Blame Jessie for everything. I can't stand him. I am re-watching the show, and he gets Walt in trouble for saving him...then he refuses to kill Gus. Not that I like Walt any better, but at least Walt owned up to the stuff he did.
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shareI love Jesse, but in watching again, I saw how he mostly was to blame for huge problems that put him and/or Walt in harm's way. It was primarily Jesse's affection for children (that we first see in "Peekaboo") that is his downfall in this violent business. Jesse wanting to protect Tomas and then avenge his death set in motion Jesse and Walt being in mortal danger with Gus. Then Jesse's discovery of Brock's near-fatal poisoning set in motion Hank's and Gomie's deaths and Jesse's capture with the Nazis.
I can understand Jesse's feelings, but he allowed his emotions to get in the way of his safety and livelihood, and yes, he is to blame for most everything.
Think the turning point for Jesse was after rehab in early S3. He could have taken that first big payoff and started over again. Instead, he decided to go out and start cooking Walt's formula. He wasn't really in it for the money at that point. Then getting trailed by Hank, not disposing of the RV, and essentially blackmailing Walt into being partners at the superlab, not to mention selling on the side to addicts from rehab...serious downfall.
Also brings up the question - should he even have been cooking Walt's formula on his own? They were one time partners, but Walt was the cook. Jesse cooking Walt's formula was one of the contributing factors that Gus used to get Walt to cook for him.
I definitely think that could be considered a turning point for Jesse. His emotions hurt him, and by default others again and again, and not just emotions regarding children (including the boy's death at the train heist, which I forgot to include in my first post), but emotions about inadequacy and where they led him.
About Jesse having a right to use Walt's formula... One could argue there is not even a de facto patent in the drug trade, but regarding ethics Jesse should have had for using Walt's formula? He really should not have, considering the respect he had for Walt. Him wanting to use it was really to "match Walt," and he wanted Walt's approval badly. Of course, using that cooking method wasn't going to get it, but Jesse may have also rationalized that he owned it too since Walt got in the business thanks to him. Depending on one's take on this, Jesse may be viewed as an equal owner to the formula, even with Walt doing the hard working in devising both their Sudo cooks and then the P2P one.
Going OT a bit, the whole issue of ownership makes me think about "Grey Matter" and what Walt feels he should have of that business. It somewhat mirrors Jesse's feelings over what Jesse thinks he owns with the meth formula. I can understand either opinion on "the right's to it"--whether Jesse is in the wrong or in the right to have used it without Walt.
Good points. I think Walt could feel his work slipping away yet again, benefiting someone else, when Jesse showed him his first solo cook. At that point, Walt was trying to stay out of the business, so he was going to have a hard time doing that while seeing Jesse cook his formula - deja vu Gray Matter.
Yeah, Jesse on the other hand seemed shocked when Walt went off on him for cooking. He was showing Walt what he felt was a good job, and got the riot act...not unlike a kid getting yelled at by his dad for spilling paint on the floor after doing a nice job painting the garage (just a random example).
Think it's safe to say that Jesse's biggest downfall was trying to fill the void he had when he basically lost his parents, then Jane. He tried to make up for it by doing things he was good at, which turned out to be cooking Walt's formula. He didn't have many other great talents to work with.
However, Walt's downfall was trying to make up for lost opportunities from his past. He, on the other hand, had the talent, but failed to use it successfully, from a business standpoint.
When you compare the two, who's the bigger failure? Probably the one who had the tools to work with (Walt) but failed to take advantage of them.
Before I start, I have to get out of the way that I really wish the app would allow edits. I spelled both "Gray [Matter]" and "Pseudo [cook]" wrong, and looking back on the post is driving me nuts, LoL. Anyways...
Really great analyzations regarding the psychologies ofJesse and Walt... what they both desperately wanted, what they lacked, and their motivations for ending up where they did (which was also brilliantly evolving in the storyline, especially for Walter).
I think Walter is the bigger failure primarily for the reason you stated. We don't know details of why he didn't succeed in any past employments that could have proved lucrative, but even as "Mr. Milquetoast," Walt was probably his own worst enemy. In his view, he stumbled all the way down until only high school chem. teacher was left, and he felt far too talented to be at that level with his passion for chemistry and his smarts.
I also have always factored Jesse's age and health when thinking of his future. I'd hope he has a chance to turn it around, and to not be doomed to an existence similar to Walt's. If Jesse could overcome the horror of those past two years and stop going down the rabbit hole (with vices and impulsive decisions), maybe he could stop failing and actually live a fulfilling and decent life.
Yes, I root for post-BrBa Jesse, haha.
Good points. Someone posted on a different thread that there should have been no Walt Junior. Think that would have been a big mistake. They don't show us, but have a feeling that the additional mental, emotional and monetary toll that Junior and his disability put on the family was likely a key factor in Walt's downturn after leaving Gray Matter...at least one factor.
shareThough Walt was a manipulative, destructive influence on him, Jesse brought on many of his own problems with his weak will, poor moral compass and love of money.
Though Jesse was a loose cannon, drug addict, and unreliable partner, Walt brought on many of his own problems with his arrogance, nearsightedness and love of money.
Nope. The entire series, from "Pilot," was Hank's fault. He was the jagoff who took Walt on the ride-along to show off what a badass he purportedly was. He created the situation by planting the seed of easy money in Walt's head.
Now, Walt, as smart as he was, should have known better than to get involved but he was desperate for money and already had ego/self esteem issues. However, Walt would never have thought to turn to manufacturing drugs for money if Hank hadn't directly exposed him to it.
This is either satrical criticism of how so many Walt worshippers think, or the most desperate attempt at spinning an anti-Hank narrative that I've ever read on here. Hank holds zero responsibility for Walt making his own choices, or for not making huge assumptions about Walt's psyche about what he may or may not resort to doing under extreme circumstances (this is ignoring the fact that he didn't even know Walt had cancer or needed money at the time.)
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