Why Walt Tells Jesse The Truth About Jane's Death In Breaking Bad (2024)

Many thoughts of grief may have flooded Walt's mind after Hank was killed in Breaking Bad, but the reason why Walt tells Jesse the truth about Jane's death is indicative of his true nature. Walt's evolution to becoming Heisenberg was created out of a series of events of desperation and tragedy. His own selfishness and greed were seemingly well-intentioned, for his family's sake.

However, Walt's motivations for his deeds as the show progresses become less and less about his original intention. Whatever was left of Walt's good nature had been overtaken by his need for control of his remaining life. The reason Walt confessed to Jesse about Jane's death ties into this steady downfall of Walt's morals and motivations.

Related: BCS Proved Just How Evil Walter White BecameIn Breaking Bad

The Reason Walt Told Jesse He Let Jane Die

Walter White becomes truly irredeemable after spotting Jesse hiding in the wake of Hank's murder, as he realized Jesse had done the very thing Walt did with Jane - watching as someone dear to him died. Up until then, the true nature of Jane's death was a horrific event only Walt knew about. But when Jesse unknowingly replicated that scenario, Walt decided to even the score and confess. This confession also gave Walt a sense of control after falling to grief.

The fact that this confession comes after Walt decided to have Jack kill Jesse reveals that Walt didn't think death was satisfying vengeance. He wanted to further hurt Jesse emotionally in the way he was hurting at that moment. Having a loved one taken away is in itself tragic; but knowing someone watched and did nothing to save them makes it even more devastating. That was his parting gift to Jesse, another reason viewers shouldn't root for Walter White.

Walt's Confession Reveals His True Breaking Bad Nature

Walt's confession gave him the illusion of power in a situation where he had none. Revenge was his main motivation in confessing, but what Walt truly desired was the kind of power that no longer made him feel like the weak and helpless man cancer and life made him feel as though he was. Even if he could not control what was happening, the power to inflict the kind of pain and helplessness onto others that he too suffered was gratifying for Walt, making his actions ever more disturbing.

Throughout Breaking Bad, it was crystal clear that cooking meth gave Walt the control he had been missing in his life prior. Walt's need for power, however, grew from his yearning to not die groveling. Hank, though wounded and helpless, died the way Walt wanted to live; composed. Power gave Walt that level of control over his emotions, steeling him and changing him at the same time. Going from Walter White to Heisenberg was his way of further demonstrating that, despite the crime and tragedy that shrouded his life, Walt's true Breaking Bad nature was one shockingly undisturbed by his actions.

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