1st of April Special Character Study of the Week: Walter White
Who: Walter White
Aka Heisenberg
Aka Mr Lambert
Aka Walt Jackson
Aka Mr Mayhew
Aka David Lynn
What: Chemistry genius
High School Chemistry Teacher
Meth Manufacturer
Drug Lord
Fugitive
Father
When: September 7, 1959 – September 7, 2011
Weapon of Choice: Science!
Phenomenal fibbing skills
To the general public New Mexico is not an exciting happening place, and Albuquerque is more of a joke name rather than a centre for science and place of historical significance.
It is here that Walter White lives, works, is unappreciated, beaten down, abused and generally dissolves into a jelly of a man.
That is until he finds out he has lung cancer, takes a good, long hard look at his life and decides to use his impressive chemistry skills in the high risk, high reward job of cooking meth so his family has enough money to be supported after his death.
At least this is what he tells everyone, and himself, in the beginning, and realistically it is the First Lie.
Anyone paying attention to the man, from an outside perspective, can see when the pride is making decisions, it overrides the cold, rational side of Walt and leads him to make impulsive, emotional decisions.
Not that these are necessarily any better or worse in terms of consequences for anyone, people get killed for as many coolly well considered reasons as rash impulsive ones.
Within the setting he maintains the dual life by lying, constantly, to everyone, most especially himself, which considering the lies he spins to Jessie and his family is scary in itself. However the true turning point for Walter comes at the point where he poisons Brock. Though he did not give the boy ricin he did give him a toxin, creating a threat to a child as he tells Jessie that of all the people they know only Gus Fring will threaten children (as he did with Walter’s own infant daughter) and that makes Gus a monster. The revelation that Walt would do this same thing tells us exactly how far over the line Walt has gone.
His death is symbolic, it’s not the cancer that gets him, nor is it a rescue, its revenge. Not for what happened to Jesse or Hank, for the money he’s lost, it’s for the wounded pride of having someone else make His Meth, and take the credit. Even if he can’t publicly bask in the glory he can watch the public reactions and quietly take satisfaction.
Realistically pride was always going to be his undoing, if for no other reason than he would not be able to maintain that silence forever.
He left hiding, which let’s face it, sucked regardless, in order to fulfil his original goal of providing a giant load of cash to his kids since it was the only legacy he thought he had to leave at that point. After that who knows what he would have done. Not likely turn himself in but possibly finding a very public place to die. Once Badger and Skinny Pete reveal His Meth is still being made under his name that pride kicks in and sends him off on a blood soaked road of revenge, for which Jessie’s rescue is somewhat incidental.
And since Jessie is probably the person who comes to know him best, and as a result is the person closest to him that speaks volumes about how Walter has become disassociated from those around him.
His wife and children are things that justify his actions, and shower with gifts from his earnings so he can bask in their appreciation, which he takes as overt displays of love despite the fact that Flynn (aka Walt Jnr.) makes some of the most sincere and tender actions for his father in the name of love such as starting the charity website and putting him to bed on the couch.
Again, pride messes with Walter’s perception. If it is not an explicit declaration that he can sponge up as it glorifies him then it doesn’t count. Better his son’s blatant joy of getting a brand new sports car than any heartfelt act of tenderness.
Frighteningly enough this appears to be a milder side of things, the extreme version shows a domineering streak which he frequently shows against his wife and anyone else, foe or ally such as when outlining his prison murder spree.
All of which is a part of a carefully crafted path, the decline of an ordinary man into a world of criminality, a rare path for a protagonist that works in path because of Walt’s apparently pathetic beginnings. While unorthodox the path from the downtrodden man on the verge of a midlife crisis to a stronger individual is a common tale and an easy one to get behind, meaning it is difficult to see him as an evil individual and thus he maintains a great deal of support from the viewer.
In the end it is his hubris, the belief that he is invulnerable due to his intelligence that is his undoing. For as intelligent as he is Walt has little understanding of people, fails to recognise his limits even when they are pointed out and covered for him, and an immature need to be recognised for his talents even after sabotaging himself.
Quite aside from the decline from teacher to criminal death was the only real end for the character, it was only a matter of what got him first and realistically the cancer was never a contender compared to the people, all the more fitting that he dies due to a stray bullet he fired by ingenious remote.
Wait, what part does he play in the Battletech universe?
Well, at the moment none, but given the proclivities of Battletech sourcebook writers it shouldn’t surprise anyone if in the next few years there turns out to be a pirate lord or criminal of some sort with a familiar name. . .
