The Hidden Origin of Heisenberg 

Walter Jr. is a severely underrated character, I'm glad this video focused on him.

What’s really tragic, and ironic, about Walt’s memories of his father and how it shaped him is that, because of his decisions, he ends up doing the same thing to his daughter Holly, except she was still a baby and wouldn’t really remember the events that transpired, so her “memories” of her father would simply be told from others who knew him, and I honestly don’t know if they’d tell her the brutal truth or tell her about the man they knew before his cancer diagnosis.

2:51 i love this line. "I remember the smell in there. The chemicals". Just imagine how many times he remembered his father while teaching chemestry. Another reminder that he might end up like him. Being remembered in a bad way and traumatizing his son for the rest of his life. And the most tragic part is... that's exactly what happened

Holly growing up will hear the worst kinds of stories about him that will cloud her judgment of who her dad really was. Damaging that lasting memory of Walt, his worst fear.

Walt Jr's part of this show will forever be the saddest to me. That poor boy endured so much, great character.

His pride was his Achilles heel. It's never really mentioned in any of the videos I've watched on the show but early on he was offered a job with Grey Matter. The insurance would've taken care of his treatments. The money would've definitely been better than his teaching job. All he had to do was swallow his pride and his family would've been 100 percent fine financially when he was gone. Great show . I love rewatching episodes

This is THE MOST empathetic, intelligent, sensitive commentary about Walter White that I have EVER heard. Finally, someone who understands how I feel about this character and can articulate it so beautifully. I watched this and wept. Thank you, so very much. You have a new subscriber.

As someone with sick family members the things Walter says really hit home for me even in season one where he talks about why he doesn't want treatment they were things I didn't get on my first viewing but now I understand them all too well

It's incredible how rich and well-crafted the characters from this series are. The songs from The Witcher were spot on! Thanks as always for further elevating my favourite series

There is one more moment when you get the hint of Walt’s reflection on how he’s remembered. During the Fly episode, he mentioned to Jesse that he wished he would die the night he left the house to visit Jesse and Jane the night she died. He knew everything changed that night and that he would never be the same after that point. His image that Walt represented in his mind was finally killed off only to be replaced with Heisenberg, the monster Walt tried to wrestle with and lost to in that moment. He knew from that point, he would be remembered as the monster Heisenberg and not innocent Walt in the eyes of his family and Jesse.

"That will be the furthest thing of their mind when they think of Walter White" HEISENBERG Masterful editing.

Oh this was AWESOME!!! I love it!!! It really puts such a great perspective on the entire series, my god! I guess it's something we understand about him subconsciously as we watch, but having it all explained upfront is so interesting. Thanks for a great video!

It's amazing that this connects to season 1 when Walt said this "For what time I have left, I want to live in my own house, I want to sleep in my own bed. I don't want to choke down 40 or 50 pills every single day, and lose my hair, lie around, too tired to get up, and so nauseated that I can't even move my head. You cleaning up after me. Me... me some um... some dead man, some artifically alive, just marking time... No. And that's how you would remember me. That's the worst part.". His whole paranoia from him quiting Grey Matter and leaving his ex-GF has always been about how people perceive him

I really do not mind listening Aj talking about breaking bad as much as he wants.

Walter's story about his father also reflects how holly will come to see her father, a drug lord who ruined the family, as told by skyler and flynn. But her memory would be different, its of a father who cared about her. It just goes to show how multilayered the conversations in bb can be.

The tragic thing is it might have been better for Walt's family if their last memory of him had been him dying of cancer rather than a drug lord.

Walt Jr's role in this whole scene is so sad. Great video

Damn, this really does seem like the most concrete reason for Walt's character as a whole. And if it wasn't intentionally, you putting the pieces of the story together in this way is absolutely brilliant. Definitely changes my perspective on the entire series as a whole.

I swear, you make the absolute best Breaking Bad analysis videos. You highlight aspects of the writing that I'm sure even a lot of hardcore fans overlooked or dismissed.

This is my new favourite breaking bad analysis. I tend to enjoy analysis videos but usually I to just agree to most of the stuff the analyst says as something I had though myself but hadn't articulated previously. However I got a whole new insight of Walter's character thanks to your video, thank you. I've seen quite a few of your videos and they are all great, I hope you can keep doing what you do so well

I really like how you cut the disturbing scenes of walt and his family with the interview of walt jr. Just gives me chills and makes me so sad. He hated the version his family loved so much. :( Thanks for this video! Currently binging your videos

Junior’s speech about his father is just wow

Both Walt and Homelander have this in common - they both do evil things while also caring the most about how other people see them

I just love this series still has impact even when it's been a decade since it was released. Shows how powerful and epic Breaking Bad, was. Really nice video!

As a cancer patient in my early 20s, who is still pretty much a kid... I thought I shouldn't rewatch BrBa because it would be too triggering. But maybe I should... Just to rediscover scenes like this. :/

Breaking Bad is such a poignant story that it will endure for years. And your style of media analysis highlights how genius it was.

Bro your terrific at analyzing shit. The scene between Walt and Jr is great and you making the connection between Walt’s memory of his father and him being forced into chemo is top notch. Hope to see more breaking bad and better call saul videos in the future

I cannot express how beautifully this was edited.

Refreshed my subscriptions feed for a delightful surprise. Excited to watch another one of your great vids.

Everyone goes on about how great of an episode Salud is due to the plotline with Gus and the cartel, but for me the best moment of that episode is what you've discussed. It was so revealing about Walt

It is a terrible thing to have a lasting negative impression of a loved one. As someone, who lost a loved one and only then learned of the extend of this persons misdoings carefully covered up, having a final bad impression will not only stick, it will taint all the other memories one has of that person.

Thank you for offering another perspective to the way why Walt is the way he is. In other analyses only see the top layer of him being prideful and trying to overcompensate. You bring several scenees into the big picture and showcase how great of a show breaking bad really is. The lesson one could conclude of your analysis is very relatable for people that think that being a caring person who swallows up stress is good when it can lead into the opposite. Walt probably had this mindset before he got the cancer and thought that living like that would cause less friction. But it all adds up and as a person who tends to avoid trouble most of the times there are moments when the boundary gets pushed too far and you have to react. But more often than not the reaction is either overblown or your environment is not used this version of yourself.

This is probably my favorite video you've made so far. I honestly forgot all about that scene because I haven't rewatched the show in a while. Breaking Bad has been my favorite show for a long time, but this explanation makes it even better. I've gone through a similar death in my family recently, so I understand how Walt feels now.

Recall of childhood trauma from that age is real images and sensations, combined with imaginary memories. For some victims it cannot be tolerated not to have every puzzle piece accounted for, so the child's mind creates the necessary pieces.

I think it’s also interesting that he doesn’t want to meet his mother during season 1 to tell her about the cancer and in general, doesn’t really talk a lot to her. It probably triggered him and maybe he feared to come clean about the reality of his illness.

Im so glad so many videos on this show STILL get made so many years later. I also love knowing that there's people out there who are still as passionate about this series as I am.

Great video. I knew about this part of walt but this video showed its a larger part of his personality than i realized and just how much it influenced his decisions.

Might be one of the best breaking bad videos you made, well done

I have been obsessing over this show since it ended and I've never seen anyone focusing on this scene, great job!

I lost my mother to cancer two years ago. She got her diagnosis four years earlier at a time where she was almost divorcing my father. She was really complicated to work with before, but from then things were hell. Breaking Bad does an incredible job at giving inside on the tensions that are created in a family in a situation like this and how this changes people

On my 2 watch of Breaking Bad (and first time ever of me rewatching a show) I noticed this, too. I literally thought people rewatching the same show over and over could just get boring but with something like Breaking Bad where it just gives you a whole knew perspective of its main character. After the end of Better Call Saul which I did do rewatch for its final season I am going to restart this franchise chronologically and to have hopefully seen than most of its unseen secrets and mysteries. You are making great videos. Keep it up

I think most of us with science, particularly chemistry backgrounds got a big kick out of Walt choosing Heisenberg as his alter ego. Most fans of the show probably never heard that name before so of course have no idea who Werner Heisenberg was or what he was famous for. However I did and so whenever Walt was in Heisenberg persona I was always uncertain as to what would happen next. They couldn’t have picked a better name for Walt’s alter ego.

Man, I love your breaking bad analysis videos. I wish you would do more on the original series and better call Saul

Broooo i needed this. Love u man

Wow yet another great video by Alec. I absolutely love how you view stories from angles I would've never thought about. Always a fan of your work

Loved this video! Saw it in my recommendation feed. Congrats on making it in algorithms!

I think it was implied but I think he sees himself pre diagnosis like he did his father, or rather sees his vulnerability and kindness as weak in the same sense that he saw his father as weak which is what really repelled him from this kind and loving version of himself.

Great video, especially loved the witcher 3 music in the background

This was beautiful. Thank you for this.

I am completely for more Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul content keep it coming!

This is a good video. it makes me think in a way I didn't think about till now

Sometimes even if we have had a long time with a loved one, an extended final illness can wash a great deal away. I was 27 when my mother died. She had been sick by then for a decade. I have a hard time remembering her before the worst parts of that illness were manifest and I wouldn't want that to be how my family remembers me. This is a part of Walt that is extremely relatable.

I love how The Witcher music is perfect for story telling. Love the game and noticed the soundtrack the secound it started, also a amazing video that shows how much things influanced walts behavior thoughout the show.

Your video quality is amazing is always

and now walt junior is going to remember his father for his dark life of crime... the thing that walter feared most

great video with a new perspective on the show and character even after and amid so many other BB breakdowns

Holy fuck the contrast with those clips when Jr's talking about his dad being his hero, that hit hard. Seriously great video man.

Have finished this series 2 months ago and its few sequences play in my mind every day. Such an amazing show truly impactful as well

This video of yours really hit home for me, especially because this moment in Breaking Bad is one I'd forgotten since it's been several years since I watched the series in full. Some things in the media we consume only become poignant for us when we experience different things first hand. Walter's memory of his father is similar to how I sometimes viewed my mother in her final days. It's only been six months since she died, so I tend not to dwell on the memories of her being in the hospital or hospice care, and thankfully I have many other memories of her that are good, but what sticks out to me about Walter's dialogue here is that it shows he wanted to protect his son from the darker aspects of his character. He wanted his son to see him as strong and reliable. He didn't want his son to see him as a fearful pushover. I think what this moment showcases very well is this idea that parents often hide their flaws from their kids, especially when they're young. But some things, like illness and how it affects a person, are difficult to hide long-term. My mother was sick on and off for most of my life from Crohn's disease. In her final days when her health was going downhill rapidly, she still tried to protect me. Kept telling me that I didn't need to check on her every hour. And she reassured me that I did a great job taking care of her even though I felt as if I'd completely failed her. What Walter missed in this dialogue was Walter Jr. telling him remembering him in that weak state wouldn't be so bad...because in that state he was his true self. And the one thing that's crucial in growing up and maturing as a person is coming to the realization that your parents aren't perfect. They have strengths and weaknesses like any other person. They can make bad choices with good intentions backing them up. Walter was a loving father, but that part of him ended up tainted in the eyes of his family as you said. He sacrificed that for his ambitions. I feel blessed in knowing that the thing I remember best about my mother is that, for better or worse, she was always honest and real with me. And she was also the one who introduced me to Breaking Bad too. XD lol. Anyway, I really appreciate this video. It helped me to reevaluate my grief and understand it a bit better. And eventually I need to watch Breaking Bad again too. God bless you and thanks for this great analysis. :)

Beautiful video essay. I don't think a lot of people truly understand the value of good media analysis. Good media is difficult to understand, and good understanding is the only way to gain insights into what the creator of that media was truly trying to express. These things are typically complex, difficult, emotional, and/or beautiful ideas that are deeply enriching to the audience who manages to understand. Specifically, your description of the dichotomy between your experience with death and Walt's, and the reason why you don't remember clearly and Walt does was, in a single word, enlightening. So thank you.

Aleczandxr: posts a video me: popcorn munching

What an amazing articulate video. This made me not only reflect on the series, but my own experiences. Truly well done!! 👏🏾👏🏾

this is definitely one of the most underated scenes in the entire show.

don’t be afraid to get personal man love to hear it

it's always nice to see that profile image in my notification box :)

You should make a video on Kim Wexler from Better call Saul. Such an interesting character

What a masterful analysis! Great thoughts and great clips. Thank you!

I love this channel so much and the fact that you did a breaking bad video is just goated

Should have pressed his claim for the company and formulas he co created His family would have gotten big payout and we wouldn’t have gotten Heisenberg

Very insightful. I enjoyed this very much

Brilliant observations in this video. Thanks.

I hope you're doing well Alex

I relate to that idea of the lasting memory of the one you love more than I like to admit.

I have thought deeply about this show, but overlooked the deep meaning of this scene. Great analysis!

The scene when Walt was talking about his cancer and how he wanted to be remembered; the first time I watched the show, I cried

Splendid!! Well Done, Thank You!!!

I love the witcher songs used In combanation with an analysis on my favorite show

This video is criminally underrated

Bro, the section on how you perceive yourself vs how others perceive you struck deep

Great video!

Oh shit i recognize that Witcher 2 music at the start. Its like you unlocked some hidden part of my brain

this is the first video made me actually cry for walt. well done

Nice timing after the premiere of the final season of Better Call Saul last night. This is still my all time favorite show followed closely by Mad Men, The Wire and The Sopranos. Fantastic actors and fantastic writing in each of those shows. I loved this scene. Walt Jr. Was totally right in that the previous scenes were the most human and vulnerable I think I'd ever seen Walt throughout the entire series. As someone who had to watch my Girlfriends mother slowly fade away from cancer and then watched her mother's sisters also get cancer and fade away it definitely has an effect on you. I remember how every person had their own way of dealing with the pain they were in. My GF's uncle who is gay got heavily intoxicated and tried to hit on me. Of course there was the manly part of me that was like "knock this dude out" but I knew he was grieving and wasn't in his right mind. So I just walked away from the situation. Sickness is such an unfair part of life and I hate the way it takes away the person little by little. By the end most of them arnet even there any more. And to be clear, when I said there was a part of me that thought about knocking out my GF's uncle, that wasn't my default emotion. I only felt that after he put his hand on my leg and said some very dirty things. But like I said I knew he wasn't in his right mind so I just walked away.

Great one

At a certain point you mentioned that Walt was regretful of this being the memory of his father that stuck with him the most, but he clearly states it is the only actual memory of him he has. Thought it was worth pointing out

This is by far the greatest Walter White character breakdown I've seen!

Holly's last 'real' memory of her father will be him taking her into his car and driving away while her mother falls to her knees in despair... That's the memory Walt made for his daughter

Even the “this is the moment he becomes burg” is somewhat misleading and overused This might be the true case for Walter Walter saw his father in that bed and subconsciously made it his mission to not end up like his father

wonderful editing! beautiful..,

Love the witcher 2 music in the background

I am glad that the small detail of chemicals being a smell that Walt remembers distinctly is highlighted, because that explains why he loves chemistry so much. The reason why he has such an ingrained passion to learn about the combination of elements of the world is because it reminds him of something that his mind couldn’t really comprehend itself, his father.

The amount of times this show made me cry,

Right in time with Better Call Saul's season premiere? :)

Phenomenal video.

He was terrified of being remembered as weak and helpless.

This is a really great break down, I enjoyed this a lot. It has inspired me to add something……at the point (around 11:15) when u r addressing how Walt sees himself as being weak & others see him as a caring & considerate man who cares deeply for his family. U r right, we r all our worse critic, but I think there is another idea regarding Walter White that gets exposed by his relationships with people pre-cancer diagnosis. It appears to me that he doesnt respect the closest people in his life. Its as if he knows he is a genius playing a role in a sitcom starring average characters who r too lost in their own stupidity to know just how lame they really r. His brother inlaw Hank? Walter White watches him hold court while in Walts eyes, acting like a buffoon. He treats his wife like he is ‘putting up’ with her healthy turkey bacon & other ridiculous suburban fads. It seems like later, his alter ego, speaks to Jesse exactly the way he would like to speak to her. He would prefer to explain how stupid everything is, but doesnt bother. Even at school when he is teaching, he sees the job at hand as a ludicrous waste of time. Like attempting to teach chimps sign language when they have absolutely no interest. Even after the plane crash, he finds the school assembly within the gym to b idiotic. He just goes through life playing along with the social landscape created by people who, even if it was explained to them, could not comprehend how intelligent & gifted he truly is. I cant remember his name, but the assistant who set up the lab before Gustavo met Walt, the one who makes the incredible coffee?? We see him attempting to convince Gus of the same point. This is one time that another character actually has the intelect to get it & we hear him exclaim to all of us ‘No, u THINK u know what this means….how smart & gifted he is…..but u dont, u cant….’ & then he attempts to explain in terms we can understand. So, at least part of the reason why Walt does not appreciate what his family sees in him, is due to the fact that he does not respect them as equal peers so he does not respect their opinion. They cant see their own average existence so of course they cant see his failings as well. At least in Walts mind. He watches all of them celebrate their accomplishments & lives while he sees the same existence as the place he landed through failure. I guess it is up to us to decide if he is a good man with an over inflated ego or a genius driven mad by the simplicity of others? Thank u for the content. The best to u & urs. ✌🏻

Finally burned through Breaking Bad after years of having it on the backburner! Your video on the episode Four Days and how special it was for the show was phenomenal, but this analysis wonderfully hits right at the crux of the tragedy of Walt's arc, and how his characterization created such a palpable dichotomy between what he wanted to be and what his family loved about him. It was a narrative of ego, pride, and bitterness at his lot in life, and because of that, Walt ironically looked past the real worth that was there before his eyes, the value that was his family and their love for him. Heisenberg was egocentric power and the desire to prove one's worth aggressively, and ultimately brutally. Walter White, however, had it in him to reject that side of himself, if only he had realized what truly mattered in his life and moved beyond his excessive agonizing over lost potential or unjust circumstance. He wanted absolute control instead of accepting the world as existing around him, sometimes representing change beyond that control. If he had merely done that, it would have been easier to see the organic value of the family surrounding him, and the love they gave him which was so much more valuable than his pursuit for greatness and power in their name (ostensibly, though he finally admits in Felina it was, of course, for him). Of course, the catalyst of his cancer brings up the question as to whether he would have even "become" Heisenberg without that spark, but it doesn't change what already existed inside him to a large extent, as you illuminate. It really is such a grand tragedy, and I think the themes of control and change, of regret and power, all come together in this amazingly well-written protagonist, making his hubris reminiscent of an Ancient Greek hero's descent and fall. Walt is influenced by many other works and characters too, I'm sure, but it really is amazing just how effectively he draws from the classical tragic hero, while also being a fantastic modernized character that still expresses such timeless themes and warnings about ego and its relentless, destrictive momentum at its worst. Walt gets his catharsis and a tinge of redemption to some extent by the end, but he also loses everything that really mattered, and this video did a fantastic job in showing the divide between what he wanted to become and the family he lost along that dark path. It was a terrible, depressing actualization, but it sure made for one hell of a fantastic story. Well done as usual for the great analysis!

11:28 and 11:39 this hit hard man...

the witcher 3 music in the background is top tier

Fantastic analysis