Walter White is one of the most evil characters in television history, and Breaking Bad‘s original plan for Skyler would have made him even worse. Although Walt purportedly commits his evil acts due to his love for his family, the tense TV drama quickly reveals that Walt has only deluded himself into believing this, with him actually continuing to participate in the drug trade in an attempt to stroke his own ego. However, it turns out that the damage of Walter White’s actions could have gone even farther, with Breaking Bad‘s original Skyler arc being much darker.
Skyler White is the wife of Walt throughout Breaking Bad, with her playing a key role in Walt’s arc. Initially, Walt’s attempts to keep his operation a secret from Skyler is one of the show’s main dramatic elements, with Walt going a long way to keep Skyler uninvolved in and unaware of his time with Jesse, Gus, and the rest of the gang. However, she eventually finds out, and while Skyler’s Breaking Bad ending isn’t nearly as tragic as some of the other characters, the series initially took the character in a much different direction.
Breaking Bad Originally Planned To Give Skyler White A Tragic Ending
Although Skyler White makes it out of Breaking Bad better off than many of the franchise’s other characters, the series originally planned to give her a tragic ending that may have been even worse than some of the other characters’ fates. As it turns out, Breaking Bad originally planned to kill off Skyler, with the series initially intending for her to take her own life. According to series creator Vince Gilligan, a scene would have featured Walt and Skyler tied up in a motel, with Walt eventually making his way to the bathroom only to find that Skyler had slit her wrists in the bathtub.
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Although this original Breaking Bad ending is incredibly dark, it actually parallels a setup from earlier in the show. Breaking Bad season 5 features a scene in which Skyler walks into a swimming pool, seemingly attempting to drown herself. This moment is one of the show’s darkest, but Skyler ultimately survives. This original ending to Skyler’s arc would have been much darker, with it meaning that Walter White drove his wife to end her own life, although this time she tragically succeeded.
Skyler White’s Original Ending Would Have Made Walter White So Much Worse
If Breaking Bad had stuck to Vince Gilligan’s original plan for Skyler White’s ending, it would have made Walter White so much worse. Although Walt harms his family over and over again throughout Breaking Bad, he acts as if he still loves them, with him even returning home near the end of the series. However, having Skyler White die would cement that Walt has gone too far, completely tearing down the fictitious reasoning that he uses to justify the way that he carries out his crimes.
It is doubtful that Walt would have simply stopped participating in the drug trade if Skyler had died in the original Breaking Bad ending, and this paints Walt as a far worse person as well. If Walt kept going even after he drove Skyler to suicide, that would undoubtedly confirm that he is not doing it for his family, something that he never truly accepts in the final show. This would have made Walt an even crueler and more uncaring person, causing the audience to lose what little sympathy they had for him left before Walt’s Breaking Bad death.
Why Breaking Bad Made The Right Choice Keeping Skyler Alive
Keeping Skyler White alive at the end of Breaking Bad was the right choice for the series, as it led to her being a much more dynamic character. Having Skyler end her own life would have felt like a cheap way to get some more shock out of the ending of Breaking Bad, with it also having the potential to take away some of the character’s agency if it wasn’t handled right. However, Skyler’s final arc is much more interesting.
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In Season 1 of Breaking Bad Walter White may look meek compared to the man he would become, but the hints of his evil nature were always there.
Having Skyler find out about Walt’s crimes and join him is a far more dynamic arc for the character, with her acting as the perfect foil for Walt. Although Skyler is involved with Walt’s crimes, she knows when he has gone too far and when she must leave. Walt, on the other hand, has no sense of this, with the difference between Walt and Skyler’s treatment of their situation near the end of Breaking Bad being the perfect use of the character.
Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad, created by Vince Gilligan, follows a chemistry teacher turned drug kingpin named Walter White (Bryan Cranston) as he attempts to provide for his family following a fatal diagnosis. With nothing left to fear, White ascends to power in the world of drugs and crime, transforming the simple family man into someone known only as Heisenberg.
- Cast
- Dean Norris , Bob Odenkirk , Aaron Paul , RJ Mitte , Anna Gunn , Giancarlo Esposito , Betsy Brandt , Bryan Cranston , Jonathan Banks
- Release Date
- January 20, 2008
- Seasons
- 5
- Network
- AMC
- Streaming Service(s)
- Netflix
- Franchise(s)
- Breaking Bad
- Writers
- Peter Gould , Gennifer Hutchison , Vince Gilligan , George Mastras , Moira Walley-Beckett , Sam Catlin , Thomas Schnauz
- Directors
- Vince Gilligan , michelle maclaren
- Showrunner
- Vince Gilligan
