MovieChat Forums > Breaking Bad (2008) Discussion > Jessy selling at NA meetings

Jessy selling at NA meetings

posted 8 years ago by cmpresador
6 replies | jump to latest

If he's making millions with walt why would he risk smuggling out meth from frings lab to push on the street

[–] bmiluszusky 8 years ago

He didn't feel like he was making enough...they were making 3M when they should've been making 96M

[–] lief_peterson 8 years ago

In the words of Todd to Jack: 'No matter how much you got, how do you turn your back on more?'

Jesse felt like they were doing all the work and were getting 'fisted' lol

He was playing a dangerous game though I agree. And I think its a good thing he stopped because Gus and co. were getting wise to it it would seem. Walt wasnt the only one who started to notice their yields were coming up short.

Some have theorized that was one of gus' motivators (spoilers) in killing Victor, that maybe they suspected Victor of stealing product from them. Though there are a few other possible reasons as I'm sure most viewers know. I'm glad they left that, like many other things about Gus, ultimately unexplained though.

But I agree with Jesse, they were getting fisted.

[–] ellisdtripp 8 years ago

But I agree with Jesse, they were getting fisted.

How exactly do you figure that?

Sure, Walt and Jesse were making a smaller percentage of the profits under Gus. But Gus was providing:

A lab far better than the RV they were working out of.

All the precursor chemicals and equipment they needed.

All the distribution effort.

Perfect cover businesses for the lab (laundry) and the distribution (Los Pollos).

Protection from the DEA, cartel and other competitors.

A predictable income stream.

Walt and Jesse had as close to a steady 9-5 job as would be possible in the illegal drug trade. Jesse screwed the whole deal up by selling on his own, and Walt finally killed it by taking out Gus' dealers who were going to kill Jesse.

[–] InglouriousSister 8 years ago

This was possibly my least favorite storyline of all of Breaking Bad. I adore Jesse, but I thought this "stealing and selling drugs at an NA meeting" bullsh-t was possibly the most callous thing he did that he seemingly felt little or no guilt for (at the beginning, at least.) I mean obviously killing Gale was worse, but at least he felt tormented over that.

What I always loved most about Jesse was that unlike most characters on the show he acknowledged (and often dramatically overestimated) his own role in other people's suffering, and chose to hate himself for it rather than try to justify it. So the whole getting greedy and starting this "side-business" just felt out of character for me. Sure Gus screwed them over but all employers do that. The CEO always gets a 1000 times more than just a regular employee.

Do you even know what honor is?
- A horse.

[–] swolbach 8 years ago

Yeah, Walt and Jesse kinda reversed roles at that time...Jesse felt ripped off and Walt was plenty happy with his pay...then in S5, Jesse wanted out for $5M and Walt wanted an empire...guess that's what goes along with trying to be Jesse James.

And yes, think Jesse's plan to sell meth to addicts in group was about the worst thing he did...if you consider his murders as justified.

It wasn't until he found out Andrea had a kid that he changed his mind about pushing meth on her. Jesse had a soft spot for kids...but can't say the same for addicts. Both are to some degree helpless or vulnerable...so it seems a bit hypocrital, IMO.

Perhaps Jesse's plan to sell meth to addicts was in some way parallel to how Jane's father reacted after her death...

[–] Whatlarks 8 years ago

I think Jesse faked to himself that he didn't care. He could only sustain that delusion for so long because he did have a moral core. I thought the psychology made sense. It was all about feeling adrift, alone, and craving a structure APART from the "anything can be rationalized" kind that Walt provided, which had taken away everything that mattered to him. The Group Leader's "acceptance" sounded to Jesse just like Walt's. Even in this alternative, formalized external structure, it felt no different.

Jesse loathed himself for his actions yet found he was able to get away with anything, he would be bestowed with any kind of ready-made rationalization necessary. He was experiencing a world he didn't want to exist. So he tried to take it to the limit to provoke the external world so he could experience boundaries, an external structure he could have faith in - because he didn't have faith in himself to provide it.

I think Jesse's announcement that he'd be the bad man was a relatively superficial front. It reflected losing hope of experiencing a moral external world. The deeper, permanent motivation remained a craving to be subject to an external moral structure that would contain his actions and give meaning to his existing in it. Which would entail judgement. But the problem which had left him dependent on Walt hadn't really changed, as he was still looking exclusively for external structure because he didn't sense he had the strength to do it for himself.

307, One Minute:

JESSE
I am not turning down the money.
I am turning down you. You get it?
I want nothing to do with you.
Ever since I met you, everything
I have ever cared about is gone,
ruined, turned to shit, dead,
ever since I hooked up with the
great Heisenberg. I have never been
more alone. I have nothing! No one!
All right? It's all gone! Get it?

407, Problem Dog:

LEADER
We're not here to sit in judgment.

JESSE
Why not? Why not? Maybe... Maybe
she's right. You know, maybe I should
have put it in the paper. Maybe I
should have done something different.
The thing is, if you just do stuff and
nothing happens what's it all mean?
What's the point?

LEADER
All right, this whole thing is about
self-acceptance. Kicking the hell
out of yourself doesn't give meaning
to anything.

JESSE
So I should stop judging, and accept...

MAN
It's a start.

JESSE
So, no matter what I do, hooray for me
because I'm a great guy? It's all good?
No matter how many dogs I kill, I just,
what, do an inventory and accept? I
mean, you back your truck over your
own kid and you, like, accept? What a
load of crap!

LEADER
Hey, Jesse, I know you're in pain.

JESSE
No, you know what? Why I'm here in
the first place? Is to sell you meth.
You're nothing to me but customers!
I made you my bitch. You okay with
that? Huh? You accept?

LEADER
No.

JESSE
About time.

"You must not judge what I know by what I find words for." - Marilynne Robinson