They’re what keep your sneakers on your feet. They’re what contracts are made for. They’re any of a dozen materials–silicone, metal alloy, wood pulp, good ol’ Elmers. They’re walking or running with “leaping strides” (wtf, Oxford dictionary?). They’re what keep people in good, and bad, social situations. They also occasionally explode.
Wait, what were we talking about?
Kim is bound by her affection for Jimmy in a very legal way now. While they’re hitched, his fate is her fate, and we can’t help but wonder at her decision as they share a pre-coital moment of surprising transparency the very next morning. Kim is bound to Rich Schweikart’s law firm, and by extension Mesa Verde. She’s at least willing to stand up for herself in this relationship, though, as she sharply forces Kevin to own some of the blame for the awful meeting with Saul Goodman last week. It’s no wonder she wears pointy little daggers as earrings.
Nacho is bound to his father. And the Salamanca family. And the Fring empire-in-progress. And, possibly, to Mike, in exchange for potentially helping Nacho and his father escape all those other bonds. But only when Lalo is out of the picture, i.e. not continuing to orchestrate events from the iron barred sidelines. It seems like it’ll take an act of supreme bravery–or stupidity–to take care of Lalo for any meaningful length of time. My concern for Nacho jumped a few notches this week.
Lalo is bound to the Salamancas as well, but we get the sense that in every way that matters, he has become the Salamanca North of the border. He’s bound to get out of prison soon, by paying his bond through Saul Goodman. He could also be bounding out of town if things break bad, as several bits of the episode remind us he’s a major flight risk.
Mike is bound to his family, both living and dead, and in this episode he seems to be accepting his fate as a man with dirty hands. Click To TweetMike is bound to his family, both living and dead, and in this episode he seems to be accepting his fate as a man with dirty hands. It may be terrible for his spiritual well-being, but as he stands at the kitchen sink, casually discussing kid era Matty with daughter in law Stacey for what feels like the first time, at least he’s found some way to stop chafing at the world and its expectations. He’s bound to Gustavo Fring, for better or worse. He’s officially Breaking Bad Mike again.
What’s cooler than walking away from an explosion? Knowing that a character is sacrificing one of his own (strategically placed chicken bomb) knights to play the longer game. Gus finds himself in both pacifist and arsonist roles this week, bound by his own cunning to lose a battle in service of winning a territory war. We see a couple familiar Madrigal faces as well, reminding us that despite Gus’s ambitions toward building an empire, he is ultimately bound to keeping a cartel and a corporation happy. No pressure.
Like the elastic on a sock garter, Jimmy finds himself pulled in increasingly disparate directions the further we go into his back story. The Salamancas want him. Mike, and by extension Gus, don’t actually want him, but need to use him anyway. Kim, for reasons that can only be explained through psychological analysis, still wants him. Apparently not a kind word or genuine human reaction from anyone but Kim. As he chases Howard through the courthouse’s foyer in the final scene, nearly frothing at the mouth with contempt for Howard daring to show him any human kindness, it’s more unclear than ever what Jimmy wants. He’s bound to make more and more difficult choices before this part of his story is done.