Breaking Bad Season 3 Episode 1: No Mas
In the opening scene an old Mexican man is crawling in the dirt face down, as the shot pulls wider we see a large number of Mexicans crawling in the dirt. As they crawl two well-dressed Mexican men in suits and boots with skulls on the tips of the boots drive up to the crawling people, get out of their car and start crawling with them. The men and crowd of people crawl to a small shed where there is an altar for the dead with candles and flowers. The well-dressed men light a candle, then pin up a drawing of Walt with his alias name Heisenberg under the picture. “The Cousins” are hired assassins paid to hunt down Walt in retribution for his part in the murder of drug dealer Tuco.
When we last saw Walt White he was stunned as his wife Skyler told him to leave the house. Walt stood in his driveway as debris from a plane crash rained on him and his home. A few days later Walt stands around the pool in his bathrobe, gathers all his drug cash and proceeds to burn it on the barbecue grill. Walt comes to his senses and throws the cash into the pool to save it. Jesse is at a rehab center trying to come clean and figure his life out. Jesse, who feels guilty he may have caused his girlfriend Jane’s drug overdose, asks the counselor if he harmed anyone because he was a drug addict. The counselor’s story and his plea to the addicts to come to terms with who they are deeply affects Jesse.
Flynn is upset because neither his mom or dad are telling him why they are breaking up. Flynn knows the separation is Skyler’s choice, he’s angry she will not talk to Walt, making life more difficult for Skyler. Walt goes back to work after the plane crash. The school is assembled to talk about the plane crash and help the students express their fears and shock over the horrible details of the one hundred and sixty-seven people who died in the crash. Walt is given the microphone and proceeds to encourage the students to look at the bright side of things. Walt’s speech about how no one on the ground was killed and the two planes were not full stuns the students and faculty. Walt ignores his role in Jesse’s girlfriend’s death and her grief-stricken father’s fatal errors as traffic controller when the planes collided and is in complete denial of his culpability in the deaths of the airline passengers.
In the desert a family watches paralyzed with fear as The Cousins stop their car at the family’s house, calmly step out of the car and take the clothing of the father off the clothes line, changing into peasant clothing. The Cousins stand in front of the little girl with her goat standing nearby. The Cousins drop the car key ring on the goat’s ear. As The Cousins start walking off into the desert, the man and woman rush to their daughter’s side.
Gus Frings, Walt’s main drug distributor, meets with Walt at the restaurant. Walt apologizes to Gus, saying he can no longer be involved in drugs because he is not a criminal. Walt’s appology is noted by Gus, whose cool gaze does not give an indication of what he is really thinking. Gus offers Walt three months worth of drug production in return for 3 million dollars and then he can leave the business. Walt is intrigued but again tells Gus he has to stop cooking meth. Gus wishes Walt well and leaves him sitting at the table. Walt picks up Jesse from the rehab center. Both Walt and Jesse say they are done with drug dealing, but Jesse tells Walt he realized something about himself at rehab. Jesse tells Walt “I’m the bad guy.”
Skyler calls Walt to talk, and arrives at his motel room. They sit uncomfortably with each other, then Skyler starts the conversation by presenting Walt with divorce papers. Walt wants to tell Skyler his side of the story. Skyler asks Walt where he got all the money he has. Skyler confronts Walt asking him if he is dealing pot, not wanting to know the truth. Walt says no and Skyler guesses he is dealing cocaine. Walt tells Skyler he is cooking meth and she is floored. Furious, Skyler tells Walt to keep his story from the police and guarantee her silence, he must stay away from her and the family and give her a divorce.
The assassins hitch a ride with Mexicans crossing the boarder in a large truck. One of the men tries to talk to the assassins then sees their boots, realizing they are hired guns. The assassins shoot everyone in the truck and the driver, then set fire to the truck as they walk off into the desert towards Texas to find Walter White.
