Breaking Bad’s Darkest Scene Exposed Walter White’s Biggest Lie Long Before The Finale

Bryan Cranston’s Walter “Walt” White became increasingly dishonest as Breaking Bad went on, but not all of his lies were equal in how obvious they were. With the help of some masterfully written scripts, Cranston’s role among the Breaking Bad cast saw him gradually transition from the show’s desperate main character to an unquestionable villain.

The imperceptibly slow transformation of Walt is a big part of what contributed to Breaking Bad becoming one of the best TV shows of all time. Although Walt’s plan in Breaking Bad began with good intentions, the criminal underworld quickly sunk its claws into Cranston’s character and refused to release him. By the end of the show, his biggest lie had already been unearthed.

Walt Clearly Doesn’t Care About Drew’s Death In Breaking Bad Season 5

Bryan Cranston’s character simply pretends to be upset

After the death of Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito) at the end of Breaking Bad season 4, Walt and Jesse (Aaron Paul) rework their system for cooking meth. Their new plan comes to involve a train heist so they can acquire the huge volume of methylamine they need for their operation. They get their methylamine, but an innocent child dies.

Samuel Webb’s Drew Sharp is shot dead at the end of season 5’s “Dead Freight” in a cold decision by Todd (Jesse Plemons) to keep the young character from talking about the heist he’d just witnessed. While the twist deeply affects Jesse on an emotional level, it’s quite clear that Walt only really cares about their successful train robbery.

Cranston’s character makes several comments to Jesse in the aftermath of Drew’s death. They’re all incredibly hollow platitudes that reek of dishonesty.

Cranston’s character makes several comments to Jesse in the aftermath of Drew’s death. They’re all incredibly hollow platitudes that reek of dishonesty. Walt is able to continue cooking meth while Jesse once more reevaluates his line of work after the death of an innocent child.

Perhaps the most damning piece of evidence that Walt didn’t care about Drew was when he feigned compassion and sent Jesse home early from a cook to regroup. When Walt thought Jesse was out of earshot, Aaron Paul’s character comes across his partner whistling merrily to himself as he goes about his work.

Walt Being A Parent Makes His Reaction To Drew’s Death Especially Surprising

Walt Jr. & Holly could easily have ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time

Walter White looking angry in Breaking Bad season 5

It’s already pretty shocking that Walt is so unmoved by Todd shooting Drew. However, his reaction – or lack thereof – is especially horrifying when it’s considered that he has two children of his own. While this obviously makes him seem even more of a monster, it also completely eradicates Walt’s initial reason for getting into the meth trade in the first place.

Walt’s cancer diagnosis immediately made him think of his family and that he had almost no money to leave behind for them if his illness were to cause his death. He continues to mention this motivation throughout most of Breaking Bad, although it becomes clear that pride eventually replaces his altruism.

If Walt’s primary concern was still his family’s well-being by the time of “Dead Freight,” then Drew’s death should have been a sobering reminder of the risk he was placing them at by staying in the drug business. Instead, he essentially shrugs it off and tries to carry on as normal.

Why Walt Didn’t Allow Drew’s Murder To Get To Him

Walt’s meth empire was all he had left

It’s very possible that Drew being killed did affect Walt, but that he buried it so deeply that even he couldn’t feel the pain. In the episode after “Dead Freight,” “Buyout,” an exchange between Walt and Jesse perfectly explains why Cranston’s character was so determined to ignore Drew’s death and carry on building his drug empire.

Bryan Cranston looking mildly shocked as Walter White in Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad Already Told Walt & Jesse’s Story Years Before The First Episode

Walt & Jesse’s brilliant dynamic is at the heart of Breaking Bad’s story throughout, but the show had technically already covered that ground.

By Breaking Bad season 4, Walt has lost everything except his meth business – and he barely has that. His wife is not only waiting patiently for his cancer to return and end his life, but she has also managed to keep Walt from his children. As such, he functionally has no family, and so the pride he has in his illicit line of work is all he has to cling to.

WALT: “Jesse, you asked me if I was in the meth business or the money business. Neither. I’m in the empire business.”

JESSE: “I don’t know, Mr. White. is a meth empire really something to be that proud of?

– Breaking Bad season 5, episode 6, “Buyout.”

If Walt had allowed himself to feel the appropriate emotions that Drew’s murder should have instilled in him, especially as a father, it’s highly likely that he would have felt the same as Jesse and wanted out of the drug trade. Instead, Walt managed to ignore his negative emotions and his fate in Breaking Bad‘s larger story was sealed.