Breaking Bad Episode 5.04 Fifty-One

Walt and Walter, Jr. pick up the Aztec from an auto repair shop, getting an impromptu history of all the repairs the beleaguered vehicle's been through this year. Still, the mechanic says the sturdy car has a lot of miles left in it. Walt retrieves his Heisenberg porkpie hat from the front seat, and - not thrilled at the prospect of driving this car until the day he dies - sells the car to the mechanic for $50.

Afterward, Walt pulls into the driveway in a brand-new Chrysler. Walter, Jr., watching from his PT Cruiser, gives the car mild approval. Walt gets the message: it's hard to love your dad's new ride when youíre cruising in a mom-mobile. A few hours later, Walt pulls into the driveway followed by Jr. in a new Dodge Challenger - the same model Skyler insisted go back to the dealership months ago. They both rev their engines, giddy with exhilaration.

At Madrigal in Houston, Lydia receives a call from Mike, who warns that the police are about to arrive. A few seconds later, Hank and Gomez enter with officers in tow. Lydia escorts them to the Madrigal warehouse and points out Ron, the foreman. Ron stares daggers at her as the officers arrest him: she's thrown one of her own to the wolves.

Back in her office Lydia calls Mike, hysterical about Ron's arrest. He reassures her that Ron won't talk, but she says she cannot continue to supply methylamine without someone in the warehouse. "I'll send a new guy," Mike says simply.

Skyler pulls up to the driveway and finds that she's forced to park on the street thanks to Walt and Walter, Jr.'s new cars.

At dinner, Walt and Walter, Jr. playfully debate whose car is faster. Walt boasts of doing donuts while a silent Skyler looks on, not happy with this ostentatious new development.

As they prepare for bed, Walt assures Skyler that the cars can still fit their gambling story since they're only leases, not purchases. He then lays a small stack of bills on the bathroom counter. "You're back at it?" she asks. "Have to make up that $600,000 we lost," he says, getting in a dig about her relationship with Ted.

In bed, Skyler suggests sending the kids to boarding school to offer them a change of environment. When Walt asks what's wrong with their current environment, she clams up. Brazen, he promises "clear sailing" from here on out. Rubbing her shoulders and trying to set her at ease, he suggests maybe the best way to get back to normalcy is for her to throw him a birthday party.

The next morning, Skyler presents Walt with a bacon-and-eggs breakfast, impassively arranging the bacon into the number 51 only after Walter, Jr. insists.

Hank and Gomez are examining a flowchart of Gus's empire when SAC Ramey arrives. Complimenting Hank on his police-work, Ramey offers Hank the position of ASAC that Merkert has vacated, though he warns it'll mean giving up his pursuit of Heisenberg to a field agent. Hank accepts.

On the way to the White house, Marie lets slip to Hank that she's learned something troubling about Skyler, but promised Walt she wouldn't say any more. "It involves infidelity and that's all I'm going to say," she bursts out, then clarifying that it's not Walt who was unfaithful, but Skyler. Hank is surprised.

That evening, Walt, Skyler, Walter, Jr., Hank and Marie finish a low-key birthday dinner in the Whites' back yard. After Walter, Jr. excuses himself, Walt points out that it's been a year since his cancer diagnosis. As he reminisces about the early days of his treatment, Skyler slowly descends into the pool, fully-clothed, and sinks to the bottom. Panicked, Marie and Hank rush around the edge of the pool until Walt plunges in to pull her out.

In Houston, Lydia opens a loading bay door to find Jesse outside. She takes him to the warehouse, where he uses a forklift to grab a barrel of methylamine. As Jesse lowers the barrel, Lydia yells for him to stop. "Please tell me that's not what I think it is," she says, pointing her flashlight at a GPS tracker affixed to the bottom of the barrel.

As Skyler rests in the bedroom, Walt tells Hank about his marital issues, confirming Marie's story. Marie suggests she and Hank look after the kids until their issues are resolved. At Walt's prodding, Marie admits the plan is Skyler's idea.

In the bedroom, Walt tells Skyler that Marie took the kids but asserts it is only a temporary situation. Skyler puts her foot down and says that even though she herself has been compromised, "I will not have my children living in a house where dealing drugs and hurting people and killing people is shrugged off as 's- happens.'"

Skyler threatens to claim spousal abuse if Walt brings the kids home, but Walt argues she wouldn't want the police involved, nor would she want to hurt Walter, Jr. with that assertion and taunts her to come up with a better plan. She finally breaks down. "All I can do is wait," she says. "Wait for what?" Walt asks. "For the cancer to come back," she replies. Walt recoils as if he's been slapped in the face.

The next day at Vamonos Pest, Jesse and Mike discuss the GPS device while Walt listens silently. Suspicious of the GPS's sloppy installation, Mike learns that Lydia was the one who spotted it and concludes she planted it to extricate herself from the business. Mike vows to kill her, even if it means slowing down business for a while. Jesse turns to Walt for a vote to spare Lydia's life.

Walt doesn't care about Lydia, but the supply problem does bother him: "Nothing stops this train," Walt finally says. It's clear that this is the end of the discussion.

Outside, Jesse compliments Walt on his plan for dealing with Lydia, then hands him a birthday present: an expensive wristwatch.

Returning home, Walt tries to make small talk with Skyler and informs her that there's more money coming. When she makes no reply, Walt shows off Jesse's gift. "The person who gave me this present wanted me dead, too," he tells her. "He changed his mind about me, Skyler, and so will you."

In bed, Walt looks at his watch on the bedside table, then turns off the light. The watch ticks in the darkness, growing louder and louder as the seconds go by.