In Breaking Bad, Walter needed money to support his family at any cost, however, how would a highly intelligent and independent man like Gale Boetticher end up working for Gus Fring? I know it was a question of exercising "chemistry" for Gale but was there anything else in it for him?
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He won a chemistry scholarship sponsored by Gus. I guess this is how they met and Gus made an offer. Is this enough for you or you need more information? Cause I'm not sure if it was ever revealed...– Chanandler BongAug 26, 2015 at 13:09
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This is part of the answer (if we believe what Gus says to detectives is actually true), however, I still do not understand the moral aspect, didn't Gale know he will be cooking meth and be breaking the law?– eYeAug 26, 2015 at 13:14
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1I thought that this is what you're looking for. Regarding the scholarship a diploma or something similar can be seen in Gael's room in one of the episodes (if I remember correctly).– Chanandler BongAug 26, 2015 at 13:36
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2I'm pretty sure Gale said that he worked for corporations, but it was meaningless work and it distanced him from chemistry he loved. Cooking was him going back to chemistry as he loved it.– ZikatoAug 26, 2015 at 13:43
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That is true, it just makes no sense to me that he chose to exercise " true chemistry" in a form of blue meth rather than some useful medical application, if we believe he really loved chemistry and not money.– eYeAug 26, 2015 at 13:46
1 Answer
I recall Gale explaining to Walter:
I'm definitely a libertarian. Consenting adults want what they want and if I'm not supplying it they will get it somewhere else. At least with me they're getting exactly what they pay for; no added toxins or impurities.
I think it's also useful to consider the purity of meth. he could make, which was probably matched by Jessie's cook (using Walter's formula) on a good day, and only beaten by Walter's product. He was justifiably proud of the quality he could achieve.
That, and his love of the pure chemistry, was pretty much all the reasons I recall being offered for his decision to cook for Gus.
..it just makes no sense to me that he chose to exercise " true chemistry" in a form of blue meth rather than some useful medical application
I imagine the number of chemists that get to work on 'useful medical applications' is probably 1%. And of that 1%, 99% of them would be doing something mundane like ..testing the pH level in samples - 200 times a day.
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You remember this quotes by yourself or took it from some source? Because mentioning the source is always preferable.– Ankit Sharma ♦Aug 28, 2015 at 10:39
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I see your point, @AnkitSharma. Unfortunately I could not find a single definitive (wiki or more official) page and ended up spying the quote on someone's hobby site. I copy/pasted the quote but was too embarrassed by the source to reveal it! OTOH doing a 'reverse search' on that exact quote throws up this reddit thread and this commentary on libertarians.. Is either worth adding as the source? Aug 28, 2015 at 11:59
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Point taken ;) , anyways didn't seen any issue with the answer and already been upvoted.– Ankit Sharma ♦Aug 28, 2015 at 12:06
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@AnkitSharma Yes, noted the upvote. Thanks. :) I'll leave the answer as is, and also leave the comment as links for two ..sources of that quote. Aug 28, 2015 at 12:10