As the fifth season of AMCs Breaking Bad has just kicked off we take a look at the ten most significant moments in Walter Whites fall from meek chemistry teacher to the top drug lord in the south. When Breaking Bad began, series creator Vince Gilligan told us that his goal for the character of Walt in the series would be to turn Mr Chips into Scarface. By the end of the fourth season of the show it is clear that Walt has crossed a serious boundary and can now finally be considered wholly irredeemable. This transformation has been a gradual and nuanced transition worthy of a look back over as we enter into the final hours of the show. This article is for fans of the series so please be aware that it is rife with spoilers.
1. Gray Matter
Arguably the beginning of Walter Whites fall started prior to the inception of the series in his dealings with Elliot and Gretchen Schwartz and Gray Matter. Although the details on this have been left vague (for now), it was revealed to us that Walt was a founding member of Gray Matter and that his relationship with Gretchen led to him ostracising himself from the couple and the company. It is clear in the episodes Gray Matter and Peekaboo that Walt has harboured impotent rage for years as a result of his work in the company not being acknowledged. This could be considered part of the reason for Walts great sense of pride that emerges later in the series as well.