A Fate Worse Than Death for Mr. White PART 2

(1) The Schwartz’s kitchen is heavily decorated with chickens, indicating a possible connection with LPH or Gus, who was also involved in scholarships for chemists (ie Gale). The Schwartz’s are very rich, connected and they not only “kept Walt’s secret” but lied to Skyler’s face about it.

(2) Gray Matter produces pharmaceutical products, necessary for making meth. I would not be surprised if Walt targeted one of the Schwartz’s warehouses as the site to steal methylamine from in S1. He would be familiar with the site, but more so, it’s another way of saying F*** You! Walt used thermite to melt through the lock, a process which could be linked to Tio’s pipe bomb. Using methylamine makes meth blue: it is only a matter of time before Hank discovers that too, given his mineral monomania, endless leads-following, and overall determination.

(3) Schwartz means BLACK. Gray Matter is derived from White + Schwartz. Black is a deeply entrenched theme & it will come back big time in S5. Black also symbolizes Walt and Jesse’s worst deeds: Jane’s choice color returned with Gale’s murder. Of the many books consuming Gale’s flat, black is a theme among the several visible titles (Black Like Me, Black Boy etc). Black is also the title of the song playing in the final scene of S4, with quite telling lyrics.

(4) The name Schwartz is German, and also a municipality in Germany, which will join Mexico & Chile in global plot contributions, with references a plenty to Madrigal and “Nazi zombies.” While I’d bet that Gale (and Beneke) are of German descent, Gale’s Notes mention a German pharmaceutical company (Hahnlein) and his LPH napkin has a serial number ending in “- GER.”

(5) This will be related to the themes of partnership and falling-out dissolution, demonstrated with Walt/Jesse and Gus with Max/Victor/Mike.

(6) In Peekaboo, Walt insists that “carbon is at the center of it all.” Just like White + Schwartz formulation, carbon is a combination of white/clear and black materials (diamonds and graphite). Like carbon, Gray Matter will ultimately be at the center of everything. Further supporting this, Walt resumes with the tale of H. Tracy Hall, who invented the synthetic diamond. As a work-for-hire, Dr. Hall’s discovery was compensated with a $10 U.S. savings bond, despite making General Electric a fortune. Feeling similarly screwed over by life and its carbon basis, Walt strongly identifies with Dr. Hall. I just have a hunch that Walt will get screwed again by the Schwartz’s, only this time via Madrigal, thus mirroring Hall and GE. Also, it has been implied that Walt’s cancer itself could be a consequence of working at Gray Matter.

As a final side note, recall how Walt admonished Skyler’s return to Beneke Fabricators because of potential exposure to harmful fumes. Not only does the theme of carcinogenic exposure in the workplace come back but Skyler dismisses it by insisting that Beneke’s installed a new ventilation system. Overall, suggests possible connections between Beneke, Gray Matter, LPH & Madrigal.