History Recap / BreakingBadS4E4BulletPoints

* EpicFail: Walt cannot play blackjack or count cards ''at all.'' He and Skyler both agree to forego teaching him to count cards and just say he's "in recovery".

* JustAFleshWound: Mike doesn't even notice that one of the bullets took off a bit of his right ear until after he's climbed out of the truck, and only seems annoyed that he had to be hit there.

As Walt grows more worried still when noticing Gus's surveillance cameras watching Jesse, Jesse returns home after work to find that his money had been stolen: one of the tweakers camping out in his house saw him go into his room, come back with a wad of cash, and connected the dots. Jesse, however, has fallen into such a state of self-loathing and despair that he can hardly muster the energy to care. Instead, he continues to prevent himself from having to confront his demons by bringing a girl up to his room to play ''Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing''.

** The special effects used to create the illusion of cold temperature when Mike is in the truck (to elaborate, Jonathan Banks inserted a little box of dry ice into his mouth to simulate cold breath) is a technique that was used in several BrianDePalma films.

** Hank really wanted to catch Heisenberg, overtly styling himself as a modern-day [[TheFrenchConnection Popeye Doyle]]. Walt notes that Popeye never actually caught his suspect.

* EpicFail: Walt cannot play blackjack ''at all.'' He and Skyler both agree to forego teaching him to count cards and just say he's "in recovery".

"You got me." Walt sarcastically answers, hands raised in mock resignation.

As Mike deals with cartel goons trying to hijack a Los Pollos Hermanos truck (losing a piece of his right ear in the process), Walt and Skyler concoct a story to explain Walt's newfound wealth: he earned money through gambling, but had become addicted and had to stop. After proving that Walt has no acumen when it comes to card-counting, Skyler goes over a carefully prepared script for when they break the news to the rest of the family.

* ManipulativeBastard: Walt shows his hand here when it comes to manipulating Hank into showing him the Gale/Heisenberg investigation.

That night, Walt and his family visit the Schraders. There, Mike shows Walt and Junior a video that he received while investigating a meth superlab: it was a video of Gale Boetticher, singing "Major Tom". Hank pokes fun at the nerd on the video, finding it hard to believe that such an unassuming man could possibly be Heisenberg. Walt, however, is hit with a pang of guilt as he comes to realize Gale's humanity, and feels regret at having had him killed...

Mike gets a visit from a couple of Cartel goons while riding in the back of a refrigerated truck, and loses part of his right ear. Walt and Skyler attempt to get their gambling story straight so as to make it plausible that an unemployed high school teacher could get the necessary capital to buy the car wash. Hank decides to pick Walt's brain about all this chemistry stuff he found in Gale's lab notes. Mike realizes that Jesse has spiraled too far out of control to be trusted, and asks Gus's permission to take care of the problem.

* BaitAndSwitch: While Walt's rehearsing the gambling story, this line:

!This episode provides examples of:

* BaitAndSwitch:
--> '''Walt, to Skyler:''' I'm sorry. I'm sorry I put you through all of this. [{{Beat}}] How's that sound?

* CameraAbuse: During the opening shootout, chicken batter gets all over the camera.

** The special effects used to create the illusion of cold temperature when Mike is in the truck (a little box of dry ice in Jonathan Banks's mouth) is a technique that was used in several Brian De Palma films.

* MoreDakka: Par for the course when two men shoot w/ automatic guns to perforate a truck full of Los Pollos Hermanos cargo & Mike (or just his ear). Mike survives their shooting & replies with "Less Dakka"--kills 'em both with one shot per person.

* RedHerring: [[InvokedTrope Invoked]]. Walt convinces Hank that the "W. W." in Gale's notes refer to WaltWhitman, to cement Hank's suspicion that Gale was Heisenberg.

* FreudianSlip: Skyler mentions that she and Walt will be "... coming clean with Hank and Junior." {{Beat}}. "''Appearing'' to come clean with Hank...."

* ShoutOut: Hank really wanted to catch Heisenberg, overtly styling himself as a modern-day [[TheFrenchConnection Popeye Doyle]]. Walt notes that Popeye never actually caught his suspect.
* TitleDrop: Skyler, while rehearsing the gambling story with Walt.

* DangerouslyGenreSavvy: Jesse knows Mike won't go through with killing the guy who took Jesse's bag of money, and that it's all an elaborate show to scare Jesse, because during an actual hit the killer wouldn't bother to blindfold the victim. The [[OhCrap look on Mike's face]] makes it clear that Jesse is correct.

* OnlySaneMan: Walt believes he is this, and goes into Saul's office and rants at-lengh about it. Saul is understandably dubious. The audience gets a glimpse how far down the rabbit hole Walt has gone.

* OnlySaneMan: You get a good idea how far down the rabbit hole Walt has gone, when he goes into Saul's office and rants at-lentgh that he (believes) he is this. Saul is understandably dubious.

* AlliterativeName: The name was deliberately chosen for its blandness. This comes about as Hank shares w/ Walt Gale's belongings, including the written dedication to this "W.W." Lampshaded by Hank in this episode:
-->'''Hank:''' W.W., [[Creator/WaltWhitman who do you think that is]], huh? UsefulNotes/WoodrowWilson? [[Literature/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory Willy Wonka]]? ... Walter White?
* MoreDakka: Par for the course when two men shoot w/ automatic guns to perforate a truck full of Los Pollos Hermanos cargo & Mike (or just his ear). Mike survives their shooting & replies with "Less Dakka"--kills 'em both with one shot per person.

-->'''Hank:''' W.W., [[Creator/WaltWhitman who do you think that is]], huh? UsefulNotes/WoodrowWilson? [[Literature/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory Willy Wonka]]? ... Walter White?