Featuring both fan favorites from Breaking Bad and compelling new figures, Better Call Saul boasts an excellent cast of characters. Established characters such as Saul Goodman, Gus Fring, and Mike Ehrmantraut already had iconic scenes in Breaking Bad, but they still managed to deliver scenes that were just as and sometimes even more iconic in Better Call Saul.
Each character’s most iconic scene not only captures what’s unique about character but also demonstrates the actor in full command of the craft they use to create that character. Some of these scenes are from previous seasons while others are fresh in fans’ mind from the current and final season of the series.
Chuck McGill: Telling Jimmy He Is Not A Real Lawyer
Jimmy McGill thought his brother, Chuck, was proud of him, and their work together on the Sandpiper case seemed to be bringing them closer together than ever before. Chuck proved that none of that was true in a devastating scene in which he declared that Jimmy was not a real lawyer. The scene revealed Chuck’s true colors and the depths of his ego, his pride, and his need to feel superior to Jimmy.
Jimmy realized that regardless of what he did, Chuck would never be proud of him and never view Jimmy as his equal. This pivotal scene defined Chuck’s character and was a crucial turning point in sending Jimmy on the path toward becoming Saul Goodman.
Nacho Varga: The Speech Before His Death
Nacho knew he was going to die, but he wasn’t going to die without making Gus Fring squirm and without telling the Salamancas how he felt about them. Nacho was true to his word and took the fall for what happened to Lalo, but not without making Gus anxious that Nacho would expose him. To the Salamancas, Nacho was much more direct, revealing that he was happy to play a part in what happened to Lalo and that he was the one responsible for the stroke that paralyzed and nearly killed Hector Salamanca.
The way Nacho said “you think of me” to Hector Salamanca was chilling and will go down as one of the most powerful and iconic moments in all of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. After all the suffering Nacho endured at the hands of Gus and the Salamancas, it was satisfying to see him get the last word and to have some power and agency over how he went out.
Lalo Salamanca: Turning The Tables On The Assassins Sent To Kill Him
Everyone knew how ruthless and dangerous Lalo Salamanca could be, but the true depths of his villainy were sometimes masked by his charm and sense of humor. The real Lalo was unmasked when Gus Fring sent assassins into his home to kill him. Lalo outsmarted the assassins and murdered them all. This scene proved how intelligent, resourceful, and formidable Lalo could be.
If Lalo was able to do all of that on his own during a surprise attack, there was no telling what he could do with time and resources. The enraged, vengeful look on Lalo’s face as he walked away from the carnage spoke volumes. Lalo was already a frightening villain, but this scene in the season 5 finale cemented him as Better Call Saul‘s biggest villain for the show’s final season.
Howard Hamlin: His Death
Earlier in the series, fans disliked Howard. This changed over the course of the series as Howard became a much more sympathetic character. This culminated in Better Call Saul’s outstanding, tragic ending for Howard as he went to confront Jimmy and Kim about how they’d ruined his life and career, only for Lalo to enter the apartment and shoot Howard in the head.
Howard had nothing to do with Lalo. The cartel and law firm sides of Better Call Saul often felt distant and unconnected from each other. It was shocking to see these two sides collide and to see Lalo and Howard meet, only for Lalo to murder Howard. Lalo pulled the trigger that killed Howard, but he was there only because of what Jimmy and Kim had done to him. This became the tipping point in Kim leaving behind everything in her life and Jimmy transforming into Saul Goodman. Howard’s death is among the most shocking and tragic deaths in all of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul and will forever be an iconic moment.
Gus Fring: Blackmailing Nacho
In true Gus Fring fashion, his most iconic scene is both calculated and ruthless. It began with Gus putting a plastic bag over the head of Salamanca henchman Arturo Colon and ziptying Colon’s hands and feet. As Nacho watched Colon suffocate to death, Gus declared that he knew what Nacho had done but that the Salamancas did not.
This was a reference to Nacho switching out Hector Salamanca’s heart medicine with sugar pills, which caused a stroke that paralyzed and nearly killed Hector. Gus knew how to blackmail Nacho. and telling him “From now on, you are mine” is peak Gus Fring.
Mike Ehrmantraut: Revealing What Happened To Matty
Mike was already a fan favorite from Breaking Bad, but one of Better Call Saul‘s best episodes “Five-O” added more layers to his character. After some flashbacks and being interrogated by the authorities in the present, Mike revealed to his daughter-in-law Stacey the full truth of what happened to her husband. Two corrupt police officers killed Mike’s son and Stacey’s husband Matty. Mike felt responsible for Matty’s death and went on to kill the cops who were responsible for his son’s murder.
Jonathan Banks delivered one of his best performances in all of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul as he explained what happened. Mike’s self-loathing and the pride he still feels for his son are palpable. The whole episode–but this heartbreaking scene in particular–provided a new level of insight and depth to a character fans thought they knew.
Kim Wexler: Confronting Harsh Truths About Herself And Jimmy
Since Kim Wexler was never seen or even mentioned in Breaking Bad, viewers waited and dreaded for years to learn how Better Call Saul would handle her fate. While fans were relieved that she didn’t die, her exit before the show caught up with Breaking Bad was still heartbreaking as she confronted harsh truths about herself and Jimmy. Following the news that she quit being a lawyer, she articulated how she and Jimmy were poison together and hurt others. She shared how she hid the knowledge that Lalo was still alive because she was having too much fun with Jimmy and didn’t want the fun and her relationship with Jimmy to end, but now for their good and for the good of everyone else, they needed to end things and go their separate ways.
Rhea Seehorn’s performance in this scene captured much of the nuance and heart that has made Kim Wexler a fascinating and beloved character. It all felt authentic to Kim’s arc while also explaining why Kim isn’t seen or mentioned in Breaking Bad and also putting the nail in the coffin that is Jimmy McGill’s complete transformation into Saul Goodman.
Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman: It’s All Good, Man!
There are many pivotal moments that encapsulate Jimmy McGill and his gradual transformation into Saul Goodman, with one of the most important coming at the end of the season 4 finale. After delivering an emotional speech about Chuck as part of the process to be reinstated as a lawyer, Jimmy revealed to Kim that he hadn’t meant any of it and it had all been act. As if this wasn’t enough to process, Kim learned he would now be practicing law under the name Saul Goodman, with Jimmy pointing at her and declaring, “It’s all good, man!”
This scene showed how Jimmy had abandoned his attempts at being an honest lawyer and that he was willing to go to any length possible to get what he wants, even fooling Kim if necessary. Despite what he said, it was also clear that a year later he hadn’t dealt with the complex feelings about his brother’s death. All of this was topped off with leaving his Jimmy McGill identity behind and going further into Saul Goodman.
