Walter White's Fate on 'Breaking Bad' Was Completely Avoidable

I love a good TV fan theory. They are just so clever and strange. When I'm in the mood to go down the rabbit hole of theories, I turn to Reddit. That's where I found a theory by a user named Kumquat Vaillant, who is a fan of the critically-acclaimed drama series, Breaking Bad.

(BTW, this article may contain spoilers for those who haven't seen the show. So, if you don't like surprises, stop reading now.)

He gave his take on the book found by Hank in Walter White's bathroom. It was a copy of Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman, given to Heisenberg by his former colleague, Gale Boetticher. There was a page with Gale's signature and a handwritten note to Walt stating, "To my other favorite W.W. It’s an honor working with you. Fondly, G.B." Kumquat gave a compelling argument for how Walt can dissuade any of Hank's suspicions.

So, I started thinking about other ways Walt could've avoided his fate in the Breaking Bad finale. Was this a situation he could've talked his way out of? Was the book solid enough for Hank to use as evidence? Or, did Walt get too cocky?

The Reddit Solution

First, let's talk about Kumquat's theory. This is what he came up with:

"He [Walt] simply could have said that he knew Gale but didn't want to admit it because well, Hank would suspect him. the lie here would be that he just knew him as a fellow chemist and that they worked on something together."

Hank was hot on the trail of Heisenberg when Gale was murdered. However, it's hard to say this book was a strong indication that Walt was Heisenberg.

" I think the whole " Hank finds the book" plot point doesn't stand on anything concrete, in spite of being random and unlikely."

In other words, Hank's case was purely circumstantial. Walt should've known he can easily talk his way out of this obstacle like he has many times before. Now, let's go even further.

Hide The Evidence

Hank wouldn't have suspected Walt in the first place if the book was never found. So, why didn't Walt hide the book? Why was it left out in the open? Heisenberg is usually so careful when it comes to hiding evidence pointing to him. The man has gone as far as to melt dead bodies in acid-filled barrels. Hiding the book, or even destroying it should've been an obvious idea to him. It seems out of character for Walt to be so careless. But maybe there's a reason for that.

He Was Arrogant

Walter White is a very intelligent man. Perhaps, too intelligent for his own good. Before the book was found, Walt only gave himself away when he was drunk or under anesthesia. Along the way, this drug kingpin got a little big for his britches. The poor man actually thought he can get away with anything. Maybe, he thought no one would find Gale's book. Maybe, he forgot all about it. Or, maybe he thought the note inside wouldn't seem fishy. Ultimately, this hubris was his undoing. Walt's cockiness made him sloppy, and he paid for it dearly.

It's easy to criticize the fact that Walt didn't get away with his crimes. He could have easily hidden the evidence or come up with believable excuses. On the other hand, the series would've had a much different outcome if Walter won. I think we all knew that Heisenberg would eventually lose in the end. Perhaps, his fate was inevitable no matter what.

I hope you guys like this theory. All the credit goes to Kumquat Vaillant. All I did was expand on his idea. Check out his Reddit page, and tell him what you think. Also, hit me up on Twitter, Pinterest, and Mix. Feel free to "heart" and tip this article if you feel so generous.

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