Wow, Mike Was REALLY Wrong About Walter White In Breaking Bad
Better Call Saul proves Mike Ehrmantraut judged Walter White totally, utterly, amazingly wrong in Breaking Bad. You don't become Gustavo Fring's right-hand man by accident, and it's testament to the skills and experience of Jonathan Banks' Mike Ehrmantraut that the Chicken Man trusts him so implicitly. Mike's particular set of skills are enough to make Liam Neeson think twice, and the criminal handyman is especially adept at judging character. Mike recognizes the goodness inside Nacho Varga and Jesse Pinkman, perceives Gus Fring as a worthy employer, and realizes Kim Wexler is stronger than Jimmy McGill the very first time they meet.
Better Call Saul season 6, episode 11 shows the desert kidnap sequence of Breaking Bad season 2 from a whole new perspective, revealing Saul Goodman had Mike investigate Walt and Jesse after the rough encounter. Reporting back, Mike reveals all about Walt's teaching career and cancer diagnosis, then advises "I wouldn't go near him" on account of Walter being a "complete amateur." Mike predicts, "If the cancer doesn't get him, it'll be the cops or a bullet to the head," then doubles-down by describing Walt as "small potatoes" not worth bothering Gus Fring with. For a final flourish, Mike compares Bryan Cranston's Heisenberg to a betamax — a withering insult for those of a certain generation.
Related: Kim Is Alive After Breaking Bad — So What Happens Now?
Hindsight does not shine kindly on Mr. Ehrmantraut here. Warning Saul to avoid Walt is bang on the money — the chemistry teacher proves responsible for their downfalls, after all — but that's where Mike should've stopped. Walt may be an inexperienced criminal, but "complete amateur" is disingenuous considering the reputation Heisenberg had
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