Spoilers ahead. Don’t read if you haven’t seen “Granite State”.
So, I guess we’re not going to see any of the Czech buyers that Lydia’s been working with. They would have had to been introduced by this episode, otherwise it wouldn’t make sense. If they were shown in the finale, it would be a little too “Deus Ex Machina”, as a friend of mine put it.
So, there Walt was, sitting at the bar, after his phone call with Jr – he was ready to turn himself in. A chance sighting of the interview of Gretchen and Elliot comes on the bar’s TV. When Charlie Rose questions them both about Walt’s involvement with the company, Gray Matter Technologies, and they say the only thing he contributed was the name.
Walt being cut out of Gray Matter, never getting recognized for his contributions, is really what the whole series comes down to. Walt wanted to provide for his family, from the beginning, even before the cancer hit. He never made his millions in Gray Matter, even though they used his research to create the multi-billion dollar company. He was very resentful of this. Even more so that they’re not recognizing him as the prime person behind the entire operation.
Walt getting cut out of Gray Matter is an has an interesting parallel in his meth empire. With Walt out of the picture, someone else (Todd with the unwilling help of Jesse) is manufacturing meth using Walt’s formula. We already know that he’s very possessive of the the formula, and we’ve seen him argue with Jesse about it during one of their fights. This is the second empire that Walt built, and that he has virtually nothing to show for it.
Two empires built: One legal, one illegal. Walt left out in the cold (and in New Hampshire, literally out in the cold) in both, while others reap the benefits. That’s what makes him snap at the end of the episode.
Up until the ending of this episode, I think everyone presumed that Walt was going back to save his family and to exact revenge on Uncle Jack and crew. After seeing Walt’s reaction to the interview on TV, I think we’re going to see an act of revenge on two fronts: One against Gray Matter Technologies, and the other against Uncle Jack and his crew. I think he’ll storm the Gray Matter headquarters, kill both Gretchen and Elliot Schwartz, and then go after Uncle Jack.