The Evolution of Walter White, in GIFs

How Breaking Bad's star went from family man to drug kingpin.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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"The faster they undergo change, the more violent the explosion."

That's Walter White, a.k.a. Mr. White, talking. He's lecturing a semi-bored-looking room full of students in his day job as a high school chemistry teacher. Explaining some sort of chemical reaction. But he may as well be writing his own autobiography.

In the past five seasons of Breaking Bad, audiences have witnessed the extreme evolution of the character of Walter White from doting husband and father to ruthless drug kingpin. His transformation has not been a slow or subtle one; in the pilot episode alone we see glimpses of the man who will become known as Heisenberg, the steely-eyed, fedora-wearing emperor of the New Mexico meth trade.

And when it comes down to Walter versus the world, he'll stop at nothing to win. Witness The Evolution of Walter White, in GIFs.

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Meet Walter White.

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He also works at car wash on the side.

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But Walter's got bigger problems.

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It's time to make some changes.

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Walter's brother-in-law, Hank, gives him an idea.

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So Walter goes on a DEA ride-along.

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His name is Jesse Pinkman.

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So Walter and Jesse decide to pair up.

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But all is not smooth sailing.

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Witness the birth of Heisenberg.

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But Tuco has a tendency to kill his associates.

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There's a new distributor in town.

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When one of Walt and Jesse's dealers gets pinched, it's time to call in the big legal guns.

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Oh, and about that whole cancer thing?

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Walt realizes it's time to go back to real life.

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It should be a happy final payday for both of them.

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Walter's double-life is catching up with him.

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Walter claims he wants out, but when Gus builds him a super-lab he cannot resist.

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Jesse wants revenge when his friend is killed by a couple of dealers.

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Gus Fring isn't happy.

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Now Gus Fring really isn't happy.

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Don't mess with the danger.

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But maybe Walt's not as indispensable as he thinks.

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Walter has still got science on his side.

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But the fallout from the destruction of Gus Fring's empire is far-reaching.

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With yet another distributor six feet under, it's time to find a new cover.

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Now Skyler has really had enough.

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Walt's livelihood is threatened once again when one of Mike's guys decides to flip.

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All is right in Walt's world.

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