Not against the Nazis for the most part though. His whole scheme of mowing them down with the automated M60 was successful for the most part, and it went more or less as he planned it. Whatever minor hurdles came in the way(his key being appropriated, Jesse being revealed as a prisoner rather than a partner) were all overcome by him improvising, rather than simply being too damn lucky as he usually is in other scenarios like Gus Fring.
The luck part in the end came down to him getting his keys back. If the pat-down guy had just kept them and stayed outside it was all over. That's not something you can plan for ahead of time, and it almost didn't pan out. Both Jack falling for his desperate insults and getting close enough to the keys wasn't anything to do with his genius or skills. It was luck. The set-up was all him, but the opportunity for its execution, all chance.
Walt's not a master superbeing who can see into the future. If there was no element of chance in his plans, then the show would totally suck.
__________________ Recently Produced and Distributed Young but High-Ranking Political Figure of Royal Ancestry within the Modern American Town Affectionately Referred To as Bel-Air.
Walt has been far luckier on other occasions. Walt used the information he had to lure dumb Fring to his death by the man who had tortured him in the past.
Walt is the better man. Walt was smarter in a direct contest of the two. With regards to the Neonazis he was far luckier and was vulnerable. Against Fring he played him and easily so. In two situations he had him where he wanted him. Fring luckily walked away but Walt just had to get him later.
Walt proved without a question he was greater than Fring. Again luck is a part of his powerset. Jesse referenced it. You're dead wrong like Fring.
Gender: Male Location: 4th Street Underpass, Manhattan
I think Walt is better than Fring simply because when he was running stuff, he made near $90 million in the course of 3 months. I agree that Gus was more streetsmart, but if Walt had those streetsmarts combined with his booksmarts, he'd be pretty much unstoppable.
Tuco is the only occasion where he was "far luckier" and that is primarily because Heisenberg was still in the infant stages back then, meaning Walt was still a n00b.
Walt's win over the Gus was a lucky victory. Walt's annihilation of the Neonazis was a well-planned, well-executed stratagem, all of which was powered by his classic smarts and grit.
As mentioned so many times before, series creator Vince Gillian is on my side while stubborn, annoying and fanboyish trollery is on your side.
The "keys being taken away during the frisking" part was an unforeseen hurdle and that much I have admitted, but what you must realize is that Walt improvised by playing on Jack's ego with that Jesse accusation. How many times had Walt interacted with people like Jack in the show? Just based on his observation of Jack's murder of Hank, he already knew Jack loved to play with his victim(who is seemingly completely helpless and in Jack's power) a bit before finishing them off when the opportunity presented itself. By that point he understood how the minds of animals like Jack functioned. Him mowing down the Nazis is clearly the full on display of Heisenberg's ruthless genius and improvisation skills.
Yeah it is. But it's not the uber godlike super intelligence I've heard him made out to be. There are so many elements of chance that he's been fortuitously privy to that if they had gone wrong even slightly, he'd have died long ago. How close he came to losing, even at that end game, due to simple chance. And how much he got away with due to same.
__________________ Recently Produced and Distributed Young but High-Ranking Political Figure of Royal Ancestry within the Modern American Town Affectionately Referred To as Bel-Air.
I certainly am not claiming that he had "uber godlike" intelligence, although it was certainly up there at the genius level at the very least. That combined with his resolve to close unfinished business back in Albuquerque, and the classic Heisenberg ruthlessness and the considerable experience he had attained throughout the series in dealing with major threats is what enabled to finish off the Aryans and Lydia. Not luck(which was involved in previous battles in varying levels).
None of his plans were flawless, the degrees of success he obtained were due to little twists of luck in his favour, and that's a good thing IMO, someone who gets everything spot on is boring.
__________________ Then lets head down into that cellar and carve ourselves a witch
Yes certainly. But he wasn't just ruthless, clever, and cunning. He was also lucky. He was always lucky. Sheer fortuitous chance saved his ass in the quickest, smallest ways that when, for all his cunning, he would have otherwise failed. Or died. See the 'key' example for reference.
Spot on.
__________________ Recently Produced and Distributed Young but High-Ranking Political Figure of Royal Ancestry within the Modern American Town Affectionately Referred To as Bel-Air.
I already admitted that luck was involved to varying degrees in previous confrontations like Tuco and Gus. What I don't believe is that luck was the key to him mowing down the Nazis. It was not. That was his intelligence, grit and resolve to avenge Hank's death and protect his family from any future advances made by the Aryan group.
His brain in action? And we can go there: Walt would'nt've of gotten to the Nazi's if it weren't for luck in the first place so what does it matter? Realistically Walt should been killed a while back anyway and in more than a few scenarios. Would you like me to name some?
Look I'm not discrediting his intelligence, imo he was the smartest individual in the show, even smarter than Fring, we saw how he outsmarted him, but there were instances where Vince Gillian clearly, and for obvious reasons, tailored Walt's events in Walt's favor.
__________________ "The darkside, Sidious, is an illness no true Sith wishes to be cured of, my young apprentice .."
Walt to me, had a bit more of a moral conscious than Fring did. He wasn't as cutthroat or sadistic, which is what you need to be, as a kingpin, in that game. You have to be completely 100% moral-less. And Walt wasn't that, unless his hand was forced to the max. I don't think he was even capable of it either, no matter the success.
Murder isn't really in Walt. Like he'd avoid if he had to unlike Fring. where he would do it anytime and it was just fine with him afterwards.
Walt would only and always be just fine as a cook. No more, no less, in my eyes. And he would've been ok. Even Mike, my fav character, said "We had a good thing.."
__________________ "The darkside, Sidious, is an illness no true Sith wishes to be cured of, my young apprentice .."
Yes it was. He had an elaborate plan on how to take down the Nazis in that episode, and the plan was more or less 100% successful in execution. Nope, we can't go down that road because it has nothing to do with how he mowed down the Aryans.
Never really disputed that he got lucky in a number of instances. What I truly disbelieve however is the idea that he was lucky against the Nazis while simply smarter against Fring, when it's the complete opposite based on what we saw in the show.
Both instances were Heisenberg/Walt using his head.
Fring was before he succumbed to ego and passion,
The Aryans were after his ego was shattered and he had time to reflect, and get back to using his loaf again.
He probably intended to take out ALL of the Aryans in one volley and live and escape possibly with the money they stole.
Two things that didn't go according to that plan.
Walt was lucky the entire time here and there in varying degrees.
No, that was out thinking Gus. Hardly any lucky at all just manipulating Gus.
Walt was far luckier against the Nazis. Every one else has pointed out all the reasons. You love Gus and are flat out looking ridiculous here.
The show referenced Walt's luck as a part of his powerset. He beat Gus. He is better. Case closed. The show demonstrated it and it what happened. No point in arguing against the facts.