Breaking Bad is a show that prides itself on many twists and turns throughout the series, but plenty simply aren't talked about enough. It's these consistent and exciting twists that make the show so popular and iconic, and it's because of them that the show is so difficult to stop watching.
With something as exciting and fast-paced as Breaking Bad, it's easy to overlook the smaller cliffhangers that, whilst they may not be the most memorable and influential in the long run, are responsible for much of the show's gripping narrative overall.
Todd Shoots A Young Boy
'Dead Freight' (S5, ep5) is easily one of the show's most gripping and thrilling episodes, blending plenty of introspective moments between Walt and Jesse with an intense train heist that will make or break their operation. Things quickly go south when the episode ends with Todd shooting a young boy who stumbled across the heist at just the wrong moment.
Even though the audience knows that Todd's involvement in the disaster will guarantee the assistance of Jack and his gang, this is still an extremely effective cliffhanger in that it offers plenty of development for Todd's iconic ing character and adds an extra layer of tension between him and the show's central duo. Although the twist is often overshadowed by the exciting fallout in the following episode, the pure shock value still justifies its place in this list.
Jesse Realizes Walt's Plan
Walt's manipulation of Jesse at the end of season 4 is undoubtedly one of the show's most memorable and shocking moments, ending with the revelation that Walt poisoned Brock as part of his complex plan to defeat Gus. However, Jesse's attempt to burn down Walt's house at the end of 'Confessions' (S5, ep11) is arguably even more shocking and intense.
At this moment, audiences were left wondering exactly how far Jesse would actually go to get revenge on Walt for his manipulation and betrayal. The fact that the episode ends right before the viewer gets to see whether or not Jesse goes through with the plan is perfectly frustrating, and leaves the entire dynamic of the show hanging in the balance.
Skyler Goes Into Labour
In the show's first few series, it's this inner conflict between Walt's professional and persona lives that drives a lot of Breaking Bad's tension and excitement. That's why it's so shocking and tense when, in the closing scenes of 'Mandala' (S2, ep11), Walt is forced to make the impossible decision of attending his daughter's birth or collecting the $1.2 million he is owed.
This cliffhanger works so perfectly because the audience truly doesn't know what Walt is going to do at this moment. The show has expertly developed the character to a point of complete moral uncertainty, and for this split-second decision, there's truly no way of knowing who gets the final say - Walter White or Heisenberg? It's a moment that clearly shows the struggle between the two sides of Walt's character, and it can only get worse from here.
Hank Kills The Salamanca Twins
The shoot-out between Hank and the Salamanca twins in 'One Minute' (S3, ep7) is unquestionably one of the most engaging and well-directed sequences of the entire show. Not only is Hank's life in the balance, but so is everything that Walt and Jesse have worked towards since episode one.
There are few moments in Breaking Bad that exhibit as much tension as this particular cliffhanger, with the episode closing on the haunting image of Hank bleeding on the concrete ground. Even though the question of Hank's safety is resolved very quickly in the following episodes, this scene is still extremely effective in getting the audience on board with where the story is going to go from here.
Hank Goes To Jesse For Help
The complex dynamic between Jesse and Walt is the absolute crux of Breaking Bad. Everything that happens revolves around these two characters, and their complicated relationship with each other is the show's most compelling and alluring aspect. So when Jesse begins to turn against Walt at the end of season 5, viewers were left both shocked and conflicted.
On the one hand, Jesse deserves his own form of justice and freedom from Walt, but it also seems a shame to ruin the strong relationship between these two men who have been through so much together. When Jesse is approached by Hank at the end of 'Buried' (S5, ep10), the audience is completely torn. Will Jesse give it all up to help take down Walt once and for all, or is he still a victim to Heisenberg's games? Even the viewer isn't totally sure what should happen, and that's what makes this cliffhanger so great.
Walt Lets Jane Die
It's not unusual for somebody's favorite character to meet an untimely end in Breaking Bad, but one of the most unexpected and tragic demises has to be Jane's in 'Phoenix' (S2, ep12). Not only because of the unfortunate nature of her death but also because of the irreparable effect that it will have on Jesse. Their relationship might not have been perfect, but the pair had begun to develop a bond over time that seemed to be extremely healing for both of them, despite their unsteady influence on each other.
However, the real twist of this episode is Walt's presence at her deathbed. Watching him stand over her as she chokes to death is a moment that very clearly shows Walt's descent into corruption, as he opts to protect his own business instead of saving his best friend's love. Although viewers were left both in shock and tense apprehension of Jesse's reaction, it's equally a pivotal moment in Walt's journey too - making it twice as effective as a cliffhanger.
Walt Threatens Hank
The cat-and-mouse chase between Walt and Hank is one of the defining themes of Breaking Bad's final season, and it's perhaps the highest that the show's stakes have ever been. Although he discovers the 'W.W.' lead in the episode prior, it isn't until 'Blood Money' (S5, ep9) that Hank knows with 100% certainty that his brother-in-law is the drug lord Heisenberg.
The moment that really makes this cliffhanger worthy of its place on this list is Walt's cold delivery of the iconic quote: "maybe your best course would be to tread lightly". Viewers were left truly contemplating for the first time whether Walt would really harm Hank to protect himself, making it a twist that adds a whole new dynamic to the central narrative.
Hank Realises Walt Is Heisenberg
'Gliding Over All' (S5, ep8) features the moment that everything has been building towards. Walt's anonymity within the drug trade has been the one thing that he has strived to preserve the most, but as Hank sits down and makes the connection between his brother-in-law and the infamous Heisenberg, everything changes irreparably.
The entire tone of the show has shifted from this moment on, and nobody is safe. What made this cliffhanger so frustrating was the almost-year-long wait that followed before audiences were finally able to find out what Hank decided to do with this information. It's a fantastic cliffhanger that's often lost within the whirlwind insanity of Breaking Bad's final season.
The Shootout At To'hajiilee
'To'hajiilee' (S5, ep13) is largely responsible for much of the excitement and apprehension that upholds that breakneck pace throughout the show's final few episodes. Arguably, this all begins as Jack's gang arrives and the shootout ensues at the end of this episode.
It highlights the peak of Walt's downfall, as he is left completely powerless for the first time in a long while. Events have diverged drastically from the course of Walt's master plan, and that's exactly what makes this cliffhanger so worrying and intense.
Walt And Jesse Part Ways
Although it's the very last episode of the show, there is still one aspect of 'Felina' (S5, ep16) that is left up in the air when the credits roll. As Jesse flees the scene in Todd's El Camino, audiences were left wondering exactly where his life would go from there.
It's a cliffhanger, but it's not unsatisfying in any way. The mere release from Walt's games is enough to warrant success for Jesse, so the exact details of his life from this point on aren't particularly important. Freedom is enough. It's one of those rare times that a cliffhanger doesn't feel frustrating, but surprisingly relevant.