This fall, we’ll finally get to figure out what that sadist Vince Gilligan has in store for the characters of Breaking Bad. It’s sure to be explosive, but what will happen exactly? Since the show started, fans have been constructing theories about where Walt, Jesse, and co. will end up. Below, we present our own ideas about where TV’s finest drama is headed. Spoilers of previous plot points follow.
The end of Breaking Bad will most likely be Shakespeare-level tragedy, and someone is almost definitely going to die. Who it will be is a hard question to answer, because it really could be anyone at this point. Thanks to his possible spin-off, Saul will probably survive, and I predict the increasingly tough Skyler will live as well — but not without heartbreak, of course. My original theory was that Hank would find out about Walt’s true identity at the very last minute, after Skyler and Jesse teamed up to sell him out. Now that last season’s finale has debunked my theory, the only thing I’m certain of now is that no one’s getting away clean. — Sarah Fonder, Editorial Apprentice
Vince Gilligan has stated that his desire for Breaking Bad was to show Mr. Chips becoming Scarface — which would seem to lend itself to the theory that Walter White will go out in a blaze of gunfire and blood. But I dunno; I almost think, at this point, that would fall into the realm of putting him out of his misery. It seems more likely that he’ll get arrested (maybe even in one of those hyper-dramatic situations where the arresting officer, presumably Hank, could shoot him and chooses not to) and sent to rot in prison, and live with what he’s done and who he’s become. AND WALT JR. FINALLY, AT LONG LAST, GETS SOME BREAKFAST. — Jason Bailey, Film Editor
Win or lose, Walter is going to light up that ricin cigarette at the end. — Alison Nastasi, Weekend Editor
I think Hank will either die or kill himself. Holly will probably die at the hands of Walt. I hope Walt dies, but he probably won’t. Jesse will either die or go into Witness Protection, perhaps becoming a new drug kingpin. Skyler and Walt Jr. go into Witness Protection and open up a diner specializing in amazing breakfasts. Or we jump ahead ten or so years and Brock hunts down Walt, Kill Bill style, and poisons him. — Cynthia Yee, Account Management Apprentice
What if Walt goes straight and informs on bigger baddies, á la Goodfellas? I smell a spin-off! Walt cures his cancer but turns into a junkie (we find out that meth cures cancer, but ruins your teeth and skin). — Leah Taylor, Group Managing Editor
Skyler kills Walt and becomes a drug kingpin, or Walt Jr. takes over from Walt Sr. Jesse becomes a short order cook at Los Pollos Hermanos. Hank kills Walt and swaps wives. Marie steals Tio’s bell. Saul sells his story for a TV show. Walt dies from a stroke — too much bacon on his birthdays. — Christina Doehmer, Director of Ad Operations
Everyone dies. — Michelle Dean, Editor-at-Large