Why does Walter White smack the towel dispenser in Breaking Bad season two after receiving a health update? Bryan Cranston, an actor, won praise from critics for his portrayal of a normal high school science teacher who, after being diagnosed with cancer, turned into a drug lord.
Even Walt eventually became unable to maintain his lies as a result of his meth production, but he continued to keep the truth from his family for as long as he could, which led to the devastating conclusion of Breaking Bad.
What Caused Walt to Punch the Towel Dispenser?
Walter White left his normal life to create meth in secret after being diagnosed with lung cancer. He went on to become the most deadly and wealthy drug lord in Albuquerque, known as Heisenberg. Walt teamed up with Aaron Paul’s character Jesse Pinkman to distribute a lot of the drug and make money for his family before he passed away.
Walt persisted in trying other treatments in spite of the diagnosis. Walt received the results of an updated scan in the season 2 episode “4 Days Out,” which showed that he was in remission. His family was present to hear the wonderful news, including his son Walt Jr. (RJ Mitte) and wife Skyler (Anna Gunn), but the celebration was short-lived.
Walt walked to the restroom to gather himself and wash his face after telling his family about his relief. Walt repeatedly pounded the dispenser, causing it to get dented, as he reached for a paper towel. Walt and Jesse cooked $1.2 million worth of meth in the New Mexico desert for days before the doctor arrived.
In addition, he said that all he did was for his family after his death. Walt was beginning to feel as though he didn’t deserve to live because he was lying to his family all the time. Walt would have to keep his family in the dark for even longer after learning that his cancer would not be fatal.
Walt’s Cancer Was No Longer a Valid Reason for His Behavior
Walt figured he didn’t have much time left, so more than anything else, he exploited his sickness as a reason to continue living undercover as Heisenberg. Being the head of the household, he had to ensure that his family would be able to live without him, and he thought that meant having money.
While in that restroom, Walt became aware that this rationale was no longer valid. He had the option to leave at that time, so every choice he made afterward was motivated by his personal interests. The motivation for getting involved in the drug trade has disappeared.
He had no desire to stop making meth, and his death would not stop him from telling lies. Walt discovered something he was good at for the first time in his life, but it also turned out to be quite risky for him and his loved ones.
Walt’s scream was probably directed at the towel dispenser because he noticed his reflection on the metal. Walt rapidly lost his identity in his own imagination as a result of his Heisenberg transition. It wasn’t a simple transition from Walt the family guy to Heisenberg, but it was obvious that the character began to relish his growing influence.
Walt found it hard to acknowledge that his family was no longer the only focus. He was aware that without the definitive outcome of dying of cancer, he would veer even closer to the point of no return. Intriguingly, Walt came across the towel dispenser once more in “Gliding All Over,” episode 8 of Breaking Bad season 5. Reflecting on his progress, he grinned at the dented dispenser.
Saul’s Trash Can is a Better Imitation of Walt’s Towel Dispenser
The garbage can in HHM’s basement in Better Call Saul is used in a way that is strikingly similar to the towel dispenser in Breaking Bad. In addition to providing Jimmy in the Better Call Saul pilot with a comparable cathartic release, Jimmy’s tantrum also functions as a visceral plot element before Jimmy and Kim’s famous smoking scenes.
Viewers were taken back to the more innocent times between Jimmy and Kim, when Jimmy could vent his emotions on a garbage can, even if the trash can doesn’t appear in the Better Call Saul finale. Additionally, later on in their respective adventures, Jimmy’s trash and Walt’s towel dispenser also reemerge unfixed.
This illustrates the irreversible damage Walt and Jimmy have caused to the world while also subtly suggesting that the ostensibly robust institutions preserving the items were in fact collapsing from the inside out, supporting their own self-defenses of their immoral behavior.
Like Walt, Jimmy was a totally different person when he saw the trash can once more. HHM’s trash can was used to emphasize Jimmy’s change into Saul Goodman in Better Call Saul, just as the towel dispenser did for Walt’s Heisenberg transformation in Breaking Bad.
Are you curious about Walt’s Breaking Bad dramatic eruption? Learn how the famous towel dispenser scenario resulted from his moral and personal struggles. For the most recent information about your favorite series, visit Crossover99 for more in-depth research and connects between Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad!