Without the funds to disappear, the Whites settle for staying with Hank as they remain under DEA's protective surveillance. It leads to a rather jarring change of pace. The last episode ended with a desperate "oh God, what do we do? We are so screwed" cliffhanger and now everyone is just nonchalantly packing up their things. Even Walt recovers from his laughing fit to find some semblance of serenity.
Walt even goes so far as to stay behind and sacrifice himself so that the family doesn't suffer for his mistakes. It's noble and all, but I'm pretty sure that Gus didn't give him the option of an either/or. I'm quite certain he said that he would kill Walt AND his family..not Walt OR his family. Maybe Walt was woozy or too scared to hear straight, but it is a rather significant difference and it makes Walt's decision seem rather odd. To their credit, Skyler and Walt Jr. both note that it's a stupid move, though for entirely different reasons.
Hank, for his part, remains relatively calm about the whole thing. He doesn't buy that the cartel is after him seeing as he's not on the job anymore, though he does suspect that he has been rattling some cages. As such, he sends Gomez to investigate the laundromat as he is still convinced that it is a prime location for a drug lab.
While Walt wasn't around to provide a warning, they are able to shut down the lab so that the agents are unable to find anything. It somewhat undercuts my assertion that having Walt around as a sort of mole is an asset, though I still stand by it.
Conversely, Gus tries to use it as proof that they should just kill Walt already and be done with it. Jesse, on the other hand, sticks by his guns and says that Walt isn't to be harmed. He may think Walt's a dick, but he doesn't want to sign off on his death warrant.
Soon after, Jesse gets a call from Andrea saying that Brock has suddenly fallen ill. While you kind of figure that the kid had gotten a hold of Jesse's poison cigarette right off the bat, the reveal is still pulled off well enough that it still makes for an effective "oh crap" moment.
I came to the conclusion that it was just an accident; that the kid had picked up Jesse's pack and tried to smoke a cigarette out of curiosity or to try and be cool. Jesse, on the other hand concludes that this is Walt's doing.
His argument is flimsy as all hell, but at the same time, you can tell that he's mad, scared, and desperate. You could also argue that he's trying to transfer blame to alleviate his own guilt. Either way, he goes to Walt's and holds the guy at gunpoint (with his own gun no less).
It leads to another rather tense standoff between the two that makes for the episode's highlight. Credit to Cranston for shifting between emotions so seamlessly. He went from confused to scared to confident and angry on the turn of a dime and it all felt natural.
Not only that, but Walt deduces that Gus was the true mastermind Brock's poisoning. He notes that with the cameras, Gus probably saw the cigarette, had Tyrus take it from his locker, and poison Brock to frame Walt so that Jesse would not only be willing to have Walt killed, but to do it himself.
It's a testament to Gus' strategic thinking, but it allows Walt and Jesse to put aside their differences to start working together again. Considering I've been a fan of the two characters' dynamic from the beginning, I was rather pleased with this development.
Wouldn't it be something if it really was an accident, though, and Walt just put that story together to save his own life? It's unlikely at this point, but it would have been an interesting twist.
In any event, the two decide to take Gus out by luring him to the hospital under the pretense that Jesse refuses to work until Brock recovers. Attempts are made to strong arm Jesse back to the lab, but they backfire and Gus eventually concedes and allows Jesse the time off, as it were.
As it happens, Walt uses the time to plant an explosive on Gus' car and waits from the roof of another building to set off the detonator.
How Gus figures out that it's a trap is beyond me. I know he's good with the tactics, but he has nothing to go on here. Walt was too far away to have been seen and the shots we see from his view show nothing to indicate foul play. If there was a glint from the sun reflecting off of Walt's binocular lenses or something, it would have been nice to see it. Instead, he just stops suddenly and walks away. Even Sherlock Holmes and L had more to go on when they seemingly extrapolated facts out of thin air. It's a minor quibble and it does save the big confrontation for the season finale, which makes sense.
All in all, this was another really strong episode. It started off quiet, but once Walt and Jesse took center stage, things kicked into high gear. Between this and the last episode, this season's finale has plenty of momentum. I have a feeling this season ending is going to be a big one.
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