Top 20 Breaking Bad Questions Answered in Better Call Saul
#20: Why Did Gus Keep Hector Alive?
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Gustavo Fring is a secretive man who keeps his feelings masked and speaks words like he’s spending valuable currency. “Breaking Bad” partially revealed his tragic past, when we watched his former partner gunned down by Hector Salamanca. You’d expect Gus to want Hector’s defeat to be just as bloody, but instead he becomes Hector’s most regular visitor at the “Casa Tranquila” nursing home. In “Better Call Saul”’s final season, Gus ends up in a life threatening situation and chooses to confess his true thoughts about the Salamanca family. He intends to exterminate every last member of his enemy’s lineage, and it is only then that he will permit Hector to die. It’s a moving, frightening, and spellbinding moment that fantastically plants the seeds to come.
#19: Where Does Saul Goodman Live?
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Looking back on “Breaking Bad”, we noticed that most characters allow the camera into their homes at some point during the story. These residences can often reflect a given character’s personality or tumultuous situation. One character whose quarters are missing, however, is Saul Goodman. It might be easy to think a guy like Saul lives in his office, but teasers in “Better Call Saul”’s final season give us a peek into the lawyer’s house. It turns out being a criminal attorney has its perks, as Saul lives in a lavish mansion, decorated with flashy art, furniture, and enough ties to satisfy Barney Stinson. The house’s scene also features movers emptying these things from Saul’s dwelling, perhaps representing the metaphorical…or literal…end of Saul Goodman.
#18: Where Did the Bell Come From?
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If you remember one thing about Hector Salamanca, it’s this: (*Hector ringing the bell* SB). More than a personality quirk, Hector’s bell serves as a significant plot device. The trinket allows the crippled cartel don to communicate, and it plays a vital role in the epic takedown of the seemingly invincible Gustavo Fring. If you didn’t think much of the little antique, you’ll be surprised to learn that it has a bloody backstory, involving a hotel owner who once betrayed Hector. The gangster then sought comeuppance…in traditional Salamanca fashion. Season four of “Better Call Saul” reveals that Hector’s sadistic nephew (more on him later) presented the bell as a gift. Much like Hector himself, the bell appeared first as a background character, and later deliciously became much more.
#17: How Did Saul Meet His Assistant?
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A great lawyer needs the right assistant. Jimmy McGill didn’t start out with the best. (Saul pretends to be his own secretary insert) Saul Goodman’s eventual receptionist in crime is Francesca Liddy, armed with the personality to match Roz at “Monsters, Inc.” She plays second fiddle to some schemes in “Breaking Bad”, including a crucial fraudulent call to Hank. In “Better Call Saul”, she’s a former DMV employee who’s bubbly about a new job opportunity at Jimmy and Kim’s budding law firm. At first she’s happily redecorating the office, hugging Kim and hesitant to impersonate somebody over the phone. It’s a bit heartbreaking to see Francesca in her optimistic days, before she’s devolved into a bitter criminal cohort who’s not above document shredding and blackmail. There’s more than one way to break bad.
#16: What’s Significant About Saul’s Ring?
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In a world before fidget spinners, there were plenty of other habitual tics that could help someone deep in thought. For Walter White, it was lighting matches. For Saul Goodman, it was playing with his ring. You can spot the jewelry on Saul’ pinky finger during both shows, including during his initial business proposition to our “Heisenberg”. (Saul fidgets with ring) On “Better Call Saul”’s first season finale, we learn that Saul’s ring was left behind by former scam associate Marco, after the latter’s untimely demise before Goodman’s very eyes. Does he wear it out of guilt, or maybe a reminder of his warped sense of justice? Like Hector’s bell, it’s a subtle window into the mind of a fascinatingly complex character.
#15: How Did Saul Discover the “Vacuum Cleaner” Service?
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What do puppy love, vacuum cleaners, and a life of crime have in common? As Walt’s over-boiling conflict with Gus reaches its crucible, Saul offers him an irreversible way out: a new identity. This involves contacting a mysterious vacuum cleaner service and asking for a specific machine part. While we eventually see the cryptic “Disappearer” , it’s only in “Better Call Saul” that we learn how Jimmy McGill first came across the contact. When seeking aid in their plot against Howard Hamlin, Kim and Jimmy meet with shady veterinarian Dr. Caldera. Caldera confesses that he’s abandoning his criminal double life in favor of his passion for animal care. He leaves the pair a little black book, helpfully containing the number for a familiar appliance repair company.
#14: Why Was Tuco in Prison?
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There’s little about Tuco Salamanca to suggest that his history is squeaky clean. Even before we meet this unstable cartel kingpin, we hear about him from Skinny Pete, who once shared a prison quarters with Salamanca. The circumstances that landed Tuco in prison turn out to be much more connected than we initially think, as we learn that Saul’s accomplice, Mike Ehrmantraut, put him there. In accordance with a plan hatched by Mike and Nacho Varga, Mike goads Tuco into an attack that’s witnessed by the police. The coordinated altercation lands Tuco behind bars. If only Uncle Hector hadn’t intervened, Tuco could have gone away for much longer. Who knows? He might never have crossed paths with Walt and Jesse…
#13: How Involved is Madrigal?
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The demise of Gus Fring came with catastrophic ripple effects. Included is the dark fate Peter Schuler, an executive for Madrigal Electromotive. “Breaking Bad” hooked us with a gripping teaser inside the world of the conglomerate that oversaw Fring’s “Los Pollos Hermanos” chain. Schuler and Fring were more than just business partners, though, as scenes in “Better Call Saul” allude to a shared traumatic backstory between the two. Both profited from Gus’s distribution operation, and we learn that Schuler ultimately funded construction of the underground lab. Rewatching the Madrigal employee’s end carries much more emotional weight once you’ve seen the beginning, and the subplot also provides an early appearance of Lydia Rodarte-Quayle.
#12: How Did Gus Find Gale?
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After Jesse and Gus experienced “professional differences,” it seemed Gus already had a replacement at the ready. The offbeat Gale Boetticher stepped in with expert knowledge of chemistry and an idolization of Heisenberg’s product. In “Better Call Saul”, we get to see Gus meet Gale, who is a recipient of Gus’s prominent education scholarship. The young adorer of science demonstrates an aptitude for and interest in meth production, aspiring to work for Gus and the new lab. In a rare moment of humanity, the drug lord ensures Gale that he is meant to do more with his life. Gus’s conscience fizzles like a switched-off Bunsen burner, though, and he eventually leads Gale on a career path that will inevitably end with that unforgettable knock…
#11: What Drove Saul to Become a “Criminal” Lawyer?
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In “Breaking Bad,” Saul Goodman is a lawyer who specializes in defending criminals because he is something of a criminal himself! It actually takes a while for him to “use his powers for evil” in his self-titled series. But it turns out that Jimmy’s brother Chuck continuously sabotaged Goodman’s early efforts to be successful legitimately. This led the lawyer to believe he will always break the law he’s meant to uphold. Even after his brother is gone, Jimmy finds himself failing or being punished for doing things the right way when nearly everyone sees him as bad already. Since shortcuts, illegal tactics, and well-paying criminals offered him greater success during his show, we understand why Jimmy chooses a life of crime in “Breaking Bad”.
#10: How Did Gus & Mike Start Working Together?
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When we first meet Mike, he’s the right-hand man of the powerful and cunning kingpin Gus Fring. In “Better Call Saul,” we learn how their partnership came to be. As it turns out, the thing that brought them together was their shared hatred of Hector Salamanca. Although Gus asks that Mike not kill their mutual nemesis, they do start working together. The duo even sabotages Salamanca’s business. Eventually, Mike starts acting as security for both Gus’ legitimate and criminal businesses. It’s quite entertaining to see their mutual respect and working relationship develop.
#9: How Involved Was Krazy-8 in the Drug Trade?
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The first person Walter White ever dispatches of is a criminal distributor and D.E.A. informant named Domingo “Krazy-8” Molina. In “Better Call Saul,” we see how this minor character goes from being a regular dealer that reports to Tuco and Nacho to becoming a much bigger player. We even see how he got his nickname. Unfortunately for him, some poor timing sees him arrested for possession. This leads to good old Saul Goodman working out a deal with Hank and the D.E.A. for Krazy-8 to become an informant. At the same time, this arrangement was also part of a complex scheme from Lalo to hurt Gus. Overall, Krazy-8’s story was much deeper than his short time could hint at.
#8: Why Did Mike Quit Being a Cop?
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We learn from a conversation with Walt that Mike used to be a cop. While there were hints as to why he left the force then, “Better Call Saul” fully fleshes things out. Mike eventually reveals he was a dirty cop that urged his son Matt to become corrupt too. Tragically, crooked officers took Matt’s life anyway. Mike got revenge by ending the ones responsible for his son’s demise. Knowing how he lost his son makes his relationship with Jesse, distant demeanor and strong attachment to his granddaughter make more sense. After suffering personal tragedy, he tries to be emotionally distant from a young man committing criminal acts. He also wants to protect the only living part of his son he has left
#7: How Did Gus Construct the Superlab?
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When Gus introduces Walt to his new superlab beneath a laundry, Walt is incredulous that such a thing exists. How was this marvelous structure built? With a great engineer, of course! Gus contracted a man named Werner Ziegler and his team to construct the lab underground for over a year. During the process, Mike is heavily involved in maintaining security and even strikes up a friendship with Ziegler. That makes it sadder when the former cop has to take the engineer
#6: Who is Lalo?
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During Saul’s first appearance, he’s worried that Walt and Jesse have been sent by someone named “Lalo” to kill him. It isn’t until season 4 of “Better Call Saul'' that we learn that Lalo is yet another Salamanca. We soon learn that he’s arguably the most dangerous member of the family. Cunning, charming, unpredictable, and utterly ruthless, Lalo has all the strengths of the rest of his family and none of their weaknesses. He’s both a strong adversary for Gus and a perilous benefactor for Saul. Even years after Lalo’s violent end, Saul clearly still fears the maniac’s return.
#5: How Did Hector End Up Using a Wheelchair?
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Hector Salamanca was the patriarch of the Salamanca crime family. During his tenure, he was a major thorn in the sides of both Walter White and Gus Fring. When we meet him in “Breaking Bad,” he’s unable to speak and is using a wheelchair. “Better Call Saul '' reveals that one of Hector’s own men was responsible. After disgruntled employee Nacho is pushed too far, he decides to switch Hector’s heart medication for bad substitutes. This leads Hector to have a stroke during a heated confrontation with Gus. Although Gus saves his life, it’s not out of compassion. He instructs the doctor to discontinue Hector’s treatment to prevent him from recovering. Now that’s cold.
#4: Who is Ignacio?
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During that same “Breaking Bad” scene where Saul mentions Lalo, he also tries to shift the blame for a supposed betrayal onto Ignacio. In “Better Call Saul,” we meet Igancio “Nacho” Varga, an ambitious and savvy underling of the Salamanca family. But this outlaw’s betrayal of Hector is noticed by Gus. Ignacio is subsequently blackmailed into being a mole inside of the Salamanca organization. While this begins as misdirection, it builds up to Nacho aiding in an attempted hit on Lalo’s life. Though Naco’s story may not end happily, he goes out with his honor intact and the father he loves left alive.
#3: How Did Saul & Mike Start Working Together?
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We’ve talked about how Gus and Mike became a match made in New Mexico, but the real stars of the show are Mike and Saul. The two first but heads in a hilariously mundane dispute over parking validation, with stickler Mike working as the parking attendant. It’s joyfully entertaining meet/cute that also intelligently showcases the different ways that each character approaches conflict. As Mike finds himself in situations that require a lawyer with moral flexibility, Saul becomes his go-to guy. Though they don’t ever quite become friends, the pair continuously finds themselves needing each other, and Saul eventually ends up owing his life to Mike. And despite their mistakes, we can’t help but root for them.
#2: Why Does Jimmy Go by Saul?
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Even back in “Breaking Bad,” we knew that Saul Goodman wasn’t his real name. He reveals his last name is actually McGill during his first meeting with Walt. During the prequel, we learn that James “Jimmy” McGill has used the Saul Goodman alias for a long time. But it isn’t until he’s disbarred that he begins using it regularly. First, he takes on the persona for a TV commercial he runs. He next uses it as part of a prepaid phone selling scheme. When Jimmy gets his law license back, he goes by Saul Goodman since the criminals he sold phones to already know him by the name. It also helps distance him from his late brother Chuck McGill.
#1: What Happened to Saul After Breaking Bad?
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Better Call Saul” may be a prequel, but it does offer glimpses of Saul Goodman’s fate after the events of “Breaking Bad.” Just as he predicts at the end of “Breaking Bad,” Saul goes on to manage a Cinnabon in Omaha, Nebraska, under his new identity as Gene Takovic. After being recognized as “Saul Goodman” by a former resident of Albuquerque, Saul must resort to his old scamming habits to keep his cover. He keeps in contact with his former assistant and still seems leary of being discovered…though what consequences that might bring remains unclear.
