BrBa: THE BEGINNING OF THE END

Season 5, Part 2 is Coming

Everyone and their mom should know that Breaking Bad is back tomorrow. The last several episodes are upon us, everyone. If you're as much of a BrBa fan as me, you've spent a few too many hours trying to figure out how it's all fixing to go down. I've got my predictions (and personally, I think they're pretty sound) below the jump. But,

BE WARNED

If you haven't ever watched Breaking Bad or aren't *entirely* caught up, step away from the computer now - there are a lot of spoilers ahead.

Fellow Breaking Bad connoisseurs, read on...

Breaking Bad Season 5, Part 2 Predictions:

- Hank can't tell anyone what he knows

So the jig is up - Hank knows that W.W., the mastermind behind the blue meth, is indeed Walter White (chilling way to end season 5, part 1), and while we're all expecting Hank to hop off that toilet and go shoot Walt in the face and then drown him in the pool, here's something I didn't think of that a coworker of mine brought up - he can't turn Walt in. That's right, he has to stay mum. Why? Because Walter White's drug money paid for Hank's medical bills. BOOM!

Even though Hank had no idea about Walt's sneaky side business, the DEA won't believe that. I mean, come on, how could Hank not know that his brother-in-law is the biggest meth cook and dealer in the American Southwest? It may be the truth, but no one will believe it. And even if they would, Hank is too proud and stubborn to admit that he's been blind to Walter's business this whole time. That's right, Walter's secret is safe with Hank - to an extent. Let's be real, there's going to be a huge secret confrontation between Hank and Walter, and I can hardly wait for it.

- Walter will frame Jessie as Heisenberg

When the Hank v. Walter showdown does come, what do I think it will lead to? Walter turning on Jesse. Hank now knows that Walt is the cook, but he yet doesn't know that he's Heisenberg. What will Walt do when Hank confronts him? Start crying, ask for a cup of coffee, and then claim that Jesse is Heisenberg and Walt was threatened into doing some chemistry for him. Jesse was framed by Walt as the mean ole marijuana dealer in season 1 - who says Walt won't turn on him again? When Hank threatens to turn Walt in, Walter will offer him a bigger fish to fry, and that fish will be Jesse as Heisenberg.

- Walt Jr. is corrupted

Bless his soul, Walt Jr. is the only person on the show who's truly out of the loop. I discount baby Holly here, because baby's don't simply don't count for anything in regards to consciousness. Poor Walt Jr. (or Flynn - is anyone besides Marie still calling him that?) is filled with only unconditional love and angst for his messed up family - mostly for Walt, who he almost always sides with. Eventually, that love will be tested. I don't know if he will find out about his dad, end up getting killed because of Walter's actions, or both. Either way, Walt. Jr. is going down.

- Jesse and Walt have their final showdown (duh)

The heroin girlfriend, Brock, and Mike - all characters Jesse cares for that Walt has actively endangered or killed. Funny thing is, Jesse has no idea! So silly. My prediction: Jesse is going to have a Hank-esque moment of clarity and find out exactly what Walt has done and go in for the kill. Who will win out in the end? Only time will tell - sadly enough, my bets are on Walt.

- Walter's empire expands

In the season opener of season 5, part 1, we find Walter White, a year older, a year scruffer, and seemingly more alone than ever, celebrating his 52nd birthday by himself in a Denny's. Not only this, he's got an alias, a car from New Hampshire, and a ton of cash. In fact, while he sits silently in front of his sad breakfast, his annoying waitress pointedly remarks that birthday breakfasts are free, and even if she was rich (like, reeeeeally rich), free is good. I think this, along with the envelope of cash he trades for an M60 machine gun and the $100 bill he leaves for his waitress as he walks out, is Gilligan's way of showing us that Walt has earned much more money between his 51st and 52nd birthday. It would make sense that he earns this money through the meth business, but since he wants to be in the empire business, I think that we'll see him expand his empire and conquer new land throughout the last several episodes of the show (maybe even encroaching on this guy's territory?).

- Skyler's greatest wish comes true - Walter's cancer is back

In the same scene in which Walt trades a huge envelope of cash for a machine gun, we catch a glimpse of him in the bathroom giving us a few of his characteristic Walter-White-cancer-coughs that littered seasons 1 and 2 and then popping a few prescription pills before heading out to his new ride. Good news Skyler: the cancer's totally back. And this time, he doesn't seem to be treating it. Unlike the good ole' Breaking Bald Walt, this new guys has a head and face full of chemo-free hair. So maybe Walt isn't that rich after all - maybe he really is about to die this time and so he's throwing money all over the place and going out with a bang (literally).

- Walter pushes the limit and it backfires

Mr. White has become reeeeal confident in himself ever since he successfully pulled off killing Gus Fring. His schemes have become increasingly risky, and while he's always been one to push limits (I mean, he's making meth, so...), he went pretty overboard a few times during season 5, part 1.

One of these aforementioned times is in the season opener when he, Jesse, and Mike use the giant magnet to destroy the contents of Gus' laptop (Yeah bitch! MAGNETS!). Inside the magnetized truck parked outside of the police station, Jesse pleads with Walter to leave because they've gotten the job done. Walt presses on though, pushing the magnet further and further, until the truck tips over against the police station wall, and he and Jesse narrowly escape without the truck.

The most notable instance of Walt's confidence nearly blowing a plan is during the train heist episode (aka, one of the best Breaking Bad episodes ever). The methylamine tank hidden in the ground is all but overflowing and the train is about to head on down the tracks - but despite pleas from everyone at the scene to end the mission, Walter tells them to keep pumping the stuff. This literally leads to Jesse being run over by a train (without killing him, of course), but it was an even closer call than the magnets episode.

The hallmark of a great series of instances is that they always come in threes. This season, I think Walter's overconfidence in himself will lead him to push the limits a third time, but the third time's a charm now, isn't it?