I'm done."
Walt: "No, you're not. You're not done. You're not leaving. Because if you leave, you get nothing! Do you understand me? Nothing! (Jesse quits the room, while Walt stares at him) Jesse!"
―Jesse ultimately quits Walt's business despite the latter's attempts.

"We had a good thing, you stupid son of a bitch! We had Fring. We had a lab. We had everything we needed, and it all ran like clockwork. You could’ve shut your mouth, cooked, and made as much money as you ever needed. It was perfect. But, no, you just had to blow it up. You and your pride and your ego! You just had to be the man. If you’d done your job, known your place, we’d all be fine right now!"
―Mike to Walter at their meeting by the river.

Walter: "I just... I just realized that Lydia has the names. I can get them from her. I’m sorry, Mike. This– this whole thing could’ve been avoided..."
Mike: "Shut the fuck up, and let me die in peace."
―Walter and Mike after Walter shot Mike. Also Mike's last words before his death.
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