Jesse’s Final Scene In The Breaking Bad Universe Confirmed A 7-Year-Old Theory About Saul Goodman
Aaron Paul’s final scene as Jesse in the Breaking Bad universe paid homage to his character and gave him a nostalgic send-off, but it also confirmed a Saul Goodman theory that was seven years in the making. Having appeared in all five seasons of Breaking Bad alongside its spinoff movie, El Camino, Jesse’s last official appearance came during Better Call Saul‘s penultimate episode. Ironically, Jesse’s final Better Call Saul scene was chronologically his first appearance in the Breaking Bad spinoff, making it the perfect full-circle moment for Paul’s character, who was often the heartbeat of the franchise.
His interaction with Kim happened before the events of Breaking Bad, where he asked her some questions about legal advice while the rain poured down. Although this was a powerful display of how vibrant and innocent Jesse once was before getting involved with Walt, the scene also served a much deeper purpose. Jesse’s Breaking Bad ending was technically better than most characters as he got to start fresh and head to Alaska, but he also suffered plenty of trauma thanks to Walt, and his Better Call Saul cameo proved Kim followed an almost identical path in Better Call Saul.
Aaron Paul’s Final Scene In Better Call Saul Confirmed Kim Was Saul’s Jesse
Jesse & Kim’s Interaction Proved They Played A Similar Role In Their Respective Shows
Just like Jesse was corrupted by Walt and had his life turned upside down, Kim was equally influenced by Saul Goodman, who transformed her from a respectable lawyer into an accomplice in his criminal and immoral deeds. The process was slow, but over time, Kim went from being a reluctant participant to the one often pulling the strings. Interestingly, many thought Nacho would play Better Call Saul‘s Jesse equivalent, and while he did ultimately inherit many of the traits people loved about Aaron Paul’s character, it’s clear Kim was Saul’s partner in crime who he became reliant on.
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Walt would never have gotten as far as he did without recruiting Jesse and manipulating him into becoming the perfect partner for his empire. Similarly, Saul was the Breaking Bad universe’s true criminal mastermind, but he needed Kim to help him get to the top. The fact that Jesse’s final scene involved Kim – a complete stranger to him – highlighted that their journeys shared so much in common, despite both characters having completely different qualities and personalities. Therefore, their conversation in Better Call Saul‘s penultimate episode was a clear indicator that they had comparable roles in their respective shows.
Jimmy And Kim’s Partnership Was Better Call Saul’s Version Of Walt And Jesse
Jimmy & Kim’s Better Call Story Mirrored Walt & Jesse’s Breaking Bad Journey In Several Ways
While Walt and Jesse are one of the most iconic duos in television history, Saul and Kim were Better Call Saul‘s answer to this partnership. Just like Breaking Bad‘s protagonists, Kim and Saul were involved in plenty of questionable schemes, many of which fell on the wrong side of the law that they were supposed to be upholding. Bob Odenkirk and Rhea Seehorn also had fantastic chemistry that made their on-screen interactions so memorable, and they produced plenty of funny, bleak, and heartbreaking moments that made Saul and Kim the perfect parallel to Walt and Jesse.
Given how popular and iconic Jesse and Walt were in the original series, it’s a testament to Vince Gilligan’s writing alongside Odenkirk and Seehorn’s incredible performances that Better Call Saul was able to replicate this dynamic.
Even their conclusions had similarities, as despite Jesse and Kim resenting Walt and Saul respectively, the two protagonists in each show wound up making the right decisions in the end, which allowed their partners some form of closure and a chance to move on. Both duos were absolutely essential to the Breaking Bad universe becoming so renowned, but given how popular and iconic Jesse and Walt were in the original series, it’s a testament to Vince Gilligan’s writing alongside Odenkirk and Seehorn’s incredible performances that Better Call Saul was able to replicate this dynamic.
How Kim Wexler Was Different From Jesse Pinkman In Better Call Saul
Jesse Lacks Kim’s Ambition, While She Is A Much Cooler Criminal Mastermind
Part of the reason that Kim is drawn into Jimmy/Saul’s world is that she was an ambitious person, who wants to succeed as an attorney and enact justice. When she feels legality is immoral is when she decides to take matters into her own hands to further this personal mission, through less-than-legal means. Kim shares Jesse’s guilty conscience, but up until people start ending up dead, and it forces her to leave her criminal lifestyle behind, Kim seems like she could have been a very effective crime boss herself. When Jesse leads, it is largely to protect others.
But like Kim, Jesse has the misfortune of falling into the company of someone who is playing a much bigger game.
Kim is also more thrilled by her small cons with Saul, while Jesse is mostly involved in the drug trade because he thought it would be an easy way to make money. Jesse is more of a well-meaning slacker, who doesn’t have to confront the violence of the meth industry when he is only a small-time cook. But like Kim, Jesse has the misfortune of falling into the company of someone who is playing a much bigger game. Each is gradually pulled further into their partner’s spiral, their breaking points being where their paths diverge again.
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Breaking Bad set up Better Call Saul from the time of Saul’s first scene with Walt, which references the backstory of Jimmy McGill.
Namely, violence in and of itself isn’t enough to get Jesse out, because he is a caring person who is deeply loyal to Walt and stays on to help him. Kim likewise cares about Jimmy but has enough of a moral backbone and self-preservation instinct that she realizes much earlier she needs to extract herself from his life. Where Jesse and Kim ultimately differ is how their feelings inform their actions, which reveals both their capacities for compassion but also self-protection.
Both Kim And Jesse Got Bittersweet Endings In The Breaking Bad Universe
Kim And Jesse Both Hopefully Find Some Peace
Kim retires as an attorney and moves to Florida, and eventually tells the truth about Howard’s death to his widow. She had seemingly decided to do whatever it took to clear her conscience, even if it meant being prosecuted, when Jimmy takes the fall for her. She is alive and free and therefore has a chance at living a normal life, which includes doing some pro bono work that may take her back to what she wanted to do as a lawyer all along. Meanwhile, Jesse made many fraught attempts to make amends with the people he hurt, but none were very conclusive.
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Walt and Jesse’s returns in Better Call Saul are often the show’s most talked about cameos, but the spinoff’s surprise appearance was even better.
After being imprisoned for several months, Jesse decided to flee and try to find some peace for himself. El Camino‘s ending at least suggests he does this, living in Alaska without the fortune he thought he would have but finally free of Walt and their meth empire. Both Jesse and Kim make it to the end of the Breaking Bad saga traumatized and full of guilt, but undeniably better off than some of the other characters. Their bittersweet endings are fitting for their characters, as both bear responsibility for what has happened but were also hurt by a bigger evil.
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10/10
- Release Date
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2008 – 2012
- Showrunner
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Vince Gilligan
- Directors
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Vince Gilligan, Michelle Maclaren
- Writers
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Peter Gould, Gennifer Hutchison, Vince Gilligan, George Mastras, Moira Walley-Beckett, Sam Catlin, Thomas Schnauz
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10/10
- Release Date
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2015 – 2022-00-00
- Showrunner
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Peter Gould
- Directors
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Vince Gilligan, Thomas Schnauz, Peter Gould, Michael Morris, Adam Bernstein, Colin Bucksey, John Shiban, Michelle MacLaren, Melissa Bernstein, Larysa Kondracki, Terry McDonough, Gordon Smith, Minkie Spiro, Jim McKay, Daniel Sackheim, Andrew Stanton, Norberto Barba, Rhea Seehorn, Scott Winant, Michael Slovis, Keith Gordon, Deborah Chow, Giancarlo Esposito, Bronwen Hughes
- Writers
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Ann Cherkis, Marion Dayre, Ariel Levine, Jonathan Glatzer
