A dismal 1.4 million people watched the pilot episode of Breaking Bad in January 2008, but an astonishing 10.28 million viewers watched the finale of Breaking Bad (Kissell). This exponential increase in viewership can be attributed, in part, to the development of the series' characters, notably Walter White. As fans of the show watch each week, they begin to see that Walter is not at all like the gentle schoolteacher they initially thought he was. In reality, Walter White's story is one of change. Both loved and hated, Walter White went from pitiful victim to ultimate villain. Walter began cooking meth to earn extra income. After being diagnosed with cancer, he realized he needed another source of income to pay for his treatment and support his family. In just two years, Walter becomes the best meth cook in the country, and arguably the world. To achieve such success, Walter abandoned his morals by murdering, stealing, and lying to reach the top, moving from a part-time job to a lifelong commitment. Although his reasons for getting into the drug trade were heroic, Walter became blinded by greed and selfishness, and is undoubtedly a villain due to his selfish pride, selfishness, greed, of his ruthless ability to manipulate those around him and his immoral choices. Ultimately, these qualities led to his demise. “You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain” (“Dark Knight Quotes”). This quote from The Dark Knight perfectly describes Walter's career as a meth addict. to cook. Walter began cooking meth to support his family. However, Walter quickly became obsessed with this career and decided... middle of paper ...... Web December 6, 2013. Quotes." IMDb. IMDb.com, 2008. Web. December 5, 2013. "Comment Meth destroys the body." PBS.org. The Public Broadcasting Station, May 17, 2011. Web. December 10, 2013. Kissell, Rick. “'Breaking Bad' finale hits 10.3 million viewers." Variety.com , September 30, 2013. Web. December 5, 2013. Lee, Steven J., MD “Crystal Methamphetamine,” April 2006, July 15. : 589-612. "Quotes for Jesse Pinkman." Web December 5, 2013. "Quotes for Walter White." . Breaking Bad Wiki, nd Web. December 7, 2013. “Walt's Drug Empire.” Breaking Bad Wiki, nd Web. Wikia.com. Breaking Bad Wiki, nd Web. Dec 6.. 2013.