I mention the class warfare because in the Gretchen-Walt confrontation scene at the restaurant, Walt makes a snide remark to Gretchen phrased something like the rich girl and her millions or something like that.

What is Walt's background? Was he brilliant, but poor? On a scholarship? Did he fall in love with a millionairess, but felt inferior to, and intimidated by, her wealth and social background?

I think he was both brilliant AND stupid. He may have thought at some point long ago that even though his friends Elliot and Gretchen were climbing the ladder of success with an idea HE originally developed, and he got that prestigious award for his contribution to society, his felt his true niche lied in teaching the knowledge he accumulated to young people in a classroom enviroment. Maybe it satisfied him more to be able to look at a brilliant young chemist/scientist and say "Yeah, I taught that kid everything he/she knows".

But in the meantime, life was passing him by at blinding speed, and he was either too ignorant or lacked the common sense to realize "Well gee, maybe I better start looking at the future and use my intelligence to better prepare my family for whatever financial hardships that may lay ahead." And as a final result of not having that foresight, he's driving a piece of shit Pontiac Aztec and his friends are driving a $100,000.00 Bentley, and has resorted to making illegal drugs to have money to live.

I do think Walt might be one of those classic cases of brilliant intellectual intelligence, maybe not so emotionally/socially smart.

Also, even if Walt felt teaching chemistry was his calling, why wasn't it at the university level for undergraduate or even graduate students? Remember the guests at the Gray Matter party for Elliott asking Walt what university he taught at?

A chemist who has been part of a Nobel Prize research award would, at the very least, only be interested in teaching to those who are interested in the subject at the depth that he knows it (i.e. university level - probably at doctoral level). Why is he teaching at the public school level for apathetic high school students?

Something had to either have happened to Walt or it is a character flaw of Walt's that prevented him from achieving more with his intelligence and knowledge. Really curious to know why.

Perhaps back in the day when he was getting it on with little rich girl Gretchen she may have ridiculed him with "Okay, you're brilliant and all, but you'll never amount to anything in your life, so walk behind me and maybe I'll let you smell me." It's a known fact that if somebody runs another person into the ground with words such as those for enough times they start believing it themselves, and their psyche is ruined forever.

Something else: Maybe back in the Walt and Gretchen days, they rubbed elbows with a lot of Gretchen's high class rich friends and relatives, and Walt being the honest, humble man that he is, saw all these snobs and decided that if money forces your nose to grow up into the air like that and changes a person's attitude so much, then I think I would rather live a life where such a thing won't happen to me. Anyway, wasn't it just on this past episode where it came out that he ended it with her at one of her Daddy's snob functions or something?

I agree with Jamm in that something powerful in Walt's past has anchored him to his work/fiefdom ethic and lower echelon life. My kinda predictable prediction would be that poor Walt had a (gasp) DRUG problem after his, as still undefined, split with Gretchen went down. Like youse, not crazy about her anymore. OK, she's not a SKANK, but she's certainly making our man Hank squirm more than he needs or seems to deserve. Like BFInnaz, can't remember how their b-up unfolded.

Was bothered about things like: Why doesn't Walt have health insurance and a decent life insurance policy; what with a special needs kid'n all? ..but am LETTING that stuff GO since the writing excels so often in other areas. Can't wait for more...!

No info on the breakup in the last episode, other than Walt just up and walked out on her family's 4th of July gathering years ago. By Gretchen's questions, she didn't know why, and apparently Walt never supplied the answer immediately after or even now, years later.

There's just something real weird about someone this smart (Walt) folding like he did. God, why wasn't anybody recruiting for him? And notice, he does stay in New Mexico, pretty much the home state for alot of scientists - isn't it? He stays close enough to Los Alamos, NM, yet he's really not a part of the scientific community there? Hmm.....

I'm guessing Gretchen did some things Walt didn't agree with while they were together, because despite his turn to the "bad side" he seemed to be a very straight-laced guy, thats what caused them to break up imo. I'm hoping to see some more flashbacks or something later in the season about that storyline, as it would explain a lot.

I noticed that plaque in the first season as well, the way he looked at it.........seemed like he was still thinking about it. It seems odd that he would leave it up there though, almost a constant reminder of his past..........

About Walt going into teaching, as someone who is in educations school (not for science though) Walt does seem to be someone who very much is a good teacher and is a passionate one who cares about teaching young people, Even though for someone with a mind like his it might be a bit of an intellectual wasteland. He still seemed to keep up with the scientific community when he could though (his proposed weekend trip to see mars rover photographs.) He was such a lovable nerd then :)

Jamm54, bigfreakinnaz, and James26, I think we could write a book with all the stuff we talk about on here. LOL

laz: Let's get that novel started! LOL. Or our alternate script for the show.....oh god, we are losing it, and there's still 7 more episodes to go!

I don't know if I can really view Walt as lovable or a nerd anymore. He's getting pretty tough!

I think back in the first season he was kind of a sweet little nerd :D My friend said she could picture me like that in 30 years..........I don't know if thats good or bad to be honest.........

Walt was very sweet in the first season. Remember his freak-out on the road in his tightie whities? He was a crying, trembling mass of jelly. Don't think we'll see that again.....

I still have more questions than answers about Walt & Gretchen's relationship and I get the feeling that, at least for now, we're not going to learn anything new. Perhaps later on another piece of the puzzle will be tossed to us, but things have temporarily fallen into place, however precariously.

Like jamm54, I think Walt is socially inept. In addition, he was immature during his relationship with Gretchen and carries a huge grudge against her and her now-husband. How long do you figure that's been going on? It doesn't seem healthy.

For Gretchen's part, she is lording the money over Walt's head and I find her behavior annoying. She knows Walt is lying to Skyler, but what is it to her? Did she have a friendship with Skyler earlier? I can see why Walt didn't want to take the money!

Even though I have loved this story line, I'm OK with the fact that I might not get more information. You guys know about fanfic, right? This is a perfect arc for it!

Oh, by the way, I still think Gretchen has the hots for Walt and is jealous of his family. She may not like what he does, but she wants him. I was half afraid that she would make him have sex with her in exchange for keeping quiet!

Walt broke it off, not Gretchen. She was really crying in the episode last season when she learned of his lung cancer, so there is some reservoir of deep feelings left for him.

In their confrontational scene in the restaurant, Walt saying "fuck you" was rather shocking and more than just trying to throw Gretchen off the scent. I felt it indicated alot of anger from the past, and not only about her present interference.

I think the writers are leaving a lot of crumbs around because there's a lot of backstory to tell about ALL the characters, and how those stories of the past influence the future. We get a snapshot of Walt Mr. Peepers White, but we don't know why, for all his brilliance, he took the path that he did up until his terminal illness. The past does influence your future......they'll tell the stories because there needs to be a yardstick to measure the kind of stark contrast and evolution between the Walt of the past, and the Walt of the future, to see the extremity of those changes.

In the end, maybe the problem of Walt is that he was just a timid (albeit brilliant) gutless wonder. As another commenter observed, after not answering Jesse's question of why he wanted to cook meth, Walt said "I'M AWAKE". And that might have been the first time in his life that he ever felt courageous and in control of his destiny.

Maybe Walt broke it off, but we don't know why. He's not all that great about sharing his feelings unless he's holding a talking pillow!

I think he's just really lousy at communicating and unable to say what he wants. This lack has permeated every aspect of his life. In the past, he just gave in to whatever everyone else suggested and tried to be happy about it. But no more. People are going to play by his rules now, including Gretchen.

My opinion is that he "lost" Gretchen because he wasn't assertive enough all those years ago. They had a brief fling and were perhaps even in love (as much as you can be when you're young), but ultimately his inability to be a risk-taker (interpret as you wish), cost him their relationship.

Remember during the first season when Walt's phone rings just as he arrives home? He looks at it and before answering, expects to speak to Elliott, but instead it's Gretchen. The wave of emotion crossing over his face changes from annoyance to contempt in about 3 seconds!

Remember when she said she went up to his room and he was packing......no words.......

I'm wondering what Walt was REALLY up to when all that went down.........seems to parallel his current relationship with Skylar in the no communicating aspect......no?

Hadn't thought of that, DD, good point. If you look at all his relationships (family, in-laws, work), everyone treated him as this sweet, unassertive, rather quiet man. They all liked him (the principal, Hank, etc), but Walt seemed like an easy mark to be dominated. His passive acceptance of anyone else's agenda overriding his desires, feelings, needs, thoughts seemed like a given assumption by those he's in contact/relationships with. Heck, look at Skyler. She's at least 11-12 years younger than Walt (in a scene with Marie complaining that she never expected to be pregnant again this close to 40), yet she's the "pants" in the relationship, until recently. Walt's timidity severely limited his voice - he's never spoken up for himself, as you say.

Did anybody notice that after Walt came home from meeting with Gretchen, Skyler was waiting for him of course, and she said that Gretchen called her and told her simply "We're no longer going to be able to give any more money for Walt's treatments". NOT "Walt told me to fuck off!" or "Walt's up to no good Skyler, you better watch out." or something to that tune. So that really goes to show that Gretchen may still have some sort of feelings left for Walt after all, by the way she covered for him.

But the big question remains! What sort of excuse is Walt gonna come up with to account for having money to pay for his treatments now that "The well has run dry"?

Not sure, I think Walt is te kind of guy that perhaps felt that E&G would make good with what he should of gotten.

Not a payment for medical bills but what he was due.

Fat Chance huh?

Actually, I thought it was kind of bitchy for Gretchen to call Skyler at all with ANY info after meeting with Walt. She could've just dropped it, period. Personally, I didn't think Walt owed Gretchen any explanations of what he was doing. He wasn't accepting money from them or directly involving them in his financial arrangements - he was letting Skyler make assumptions. Why should Gretchen care what he's doing - except that she does care for Walt. So.....don't think that's the last of Gretchen by any means.

And, zia, dead right - Gray Matter owes Walt either in a patent or copyright way for information, and too chintzy or jerky to give him his financial due. He got screwed by them, but not exactly sure how, and being Walt, he didn't fight for it.

Rewatched the Gray Matter episode today from season 1.....interesting in retrospect.......like walt congradulating Elliot & Gretchen on getting the patent secured.........and Walt turning down the job offer from Elliot........

I don't think Gretchen or Elliott were lying when they said Walt was half of Gray Matter. Offering him a job? C'mon, for ethical considerations it should be a percentage ownership of the business or patent royalties - but they didn't get that generous.....

Walt should get an attorney and sue the shit outta Elliot and Gray Matter. Maybe Skyler will suggest to Walt that they do it, since they screwed him in the first place and they need the money so badly. Elliot is no "friend". That geek is all business, and he had every intention on screwing Walt from the get-go. That was a joke offering a job to Walt, and Elliot knowing him so well, and what kind of a person he was, knew he wouldn't accept it.

That HAD to be a slap in Walt's face to see that Bentley parked in his driveway, knowing full well that it was because of him Gretchen was driving it.

Or, Walt could bring Elliot and Gretchen a "let's forget all this business" summer salad. (secret ingredient - killer chili bean powder, mmm) When they convulse and die, our HERO calls the Pinkster to dispose of the carcasses ('cause he's so damn good at it), and the two start cookin' big batches in the palace that GOOD chemistry bought!

Ha! Yeah right, Walt could have Elliot and Gretchen sign off on something that would say in the event of their untimely deaths, everything would get turned over to Walter White! Then he could get busy in the RV cooking up some ricin-laced something-or-other to put in the macaroni salad at the next party at their estate! Brilliant!! Hey, Skyler would look awfully foxy cruising around in that shiny, black Bentley!

Maybe Jesse and Walt can market their "special" added ingredient at Walgreens or Wal-Mart for those do-it-yourself home meth cookers.....but, personally, your summer salad recipe sounds enticing! You're a crack-up BurbankB!

With the way Jesse's going, he could be a mortician by the time this is over. He'll offer extras like no embalming or cremation charges!

Yeah, but you have to pay for the plastic tub......Part of the contract, you know.

DURING THE FLASHBACK WALT AND GRENCHEN WERE IN THE CLASSROOM WALT WAS AT THE BOARD SHE WAS WRITING THE INFO DOWN FOR THE PERCENT OF EACH PIREODIC THAT MAKES UP THE HUMAN BODY AT THE RESTAURANT WHEN HE TOLD HER TO F*** OFF SHE SAID WHAT HAPPENED BACK THEN WAS HE WAS UPSTAIRS PACKING GETTING READY TO LEAVE WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT WHY HE WAS LEAVING SO I THINK THAT HE CAUGHT HER FOOLING AROUND SO HE LEFT SHE HOOKED UP WITH BEST FRIEND STARTED GRAY MATTER WALT DID NOT WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH BETRAIL SO HE STAYED AWAY