Was awesome! A very dark beginning of the season, and it is a curious thing how the most unnoticed component of such things is actually the secret ally of all foreshadowing masters; The costume design. From Jesse Pinkman's leather jacket(??!!!!) to Mike's mafia Dracula shirt collar, to the fact that everyone, including coloful Skylar were wearing ALL BLACK, even Walter Junior. Another odd decision was all the bald heads...There's nearly bald Jesse, Mike, whose white head stubble glimmers almost angelically in the New Mexico sunlight, Walter, and inexplicably, Ted. There seems to be a message sent to the viewer in these costuming and styling decisions, and, one must wonder, what is it saying?
Firstly let us examine the use of all black clothing for the major characters in this episode. Walter was wearing all black pants and shirt, almost office or special occasion styled. Skylar similarly wore a black pencil skirt type outfit, contrary to her stylishly shapeless/office shirt with a colourful twist outfits of the previous seasons. Her token bead gauntlet bracelet stays, possibly signifying a desire to hold on to the past in the face of a terrifying future for her and her family. Both of the Whites were dressed to the nines, and if looked at in a certain light, almost in funeral attire. Seems appropriate actually, considering the last season's finale which becomes this season's big reveal. They are both feeling a deep seated terror, perhaps with a bit of a celebratory tune to it on Walt's side. Gus is no more, and the future is both frightening and uncertain. It is as if they want to appease his ghost by dressing respectfully for the dead. Whether both of the characters actually planned this or it was a unconscious message to the viewer, will remain up to the viewer's interpretation.
Next is Jesse Pinkman. Jesse was known for wearing a colourful array of "ghetto" and "gangster" style hoodies, t-shirts and pants. He had one of almost every colour throughout the seasons. In this episode, he is suddenly being an intense and reasonable voice in contrast with a very panicked Mike. Of course, when I say "panicked" I mean panicked by Mike's standards, which is still a very calm mofo. This seems to make no sense, until we come to the next big theme in the episode: Bald heads.
What do bald heads mean to us? Different and distinct things, like punk culture, the army, cancer, religious calling, and of course, the newborn child is bald. Once we consider this, it is amazing how each of these factors connect to the characters at this point in the series. Walter, of course, still has cancer, as shown by the brief and beautifully framed shot of him coughing in the restroom of the roadside diner at the beginning of the episode. But, more than that, Walter is reborn in this episode. He is now free, free of Gus and the threat of being killed off by bigger fish. He is now the big fish. He is now Gus.
Mike is bald with white stubble barely showing at the top of his head. He is now a panicked, wounded and pathetic version of himself. The scene at the beginning of his journey shows this by having him feed chickens by the roadside. It is both an allegory to the Pollos Hermanos's demise, and to Mike's decreased badassery. In fact, is half assed plan of "running for it" seems very familiar to us from previous seasons. He is now Jesse Pinkman.
Jesse, clearly reborn as Mike. Badasery and leather, srrsly. And that leaves the question, who is Ted reborn as?
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