Hermanos
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| Breaking Bad | |
| Season 4, Episode 8 | |
 | |
| Air date | September 4, 2011 |
| Written by | Sam Catlin & George Mastras |
| Directed by | Johan Renck |
| Episode Guide | |
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| Images from "Hermanos" | |
Contents |
In a flashback to the hospital after Hank's shooting ("I See You"), Walt confronts Gus about who was behind the attempt on his life. Meanwhile, Mike slips away, unnoticed, after murdering the Cousin who survived the ambush. Later, still in flashback, Tio seethes silently in a nursing home as Gus almost victoriously describes the Cousins' deaths, and the cryptic warning Hank received before the attack. Cartel boss Juan Bolsa is also dead, Gus reports. "This is what comes," says Gus, repeating Bolsa's own phrase, "of 'blood for blood.'"
Summary
Back in the present at an oncology clinic, another patient tries to commiserate with Walt. Walt won't hear it; he dismisses the young man's suggestion that cancer has put the man's life on hold. "That is such bullshit," says Walt. He's the one in charge, not cancer. Later at the superlab, Gus observes Walt's every move on the security-camera feed; despite his vehemence, Walt's not in charge of anything right now.
The APD and DEA summon Gus to APD headquarters, where he notices a Person-of-Interest sketch of Victor on a bulletin board. Hank, APD Detective Tim Roberts, Gomez and ASAC Merkert then greet Gus. Tim reveals that Gus's fingerprints were found at a murder scene. "Gale Boetticher's apartment?" Gus offers. Gale, he explains, won a chemistry scholarship that Gus established to honor Maximino Arciniega, "a dear friend of mine who died too young." Gale reestablished contact recently, and over dinner at Gale's apartment (thus explaining Gus's fingerprints) he proposed a "vague investment opportunity" that Gus declined.
That would seem to explain everything, but Hank presses on: "Is Gustavo Fring your real name?" Hank asks before rattling off Gus's bio: Chilean national who emigrated to Mexico in 1986 and to the U.S. a few years later. Hank wonders why no record of Gus exists in Chile. The Pinochet dictatorship kept "notoriously unreliable" records, Gus replies, assuring Hank that he'll locate documentation eventually.
After Gus departs, Hank and his colleagues discuss their impressions. Hank's colleagues are convinced by the scholarship story. It's good, Hank admits, though he wonders why a supposed law-enforcement booster didn't come forward sooner with information about a murder case. Clearly, he's not satisfied.
Saul visits Andrea at a house she's just rented in a nice neighborhood and delivers cash from Jesse. Afterward, in Saul's car, a concerned Jesse asks about the house and Andrea's son, Brock. Saul then prods Jesse to check on them himself.
At home, Skyler conceals cash in vacuum-sealed plastic bags of clothes, and then hangs them in her closet. The weight of the bags snaps the closet support rod, so she stashes the bags in the crawl space under the house.
At dinner that night, Walt gives his family the news that his cancer is still in remission, to their relief. Marie mentions that Hank met with top DEA people about something "very hush-hush." Uncomfortable, Hank changes the subject and asks Walt to drive him to a mineral show the next day.
The next day, Hank admits there's no mineral show and instead directs Walt to the Los Pollos Hermanos parking lot. "Ready to get your mind blown?" Hank asks. He suspects Gus Fring is a major drug distributor, and to prove it, Hank wants Walt to plant a GPS tracker in the wheel-well of Gus's Volvo. While Hank gives Walt installation instructions, Mike pulls up beside Walt's car and stares him down.
Walt, panicking, tries to dissuade Hank. "This is a mistake," says Walt. "Jesus, don't make me beg," Hank replies. Walt approaches the Volvo and drops to his knee, but doesn't plant the device. He then proceeds into Los Pollos Hermanos, where Gus greets him. "I didn't do it," says Walt, flashing the GPS device. "Do it," says Gus, evenly. Walt returns to the parking lot and this time plants the GPS tracker.
Back at the superlab, Walt rushes to the security camera and addresses Gus. Hank has no hard evidence and his colleagues don't buy his theory, Walt says, begging Gus not to harm Hank.
Later, Walt visits Jesse at home and says that Gus must be killed this week, preferably tonight. No meetings with Gus are scheduled, says Jesse, but when Jesse briefly steps away, Walt surreptitiously reads an incoming text on Jesse's phone about a canceled meeting. "Boss is busy," it reads. Now Walt knows for sure: Jesse is lying.
Mike calls Gus the next day and reports that neither the police nor the DEA considers him a suspect. Hank is operating solo. "What about Chile?" asks Gus. Mike can't find anything about Gus there, so Hank probably won't either. A more serious concern, says Mike, is what would happen if Hank witnesses the Cartel moving against Gus.
Gus removes the GPS tracker from his car and stows it on a nearby newspaper dispenser before he drives to the nursing home, where he informs Tio that he has defied the Cartel's ultimatum and that Hank is looking into Gus's past. "Is today the day, Hector?" Gus asks Tio cryptically.
In another flashback, it's 1989. Gus and his partner, Max Arciniega, sit poolside at a lavish Mexican hacienda. A younger Tio walks out, urinates in the pool, and otherwise disrespects Gus and Max in front of Juan Bolsa. Don Eladio -- the Cartel boss—strides out and compliments Gus and Max on their chicken, saying that all his men love it. His demeanor changes, though, when he mentions that his men also get high on meth they receive from Gus and Max. Samples, Gus replies, for Don Eladio, to get his attention. Don Eladio calls meth the poor man's cocaine because there's no money in it.
Max says he's a trained chemist and makes a great product, very potent and pure. Gus points out that Don Eladio assumes great risk smuggling cocaine into the United States, but then must send much of the profit back to the Colombians, since the drug precursor plant can't be grown in Mexico. With meth made locally, he'd keep all of the profits.
Don Eladio accuses Gus of insulting him by manipulating him into a meeting in front of his own men. Gus apologizes, but Max senses Don Eladio's anger, and the rising danger to Gus. "He is my partner!" pleads Max. "I need him." While Max speaks about Gus' great skills, Tio steps up behind him and shoots him in the head. Juan Bolsa pushes Gus to the ground, and Tio places his foot on Gus's neck, forcing him to look into his partner's eyes as Max bleeds out into the pool.
"You did this to him," says Tio. "Now look at him."
Don Eladio tells Gus that he remains alive only because Don Eladio knows who he is. "But understand," warns Don Eladio. "You are not in Chile anymore."
Back in the present at the nursing home, Gus leans in close to Tio. "Look at me, Hector," he commands, but Tio stubbornly refuses. "Maybe next time," taunts Gus, leaving Tio to silently rage in his chair.
Credits
Main Cast
- Bryan Cranston as Walter White
- Anna Gunn as Skyler White
- Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman
- Dean Norris as Hank Schrader
- Jonathan Banks as Mike
- Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman
- Giancarlo Esposito as Gus Fring
- Betsy Brandt as Marie Schrader
- RJ Mitte as Walter White Jr.
Supporting Cast
- Mark Margolis as Tio
- Javier Grajeda as Juan Bolsa
- James Martinez as Max Arciniega
- Emily Rios as Andrea
- Lavell Crawford as Huell
- Steven Bauer as Don Eladio
- Steven Michael Quezada as Steven Gomez
- Michael Shamus Wiles as ASAC Merkert
- Nigel Gibbs as Tim Roberts
Trivia
- "Max Arciniega" is the same name as the actor who played Krazy-8.
Featured Music
- "Concerto in C For Flute & Harp, K-299 Andantino" by W. A. Mozart
- "Crickets Sing for Ana Maria (Os Grilos)" by Walter Wanderly
- "Grandparents Polka" by Fritz's Polka Band
Breaking Bad Episodes
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