Breaking Bad: 25 Greatest Moments

10. "I'm In the Empire Business"

EmpirebusinessAs Seen In: Season 5 Episode 6: "Buyout" Though the "I am the one who knocks" speech is more iconic, the "I'm in the empire business" speech may be even more crucial. There is no ego here, no thrill-fueled Heisenberg ambition that Walt is chasing or a "I'm doing it for my family" smokescreen for him to fall back on. In one of the only honest moments that Walt has with Jesse, he reveals his true ambition for getting into the meth business. He co-founded Gray Matter with Elliot and Gretchen Schwartz years ago, and after a falling out sold his shares for $5,000. That company is now worth $2.1 Billion. It's that resentment that fuels every one of Walt's actions, and though he wouldn't admit it until the end of the series, is why he tries so hard to leave some kind of legacy behind before he dies.
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James is a 24 year old writer and filmmaker living in Portland, OR. He attended college for graphic design and writes for various sources on the web about film, television, and entertainment. You can view all of his work on his website, www.thereeljames.wordpress.com