Breaking Bad’s Pinnacle Episode Celebrates 10th Anniversary

“Breaking Bad’s Landmark Episode ‘Ozymandias’ Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary: A Look Back at the Game-Changing Hour of Television”

A decade ago, the iconic television series “Breaking Bad” delivered what is often considered its most pivotal episode, “Ozymandias.” Directed by Rian Johnson and written by Moira Walley-Beckett, this monumental installment marked a turning point in the series’ narrative and is still regarded as one of the greatest moments in television history.

Throughout its five-season run, “Breaking Bad” masterfully built tension around the inevitable consequences of Walter White’s (Bryan Cranston) actions and the web of lies and secrets he wove. However, as the series progressed into its fifth and final season, Walter White seemed to amass even more power, becoming seemingly untouchable. Even his brother-in-law, Hank Schrader (Dean Norris), couldn’t challenge him.

Then came “Ozymandias,” an hour of television that showcased one of the most brilliant creative strokes in the medium’s history. This episode brought all of Walter White’s schemes crashing down around him, leaving viewers in awe of its power. Ten years later, “Ozymandias” continues to hold the same impact it had when it first aired on September 15, 2013.

The episode begins in the desert, with the echoes of gunfire in the background, signaling the fatal confrontation between Hank, Steve Gomez, Walter, and a crew of neo-Nazi followers. While the actual gunfight remains unseen, the focus of “Ozymandias” lies in exploring the consequences of Walter White’s actions. The episode moves like falling dominoes, delivering one emotionally devastating blow after another. Hank and Steve Gomez lose their lives, Walter loses most of his ill-gotten fortune, and he finally admits to Jesse (Aaron Paul) his role in Jane’s death.

“Ozymandias” blurs the line between Walter’s criminal and personal lives, culminating in an intense showdown with his wife, Skyler (Anna Gunn), in which his son, Walter Jr. (RJ Mitte), intervenes to protect his mother. The episode reaches its heartbreaking conclusion as Walter kidnaps his daughter and later leaves her at a firehouse. In the final moments, he departs in a van, beginning a new life, yet his escape from justice remains uncertain.

The episode’s title draws inspiration from the poem “Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley, with lines like “Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!” reflecting Walter’s fall from power. However, in its closing shot, “Ozymandias” somberly evokes the poem’s less-quoted lines, “Nothing beside remains. Round the decay / Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare / The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

“Breaking Bad” was known for its narrative sleights of hand, trapping Walter White in impossible situations and then engineering his triumphs. “Ozymandias” replicates this feeling of puzzle pieces falling into place, but in a cruel twist, it strips Walter of everything. His losses, just like his victories, are the result of his choices.

Unlike most TV episodes that threaten but rarely upend the status quo, “Ozymandias” defies this convention by shattering the show’s foundation. It obliterates the status quo with the narrative ruthlessness of a Martin Scorsese-directed gangster film. In the end, “Ozymandias” leaves nothing behind but decay.

All five seasons of “Breaking Bad” are currently available for streaming on Netflix, allowing both longtime fans and new viewers to experience the brilliance of “Ozymandias” and the entire series.

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