‘Breaking Bad’ Retro Recap: ‘Abiquiu’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

It really is quite fascinating how small our world truly is. Because despite the fact that there are billions of humans spread out all over the planet, we somehow manage to encounter the ones that we know from ages ago from time to time or we run into people that somehow are connected to important moments in our lives. A surprise that truly does inform us that we are closer than we think as a species and more interconnected than we will ever know, and it happens often enough that sometimes, we wonder if a greater force is at work here. Since notions of destiny are easy to tie to such strange and unexpected encounters and surprises, the kind that sometimes lead us to unique and heartbreaking chapters in our lives since the return of a person from days gone by or the arrival of one that is tied to a powerful moment, can either open a door to new possibilities… or remind us of great heartbreak.
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If anything, this is relevant to our discussion today, simply because this notion found its way into the fabric of the next episode of Breaking Bad. For ‘Abiquiu’ saw Jesse Pinkman be reminded of how small a world we live in and how heartbreaking that can be sometimes, but it sure didn’t seem as though that was going to be the case for his journey in the slightest. For a great deal of this tale saw Jesse simply trying to sell his own personal supply of Blue Sky, with poor results. Because the plan to sell it to recovering addicts wasn’t working since a great deal of the people in his twelve-step program were actually trying to better themselves and well, that motivated Jesse to try and push a new member to the group, named Andrea, to buy and use to prove to his buddies how easy this would be if they applied themselves.

But alas, that simply didn’t work out as he expected either. Because he actually grew quite fond of Andrea, to the point where he even worked to make nice with her son in the hopes of seeing something build with her. Plus, he shielded her from the drugs after all and well, it was this gentler approach to getting to know her, that brought about the episode’s theme. For eventually, Jesse came to learn that Andrea had a little brother named Tomás, and he fell in with the wrong crowd, and eventually crossed a big line in order to join a local gang… one that involved killing Combo. A revelation that hammered home the tiny nature of our world and of course, how discovering our ties to other people can bring about trouble. For Jesse was livid over this discovery and it would seem he is going to make things right in the most violent way imaginable. Especially after learning that Tomás and his handlers are selling Jesse and Walt’s product.

Yet while that alone could have carried this entire hour, there were more unique moments present within this particular tale to celebrate. For Walt offered up his first payout to Hank and Marie and well, the fact that the check came from ‘Ice Station Zebra Associates’, made Skyler quite nervous. Because she wanted to ensure that every check that went to her family, was as legit as they come and that motivated her to get involved in the business to try to help Walter find the right way to launder his money and a meeting with Saul only emboldened her further to get Walt to perhaps… bring his harrowing journey around full circle. All by buying the car wash he used to work at instead of the laser tag facility that Saul suggested, making this quite the special segment for certain. Since it helped to further Skyler’s transition into darkness since she’s now interested in Walt’s new career field. 

In the end however, this is just another amazing episode from an outright amazing series. One that once again reminded us of the fact that the characters are king and flawed individuals in this instance, that are simply trying to get by and find the right path forward, like the rest of the us. Yet at the same time, this was quite the ominous story as well. After all, Jesse is furious at the end of this story when he discovers the truth about who killed Combo and that he and Walter’s product is being sold by the same ruthless killers. And of course, Gus is being a little odd as well since the kindness and courtesy he shows Walt in this tale has to come with a price and well, the only way to find out for certain what the boss man wants… is to continue this incredible journey and see where the revelations in this tale, take us. Until next time.

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