The electronic structure of {delta}-phase Pu metal and the Pu-based superconductor PuCoGa{sub 5} is explored using photoelectron spectroscopy and a novel theoretical scheme. Excellent agreement between calculation and experiment defines a path forward for understanding electronic structure aspects of Pu-based materials. The photoemission results show two separate regions of 5f electron spectral intensity, one at the Fermi energy and another centered 1.2 eV below the Fermi level. A comparison is made between the photoemission data and five computational schemes for {delta}-Pu. The results for {delta}-Pu and PuCoGa{sub 5} indicate 5f electron behavior on the threshold between localized and itinerant and a broader framework for understanding the fundamental electronic properties of the Pu 5f levels in general within two configurations, one localized and one itinerant.