Bryan Cranston: ‘Breaking Bad’ Finale Was The ‘Best Ending’ Possible

Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston called Sunday night’s finale, “Felina,” the “best ending possible.”

[Spoiler alert: Stop reading here if you haven’t watched “Felina” yet.]

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the 57-year-old called the finale “satisfying” and said that he was glad to see Jesse (Aaron Paul) get a (somewhat) happy ending.

“When I see Jesse, this involuntary sense comes over me,” he says of Walt. “He’s been treated like a dog – like a beaten dog — and it just shocks me, and impulsively I protect him. He’s going off into the sunset.”

Cranston added, “It’s fitting that the man who was so put upon and mistreated has a chance. And I like how it ends, because it’s not like, ‘Oh, he’s got the money.’ No. He’s just got his life, so he has a chance – just a chance.”

Cranston referring to Jesse as a beaten dog calls to mind two episodes, “Problem Dog” and “Rabid Dog.” In the former, Jesse is struggling with the memory of putting Old Yeller (Gale) out of his misery, to paraphrase one of Saul’s (Bob Odenkirk) colorful euphemisms. In the latter, Jesse has gone rogue by joining becoming an informant for Hank and the DEA.

Despite Jesse changing sides, Walter once considered him family. And even though his initial reaction was murderous rage when he learned that his Blue Sky was still being produced, Walter still cared for Jesse enough to not only set him free, but also to give him the opportunity of taking down Heisenberg.

“[When] he hears that the blue meth is still out there, that Jesse is still cooking, it’s like, ‘That bastard! He convinced them to be a partner with him, he’s still cooking! I’ll kill everybody,'” Cranston said.

“And then when I see him, the shred of humanity left in Walter White is exposed at that moment and he acts. So if there’s any redeeming quality to him from the standpoint of the audience, it’s that moment. He even allows Jesse to kill him,” Cranston added.

But Jesse, who never completely recovered from his first murder, refuses and tells Walter to do it himself. Outside of the lab, the former partners share one final moment before Jesse drives off.

“At least there was some conclusion to their association. Their friendship did matter,” Cranston said. “And it was because of that history and friendship, that was the basis of his impulsivity.”

As for Walter’s ending, Cranston said it was the best way for his story to end.

“Because of his love for his family, there was a thought of mine that, ‘Would it be a more perfect hell for him to have to see his family die – his wife, his son, baby daughter — and he lives,'” he said. “And there’s some merit to that too. But ultimately, I think this is the best ending. A real satisfying ending. And I’m so grateful for that.”