Walt does push him later, but you know? Jesse is still capable of making the choice not to. He has no trouble laying down the law after they team up again.
This is a difficult issue for me. I mean, if someone is in an abusive relationship do we say it's the victim's fault because they have chosen to stay with their abuser? In 3x7 Jesse agrees to be partners again after angrily accusing Walt of using him and ruining his life. Yes, Jesse could have just left his partnership with Walt long ago (Walt's old blackmail threat was useless since Jesse could've just as easily turned Walt into the police at that point) But leaving abusers is always easier said that done. In just the first three episodes Jesse goes through a traumatic ordeal with Walt and as Jesse says "we can't talk about it to anyone else". Jesse's need for a companion and a surrogate parent is always so exposed that we can see Walt taking advantage and playing on Jesse's vulnerabilities.
You'll probably object to me using terms like 'abuser' and 'victim' to describe Walt and Jesse's relationship throughout the whole show. I guess my view of past seasons is now colored by things like the Brock poisoning in S4 which was an undeniable act of emotional manipulation and gaslighting by Walt. Because we know that Walt will become very abusive and controlling of Jesse in later seasons, I think it gets fans questioning if Jesse was always Walt's victim. Certainly I think Walt was always a bully. Since Walt was in the teacher/father role there was always that power imbalance. Even in the beginning, Walt would insult Jesse constantly, breaking down his self-esteem, and making Jesse crave any tiny crumbs of Walt's approval he could get.
I agree that Jesse is far from innocent but since Walt intentionally took charge of Jesse's life I think he should feel some responsibility for the kid. S3 is the only time Walt does leave Jesse to his own devises but by that point it seems Jesse is too broken and codependent to cope on his own. We can argue that Jesse made his own choices, that Jesse is an adult but - is he really? Despite being in his mid 20s Jesse still has the mentality of an adolescent. And Walt keeps Jesse in that childlike state by continuing to treat him like a failing school boy, something Jesse submits to since he never stops calling him 'Mr White'.
no subject
This is a difficult issue for me. I mean, if someone is in an abusive relationship do we say it's the victim's fault because they have chosen to stay with their abuser? In 3x7 Jesse agrees to be partners again after angrily accusing Walt of using him and ruining his life. Yes, Jesse could have just left his partnership with Walt long ago (Walt's old blackmail threat was useless since Jesse could've just as easily turned Walt into the police at that point) But leaving abusers is always easier said that done. In just the first three episodes Jesse goes through a traumatic ordeal with Walt and as Jesse says "we can't talk about it to anyone else". Jesse's need for a companion and a surrogate parent is always so exposed that we can see Walt taking advantage and playing on Jesse's vulnerabilities.
You'll probably object to me using terms like 'abuser' and 'victim' to describe Walt and Jesse's relationship throughout the whole show. I guess my view of past seasons is now colored by things like the Brock poisoning in S4 which was an undeniable act of emotional manipulation and gaslighting by Walt. Because we know that Walt will become very abusive and controlling of Jesse in later seasons, I think it gets fans questioning if Jesse was always Walt's victim. Certainly I think Walt was always a bully. Since Walt was in the teacher/father role there was always that power imbalance. Even in the beginning, Walt would insult Jesse constantly, breaking down his self-esteem, and making Jesse crave any tiny crumbs of Walt's approval he could get.
I agree that Jesse is far from innocent but since Walt intentionally took charge of Jesse's life I think he should feel some responsibility for the kid. S3 is the only time Walt does leave Jesse to his own devises but by that point it seems Jesse is too broken and codependent to cope on his own. We can argue that Jesse made his own choices, that Jesse is an adult but - is he really? Despite being in his mid 20s Jesse still has the mentality of an adolescent. And Walt keeps Jesse in that childlike state by continuing to treat him like a failing school boy, something Jesse submits to since he never stops calling him 'Mr White'.