Face Off (Breaking Bad)
Encyclopedia
"Face Off" is the thirteenth episode and season finale of the fourth season
of the American television drama series Breaking Bad
, and the 46th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on AMC in the United States on October 9, 2011.
) via car bomb, Walter
(Bryan Cranston
) removes the bomb and asks Jesse
(Aaron Paul
) if he knows of a place that Gus frequents that does not have security cameras. Before Jesse can think, he is taken in for questioning by two detectives regarding his knowledge of Brock's ricin
poisoning. Saul (Bob Odenkirk
) has gone into hiding, so Walter breaks into his office for his help, where Saul's secretary Francesca (Tina Parker) asks for $25,000 in exchange for Saul's contact information. Walter goes home to retrieve the cash, but suspects hitmen may be waiting for him. After asking his neighbor to check on the house, he spots two men fleeing from the backyard, confirming his suspicions. Walter retrieves the money before the hitmen can spot him.
Jesse is interrogated for a long time about the ricin, but he claims that it was a lucky guess. Having been contacted by Walter, Saul finally arrives. Jesse tells Saul that Gus often visits Hector (Mark Margolis
) to taunt him, which Saul relays to Walter. Walter visits Hector and offers him a chance to kill Gus. Hector contacts the DEA, where he insists on talking directly to Hank (Dean Norris
), but he just curses at Hank through his translator and is quickly brought back to the nursing home. Tyrus (Ray Campbell) observes Hector's arrival at the DEA, assumes he is turning informant
and phones Gus, who decides to kill him. Tyrus inspects Hector's room for anything suspicious but finds it safe for Gus' visit, failing to spot Walter just outside. Jesse is released from police custody after Brock's diagnosis reveals that he was not poisoned by ricin, and is immediately kidnapped by Gus' thugs and brought to the lab to cook the next batch of meth.
Gus and Tyrus corner Hector in his room. Gus asks Hector to finally look at him, which is something Hector refuses to do during Gus' taunting visits. As Gus prepares to inject Hector with poison, Hector finally looks at him, and begins ringing his bell numerous times. Gus realizes the bell is connected to Walter's car bomb under Hector's wheelchair and the bomb explodes, killing Tyrus and Hector instantly. Gus walks out of the room, calmly adjusting his tie appearing to be unharmed; but the camera then pans to reveal that half of his face and scalp were torn completely off in the explosion. He then collapses and dies as nursing home personnel come running to the site of the explosion. Walter hears the news of the explosion on the radio and is relieved that his plan to draw Gus out into the open and kill him apparently worked. He then heads to the lab and kills two of Gus' henchmen stationed there. Walter and Jesse then burn down the lab.
Later, Jesse tells Walter that Brock will live, and that he was poisoned by the berries of the Lily of the Valley
plant, since children sometimes eat it because of its sweet taste. Although Jesse questions killing Gus because he never poisoned anyone after all, Walter assures Jesse that it had to be done. Walter calls Skyler (Anna Gunn
), who is learning of the explosion from the news, along with the rest of the family; Walt tells her everything is safe, and that he "won". The episode ends with a shot of Walter's back yard showing a potted Lily of the Valley plant that Walter's gun pointed towards in the previous episode
.
's massive facial wounds took months to prepare, with assistance from the special effects team from fellow AMC drama The Walking Dead
. The effect was produced using elaborate make-up on Giancarlo Esposito
's face, combined with CGI
that took two separate shots and combined them seamlessly.
The songs playing throughout the episode were "Black" by Danger Mouse
& Daniele Luppi, "Goodbye" by Apparat
and "Freestyle" by Taalbi Brothers.
Breaking Bad (season 4)
The fourth season of the American television drama series Breaking Bad premiered on July 17, 2011 and concluded on October 9, 2011. It consists of 13 episodes, each running approximately 47 minutes in length...
of the American television drama series Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad is an American television drama series created and produced by Vince Gilligan. Set and produced in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Breaking Bad is the story of Walter White , a struggling high school chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with advanced lung cancer at the beginning of the series...
, and the 46th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on AMC in the United States on October 9, 2011.
Plot
After failing to kill Gus (Giancarlo EspositoGiancarlo Esposito
Giancarlo Giuseppe Alessandro Esposito is a Danish-born American film and television actor and director.-Early life:Esposito was born in Copenhagen, Denmark to an Italian father and African-American mother. His mother was an opera and nightclub singer from Alabama, who once appeared on the same...
) via car bomb, Walter
Walter White (Breaking Bad)
Walter Hartwell "Walt" White is a fictional character and the antihero of the American television drama series Breaking Bad on AMC. He is portrayed by Bryan Cranston and was created by series creator Vince Gilligan...
(Bryan Cranston
Bryan Cranston
Bryan Lee Cranston is an American actor, voice actor, writer and director. He is best known for his roles as Hal the father in the Fox situation comedy Malcolm in the Middle, and Walter White in the AMC drama series Breaking Bad, for which he won three consecutive Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama...
) removes the bomb and asks Jesse
Jesse Pinkman
Jesse Bruce Pinkman is a fictional character of the American television drama series Breaking Bad on AMC. He is portrayed by Aaron Paul and was created by series creator Vince Gilligan.-Background:...
(Aaron Paul
Aaron Paul
Aaron Michael Paul is an American actor. After appearing in several roles in American television, including a recurring role on the HBO series Big Love, Paul came to prominence in the late 2000s for his critically acclaimed portrayal of Jesse Pinkman in the AMC series Breaking Bad, for which he...
) if he knows of a place that Gus frequents that does not have security cameras. Before Jesse can think, he is taken in for questioning by two detectives regarding his knowledge of Brock's ricin
Ricin
Ricin , from the castor oil plant Ricinus communis, is a highly toxic, naturally occurring protein. A dose as small as a few grains of salt can kill an adult. The LD50 of ricin is around 22 micrograms per kilogram Ricin , from the castor oil plant Ricinus communis, is a highly toxic, naturally...
poisoning. Saul (Bob Odenkirk
Bob Odenkirk
Robert "Bob" Odenkirk is an American actor, comedian, writer, director and producer. He is best known as the co-creator and co-star of the HBO sketch comedy series Mr...
) has gone into hiding, so Walter breaks into his office for his help, where Saul's secretary Francesca (Tina Parker) asks for $25,000 in exchange for Saul's contact information. Walter goes home to retrieve the cash, but suspects hitmen may be waiting for him. After asking his neighbor to check on the house, he spots two men fleeing from the backyard, confirming his suspicions. Walter retrieves the money before the hitmen can spot him.
Jesse is interrogated for a long time about the ricin, but he claims that it was a lucky guess. Having been contacted by Walter, Saul finally arrives. Jesse tells Saul that Gus often visits Hector (Mark Margolis
Mark Margolis
Mark Margolis is an American actor who has been making films since 1976.Margolis went to Temple University briefly before moving to New York City, where he studied drama with Stella Adler and at the Actors Studio...
) to taunt him, which Saul relays to Walter. Walter visits Hector and offers him a chance to kill Gus. Hector contacts the DEA, where he insists on talking directly to Hank (Dean Norris
Dean Norris
Dean Joseph Norris is an American actor currently starring as DEA agent Hank Schrader, the brother-in-law of main character Walter White in the AMC series Breaking Bad, which premiered on January 20, 2008.-Biography:...
), but he just curses at Hank through his translator and is quickly brought back to the nursing home. Tyrus (Ray Campbell) observes Hector's arrival at the DEA, assumes he is turning informant
Informant
An informant is a person who provides privileged information about a person or organization to an agency. The term is usually used within the law enforcement world, where they are officially known as confidential or criminal informants , and can often refer pejoratively to the supply of information...
and phones Gus, who decides to kill him. Tyrus inspects Hector's room for anything suspicious but finds it safe for Gus' visit, failing to spot Walter just outside. Jesse is released from police custody after Brock's diagnosis reveals that he was not poisoned by ricin, and is immediately kidnapped by Gus' thugs and brought to the lab to cook the next batch of meth.
Gus and Tyrus corner Hector in his room. Gus asks Hector to finally look at him, which is something Hector refuses to do during Gus' taunting visits. As Gus prepares to inject Hector with poison, Hector finally looks at him, and begins ringing his bell numerous times. Gus realizes the bell is connected to Walter's car bomb under Hector's wheelchair and the bomb explodes, killing Tyrus and Hector instantly. Gus walks out of the room, calmly adjusting his tie appearing to be unharmed; but the camera then pans to reveal that half of his face and scalp were torn completely off in the explosion. He then collapses and dies as nursing home personnel come running to the site of the explosion. Walter hears the news of the explosion on the radio and is relieved that his plan to draw Gus out into the open and kill him apparently worked. He then heads to the lab and kills two of Gus' henchmen stationed there. Walter and Jesse then burn down the lab.
Later, Jesse tells Walter that Brock will live, and that he was poisoned by the berries of the Lily of the Valley
Lily of the Valley
Convallaria majalis , commonly known as the lily-of-the-valley, is a poisonous woodland flowering plant native throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere in Asia and Europe....
plant, since children sometimes eat it because of its sweet taste. Although Jesse questions killing Gus because he never poisoned anyone after all, Walter assures Jesse that it had to be done. Walter calls Skyler (Anna Gunn
Anna Gunn
Anna Gunn is an American actress, best known for her roles as Assistant District Attorney Jean Ward on The Practice, Martha Bullock on Deadwood, and, currently, Skyler White on Breaking Bad. She appeared on Seinfeld in the episode "The Glasses" and on the first season of Murder One...
), who is learning of the explosion from the news, along with the rest of the family; Walt tells her everything is safe, and that he "won". The episode ends with a shot of Walter's back yard showing a potted Lily of the Valley plant that Walter's gun pointed towards in the previous episode
End Times (Breaking Bad)
"End Times" is the twelfth episode of the fourth season of the American television drama series Breaking Bad, and the 45th overall episode of the series...
.
Production
The plot wrap-up was planned by the series' production team since the beginning of the season, partly because they were not certain at the time whether the series was going to renew for another season. Specifically, the visual effect of Gus FringGus Fring
Gustavo 'Gus' Fring is a fictional character in the American television drama series Breaking Bad on AMC. He is portrayed by Giancarlo Esposito and was created by series creator Vince Gilligan. Gus is one of the most prominent methamphetamine distributors in the southwest...
's massive facial wounds took months to prepare, with assistance from the special effects team from fellow AMC drama The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead (TV series)
The Walking Dead is an American post-apocalyptic horror television series developed for television by Frank Darabont and based on the ongoing comic book series, The Walking Dead, by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard...
. The effect was produced using elaborate make-up on Giancarlo Esposito
Giancarlo Esposito
Giancarlo Giuseppe Alessandro Esposito is a Danish-born American film and television actor and director.-Early life:Esposito was born in Copenhagen, Denmark to an Italian father and African-American mother. His mother was an opera and nightclub singer from Alabama, who once appeared on the same...
's face, combined with CGI
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
that took two separate shots and combined them seamlessly.
The songs playing throughout the episode were "Black" by Danger Mouse
Danger Mouse
Brian Joseph Burton , better known by his stage name Danger Mouse, is an American musician, songwriter and producer. He came to prominence in 2004 when he released The Grey Album, which combined vocal performances from Jay-Z's The Black Album with instrumentals from The Beatles' White Album.He...
& Daniele Luppi, "Goodbye" by Apparat
Apparat (musician)
Apparat is a German electronic musician living in Berlin and was previously a co-owner of Shitkatapult records. Starting out with dance floor-oriented techno, he later started to create ambient music and more recently became "more interested in designing sounds than beats".In 2004, he appeared at...
and "Freestyle" by Taalbi Brothers.
External links
- "Face Off" at the official Breaking Bad site