Why Didn't Hank Find Out Sooner? - Breaking Bad

Hank was biased towards Walt because he was family. A detective with the same skill level as Hank but neutral towards Walt would have made him suspect #1 during the investigation of the missing school equipment.

I don’t get why it’s so unbelievable for Hank to miss it. I think most would too. Walt also had terminal cancer. Not only did he not seem like he would do anything like this, but he was extremely sick (even more sick in other’s eyes). Some say well, Walt changed. He was given a terminal illness and was going through a marital separation. People change from those things.

From what I noticed in all my watching of Breaking Bad, Hank naturally has a blind spot for those he loves. Marie's stealing is a great example. He asks for everyone to turn a blind eye despite it being a crime because he loves her and though he disagrees with it, supports her through it. Not to mention that throughout the series Hank constantly thinks that Walter is soft. From the first episode he always talks about how Walter needs to 'man up' and do 'man things.' It may be just the way men talk to each other, but it's clear that no one would have ever considered Walter to be Heisenberg because it was out of character for him. We don't know much about their history prior to the show, but it's easy to guess that Hank always thought of Walter as a little brother who was the definition of a goody-two-shoes. Despite the numerous clues it would be ridiculous to think that someone like Walter would be THE drug lord he's been hearing about. I'm sure a good majority of us would reconsider the idea if we found out a family member, despite fitting the possibility, happened to be one of the state's most wanted person. Our perpection becomes biased easily because we like to think "oh, but it can't be them, because of these reasons." Walter White was a perfect coverup for an identity like Heisnberg. He was easily ignored, normal looking, he had a reputation for being quiet, reserved and unlikely to even hurt a fly. It just so happened, maybe with a stroke of luck, that Hank was a DEA agent and could vouch for his character whenever it was questioned. Because in his point of view, Hank would never consider the idea that the version of Walter he knows could never be Heisenberg.

crazy how hank needing to take a poop is one of the most influential things in the show

so in summarization: Hank gave the benefit of the doubt because he initially thinks Walt as a loser which is the central egotistical drive to the entire story

I think people overplay the scene where Hank thinks gale is Heisenberg. Yes, it would’ve bought more time, but the meth would continue to be on the streets which would leak to the conclusion of it not being gale anyways.

You're forgetting how drunk he was when he told Hank to keep looking, despite everything else, I seriously doubt he would have been that stupid without the effects of the alcohol.

It's perfectly believable that the thought of Walt being Heisenberg never even entered Hank's mind because of how he views Walt. The problem with this is that one scene where he insinuates that WW is Walter White, showing that he did have that idea, and I believe that as soon as that happened, he would inevitably start to think about it and the whole thing would quickly unravel.

Being underestimated is one of the greatest gifts you can ever have

The Hank-Walter tension was something I haven't felt since Death Note

Tbh I’m surprised Hank didn’t deduce that the blue meth was being manufactured by multiple cooks, and therefore the idea of Heisenberg could’ve been a red herring to keep the DEA looking.

You know the show is legendary when there are theories coming up even after a decade of the show being called off

I mean, honestly, arrogance played a big part of it. Hank saw Walt as a pathetic person that Hank was better than. He never looked at him more than that.

He was just simply that guy. mans was such a raging egomaniac he didnt think anyone COULD catch him. Why do you think he kept that damn book on his toilet?

it WAS Brilliant story telling. When Hank . FINALLY . Did realize the truth. He went from rage to just simply a baffled (& broken) Heart.... when he saw the veil drop, and instead of Walt.... THERE Stood Heisenberg, his ultimate nemisis. Hank Literally said it: "I don't know who I'm looking at" ..... .... he realized he did not "KNOW" the Real Walt, all along

The best show ever written and produced hands down

Walter was family to Hank and people ALWAYS have a blindspot when it comes to family this is the biggest point everyone misses when making these videos or even discussing this topic its easy for us to say that Hank should have seen it earlier even with his training as an investigator and detective but the matter of fact still remains that we all have a blindspot for those we care about even when all the signs are pointing to it

Hanks biggest mistake was not pursuing the missing school equipment. That was the smoking gun and I’m surprised it wasn’t what he used to implicate Walt as Heisenberg during the final season of the show. A lot of the hints are often circumstantial at best, like people have this tendency to mentally separate their work and home lives to the point that they forget they share the same reality. Walt is extremely, unfathomably sloppy but also extremely unfathomably lucky in what he was able to get away with. If he had waited he would have been able to get a warrant on Jesses house and test for any residue left over from cooking in the basement. After he suspected Walt for the missing school supplies he could have tested his hair for similar residue.

Its like how it was in Death Note. Mr. Yagami saw the evidence but didnt want to believe his son was Kira, so he blinded himself to the truth. L was neutral, and thus could relentlessly pursue Light properly. Walter better be glad he didnt need to face an L.

We the audience are biased in deciding if someone should suspect Walt because we already know its him. But take away that prior knowledge, then add to it what Hank already knows about Walt over years of knowing him. Hes meek, quiet, unambitious, and now sick and dying. Given all of that its unlikely that anyone would make that leap based on tidbits of circumstantial evidence.