Breaking Bad re-watch: Season 3, Episode 11: "Abiquiu"

This episode establishes a few new plotlines. Among them is Jesse (Aaron Paul) beginning a fling with fellow therapy member Andrea (Emily Rios)—first merely an excuse to sell her meth, but blossoming into a real relationship by mid-episode—and setting up the initial threads that will cause everything to unravel by season’s end. Another is Skyler (Anna Gunn) fully committing to Walt’s (Bryan Cranston) illegal doings by suggesting they buy the car wash where he worked at the series’ start.

But the most revealing scene is the very short one between Gus (Giancarlo Esposito) and Walt at the episode’s end.

Why this scene? For one, it’s a very well done scene. It seems on the surface like a nice moment of Gus showing gratitude toward Walt, but we all know Gus doesn’t do things like that. Everything he does is a calculated move to his advantage. Even though he and Walt seem to be harmlessly enjoying a meal, the way it plays out—Walt confusedly silent through it all, Gus handing him a knife and trusting him to not do anything but cut food with it—has a noticeable undercurrent of tension, like something about it is not right.

Then there’s Gus’ cryptic line, “Never make the same mistake twice.” Clearly he’s talking about Jesse. It’s like he knows Jesse will prove unreliable, and he’s just biding his time until then.

When I first watched the show, I thought Gus only planned to replace Walt with Gale (David Costabile) after Jesse crosses him next episode. This time, some hints strewn throughout this season made me think that was his whole plan all along. He never intended for Walt to stay on full-time. He just wanted him long enough for Gale, someone he could easily control, to learn the recipe, and then he’d let Walt go. Maybe even kill him without paying him. This dinner with Walt is, to me, a big indicator that this was his plan, as the whole thing seems like a ruse to put Walt at ease and off guard.