Breaking Bad: Season 5 Episode 13: “To’hajiilee” Recap
In “To’hajiilee“, photos of a brain splattered corpse and a barrel of cash brings Heisenberg to his knees.
Continue Reading for my spoiler filled thoughts and reaction to Breaking Bad Season 5 Episode 13 “To’hajiilee”.
Holy f*ck! My heart is racing. I have to pace around first before I can write my thoughts down.
‘To’hajiilee started out as a brilliant cat and mouse game that escalated into a guns blazing bullet storm. One moment Hank has apprehended the almighty Heisenberg then the next moment, all hell breaks loose.
With all the action movies I’ve watched, I can be fairly apathetic to violence. But since I’m completely wrapped up in the show, I felt what each main character was feeling as the episode unfolded from utter defeat to triumph to extreme anxiety.
The violence was not so much a release from the emotions leading up to the gun fight but an exclamation mark that will carry over into the next episode. Unlike some action movies, violence on Breaking Bad is never played for titillation. It’s brutal and there are always consequences.
I was really worried for Hank and Gomez in the final scene. We know from the flash forwards that Walt is not in jail and even when he called off Uncle Jack, we know they are coming armed to the teeth. And with a handful of episodes left, bodies are bound to drop like flies.
I believe Hank realized the men in the trucks where the homicidal white supremacists working for Walt which could be the reason why he didn’t put his gun down when outnumbered two to five.
Either way, those trigger happy maniacs were going to fire at Hank and Gomez whether they had police ID or not. And Hank knew it. Talk about suck shot. Yeah, there was some distance between them, but for hired guns they need more target practice. However, the gun fight is not over and I think someone will die. I’ll put my predictions on who will live and die at the end of this post.
The moments of rejoice and “I love you” that Hank shared with Marie felt like a final call goodbye. It would be so cruel and ironic yet perfectly Breaking Bad. Poor Marie, in her mind she’s relieved when in actuality it could be her worst nightmare come true.
Walt had an opportunity to take out everyone – Jesse, Hank & Gomez, that posed a threat to him but he called off Uncle Jack (or so he thought). It was the ace up his sleeve that he couldn’t use. He was willing to sacrifice himself and everything he worked for to spare the life of his family member. Could this be a sign of things to come in the final episode?
Backing up a bit, last episode was about giving Walt a reason to kill Jesse. As we see this week, Walt is still oddly protective of his protegé, insisting to Uncle Jack that the kid is not a rat.
But the turning point is when Walt realizes Jesse turned, calling him a coward. Walt has done some seriously violent crimes yet pushing Jesse is like the most physical outburst of anger I can remember, albeit past seasons are a haze to me.
The hyper rational side to Walt that has faithfully served as his survival instinct has become unhinged like an exposed nerve. Speeding through the desert with Jesse on the phone, was incredibly suspenseful and also alarming, knowing Walt is finally bested at his own game after being on top for so long.
Walt is usually careful with his words like telling Todd he has a “job” for Uncle Jack. Hearing him list off all of his kills on the phone shows how desperate he is.
Especially in the final season, Breaking Bad has excelled at calling back story strands like the lottery ticket with the GPS coordinates. However one story that may forever remain a mystery is how Walt exactly poisoned Brock. I can’t read too much into Brock’s expression – scared or shy, but I wonder if he remembers Walt and not from that time at Jesse’s apartment.
Heading into the final run, I’ve been anticipating the Hank vs Walt chess match. I expected Walt to play dirty like visiting/threatening Andrea to flush out Jesse but Hank is not holding back either. Gotta love the brain splattered pic of Jesse and manipulating Huel. Hank was careful in staying within the law by telling Huel he wasn’t under arrest and could leave anytime. But Hank scared the crap out of Huel if he left or used the phone. A Heisenberg move if I saw one.
Another cold open featuring Todd and it didn’t disappoint. Giving extra screen time for Todd seems to be building him up as the big nemesis Walt has to take out with the semi-automatic he bought outside the diner in episode 501.
The way Lydia turned down Todd’s offer to get his Uncle to talk to the buyers, “I’ll pass, thanks” is like a double entendre about his feelings for her. But Lydia’s smart enough to use the strange attraction to her advantage in asking Todd to cook purer meth. What’s even creepier is Todd putting his lips on top of Lydia’s lipstick marks on the cup. Could Lydia be his next prey?
Okay, I have some crackpot predictions for how the gun fight will turn out. The best play I can see for Hank to get out alive is taking Walt as a hostage. Uncle Jack needs to make the blue high purity meth so he’s not going to risk the life of Walt. The problem with this theory is I can’t see Jack letting Hank go.
Unfortunately, in a violent confrontation there needs to be casualties. Gomez is going down but not without an escape attempt. With Walt and Hank taking off, Jesse will be at the mercy of Uncle Jack’s gang. But instead of killing him, they will hold Jesse hostage to make blue meth. That ends my fun prediction which probably won’t happen.
Who will live and who will bite the bullet next episode? Since Uncle Jack has the coordinates, will he unearth the barrels of cash? Do you have any far out theories of your own to share?
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Posted on September 9, 2013, in Breaking Bad, Television and tagged Aaron Paul, AMC, Breaking Bad, Breaking Bad 513 Review, Breaking Bad 5x13 review, Breaking Bad Season 5 Episode 13 Review, Breaking Bad Season 5 Reviews, Bryan Cranston, Dean Norris. Bookmark the permalink. 17 Comments.
Sidekick Reviews 
Nice write up. The tension was killing me in the build up to Uncle Jack’s crew arriving, mainly because I knew they were coming, even though Walt had told them to forget it.
The build up of tension was executed perfectly especially with Walt screaming inside the car and the trail of dust from the pickup trucks getting closer and closer. Because we knew they were coming, I feared for Hank getting gunned down. Just another 6 days before we find out what happens! Thanks for the kind words and it’s always great discussing the show with you!
Not to mention what seemed to be a complete lack of urgency on Hank’s part to just head back out of the desert. I suppose he had no need of urgency, but all the time he was just dithering around, ringing his wife on the phone, and basking in the glory of getting his man, I was thinking, “Get out of there, just get out of there!”
I know right. And Hank and Gomez were shaking hands, congratulating each other when we know something terrible is going to happen… and when Hank told Gomez to stay behind I thought for sure he’s a goner. Another thing is that Hank and Gomez didn’t call the arrest into the DEA yet so if they die, Walt is off the hook. It’s not looking good for Gomie or Hank.
And yeah, “just” another 6 days. These waits between episodes are agonizing! 😉
Uncle Jack does not know that the coordinates have anything to do with the buried cash, or even that the cash exists.
I think it might come into play, however, as Walt bargains for the lives of Jessie and Walt.
I don’t have high hopes for Gomie.
I guess the cash could be used as leverage or a bargaining chip. Although I think Uncle Jack wants Walt to make blue meth more than anything. Yeah, it’s so hard to predict what’s going to happen but I agree, Gomie’s time is running out. Thanks so much sharing your insight, great to hear from you.
This episode was some hectic stuff man, so much suspense and tension and that final shoot out scene, bloody hell! My heart was moving so damn fast, I wanna know what happens to Hank and Gomez, something tells me their time has come and if there isn’t any casualties then I’ll be really disappointed. Cracking review yo!
Yeah, I’m expecting bodies to drop next episode. I agree it would be disappointing if there weren’t consequences for violence, which this show has always done. I was dreading Hank’s death but he barley squeaked by for at least one more episode. Great hearing from you!
Uncle Jack wants Walt to cook…maybe they will take Jesse now instead and force him to cook for them. I heard on a podcast a theory that I favor in which the next episode will start in the the flash forward time frame, and they will slowly reveal to us over the next three episodes what happened during and since the firefight. That would be a good explanation why they ended this episode without a conclusion of the shoot out.
Ugh! Sorry! I just re-read your article and I see that you all ready predicted them taking Jesse.
That would be pretty crazy if that happened! 🙂 I’m so anxious to find out what happens in the shoot out I’m not sure if I can wait until the finale to put all the pieces together. Well, the show is in very good hands, so I’ll put my trust in the producers and learn to be patient. 🙂 Thanks for sharing the podcast theory, no worries … nice to know I’m not alone in my predictions.
Btw, keep up the great work with your podcast! There isn’t as much coverage for Spartacus compared to other shows of it’s caliber.
Thank you! There is not enough coverage or viewers of ol’ Sparty. I keep forcing my DVD’s on people trying to fix that. 🙂
Haha, yup Sparty needs more viewers! Too bad it’s not on Netflix anymore, that would help.
I really enjoyed this episode though I found it completely ridiculous that the Nazi-dudes didn’t kill both Hank and Gomie when they were in the open like that. I mean where the hell were they shooting. They seemed to make quick work of everyone at that one cook site. What happened here? I kind of wish they would have shot that or edited it differently because it is the only part I didn’t like from the episode or maybe this whole season.
I loved that Jesse and Hank managed to outsmart Walt and Jesse badgering Walt over the phone as he raced to get his money was such an awesome sequence. That last phone call to Marie sure makes it seem like Hank might be a goner this coming episode. Gomie is clearly expendable. Great review. Somehow I didn’t catch it in my reader earlier this week!
With all the bullet spraying, I agree it’s crazy they didn’t get hit. And the bullets didn’t go through the car door either. Yeah, BrBa is usually better at avoiding these TV/Movie trappings.
Jesse on the phone reminded me of the old Jesse, before the deep depression. Yeah bitches, he’s back! 🙂 Gomie’s has no function left in the show except to die … that sounded cruel but he is expendable like you said. BrBa has a way of painting characters into impossible situations but then finding a way out … except I see that happening for Walt and possibly Jesse, but not Hank. Yeah the last phone call to Marie is a farewell. Great as always discussing BrBa w/ you!
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