A decade ago - among a mess of drugs, arrests and one of music's greatest fallings out - one of the finest British bands in a generation, The Libertines went their separate ways. What a difference time can make, as following on from their triumphant Reading and Leeds headline sets, the likely lads are well and truly back and better than ever.
Kicking off their intimate pre-album show with a rollicking rendition of Horrorshow, Pete, Carl, Gary and John look like they've never been apart, marching on stage before the lights even go out, as the crowd go mental.
Given that the tour was only announced a week ago today, it is a testament to the band that they have completely sold out every venue they're visiting this week, but I don't think it would be possible to match the energy that was felt running through the veins of everyone in attendance at Rock City.
By the time they reach Can't Stand Me Now four tracks in you've barely taken a breath, bouncing so hard your feet feel like they might fall off, and your voice already becoming hoarse.
Every last minute is worth it though, as the sheer ground swell of support brings forth the feeling that this moment is something special. This band, which has been through so much to come out the other side, have found a peace that they can now share with everyone in the building.
"Everyone I spoke to outside told me the last time they saw me I was totally fucked up." muses Pete Doherty, "I don't remember what happened Rock City, but this time lets have fun and play beautiful music together" he continues, before running into one of the nights biggest sing alongs Music When the Lights Go Out. After the hardcore moshing going on, this is a welcome change of pace, as the crowd sway their arms back and forth, continuing into the bewitching and beautiful What Katie Did.
Never a band to exactly stick to the rules, both Pete and Carl light up cigarettes during the set to ovation from the crowd who at this point I'm pretty sure would explode if they just sat and read the phone book.
The sold out crowd didn't just know every word of every song, but they knew every song by its first chord. It would not be unfair to say that this was a party - nay a celebration even - of everything that made the band great to begin with all those years ago. Their sound is raw, and not completely polished, but its all the better for it.
You can hear the meaning in every word Pete and Carl sing, and as the band explode into their grand finale - Don't Look Back Into The Sun - the crowd become totally unglued. This was a crowd who have waited years for this tour, unsure if it was ever coming, or if the rare festival appearances would be their only chance to see the boys in all their glory.
Thankfully with new album Anthems for Doomed Youth out later this week, and this intimate tour selling out in seconds we can only hope that there will be more to come from the Boys in the Band.
Until then we will have the memories of one of the most raucous, exhilarating gigs to grace the Rock City stage in many years. And what memories they are. What Became of the Likely Lads you might ask? Well they're back! Thats what!
Monday, 7 September 2015
Sunday, 23 August 2015
The Four Horsewomen - The Future of Women's Wrestling is Now
In July of 2015, Stephanie McMahon, one of the name owners of WWE, announced that she would try and ignite a revolution in the long suffering Divas division, breathing new talent into the roster, and giving the women a chance to run with the ball. For too long the WWE has concentrated on looks for its women over in ring ability, and this was finally going to begin to change for the better, as three young upstarts - Becky Lynch, Charlotte, and Sasha Banks joined the main roster.
The so called Divas Revolution didn’t actually start here though, but almost 16 months earlier, and it is this year and a half long piece of story telling that would climax in Rich Brennan proudly proclaiming last night that women’s wrestling is back.
On May 29th 2014, Charlotte faced off against Natalya at the very first NXT Takeover, and only the second live special NXT had done at this point. The match was lauded by many in the online community, and it got Charlotte’s name out there as one to watch. Her connection to Ric Flair was the initial grain of interest to get fans watching, but it was her undeniable talent that would have them talking by the time the match was over and the NXT Women’s Title (not Divas Title - an important distinction) was being lifted above her head.
For the first time in years fans were talking about a women’s wrestling match in WWE as not simply a cool down match, or time to grab a snack at the concession stand, but as a bone-fide Can’t Miss attraction that any wrestling fan worth their salt should be searching out if they hadn't seen it live.
This could have been a flash in the pan one off experience, were it not for three other women - Bayley, Sasha Banks, and Becky Lynch. These four women - under the tutelage of NXT trainer Sara Del Ray - made it their mission to be seen as more than simple models. These were wrestlers.
Sasha Banks has spoken about how when she first arrived at FCW (WWE’s old development system before NXT was formed), she had been told to “act and wrestle like a Diva”, pulling hair and the like. Let us be glad that she - and her compatriots - did not heed this advice, and instead set out to prove that not only were they on a par with the men, they could be more important. They want to headline shows, they want to headline Wrestlemania some day. They just needed the opportunity.
Paul “Triple H” Levesque, head of WWE Talent Development, and de facto show runner for NXT clearly agreed they deserved it, because their booking was getting stronger and stronger as time would go by.
Across the next several Takeover events - as well as on NXT television - the Four Horsewomen as they call themselves appeared in a series of matches - some one on one, some tag, as well as a huge Fatal Four Way earlier this year. The chemistry between every combination of the girls was a sight to behold. They were gaining respect from the live crowds, and to say their stock was rising with the smart fans online would be an understatement.
These women were achieving their goals - NXT live events and television tapings were headlined by women’s matches for the first time, each being rated better by the viewers than the last. Still though they had not been given the honour of headlining a Takeover special. Could the WWE universe really get behind a women’s main event? Well with Sasha making her jump to the main roster before dropping her NXT Women’s title, it was time to finally find out.
Skip ahead to August 22nd 2015, wrestling fans the world over witnessed the final piece of the puzzle, in this momentum shifting saga for sports entertainment. Bayley and Sasha Banks, went out to co-headline the NXT Takeover Brooklyn PPV, and would steal the show in a match that is sure to have wrestling fans talking for months and will be on everyones lips come Match of the Year discussions in December.
These two wrestlers gave it everything they had, telling a story in the ring, working a match that felt like it had been constructed by two wily ring veterans, much less two wrestlers so early in their two careers. Every near fall had the crowd on its feet, every big spot brought out the reaction, and when the final Bayley-to-Belly suplex hit, the largest crowd in NXT history came unglued. It didn't matter that they were women, it mattered that these two had gone through a war and put on the best possible show for the crowd that night, and the crowd gave them the standing ovation they so richly deserved.
It would be impossible for anyone who has seen just how far these girls have come to not get choked up as the four of them stood in the ring at the end of the match, taking their curtain call. This was more than just a match, it was the end of a 16month struggle for respect. We must not forget though that the battle goes on. They have conquered NXT. Now they must take it to WWE proper.
Three of them might be moving on to the main roster (with Bayley hopefully not too far behind), but we have seen that to their very last breath these girls are going to keep fighting the good fight. They will not stop until once and for all we can say women’s wrestlers, not Divas, are back. They will headline Wrestlemania, or they will die trying to get there. So to Vince McMahon, Kevin Dunn, and anyone else in a position to have an affect on these girls careers: just get out of the way and let them run with it.
These four girls, these so dubbed Four Horsewomen, are about to set the world - and the whole WWE Universe - on fire.
Tuesday, 21 April 2015
Avengers: Age of Ultron - Review [SPOILERS]
What follows is a heavily spoiler filled account of the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron, so if you've yet to see it and want to keep the many surprises the film has in store intact: DON'T READ BEYOND THE PICTURE. You have been warned .
The initial battle, destroying a Hydra base, reveals that this is far from our heroes second rodeo. They are a finely tuned fighting team who have worked to take Hydra down completely, while also trying to get back Loki's staff, which was stolen by Hydra after SHIELD fell. It also sets up perfectly what is to come throughout the film, introducing us to new characters Quicksilver and Scarlett Witch, the latter of whom in particular sets the story in motion by manipulating Tony's mind into believing he had to protect the world from another alien attack or his friends would die. It - and all of the mind control sequences that follow it - are incredibly visceral, and are made to seem as real as possible, which is almost as scary a concept on screen as it is for the characters who are experiencing it.
From the very beginning, this second Avengers movie is a take no prisoners assault on the senses. We are wasting no time explaining who these people are, or where they fit in the story arc of the Marvel universe. Joss Whedon deftly trusts that his audience will keep up, and instead of talking down to them treats them with respect, offering not just an explosion fest, but a story with meaning and dark humour which will sit with you long after the credits roll.
The initial battle, destroying a Hydra base, reveals that this is far from our heroes second rodeo. They are a finely tuned fighting team who have worked to take Hydra down completely, while also trying to get back Loki's staff, which was stolen by Hydra after SHIELD fell. It also sets up perfectly what is to come throughout the film, introducing us to new characters Quicksilver and Scarlett Witch, the latter of whom in particular sets the story in motion by manipulating Tony's mind into believing he had to protect the world from another alien attack or his friends would die. It - and all of the mind control sequences that follow it - are incredibly visceral, and are made to seem as real as possible, which is almost as scary a concept on screen as it is for the characters who are experiencing it.
This instalment is also not afraid to shy away from the universes' more minor characters. Everyone from Don Cheadle's War Machine, to Falcon, to Stellan Skarsgard's scientist are all back and in pride of place here. Cheadle in particular gets some great comedic scenes as he tries to impress people at Tony's party, only to realise that as cool as War Machine is, he's no Iron Man or Captain America.
People looking for more of the same from Whedon's second crack at the Avengers may be disappointed in as much as this is a very different movie. It feels simultaneously a hundred times bigger in its scope, traversing the world, from Korea, to South Africa, this doesn't feel like just another New York monster movie. At the same time though there is tiny but beautiful sequences too which put the entire fight into perspective. From a heart warming sequence which will see anyone who has ever complained about Hawkeye eat their words (myself included), to the bitter sweet conclusion of the Black Widow and Hulk romance, this is a movie not afraid to shy away from its most human moments despite the superhuman surroundings.
On that subject, it is wholly refreshing to see superheroes actually saving people, rather than just beating CGI enemies up. The entire final battle sequence of this film is set not just around defeating Ultron, but around ensuring not one civilian is harmed along the way. Its not just the big picture of saving the world, but the smaller one - returning a trapped boy to his mother, or ensuring the city is fully evacuated before the battle gets under way - that separate this and rise it above things like last years Man Of Steel, where the destruction and loss of human life off screen is enormous and almost unthinkable given the fact these heroes are meant to be saving the world.
This feels like the most deeply ambitious and thought provoking entry yet into the MCU, picking up where The Winter Soldier left off, asking questions about the price of war, and whether or not trying to shield the world from conflict entirely can actually cause greater issues. It's a film in which no one has all the right answers. Things aren't just tied nicely with a bow and sent on their way. The team disagree on things, and come to blows, and the audience is asked ultimately to make their mind up about who's side they end up on. Knowing what's next, with Captain America: Civil War around the corner, this acts as both a continuation of the saga but also a jumping point for what will no doubt become the focus of Phase 3 - getting our heroes back on the same page before they can finally take on Thanos in Infinity War in a few years time.
Speaking of Thanos, it turns out (despite just about everyone disbelieving him) there really isn't a post credits scene for AoU, but just a brief mid credits stinger. Thanos has the Infinity Gauntlet, and has vowed to finish the job that neither Loki nor Ultron could complete. We already know the location of four of the 6 Infinity Gems - so it will be interesting to see how and when the next two turn up, and what effect Thanos will have in the upcoming films in his attempts to gain them before the final all out war to come.
In short, this is not just better than the first Avengers movie (itself a fantastic piece of work), but this is the best all around film of the entire MCU to date. It brings an incredible amount to the table, and under a lesser director this might feel like a jumble. Here though it feels like a well choreographed dance. Every sequence flows into the next, building to the inevitable conclusion. And oh what a conclusion.
Tuesday, 1 April 2014
How I Met Your Mother: The Last Forever [SPOILERS]
Do not read below the image if you haven't seen the final episode of How I Met Your Mother yet, because I will be spoiling from the get go with this review.
Barney and Robin are divorced, The Mother is dead, and this was probably the most depressing Sitcom finale of all time. And I loved it. To put it simply and to borrow from a great band: It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine.
After the near interminable Wedding weekend, the series finale of How I Met Your Mother set out to tell a very different story. A story which would fill in the years from 2013 where we last left the gang right up until the kids are sitting on that sofa in 2030. And my oh my does The Gang go through a one hell of a rollercoaster in those years.
The first blow is that Robin and Barney's marriage simply didn't work. Robin's career and Barney's womanising personality simply do not mesh - and when the couple reveal that they have divorced, it comes as a gut punch to not only Lily (in a superb performance throughout from Alyson Hannigan, in what might be the best she's ever put in over the 9 year run of the show), but to the audience at large. We have spent so many years building to this wedding (and indeed an entire season with the wedding itself) and so for the writers to make the decision to end it all was a bold choice, but one which would set up what was to come. It is Barney's comment that "this isn't a failed marriage, it's a great marriage which ended after 3 years" that softens this initial blow as we believe that perhaps they can move beyond it.
After this we jump forward to Marshall and Lily moving out of The Apartment. It's a moment which is reminiscent of Friends' famous final scene, but which the writers again cleverly turn on its head. Instead of a moment of 6 friends hugging and laughing, we see Lily and Robin argue and are left with Lily sobbing in the empty room. The Gang is dead, and Robin is moving on. They are setting us up over and over again for the tragedy which is to come, taking the happiness away so that when the worst blow comes it is at least half expected. The writing is perfect, and the sobs the scene is looking for are absolutely delivered - from this point on if you don't have your tissues ready then you're going to be a mess.
I have read elsewhere that people had some serious issues in seeing Barney's character go back to his old ways after what happened with Robin, but for me this was the final stage in his evolution. It was there all along - with Robin he learned to love, but simply wasn't ready, or mature enough for what was to come. Remember he had only just gotten over Quinn the Stripper when he and Robin got together. It was hardly the most well thought out relationship, and was the proof that what the show has suggested over and over is true: Love is the most important thing, but it's not the only thing. Relationships are about building to a place of mutual respect, and Barney simply couldn't do that yet. But speaking as someone who has just had his first daughter: That is a moment of true clarity and a moment which truly defines you as a man more than any relationship you will ever have. That is the push Barney needed to move beyond himself and truly grow in a way he never could up until that point.
And then finally after 9 years of waiting: we reach the moment we've all waited for. Ted and Tracy McConnell are on the railway platform and they're laughing and joking about the Yellow Umbrella and this is perhaps the only way this scene could ever have been written. Its beautiful and funny and exactly what it should have been. And then the final bell tolls. We flash through all the important moments they shared until finally we reach the hospital. Everyone who had ever guessed that The Mother would be dead are correct. It's something that I had really hoped wasn't going to happen, because I genuinely believed it would be a depressing and dark way to end the show. I was wrong. Ted's story comes to a close in a poetic and utterly beautiful way. The writer's stuck to their guns and used the scene they shot 8 years ago and it fits and by god I'll admit it: I laughed out loud when the kids both just call Ted out on the real reason he's been telling the story. I was so ready to hate it that when it actually happened it was simply excellent.
I understand that what happened was polarising, and I understand that it isn't going to be for everyone, because there were lots of ways this could have played out - and I think I could have probably guessed for years and never come up with the episode we got, but all in all The Last Forever was not about simply Ted and Tracy, it was about giving us the future of every single one of the characters we have come to know and love, and its about how no matter what the journey, and how we get there: Love is what we do best. Whether that's the love of father and child, the love of man and wife, or most importantly the love shared by a group of friends who no matter what: will always be there for the big moments.
Barney and Robin are divorced, The Mother is dead, and this was probably the most depressing Sitcom finale of all time. And I loved it. To put it simply and to borrow from a great band: It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine.
After the near interminable Wedding weekend, the series finale of How I Met Your Mother set out to tell a very different story. A story which would fill in the years from 2013 where we last left the gang right up until the kids are sitting on that sofa in 2030. And my oh my does The Gang go through a one hell of a rollercoaster in those years.
The first blow is that Robin and Barney's marriage simply didn't work. Robin's career and Barney's womanising personality simply do not mesh - and when the couple reveal that they have divorced, it comes as a gut punch to not only Lily (in a superb performance throughout from Alyson Hannigan, in what might be the best she's ever put in over the 9 year run of the show), but to the audience at large. We have spent so many years building to this wedding (and indeed an entire season with the wedding itself) and so for the writers to make the decision to end it all was a bold choice, but one which would set up what was to come. It is Barney's comment that "this isn't a failed marriage, it's a great marriage which ended after 3 years" that softens this initial blow as we believe that perhaps they can move beyond it.
After this we jump forward to Marshall and Lily moving out of The Apartment. It's a moment which is reminiscent of Friends' famous final scene, but which the writers again cleverly turn on its head. Instead of a moment of 6 friends hugging and laughing, we see Lily and Robin argue and are left with Lily sobbing in the empty room. The Gang is dead, and Robin is moving on. They are setting us up over and over again for the tragedy which is to come, taking the happiness away so that when the worst blow comes it is at least half expected. The writing is perfect, and the sobs the scene is looking for are absolutely delivered - from this point on if you don't have your tissues ready then you're going to be a mess.
I have read elsewhere that people had some serious issues in seeing Barney's character go back to his old ways after what happened with Robin, but for me this was the final stage in his evolution. It was there all along - with Robin he learned to love, but simply wasn't ready, or mature enough for what was to come. Remember he had only just gotten over Quinn the Stripper when he and Robin got together. It was hardly the most well thought out relationship, and was the proof that what the show has suggested over and over is true: Love is the most important thing, but it's not the only thing. Relationships are about building to a place of mutual respect, and Barney simply couldn't do that yet. But speaking as someone who has just had his first daughter: That is a moment of true clarity and a moment which truly defines you as a man more than any relationship you will ever have. That is the push Barney needed to move beyond himself and truly grow in a way he never could up until that point.
And then finally after 9 years of waiting: we reach the moment we've all waited for. Ted and Tracy McConnell are on the railway platform and they're laughing and joking about the Yellow Umbrella and this is perhaps the only way this scene could ever have been written. Its beautiful and funny and exactly what it should have been. And then the final bell tolls. We flash through all the important moments they shared until finally we reach the hospital. Everyone who had ever guessed that The Mother would be dead are correct. It's something that I had really hoped wasn't going to happen, because I genuinely believed it would be a depressing and dark way to end the show. I was wrong. Ted's story comes to a close in a poetic and utterly beautiful way. The writer's stuck to their guns and used the scene they shot 8 years ago and it fits and by god I'll admit it: I laughed out loud when the kids both just call Ted out on the real reason he's been telling the story. I was so ready to hate it that when it actually happened it was simply excellent.
I understand that what happened was polarising, and I understand that it isn't going to be for everyone, because there were lots of ways this could have played out - and I think I could have probably guessed for years and never come up with the episode we got, but all in all The Last Forever was not about simply Ted and Tracy, it was about giving us the future of every single one of the characters we have come to know and love, and its about how no matter what the journey, and how we get there: Love is what we do best. Whether that's the love of father and child, the love of man and wife, or most importantly the love shared by a group of friends who no matter what: will always be there for the big moments.
Tuesday, 31 December 2013
Top Films of 2013
Here it is, my official Top 10 films of 2013 list. I've been through the FDA's list of every film with a UK release date this year, taken the ones I've seen and compiled my favourites. It's been a GREAT year for cinema, and there are plenty of excellent films that didn't make the cut
Firstly a few honourable mentions which were truly excellent but narrowly just missed out on the list: Behind The Candelabra, Star Trek Into Darkness, Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa, and Wreck-It Ralph.
That being said onto the Top 10, in ascending order:
10) Despicable Me 2 - Fantastic family fun, with lines that I'm still quoting six months later. This built on the success of the first movie and took it to new exciting places (much more than the standard animation sequel "lets just retread the first movie again but turn it up to 11).
9) The Impossible - Great performances and some of the best sound and visual effects work you will see in a cinema. Not for the faint hearted, and a truly exhausting watch, this film had me on the edge of my seat through to its conclusion
8) Les Miserables - I think enough has been said on the excellence that is Les Mis, so I'll just let the film do the talking.
7) Captain Philips - It's not just Tom Hanks but also the supporting cast that play a huge role in making Paul Greengrass' latest epic so thrilling. Knowing little of the true story going into the film I was rapt from start to finish.
6) About Time - Sometimes, a good old fashioned, non-cynical, completely rose tinted Richard Curtis romcom is exactly what the doctor ordered, and this is one of his better ones. While its time travel rules are set up and then promptly blown to smithereens, it is a movie with immense heart and that what brings it so far up the top 10.
5) Blue Jasmine - Cate Blanchett's Jasmine is going to win her awards come Oscar season. It is that simple, and if for nothing but her completely unhinged performance in the lead role this film would be worth the price of admission. When you add a stellar performance from Sally Hawkins in the supporting role though, this movie becomes something seriously special.
4) Saving Mr Banks - Practically perfect in every way. Its an obvious joke, but it's true.
3) Side Effects - For a long time my film of the year, Side Effects is a truly strange and powerful psycho-thriller. With a surprise around every turn, you are truly never sure who is telling the truth, and when the final reveal comes, it is genuinely surprising.
2) Gravity - Alfonso Cuaron has created a visual masterpiece with Gravity akin to any work of art. His incredible vision of space, with our two lone heroes floating in the void is incredible. This is a movie which demands to be seen in a cinema, which in this age of iPhone viewing is something commendable, as anything which gives the paying audience something they can truly sink their eyes into in such a fantastic fashion deserves to be seen.
1) The Way Way Back - I'm not sure what I liked most about The Way Way Back, the coming of age story which sees shy young Duncan find his feet in the big wide world, and find friends in Sam Rockwell's Owen. As children we all had adults we idolised above all others and who in our eyes could do no wrong, and The Way Way Back encompasses that in a beautiful way. Its a film which just stood head and shoulders above the rest and which I implore you to seek out if you haven't already.
Firstly a few honourable mentions which were truly excellent but narrowly just missed out on the list: Behind The Candelabra, Star Trek Into Darkness, Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa, and Wreck-It Ralph.
That being said onto the Top 10, in ascending order:
10) Despicable Me 2 - Fantastic family fun, with lines that I'm still quoting six months later. This built on the success of the first movie and took it to new exciting places (much more than the standard animation sequel "lets just retread the first movie again but turn it up to 11).
9) The Impossible - Great performances and some of the best sound and visual effects work you will see in a cinema. Not for the faint hearted, and a truly exhausting watch, this film had me on the edge of my seat through to its conclusion
8) Les Miserables - I think enough has been said on the excellence that is Les Mis, so I'll just let the film do the talking.
7) Captain Philips - It's not just Tom Hanks but also the supporting cast that play a huge role in making Paul Greengrass' latest epic so thrilling. Knowing little of the true story going into the film I was rapt from start to finish.
6) About Time - Sometimes, a good old fashioned, non-cynical, completely rose tinted Richard Curtis romcom is exactly what the doctor ordered, and this is one of his better ones. While its time travel rules are set up and then promptly blown to smithereens, it is a movie with immense heart and that what brings it so far up the top 10.
5) Blue Jasmine - Cate Blanchett's Jasmine is going to win her awards come Oscar season. It is that simple, and if for nothing but her completely unhinged performance in the lead role this film would be worth the price of admission. When you add a stellar performance from Sally Hawkins in the supporting role though, this movie becomes something seriously special.
4) Saving Mr Banks - Practically perfect in every way. Its an obvious joke, but it's true.
3) Side Effects - For a long time my film of the year, Side Effects is a truly strange and powerful psycho-thriller. With a surprise around every turn, you are truly never sure who is telling the truth, and when the final reveal comes, it is genuinely surprising.
2) Gravity - Alfonso Cuaron has created a visual masterpiece with Gravity akin to any work of art. His incredible vision of space, with our two lone heroes floating in the void is incredible. This is a movie which demands to be seen in a cinema, which in this age of iPhone viewing is something commendable, as anything which gives the paying audience something they can truly sink their eyes into in such a fantastic fashion deserves to be seen.
1) The Way Way Back - I'm not sure what I liked most about The Way Way Back, the coming of age story which sees shy young Duncan find his feet in the big wide world, and find friends in Sam Rockwell's Owen. As children we all had adults we idolised above all others and who in our eyes could do no wrong, and The Way Way Back encompasses that in a beautiful way. Its a film which just stood head and shoulders above the rest and which I implore you to seek out if you haven't already.
Friday, 8 November 2013
Review: Gravity
With Gravity Alfonso Cuaron has perfectly formed a 90minute epic which will go down as not only the best film of 2013 but probably the best horror film - certainly the most terrifying - that has been released for many years.
Sunday, 29 September 2013
Breaking Bad Series Finale Predictions
Tonight will see the very final episode of Breaking Bad air in the US, with the episode set to appear on Netflix this side of the pond by tomorrow morning, so the final fix is not that far away, so it's time to get my thoughts and predictions down. Obviously it goes without saying that this will involve spoilers for every episode but the finale, up to and including Granite Slate, so if you don't want to know, look away now. Otherwise: read on below the fold.
When we left our (anti)hero the show was finally caught up to the flashforward. Walter White has left New Hampshire and is on his way to fulfill his destiny, whatever that may be. I honestly believe the machine gun we see in the back of the car in the flashforward will bring an end to Todd and the Nazi Brigade, as Walter makes one final bid to save Jesse but that Walt himself will get caught in the crossfire, dying with at least a shred of redemption having saved his friend, while still getting everything that we all know Heisenberg deserves. Walt will die in Jesse's arms, and Jesse - heartbroken at all that has happened, and disgusted in himself for his part in the deaths of Joan, Andrea, Hank, the kid on the bike and now his father figure, will hand himself into the police to confess once and for all and serve his time - the final shot of the series being Jesse walking into the police station resolutely.
The Nazi's won't be Walter's only kill of the episode though, as lets not forget the more recent flashforward, which saw him fetch the risin poison from the house. As to who will fall victim to that, I think probably Lydia would be the most likely candidate - they go on about her tea almost every time we see her, and I feel like Walt may look to tie up the loose ends by slipping the deadly concoction into her cup when she's distracted. The other outside option would be that he takes out the guy who facilitated his move to New Hampshire, again just because he will think he needs to tie up some loose ends before he goes to face his maker.
So that's what I think is going to happen as far as the central story goes. On the periphery I hope we see Walter Jr and Marie get some kind of closure, as their character's have been through so much, that if anyone is going to get a happy-ish ending (is that even possible anymore) then it should be them. I don't know what form that will take, and as I said, I don't even know if its possible at this stage, as they've both been through too much to ever just adjust to it and live happy lives, but
Skyler meanwhile is going to prison, for a very long time. Walt's phone call when he knew the police were listening brought her something, but with Walt dead (and there is no way he makes it out of the finale alive, no matter who ends up killing him) then the cops are going to make sure someone goes down for Hank's death and everything that surrounded Heisenberg's activities, and its pretty clear that Skyler knew everything - its only going to take a court of law to put her away forever.
Who knows whether my version of events will look anything like what will happen in practice, but one way or another I think at this point it will be nigh on impossible for the finale to not feel both epic and indeed final - Vince Gilligan's story is over, and we can only hope that he doesn't leave some kind of cliffhanger ending with Jesse looking down the barrel of a gun pointed at Walt and then the screen goes black. Because you know...that'd be terrible. This has to end. No Sopranos stuff here!
Gilligan has said on a number of occasions that he wanted to take Mr Chips and make him into Scarface, and he achieved that. By the end of Granite Slate, just as Gretchen opined, Walter White had truly gone. only Heisenberg remained. Now all that remains is for Felina to make some effort at redemption for Walter, to see if he can be resurrected and save Jesse's life one final time before he and Heisenberg bow out of our lives for good.
When we left our (anti)hero the show was finally caught up to the flashforward. Walter White has left New Hampshire and is on his way to fulfill his destiny, whatever that may be. I honestly believe the machine gun we see in the back of the car in the flashforward will bring an end to Todd and the Nazi Brigade, as Walter makes one final bid to save Jesse but that Walt himself will get caught in the crossfire, dying with at least a shred of redemption having saved his friend, while still getting everything that we all know Heisenberg deserves. Walt will die in Jesse's arms, and Jesse - heartbroken at all that has happened, and disgusted in himself for his part in the deaths of Joan, Andrea, Hank, the kid on the bike and now his father figure, will hand himself into the police to confess once and for all and serve his time - the final shot of the series being Jesse walking into the police station resolutely.
The Nazi's won't be Walter's only kill of the episode though, as lets not forget the more recent flashforward, which saw him fetch the risin poison from the house. As to who will fall victim to that, I think probably Lydia would be the most likely candidate - they go on about her tea almost every time we see her, and I feel like Walt may look to tie up the loose ends by slipping the deadly concoction into her cup when she's distracted. The other outside option would be that he takes out the guy who facilitated his move to New Hampshire, again just because he will think he needs to tie up some loose ends before he goes to face his maker.
So that's what I think is going to happen as far as the central story goes. On the periphery I hope we see Walter Jr and Marie get some kind of closure, as their character's have been through so much, that if anyone is going to get a happy-ish ending (is that even possible anymore) then it should be them. I don't know what form that will take, and as I said, I don't even know if its possible at this stage, as they've both been through too much to ever just adjust to it and live happy lives, but
Skyler meanwhile is going to prison, for a very long time. Walt's phone call when he knew the police were listening brought her something, but with Walt dead (and there is no way he makes it out of the finale alive, no matter who ends up killing him) then the cops are going to make sure someone goes down for Hank's death and everything that surrounded Heisenberg's activities, and its pretty clear that Skyler knew everything - its only going to take a court of law to put her away forever.
Who knows whether my version of events will look anything like what will happen in practice, but one way or another I think at this point it will be nigh on impossible for the finale to not feel both epic and indeed final - Vince Gilligan's story is over, and we can only hope that he doesn't leave some kind of cliffhanger ending with Jesse looking down the barrel of a gun pointed at Walt and then the screen goes black. Because you know...that'd be terrible. This has to end. No Sopranos stuff here!
Gilligan has said on a number of occasions that he wanted to take Mr Chips and make him into Scarface, and he achieved that. By the end of Granite Slate, just as Gretchen opined, Walter White had truly gone. only Heisenberg remained. Now all that remains is for Felina to make some effort at redemption for Walter, to see if he can be resurrected and save Jesse's life one final time before he and Heisenberg bow out of our lives for good.
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