Anyone into 'BREAKING BAD'? (part 4)

If there was a chance, telling her would be a noteworthy tactical error on Walt's part, one I highly doubt he'd make given the stakes.
If she did go to a hospital and said "I need to be treated for ricin poisoning immediately", a criminal investigation would ensue because it isn't exactly a household chemical. Given her employer (Madrigal, who investigators know is central to the Fring/Heisenberg blue meth syndicate), and the timing concurrent with the Aryan massacre, I think she'd be quickly implicated in the whole shebang and spend the rest of her days in prison.

 

Alright, the info on Wikipedia suggests that recovery from an oral dose is possible but I as but I presumed that Walt would not tell her if he thought she'd have a shot at surviving.

 

I don't think so. It's already been several hours and there is nothing like an anti-toxin for ricin, and the drug is already through her digestive system & spreading throughout her body, she was a goner no matter what.

Another poster in this thread already mentioned that her symptoms are wrong though - administered orally she would not be manifesting respiratory flu-like symptoms as depicted, it would be gastrointestinal/then organ shutdown/death. I'm surprised the writers missed this very ez to research point. Unless I am missing something (did Lydia snort her tea?). Seems like they should have had Lydia on the crapper not in bed with kleenex and a vaporizer. But this is just TV....

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/ricin/facts.asp

The major symptoms of ricin poisoning depend on the route of exposure and the dose received, though many organs may be affected in severe cases.

Inhalation: Within a few hours of inhaling significant amounts of ricin, the likely symptoms would be respiratory distress (difficulty breathing), fever, cough, nausea, and tightness in the chest. Heavy sweating may follow as well as fluid building up in the lungs (pulmonary edema). This would make breathing even more difficult, and the skin might turn blue. Excess fluid in the lungs would be diagnosed by x-ray or by listening to the chest with a stethoscope. Finally, low blood pressure and respiratory failure may occur, leading to death. In cases of known exposure to ricin, people having respiratory symptoms should seek medical care.

Ingestion: If someone swallows a significant amount of ricin, he or she would likely develop vomiting and diarrhea that may become bloody. Severe dehydration may be the result, followed by low blood pressure. Other signs or symptoms may include seizures, and blood in the urine. Within several days, the person’s liver, spleen, and kidneys might stop working, and the person could die.

 

Impressive ratings. Last season's finale got 2.8 million viewers. Last week's best-ever got 6.6 million. And last night's got 10.3 million.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2013/09/30/breaking-bad-finale-amc-ratings/2896759/

http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/09/30/breaking-bad-series-finale-ratings/

 

plus he was laying on top of Jesse

 

It also should be noted that Lydia didn't know what she was poisoned with. If a doctor doesn't know how to treat the cause, and too much time had already passed, then she'd be a goner. Remember when Brock was poisoned and they didn't know how to treat him?

 

Plus the deluxe blu-ray box set which will be sitting proudly on my shelf!

 

Perhaps they just applied a little poetic license as the final result is the same - death. I think it would have been very hard to show Lydia exhibiting the effects of an ingested dosage of ricin, so they opted to show the inhaled dosage symptoms.

It could have also been sloppy research, but I hope that's not the case here.

 

I love that he died with a wry smile on his face.

 

I'm just glad I drink my coffee black!

 

I don't know. I don't really think a TV show *has* to do "research" if it means that the writers would discard story ideas that wouldn't really be scientifically plausible-- ultimately, if storytelling "feels real" I feel that overrides if it actually, well, "is real." I know that that will annoy the small portion of the audience with real scientific credentials, but if it's done in an entertaining manner I suspect most of those viewers will forgive the inaccuracy.

After all, the recent Mythbusters on Breaking Bad didn't exactly validate some of the events of a few classic episodes. And as much as I enjoyed watching it, nothing I saw made me enjoy those earlier episodes any less.

 

Me too! And why wouldn't he considering the fondness he displayed for the mechanisms (a meth producing lab) that turned him into Heisenberg, a role that made him feel more alive and successful than anything else in his life? In those last few seconds he seemed content.

And I love that his character, in my view, redeemed himself in the end, something that I did not think was possible after his confession about Jane's death to Jesse. He may have gone from Mr. Chips to Scarface but it was ultimately his humanity that trumped Heisenberg's actions.

 

Lydia could also videotape a confession in her last 24 hours giving up dirt or sabotaging Skyler, Jesse, etc. On the other hand, Walt's final conversation with Lydia makes for better drama and closure to the story. Walt could also not have taken the risk to contact Skyler at all, and by chance Jack and Todd are the two left alive for Walt and Jesse to get their last jabs. But storytelling requires these devices.

 

Agreed. Let's just assume that being held as a prisoner changed Jesse's priorities; his self-preservation kicked in and he was just deliriously happy to make it out alive.

 

So was the lab "Felina" from the Marty Robbins song 'El Paso'?

With the caress, the smile and the way he said he felt empowered by it, while we waited for him to die in Skylar's arms, he seem to pass where he wanted .

 

As I've mentioned I'm not too concerned about the mechanics of Walt poisoning Lydia. But I am curious about his motivations. Was it simply that she was vaguely a loose end and a threat to his considerable ego (continuing to use his formula, and now refining it back to "blue" levels) or because she was a threat to his family (I actually don't remember if he specifically knew about Todd and the Neo-Nazi's threatening Skylar prior to their conversation in the finale)?

 

I use Splenda, and I have been THOROUGHLY checking the packets I've used today!

 

This was already covered in this thread...

 

Double post.

 

He knew that Skylar saw her at the car wash. I think that was enough for him to know that Lydia was a threat to his family.

 

quote]

Walt told her on the phone.

 

My memory must be bad because I don't remember him specifically mentioning ricin to Lydia.

 

Something along the lines of "that's the effects of the ricin I put in that Stevia crap you're always using".

 

I would have liked to see him beat cancer and end the show with him a kingpin in prison.