I recently finished watching Breaking Bad for the second time, this time with my wife. She asked me if I'd seen the show and if it was really as good as everyone said. She'd seen an analysis of the best TV shows of all time that concluded without a doubt that Breaking Bad was number one, so she wanted to know my opinion. I told her that, so far, I hadn't seen anything I liked as much, and that for me, the only show that came close was Better Call Saul.
Descubriendo más sobre Breaking Bad - Una segunda mirada al episodio Ozymandias
Recientemente termine de ver por segunda vez la serie Breaking Bad, en esta ocasión lo hice junto a mi esposa, ella me preguntó en una si yo había visto la serie y si de verdad es tan buena como muchos dicen. Ella vio un análisis sobre las mejores series de todos los tiempos donde concluían que sin dudas es Breaking Bad, por eso me pregunto si yo opinaba lo mismo a lo cual le respondí que, hasta ahora, no había visto otra serie que me gustara tanto, que para mi la unica tan buena es Better Call Saul.
I don't intend to do a full analysis of the series, there's plenty of that out there already. However, this time around, the experience was much better because when I first watched it, I was downloading the episodes from the internet, and they didn't all look great. In my country, due to restrictions on the content that local television could broadcast, given the sensitive topics of drug trafficking and violence, the show wasn't aired. That's why I enjoyed it so much more this time and was able to notice details I'd overlooked before.
No pretendo hacer una análisis de la serie, ya de eso hay bastante, aunque en esta ocasión la experiencia al verla fue mucho mejor, porque cuando lo hice la primera vez, fue descargando los capitulos de internet y no todos se veian muy bien. En mi pais debido a las restricciones sobre el contenido que la televisión local podía transmitir, por tratarse de temas sensibles como el tráfico de drogas y violencia, no pasaron la serie, por eso ahora la disfrute mucho mas y pude darme cuenta de detalles que pase por alto la primera vez.
One of the most significant is the fourteenth episode of the fifth season. It wasn't until recently that I learned it had been rated a perfect 10/10, thanks to several factors, including the flawless performances of the actors and a splendid script. Each episode has its own title, and when I first watched it, I didn't pay much attention to that. But this time, seeing that this episode was titled "Ozymandias," I was curious to learn more.
Uno de los más significativos es el episodio 14 de la quinta temporada, no fue hasta hace poco que supe que había sido calificado con una puntuación de 10/10, por varios aspectos donde resalta la perfecta ejecución de los actores de un espléndido guión. Cada episodio tiene su nombre, la primera vez que lo vi no le preste mucha atención a eso, pero esta vez al ver que este episodio se titula Ozymandias, tuve la curiosidad de saber más.
I'm sure if you're a big fan of the show, you already know what it's about, but if you're just finding out like I did, this episode shares the same title as Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem, where a traveler recounts seeing the remains of a statue of an emperor who once ruled a great empire. It's believed that Percy Bysshe Shelley was inspired by the Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II, known as Ozymandias in Greek.
Seguro si eres un gran fanático de la serie ya sabes de qué trata, pero si como yo apenas te enteras, este episodio lleva el mismo nombre que el poema de Percy Bysshe Shelley, donde un viajero cuenta que observó los restos de una estatua de un emperador que alguna vez gobernó un gran imperio. Se cree que Percy Bysshe Shelley se inspiró en el faraón egipcio Ramsés II que en griego es conocido como Ozymandias.
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The author of this poem was part of the literary movement known as Romanticism. She was openly opposed to any form of tyranny, so it seems logical that her poem refers to the fall of Ramses II and that Moira Walley-Beckett, the writer of this episode, used it as a reference to the fall of Walter White's drug empire. This is a theme commonly used in stories, tales, films, and television, where the powerful always fall, no matter how invincible they believe themselves to be.
La autora de este poema fue parte del movimiento literario conocido como romanticismos, ella abiertamente se oponía a cualquier tiranía, por lo tanto, parece lógico que su poema se refiere a la caída de Ramsés II y que Moira Walley-Beckett, la guionista de este episodio, lo utilice como referencia a la caída del imperio de la droga de Walter White. Este es un temas muy utilizado en historias, cuentos, cine y televisión, los poderosos siempre caen no importa que tan fuerte se crean.
It's interesting how the series somehow portrayed the poem. The poem describes the remains of the emperor's statue lying in the sand, and in the series episode, we see Walter in the same way, watching as everything he's built crumbles. Hank, his brother-in-law, dies, his family rejects him, he betrays Jesse whom he'd protected so much, he loses his money, and he's wanted by the authorities. He lies on the ground at the mercy of Jack's gang, who are debating whether to kill him.
Es interesante que la serie retraté de alguna manera el poema, el cual describe los restos de la estatua del emperador tendido en la arena, y en el capítulo de la serie vemos a Walter de la misma forma viendo como todo lo que construyó se pierde. Hank su cuñado muere, su familia lo rechaza, traiciona a Jessie a quien tanto protegió, pierde su dinero y es buscado por las autoridades, y el yace en el suelo a manos de la bande de Jack que se debate si debe matarlo.
I really enjoyed being able to rewatch this episode but with a different perspective, knowing that it explores themes like hubris and the fragility of power. It makes me admire the series even more, how it builds a character who in the first season makes you believe he's committing a serious crime for the best reasons, only to eventually crumble over time, conveying the idea that power and pride eventually lead to destruction. It's simply a masterpiece.
Disfrute mucho poder volver a ver este episodio, pero con otra óptica, sabiendo que explora temas como la hubris y la fragilidad del poder. Me hace admirar mucho más la serie, cómo construye un personaje que en la primera temporada te hacía creer que cometía un serio delito por las mejores razones, para terminar desmoronándose con el tiempo, transmitiendo la idea que el poder y el orgullo eventualmente conducen a la destrucción, simplemente una joya.
Some images are from IMBd Ozimandias gallery https://m.imdb.com/title/tt2301451/mediaviewer/rm360347904/
Images made with Luma AI, you can find the prompts below
! [Prompts]
A hyperrealistic portrait of Walter White as Ozymandias, his face etched with the weariness and despair of a fallen king. His once powerful figure is now slumped, his eyes reflecting the desolate landscape of his former empire, now crumbling under the weight of his hubris. In the background, the ruins of his meth lab stand as a testament to his ambition and ultimate downfall, mirroring the shattered visage of Ozymandias' statue. The scene is bathed in the harsh light of the New Mexico desert, emphasizing the isolation and desolation of his final days.
A close-up on Walter White's hand, reaching out to touch a broken fragment of blue meth, reminiscent of Ozymandias' hand resting on the crumbling statue. The intricate details of the crystal-clear meth fragment reflect the light, symbolizing the fleeting nature of his empire and the illusion of power it once provided. The background is blurred, focusing solely on the hand and the fragment, emphasizing the fragility of his legacy and the emptiness of his former glory.
A wide shot of the New Mexico desert, transformed into a vast and desolate wasteland, mirroring the "lone and level sands" of Shelley's poem. In the distance, the skeletal remains of Walter White's RV, his mobile meth lab and the symbol of his rise to power, stand as a haunting reminder of his ambition and the empire he built. The sky is a mix of fiery sunset colors and ominous storm clouds, reflecting the turbulent emotions and the impending doom of Walter's Ozymandias-like figure.
A dramatic scene depicting Walter White standing before the ruins of his former empire, his face a mask of regret and resignation. The once mighty kingpin is now reduced to a broken man, his empire in ashes, mirroring the desolate state of Ozymandias' statue. The background features the silhouettes of his former associates, now turned enemies, lurking in the shadows, emphasizing his isolation and the complete collapse of his power. The scene is rendered in ultra-realistic detail, capturing the raw emotions and the tragic downfall of a modern-day Ozymandias.