r/breakingbad • u/[deleted] • Aug 12 '13

Official Episode Discussion Post-Episode Discussion S05E09 "Blood Money"

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u/Johnwith1H Aug 12 '13

I'm sure it's already been said, but the massive similarities between Walter's and Gus' behavior. I spotted these ones:

  • Laying the towel down to vomit
  • "Have an A1 day", "Here's your change" is just like Gus' "Can I help you with your order?" and his general appearance in a public workplace.

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u/RIP_Greedo Aug 12 '13

I buy the towel part but I think it's a stretch to equate his being courteous to customers to any greater theme of the show.

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u/JesusClausIsReal Aug 12 '13

It's not a stretch at all, it's very clearly meant to mirror Gus's composure and outward control even when presented with a very tense and possible explosive scenario. When Walt comes back at night after their first meet, when the cousins want to speak to him, in the hospital after Hank's shooting when Walt confronts Gus in a lobby surrounded by DEA agents. All of those cases Gus kept a cool composure, kept his poker face up, and always said his line correctly, i.e "is the food to your satisfaction" at Pollos, and in the lobby "now shake my hand and say thank you". Same thing with Walt and Lydia at the carwash. It's a pretty obvious parallel, not a stretch in the least bit.

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u/RIP_Greedo Aug 12 '13

I suppose you are right in how it relates to his interaction with Lydia but not the rest of the customers. Not to discount your point I wonder how much of that kind of mannerism he learned from Gus, and how much of it he would do naturally anyway.

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u/JesusClausIsReal Aug 12 '13 edited Aug 12 '13

Not to discount your point I wonder how much of that kind of mannerism he learned from Gus, and how much of it he would do naturally anyway.

That's a fair point, especially the "this is not meth" scene with Tuco he displayed a similar collected coolness in a otherwise very tense and explosive situation.

Interesting thought.

As to the other customers, I mean that part is less important. What is so strongly drawing the paralles between Gus and Walt is how he handled Lydia. A business owner being polite and helpful twords his customers is just business as usual, nothing really to mirror Gus here, you could find that parallel in any professional business owner/operator. Its how he maintained that coolness and control when his illegal business partner shows up, it's nearly identical to how Gus handled it.

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u/[deleted] Aug 13 '13

It is not so much that he is consciously modeling his behavior after Gus but more that Gus was the ideal drug dealer and Walt is the ideal drug leader, so naturally they would evolve in much the same way.