The Breaking Bad universe is filled with fascinating characters, complex moral dilemmas, and unforgettable moments. Among its key players, Walter White, portrayed by Bryan Cranston, stands as a central figure. His transformation from a mild-mannered high school chemistry teacher to a ruthless drug lord captivated audiences worldwide. The prequel to Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, offers a deeper look into the lives of other characters in this universe, particularly the slippery lawyer Saul Goodman (played by Bob Odenkirk). This prequel delves into his transformation from Jimmy McGill, a small-time lawyer, to the flashy, morally dubious criminal lawyer known as Saul Goodman.
One of the big questions surrounding Better Call Saul has always been: Does Walter White appear in the series? After all, Walter’s presence looms large over the entire Breaking Bad universe, and fans are eager to know whether he crosses paths with Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman in this prequel series.
In this article, we will explore the development of Better Call Saul, the timelines of both shows, the connections between the two series, and, of course, whether Walter White makes an appearance in Better Call Saul.
Understanding the World of Better Call Saul
The Connection Between Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul
To understand the relationship between Walter White and Better Call Saul, it’s essential to first grasp how the two series interconnect. Better Call Saul serves as both a prequel and, in some ways, a sequel to Breaking Bad. It begins six years before Walter White’s rise as Albuquerque’s most notorious methamphetamine manufacturer. However, the show does not strictly limit itself to the time before Breaking Bad. Through flash-forwards, Better Call Saul also offers glimpses into Saul Goodman’s life after the events of Breaking Bad, as he adopts the alias Gene Takavic and lives in hiding, working at a Cinnabon in Omaha.
The show primarily focuses on the transformation of Jimmy McGill, a struggling lawyer trying to establish his career, into Saul Goodman, the flamboyant criminal lawyer who plays a crucial role in Walter White’s drug empire. Along the way, the series also delves into the backgrounds of other major characters from Breaking Bad, such as Mike Ehrmantraut and Gus Fring, providing fans with deeper insights into their motivations and histories.
The Evolution of Jimmy McGill
Before we delve into the question of whether Walter White appears in Better Call Saul, it’s important to consider the journey of the show’s main character, Jimmy McGill. Jimmy starts out as a small-time public defender, hustling for clients and striving to gain the respect of his older brother, Chuck McGill (played by Michael McKean), a respected lawyer. Despite Jimmy’s good intentions, his natural instinct for cutting corners and bending the rules puts him on a slippery slope.
The tension between Jimmy’s desire to do good and his tendency to make morally questionable decisions is a central theme of the series. As Jimmy’s legal career progresses, his identity as “Saul Goodman” starts to take shape, though it isn’t until much later in the series that he fully adopts the persona we know from Breaking Bad.
Jimmy’s evolution into Saul Goodman is a slow burn, driven by the many betrayals, losses, and moral compromises he faces throughout the series. This transformation parallels, in many ways, Walter White’s own journey in Breaking Bad.
The Timeline of Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad
Setting the Stage for Walter White
One of the most critical aspects of understanding whether Walter White appears in Better Call Saul is the timeline of the two shows. As mentioned, Better Call Saul begins six years before the events of Breaking Bad. At the start of Better Call Saul, Walter White is still working as a high school chemistry teacher, entirely unaware of the criminal world that he will soon enter.
This timeline difference means that, for most of Better Call Saul, there is little opportunity for Walter White to interact with Jimmy McGill. After all, Walter’s transformation into the methamphetamine kingpin “Heisenberg” has not yet begun. However, as the show progresses and approaches the timeline of Breaking Bad, the possibility of Walter White’s involvement becomes more plausible.
The Final Seasons and the Eventual Crossover
As Better Call Saul entered its later seasons, fans eagerly anticipated when the events of Breaking Bad would start to overlap with the prequel. The showrunners, Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, remained tight-lipped for much of the series about whether or not Bryan Cranston’s Walter White would appear. However, the creators did drop subtle hints throughout the series, teasing fans with the possibility of a crossover.
The final season of Better Call Saul, particularly the second half, finally delivers on the promise of a crossover with Breaking Bad. By this point, the show’s timeline has caught up to the events of Breaking Bad, allowing for the long-awaited appearance of Walter White.
See also: Why Breaking Bad is worth watching?
The Appearance of Walter White in Better Call Saul
The Long-Awaited Cameo
Yes, Walter White does appear in Better Call Saul. However, it is essential to note that his appearances are relatively brief and primarily serve to enhance the connections between the two series rather than provide a deep exploration of his character. Walter White’s appearances come in the final episodes of the series, as the timelines of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul overlap.
In these episodes, Bryan Cranston reprises his role as Walter White in scenes that parallel key moments from Breaking Bad. One of the most notable appearances involves a scene in which Saul Goodman, now fully entrenched in his criminal lawyer persona, meets with Walter White during the early days of their partnership.
This scene, and others like it, provide fans with a fresh perspective on familiar moments from Breaking Bad, as we see these events through the lens of Saul Goodman’s character arc. Rather than rehashing old material, these scenes add depth to both shows, offering new insights into the motivations and relationships between characters.
The Significance of Walter White’s Appearance
While Walter White’s appearances in Better Call Saul are brief, they carry significant weight for the overall narrative of the show. His presence serves as a reminder of the inescapable consequences of the choices that Saul Goodman, and by extension Jimmy McGill, has made throughout his life. Walter White’s role as a catalyst for Saul Goodman’s descent into the criminal underworld is further solidified in these final episodes.
In many ways, Walter White’s appearance in Better Call Saul serves as a final punctuation mark on Jimmy’s transformation into Saul Goodman. Just as Walter White’s journey in Breaking Bad was marked by his increasingly reckless and morally corrupt decisions, Saul’s path is similarly shaped by his willingness to bend the law and compromise his ethics for personal gain.
The Broader Impact of Walter White’s Cameo
Tying Together the Breaking Bad Universe
Walter White’s cameo in Better Call Saul is more than just a nostalgic nod to fans. It represents the culmination of a storytelling arc that began with Breaking Bad and expanded through the prequel series. The decision to include Walter White in the final episodes of Better Call Saul ties together the two series, offering a sense of closure for fans who have followed these characters for over a decade.
By bringing Walter White into Better Call Saul, the showrunners emphasize the interconnectedness of the Breaking Bad universe. Characters like Walter White, Saul Goodman, Mike Ehrmantraut, and Gus Fring are all bound together by the choices they make and the consequences that follow. Walter White’s appearance reminds viewers that, despite the different timelines and character arcs, the world of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul is one cohesive narrative.
Character Development and Foreshadowing
Walter White’s brief appearances also serve to enhance the character development of both Saul Goodman and Walter White. For fans of Breaking Bad, these scenes provide a deeper understanding of Saul Goodman’s role in Walter White’s empire and how their partnership evolved over time.
In particular, the scenes involving Walter White in Better Call Saul highlight the stark differences between the two characters. While Walter White’s descent into the criminal world is motivated by a desire for power and control, Saul Goodman’s path is driven by a combination of survival instincts and moral compromise. These differences, while subtle, become more pronounced in the scenes where the two characters interact, offering viewers new insights into their dynamic.
Conclusion
Walter White’s appearance in Better Call Saul is a momentous event for fans of both series. Though his role in the prequel is brief, it carries significant weight for the overall narrative. His presence serves as a reminder of the consequences of the choices made by Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman, while also tying together the broader Breaking Bad universe.
By including Walter White in the final episodes of Better Call Saul, the showrunners successfully bridge the gap between the two series, offering a satisfying conclusion to the character arcs that have captivated audiences for years. In the end, Walter White’s appearance is not just a cameo for the sake of fan service, but a meaningful addition to the story, enriching the characters and the world they inhabit.
In this way, Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad remain two sides of the same coin, each enhancing the other and providing a deeper understanding of the morally complex, deeply flawed characters that populate the Breaking Bad universe.
Related topic:
When Does Hank Die in Breaking Bad?
How Does Walt Die in Breaking Bad? [Revealed]
What is Breaking Bad mainly about?