Check out the Instant Podcast for Face Off!
When Crawl Space aired I thought: “Most series would have used this episode as the season cliffhanger.” Tonight I found out why they didn’t; not only was this episode nearly (if not just) as good but they chose not to end the season in a cliffhanger at all!
Face Off left a lot of questions on the table but it also reset the playing field in a lot of respects. Gus is dead, the Mexican cartel is destroyed and the D.E.A. doesn’t have any leads. Walt and Jesse could both walk away at this point. I think we’re all pretty certain that won’t happen but it’s definitely an option for them.
But enough about possible future episodes; let’s talk about Face Off.
Class is back in session but this time the professor is Heisenberg. He kills without hesitation or remorse, he can manipulate anyone and everyone and he’s willing to endanger the lives of children and even his family to get his way. This is the Walter White we’ve been seeing glimpses of all series and the one I’ve been waiting to see!
The final shot of the episode is truly masterful. To me, that walled-in swimming pool and patio represents the Walter White from the beginning of the series It’s benign, neutral and lifeless. But with a closer look we see the Lily of the Valley contained within those walls; a plant that now signifies the remorseless Heisenberg. I thought this was fitting since we’ve seen Heisenberg grow within Walt over the past year, fully flowering in tonight’s episode.
I’m absolutely stoked to see where things go from here. In the meantime, I’ll be working on my house or collecting minerals or podcasting or something…
Join us tomorrow for our full thoughts in the podcast! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook or Email to get your thoughts on Face Off in before tomorrow. We’re recording a little early so be sure to get them to us by 3:00pm EST if you want to make the cut-off!