There's a popular theory about Breaking Bad that claims that every time Walter White kills someone, he picks up some of their character traits.
We trawled through the evidence to make it a little easier to follow. And we have to say, we're almost convinced.
On top of that we also found a whole load of other hidden details that demonstrate just how layered and complex this show is. Enjoy!
1. Remember Crazy 8? He used to have his sandwiches without crusts. And then after killing him, so did Walt.
2. Then there's Gus. Gus used to drive a Volvo, now check out Walt's ride in the Season 5 opener.
The Season 5 opener was, coincidentally or not, the very next episode after Walt had killed Gus.
3. But that's not the only habit of Gus' that Walt picked up after his death.
Now, of course, Walt never actually saw Gus do his little towel trick before chucking his guts up. Therefore if there genuinely is something to the theory of Walt picking up traits of his victims, then it must be a nod from the writers, rather than a conscious decision by Walt.
4. You can clearly see him channeling his former boss in the first episode of Season 5, Part 2.
5. And the evidence for this theory just keeps stacking up. Next up, Mike.
On the left you can clearly see Mike drinks his whiskey with ice, whereas Walt does not. Fast-forward a season (to a time after he has offed Mr. Ehrmantraut), and suddenly he wants ice? Interesting.
6. And he even picks up Mike's lingo.
7. So in Season 5, Episode 1, when we see Walt make the number 52 with bacon on his birthday — something Skyler once did for him — that must mean...
Good luck, Skyler.
8. And then in the same scene we find out his fake ID has the surname 'Lambert'.
At least there's nothing in the flash forwards that suggests Walt might kill Jesse, right?
9. Oh, crap.
10. Unsettling theories aside, there also seem to be numerous references to classic movies, like The Godfather.
11. Enjoying your lunch, boys?
12. And as if this pose wasn't similar enough, LOOK AT THEIR NAMES.
13. Oranges also seem to be consistently significant throughout the seasons.
14. Another hat tip to The Godfather, perhaps?
15. Colours are also an integral part of the show. Here you can see the change in the colours Walt wears over the first two seasons.
16. The colour green seems especially significant when it comes to Walt.
17. You can also see the change in Skyler's colours as she gets sucked deeper and deeper into Walt's world.
And with Hank, after he shoots Tuco and is sent to Mexico.
Some characters, however, just really like purple.
18. Then there are some more leftfield spots, like the consistent presence of this '8' or infinity symbol.
19. Check out this clearly intentional example of foreshadowing.
20. It would seem a lot of people who meet Walt see dollar signs, and plenty of them.
21. And finally, take a look at Walt walking through his front door on three consecutive birthdays.
The change is chilling enough. But when you look at the words of this conversation between Jesse and Jane earlier in the show, these images seem all the more significant.
Jesse: You know, I don’t get it. Why would anyone paint a picture of a door, over and over again, like, dozens of times?
Jane: But it wasn’t the same.
Jesse: Yeah, it was.
Jane: It was the same subject, but it was different every time. The light was different, her mood was different. She saw something new every time she painted it.
(via Reddit)