Better Call Saul's Howard Twist Was Even More Tragic Than You Think
Warning: this article contains spoilers for Better Call Saul season 6.
Better Call Saul serves up a gut punch in the season 6 mid-season finale, but when the final season returns, viewers will realize that the tragedy of Howard Hamlin's fate will not subside any time soon. During season 6, Howard is the main target for Jimmy and Kim's scheme — who seek to ruin Hamlin's reputation rather than reap him for any financial gain. Their dedication to seeing the scheme prevail demonstrates Kim truly breaking bad, and Jimmy immersing himself into his Saul Goodman persona. The scheme is always going to have consequences, however, but Jimmy did not imagine that it would be Lalo Salamanca, reappearing from the dead, gun in hand.
When first introduced to Better Call Saul, Howard Hamlin is easily disliked. Successful, sleek, and smug — Howard's the antithesis of Better Call Saul's protagonist Jimmy McGill. This demeanor and Howard's white knight complex is the main reason why Jimmy and Kim went after him in the first place, but season 6 emphasizes that deep down, Howard's just a normal person too. A troubled marriage, meetings with a therapist, a no examples of genuine ill-will morph Howard into a very sympathetic character, arguably one of the most moral on the show.
Related: Better Call Saul: 1 Genius Detail Explains Why Lalo Went To Jimmy
This change in character and perspective is an excellent demonstration of skilled writing, making the audience care about Howard before Lalo pulls the trigger in the night. The fact that Howard is shot simply because he is at the wrong place at the wrong time, though, does not illustrate the true tragedy of his death. Even though Jimmy and Kim's scheme is now successfully over, the consequences
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