The page with the inscription was stuck to a blank page in front of it, basically covering the inscription somewhat; remember, Hank had to pull them apart. It's quite possible that Walt just flipped the 2 pages as one and did not even realize there was an inscription. Leaves of Grass is fairly common, so by itself, it wouldn't implicate Walt.
The things: 1) We knew from the first episode this season that Walt's cancer will be back. In the opening scene of the first episode, which took place in the future, after he met the guy in the men's room where he exchanged something (probably cash) for a set of car keys, he stood looking at himself in the mirror and coughed twice (the same way be did when he was dealing with cancer in prior seasons) then opened a prescription pill bottle and swallowed some. 2) I don't agree that this was a weak cliffhanger.
Plus, the title Leaves of Grass has more than one meaning. At the surface, the title suggests a natural setting and there is a strong naturalistic theme throughout the book. On another level, the title is meant as a pun. The term “grass” was often used in Whitman’s day to denote works of minor literature, and Whitman uses the word “leaves” to describe the pages of his book. Thus, Whitman is saying that his book is a collection of minor literature. Dual Meaning: Leaves of Grass Dual Identity: Walt White/Heisenberg Snap!
This is a really interesting idea. Walt's declaration of "I'm out" was the complete opposite of everything we've seen this season. It seemed impulsive and in contrast to the hubris we've seen of a man who still checks the stock price of the company he started and left. Walt has proven to be duplicitous, cunning and ruthless this season - I can't see him turning, on a dime, back into the family man he once was.
I don't think he forgot about the book. In one of the early episodes this season, he put it on the night stand purposely and with a smile. His ego is driven by respect; that's why he kept the book and the watch that Jesse gave him. Conversely, he killed Mike because Mike wouldn't give him any respect.
One other possibility for that book is that it was signed by his former flame Gretchen Schwartz (maiden name Black). It would be kind of ironic if he kept a book from his ex the whole time in a familiar place while married to Skylar. Doubly ironic if that would be what put Hank onto Heisenberg. I don't think that's it because that block-lettered handwriting looked masculine, but it wouldn't surprise me to see a misunderstanding like that lead to Walt's downfall. It seems like his breakup with Gretchen led to him leaving Grey Matter, selling off his stake in the company, and having such a bitter nature and an ego that was starved for decades for the accolades Walt felt he deserved. Fitting that a memento he kept from his days with Gretchen would be his undoing. Damn them for this wait!
i think the way they're going about walt's demise is really the more realistic way. i remember thinking back last season saying, would they really have hank ever find out and be the one to take down walt? i thought..nah, they'll think of something more clever, or go out with a bang with walt going out guns a blazing. yet here we are, sure looks like hank is going to be right in the thick of things. it makes sense though, walt trying to transition into running his own drug empire. having little screw ups along the way is only natural.
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For a sec there you blew my mind, I had to go back and compare the handwriting, but from reading the dedicatory I disqualified that possibility, it says: It's an honor working with you. Fondly, G.B."
As the previous poster mentioned, her maiden name was Black and they did work together previously at Grey Matter.
If Walt's cancer is back, then why does he sport full hair in Episode 1 of this Season at the diner? I thought cancer victims lose hair? Unless he's on Rogaine?
Or unless he's not on chemo. If he was given a very grim prognosis, I could see Walt not going the chemo route. He almost gave in during season 1, but he let Skylar and the rest talk him into it, partly out of guilt for breaking bad.
the more i think of this episode the more i think this would have been the perfect ending for the show (assuming we hadn't seen the flash forward) really hoping the last 8 eps can keep it up
So did Jesse ever follow up on what Walt told him when he(Jesse) drugged him in the lab? When he told him how sorry he was about Jane(dead junkie GF)? I thought he said "I never would have came to your house that night", shouldn't that have tipped Jesse off? I think they are continuing to build an angle for Jesse finding out about Walt being a bad guy, he saw him whistling after the kids death, he knows he killed Mike, and he had the gun to meet Walt when he (Walt) dropped off the money. My prediction is in the final scene Jesse kills Walt, I think it's between Jesse killing him because they fight or Jesse killing him to put him out after Walt gets brain cancer.
