History Recap / BreakingBadS5E11Confessions

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Downplayed: Hank isn't mad, but he resignedly tells Marie that using Walt's money to pay for his medical bills has effectively killed any chance they have at getting Walt.

Directed by Creator/MichaelSlovis

* BerserkButton:
** When Jesse realizes he was right about Huell taking the ricin-laced cigarrette and Walt did poison Brock he flies off the handle.

[[quoteright:339:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_0103.PNG]]
[[caption-width-right:339:''"My name is Walter Hartwell White. I live at 308 Negra Arroyo Lane, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87104. This is my confession."'']]

!!This episode contains examples of:

--->'''Walt:''' ''[on tape]'' If you're watching this tape, I'm probably dead... Murdered by my brother-in-law, Hank Schrader. Hank has been building a meth empire for over a year now, and using me as his chemist.

----

* EvenEvilHasStandards: Saul makes it clear to Jesse that if he knew that Walt was going to poison a child he never would've helped him do it.

* TranquilFury: Throughout the entire "confession", Hank remains silent but looks like he's ready to choke Walter to death if he could reach through the screen, especially when Walt claims that Hank threatened to hurt Skyler and Walt Jr.

* EvenEvilHasStandards: Saul makes clear to Jesse that if he knew that Walt was going to poison a child he never would've helped him do it.

-->'''Saul;''' Yes, okay, I had Huell lift your cigarette, but Walt made me! He told me he was helping you, he was saving you! I never would've agreed to it if I'd known what he was gonna do!

** The confession tape references several past events, such as Hank showing Walt how much money a meth operation could make, [[Recap/BreakingBadS3E7OneMinute the assassination attempt on Hank by the Cousins]], [[Recap/BreakingBadS3E9Kafkaesque Hank's rehab]], [[Recap/BreakingBadS4E13FaceOff the deaths of Gus and Hector Salamanca with Walt's bomb]], and [[Recap/BreakingBadS5E9BloodMoney the cut near his eye where Hank punched Walt after realizing he was Heisenberg]].

* ForWantOfANail: Had Huell not taken Jesse's weed, and had Jesse not realized, the series would have ended right here and now.

** Subverted: when Hank realizes that Marie used Walt's meth money to pay for his medical bills, while he points out that this was "the last nail in the coffin" for him, he doesn't get ''angry'' with Marie.

* BeautyIsNeverTarnished: {{Averted}}; Saul's face looks downright nasty after Jesse's through with him.

* AscendedMeme: When Hank takes note of Walt [[SpotTheThread mentioning $177,000 being paid on his medical bills]] in the "confession" tape:
-->'''Hank:''' $177,000? Hell's he talking about? ''[looks at Marie, who has sat down in shock]'' ...Marie?\\
'''Marie:''' ...they told me it was gambling money.\\
'''Hank:''' What was gambling money? ... ''[[[OhCrap in realization]]]'' ...oh, Jesus ''Christ'', Marie...

Out in the desert, Walt meets with Jesse and Saul. Walt is informed that the DEA has not been informed of his activities. Walt suggests Jesse contact Saul's "vacuum salesman" and make a clean break, begin life anew somewhere. Jesse, however, is skeptical to Walt's intentions, and demands he tell him the truth; that if he didn't continue to make meth with him, he would suffer the same fate that befell Mike. Walt says nothing. Instead, he approaches Jesse and hugs him tightly.

Afterwards, Walt tells a weary Skyler at the car wash: "It worked". Jesse is no longer an issue...

...or so he thinks. Saul has Huell drop Jesse off on a roadside to meet with the "cleaner" to take him away. As the cleaner's car arrives to take Jesse away, Jesse realizes that Huell had taken his weed. It then dawns on Jesse that Huell had taken his ricin cigarette as well, likely by Walt instructing Saul to do so... and based off of that, it was Walt that poisoned Brock!

Jesse storms into Saul's office, punching him in the face and threatening him with his own gun. Saul admits he had Huell take his ricin, but believed it was for Jesse's own good, and that he never realized Walt planned to poison a child. Jesse storms off with Saul's car and gun. As Saul warns Walt, Jesse breaks into Walt's house and starts to dump gasoline around the floor, intending to burn it to the ground...

At a diner, Todd leaves Walt a voice message telling him about the change in management for distributing meth in the southwest, following Declan's demise. He brags to his uncle Jack and a fellow skinhead about the train heist, while conveniently leaving out what happened to Drew Sharp, before they make their way to New Mexico. Jack asks Todd if he's ready to cook quality meth, to which Todd assures him that he is.

Hank enters the interrogation room where Jesse is detained, informing him that he knows of Heisenberg's true identity as Walter White, his brother-in-law. Jesse remains belligerent towards Hank as Saul enters to control the damage, scolding Jesse for his act of "philanthropy" when he tossed his five million dollars about.

Back at the White residence, Junior tells Walt that Aunt Marie had called him over to help with her computer. Realizing this was another ploy to separate him from his children, Walt tells Junior that his cancer returned, playing on his love and concern for his father to convince him to stay. Afterwards, Walt and Skyler work together to record his confession.

Walt and Skyler meet with the Schraders at a Mexican restaurant, where tempers flare between them over Walt's drug business. Walt tries to explain that he is no longer involved in the drug trade, and that there is nothing to gain from trying to prosecute him. Hank, however, is determined to see Walt behind bars; he's not going to let Walt's cancer claim him before he can face justice.

With both parties at an impasse, Walt leaves a DVD containing his confession with Hank. When Hank and Marie play it at home, however, to their horror, the "confession" is a ploy: while Walt confesses to cooking meth, he claims that Hank was the real "Heisenberg", having forced Walt into cooking meth for him, working with Gus Fring and threatening his family, then conspiring with Hector Salamanca to kill Gus with a bomb. The only true statements in the confession are Gus's putting a hit out on Hank, and Walt using his drug money to pay for his medical expenses.

Hank and Marie are left gobsmacked at Walt's sheer audacity. Hank thinks the confession to be an empty threat, but Marie reveals that she had, indeed, taken money from Skyler, which she had gotten from Walt's drug business, to pay for his hospital bills and rehabilitation. If the DVD was ever sent to the DEA, that money would give Walt's confession credence, and completely destroy Hank's own credibility.

** As Jesse is dousing Walt's house with gasoline in the last scene, the scene ends with him stopping in one particular spot to jump gasoline on it. This is pretty much the exact same spot where he had Walt on the ground at gun point in "[[Recap/BreakingBadS4E12EndTimes End Times]]".
** Also, Walt's confession tape, to the one he started making back in [[Recap/BreakingBadS1E1Pilot the pilot]]. Walt's "confession" that he's considered suicide may also be a reference to his botched suicide attempt in the same episode.

** A tarantula is seen near Jesse while he is waiting to meet with Walt in the desert; the same type of spider Drew Sharp caught in a glass jar before Todd shot him.

** Walt Jr. learns that Walt's cancer is back. Tragically, Walt uses it to manipulate Junior into staying in the house and away form his aunt and uncle

...or so he thinks. Saul has Huell drop Jesse off on a roadside to meet with the "cleaner" to take him away. As the cleaner's car arrives to take Jesse away, Jesse realizes that Huell had taken his weed. It then dawns on Jesse that Huell had taken his ricin cigarette as well, likely by Walt instructing Saul to do so...and based off of that, it was Walt that poisoned Brock!

At a diner, Todd leaves Walt a voice message telling him about the change in management for distributing meth in the southwest, following Declan's demise. He brags to his uncle Jack and a fellow skinhead about the train heist, while conveniently leaving out what happened to Drew Sharp, before they make their way to New Mexico.

-->'''Walt:''' ''[on tape]'' If you're watching this tape, I'm probably dead... Murdered by my brother-in-law, Hank Schrader. Hank has been building a meth empire for over a year now, and using me as his chemist.

-->'''Hank''': $177,000? Hell's he talking about? (looks at Marie, who has sat down in shock) ...Marie?
-->'''Marie''': ...they told me it was gambling money.
-->'''Hank''': What was gambling money? ... [[OhCrap (in realization)]] ...oh, Jesus ''Christ'', Marie...

-->'''Hank''': Oh, Christ, Marie... You killed me here. I mean, it's the -- that's the last nail. That's the last nail in the coffin.

* WhamLine: The moment Hank and Marie realize what Walt's "confession tape" ''really'' is.
-->'''Walt''': (on tape) If you're watching this tape, I'm probably dead... Murdered by my brother-in-law, Hank Schrader. Hank has been building a meth empire for over a year now, and using me as his chemist.

** The confession tape references several past events, such as Hank showing Walt how much money a meth operation could make, the assassination attempt on Hank by the Cousins, Hank's rehab, the deaths of Gus and Hector Salamanca with Walt's bomb, and the cut near his eye where Hank punched Walt after realizing he was Heisenberg.

** Also, Walt's confession tape, to the one he started making back in [[Recap/BreakingBadS1E1Pilot the pilot]].

* DroneOfDread: While Jesse is pouring gasoline on Walt’s house, combined with a harsh thudding drum beat. It’s fittingly named [[https://youtu.be/phqd9YYGilQ Gas Can Rage]]

* InternalReveal: Jesse realizes that it was Walt who poisoned Brock, and beats Saul down until he gets a complete confession to it.

* KickTheDog: Walter is willing to ruin the life and reputation of his brother-in-law if it keeps him out of jail.

* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: During his "confession" tape, Walt makes a special mention to the fact that it was '''Hank''' who showed him how much money people make in the business of drug manufacturing in the first place.