An Ode to the Blowfish

Photo source here.

Eavesdropping in a conversation between the two main characters of one of my favorite TV shows, Breaking Bad.


Jesse: It's not our territory. Man, you follow me, here? We go rolling into these neighborhoods, other crews ain't gonna take kindly. You understand? 

Walt: Sure. They won't like it. But I say they're no gonna do a thing about it. 

Jesse: No!

Walt: Listen, Jesse.The game has changed and the word is out. And you are a killer. 

Jesse: What are you talking about?

Walt: Apparently it's all over town. Somebody crossed you and you got angry. You crushed their skull with an ATM machine. 

Jesse: But that's not how it happened.

Walt: Who cares? Just as long as it's our competitors who believe it and not the police.

Jesse: Oh my God!

Walt: Don't you see how great this is? Look you, you are a... Jesse, look at me. You are a blowfish. 

Jesse: What?

Walt: A blowfish. Think about it. Small in stature, not swift, not cunning. Easy prey for predators. But the blowfish has a secret weapon, doesn't he? Doesn't he? What does the blowfish do, Jesse... what does the blowfish do?

Jesse: I don't even know what... 

Walt: The blowfish puffs up. The blowfish puffs himself up four or five times larger than normal. And why? Why does he do that? So that it makes him intimidating, that's why. Intimidating, so that the other scarier fish are scared off. And that's you. You are a blowfish. You see, it's just all an illusion. See? It's nothing but air. Now, who messes with the blowfish, Jesse? 

Jesse: Nobody.

Walt: You're damn right.

Jesse: I'm a blowfish.

Walt: You are a blowfish. Say it again.

Jesse: I'm a blowfish.

Walt: Say it like you mean it!

Jesse: I'm a blowfish!

Walt: That's it!

Jesse: Yeah! Blowfishing this up! (smokes weed).