David Pierson - Breaking Bad

In the episode “…And the Bag’s in the River” (2/10/2008) the drug dealer Krazy-8, who survived Walt’s chemistry experiment in the RV only to be held prisoner by Walt and Jesse in Jesse’s basement, tells him that the drug business is not his line of work. He can see Walt’s struggles to figure out what to do with him. When Skyler confronts Jesse about his relationship with Walt, Jesse openly challenges Walt’s resolve to the business venture and his masculinity. He accuses Walt of not controlling his own family business. Again, the series shows that Walt has continually struggled to maintain control of his family and his life. When Walt begins to lie to Skyler about his strange behavior, he tells her that he has not been himself lately and begs her to give him a break. What Skyler does not know is that Walt is dying and now making drugs to provide for his family’s future and as a result he now faces a variable he had not calculated; that is the possibility that he has killed one man and perhaps may need to kill another one. Walt’s initial timidity illustrates how men like him have been walking through life in a daze and, when faced with real hard choices, they must be coerced into accepting violence as an option. In fact, Jesse chides Walt for not handling Krazy-8 after he agreed to dispose of the first body.

Sally Robinson (2000) argues that as a result of the progressive policies and movements of the 1960s and the adoption of neoliberal economic policies that many American men, especially white men, viewed themselves as victims who needed to rebel against the normative forces of society that they believed were responsible for imprisoning them and their masculine potential. According to Robinson, one of the key factors in the defining and formation of American masculinity post 1960 has been the need by many white middle-class and working class American men to reclaim control of their lives, social spheres, and in order to do so many of these men have often used violence, brutality, and intimidation to ensure that they remain in control. Kimmel (1996) notes that during the Reagan and Bush administrations that the form of American manhood that was regained was the “compulsive masculinity of the schoolyard bully” and was exemplar of “a defensive and restive manhood of men who needed to demonstrate their masculinity at every opportunity” (292). In the case of Walt, the viewer watches as he transforms from the dowdy chemistry teacher to a cold rational killer and drug pusher, who constantly demonstrates that he is masculine, but this transformation is not without its costs.

Before disposing of Krazy-8, who Walt wants to see the best in, he sits down with pad and paper and makes out a list of pros and cons for ways to handle the situation. He is still at this point trying to search for another option besides murder, but Jesse has informed Krazy-8 who Walt is and what he does for a living. What Walt searches for is a clear conscience without having to give up on the exciting and thrilling new feelings of confusion and satisfaction that he discovers after breaking bad. However, because Walt is intelligent, logical, and scientific, he is clearly adept at killing someone. He gets his excuse when he realizes that Krazy-8 has kept a piece of the plate that Walt broke to use as a weapon against him. Walt descends into the dark basement and pretends to unlock the chains holding the prisoner to a post. He grabs hold of the metal bar wrapped around his neck and begins to strangle him, even as Krazy-8 tries to stab him. Walt summons all his fury and takes the man’s life without blinking an eye. Then, in an attempt to redeem his actions, he apologizes as he tries to rationalize his actions to himself and in the process maintain his humanity.

Walt, in the episode “Cancer Man” (2/17/08), begins to embrace the power of his rage when he destroys a cocky businessman’s BMW at a gas station. Using his knowledge of chemistry, he caused the car to explode. This violent act was in retaliation for the man’s rude behavior at Walt’s bank and for taking the parking place that Walt sat patiently and waited for like other normal people. Walt’s actions, no longer justifiable as self-defense or protection of his family, are linked to his own growing sense of indifference and anger. He begins to realize that everyone views him as a victim including Hank who tells him when Walt finally breaks down and reveals his cancer diagnosis to his loved ones. Walt’s decision to reveal his diagnosis provides Walt with the opportunity to try and assert control in his own home when he tells his family that he needs to be in command of his destiny.

The idea of choice and freedom allow Walt to perform the role of dutiful husband and father even when he agrees to get help while at the same time it affords him the chance to further his aspirations of ensuring financial security for his family through the drug trade. Walt chooses to involve Jesse and himself with the psychotic Tuco when he realizes that on their own they cannot earn the sums of money that Walt anticipated. Still, Walt shows that he is not yet capable of managing the business and expectations, and thereby he questions Jesse’s masculinity when he tells him, “to grow some balls.” Walt’s statement illustrates how he is beginning to change as a result of hegemonic masculine expectations exhibited by men like Hank.

As they try to build their business Jesse meets with Tuco to discuss their product but instead of buying the drugs Tuco beats Jesse up with a sack of money to send a message that he is a man who is not afraid to use violence and intimidation to maintain control. Tuco’s brutal actions put Jesse in the hospital and leads Walt to adopt a new image. He shaves his head, dons dark clothes, pants, and a porkpie hat after telling Jesse’s friend Skinny Pete that he is the man. These actions indicate that Walt now understands he must assume control and responsibility for what happened to Jesse. Walt adopts the identity of Heisenberg when he meets with Tuco and then demonstrates that he too is a man capable of great violence when he smuggles an explosive designed to look like their crystal meth into Tuco’s office and it explodes. Tuco laughs as he hands Walt the money and tells him that he has “balls.” The men then agree to go into business together and Walt struts out of the office in his porkpie hat and dark glasses as Heisenberg rather than the mild-mannered Walter White. When Walt gets into his nondescript green car and holds wads of cash in his hands, he grunts loudly. He is both scared and excited by the fact that he has gotten the cash and in the process asserted control over the situation and ensured that men like Tuco will come to respect and fear him. It is these two qualities of masculinity, respect and fear that Walt was initially unable to instill in others. As his knowledge of the business and his own ambitions grow, it is these two qualities that he comes to rely on as he becomes accustomed to a line of work that Krazy-8 tried to convince him he could not be effective in.

Once Walt embraces violence and intimidation to maintain control of his life he resorts to it time and time again as he continues to consolidate his business, eliminate the competition and protect his family and interests at all costs. In the episode “Half Measures” (6/6/10), Walt kills two drug dealers by ramming one of the men with his car and shooting the other man in the head at point blank range in order to protect Jesse when he learns that his new business partner, Gus Fring has ordered that Jesse be eliminated. Walt demonstrates to Jesse that he is willing to do whatever it takes to protect him and the business and in a sense becomes a surrogate father to Jesse. Because of this level of devotion and his ability to manipulate Jesse, Walt is able to convince him to kill a rival chemist, Gale Boetticher, in the episode “Full Measure” (6/13/10). Walt discovers that both he and Jesse are expendable to Fring who provides them with a super lab to cook their product in and intends to eliminate them once he learns the secret of their formula. Walt orders Jesse to kill Gale, an action that traumatizes Jesse but one that Walt has become desensitized to. Jesse shoots Gale in the face at point-blank range to save Walt’s life and his own, not realizing the consequences of his actions or that Gale was not the real threat to his own ambitions. In fact, Walt’s true nemesis is Gus Fring, who like Walt embraces violence and intimidation to control his business and his family.