The DEA searches Gus' laundry. Jesse threatens to kill Walt. Walt tries again to kill Gus.

Episode 4.12 - 'End Times'

The episodes opens with DEA agents arriving at the White's home. Are they to arrest Walt? No, they are there to take the White family into protective custody. The DEA is responding to Saul's warning (last episode) that Hank is in danger and it seems Marie wants the Whites to be protected too.

However Walt refuses to go. He tells Skyler in private that everyone is in danger because of him. Gus is determined to get him and even the DEA won't be able to protect him. Walt tells her that he alone should have to suffer the consequences of his actions. Walt tenderly says good-bye to his infant daughter in the car, will this be the last time he sees her?

Hank lays out his evidence against Gus again with the DEA and convinces an agent to go to the laundry that Gus uses as a cover for his meth lab. Steve Gomez, the DEA agent, goes through it with a drug sniffing dog and takes photos. He finds no evidence of drugs. Later Hank reviews the photographs, will he see anything in them?

While the search is being conducted, Jesse temporarily stops the cook of meth. Gus calls him and says that Walt is the reason for the DEA search. He asks Jesse to reconsider letting him kill Walt but Jesse refuses to change his mind. Gus then ends the conversation by saying "There will be an appropriate response."

Saul calls Jesse to his office and is frantic as he gives Jesse his share of the cash. Saul tells him that he's leaving. Finally Saul asks Jesse to put in a good word for him with Gus.

Jesse gets a phone call that Andrea's son Brock is sick and in the hospital. Jesse rushes to them and soon realizes that the boy has been poisoned with the poison that Walt gave him to use on Gus. He tells Andrea to tell the doctors that Brock has been poisoned with ricin and then he goes to Walt's place.

With Walt's gun in his hand, Jesse accuses Walt of poisoning Brock. Walt reasons with Jesse saying that Gus is responsible. Gus poisoned the boy to get Jesse to kill Walt. Jesse believes him and Walt says that he has an idea.

Walt makes a bomb and a remote control device to set it off. He plants it in Gus' car while Gus goes to the hospital to talk with Jesse. As part of the plan, Jesse refused to return to work in order to lure Gus out. Unfortunately for Walt Gus, for some reason, did not get into his car. The episode ends with a disheartened Walt looking on from atop a building across the street.

Commentary and Analysis

This was not quite what I expected for the penultimate episode of the season. It seems next week will be the ultimate confrontation between Walt and Gus, leaving us to ponder the consequences until next season.

I wonder if Hank will play a role in the season ending episode? If he finds something in the photos of the laundry that leads him to the meth lab then that could complicate things for Walt. Or, as I have thought in the past, maybe Walt uses Hank somehow to take care of Gus for him. The trick is to get the DEA to take down Gus without leading on to Walt and Jesse. That would be some trick but I think Heisenberg could pull it off.

Finally I was also wondering why Andrea hung around this season. Now we know. Her son was just an innocent pawn in Gus' game with Walt. Gus really is a cold-hearted, evil man but you wouldn't know it by just looking at him. A wonderful character, skillfully portrayed by Giancarlo Esposito.

I look forward to Sunday's season finale, how about you?

Discussion Questions

1. Was the poisoning of Brock the "appropriate response" Gus mentioned?
2. Will Hank find anything in the photographs of the laundry?
3. Why didn't Gus get into his car at the end of the episode?