5 big questions before Better Call Saul’s finale
As we prepare to say goodbye to one of the best shows going, let's sift through plot points that are still up in the air
TV Features Better Call Saul
Bob Odenkirk in the penultimate episode of Better Call Saul Photo: Greg Lewis/AMC/Sony Pictures Television
Is anyone else still parsing through that marvelous penultimate episode of Better Call Saul? In this week’s outing alone, we got to see Gene’s true colors (he considered snuffing out both an elderly woman and a cancer patient), catch up with Kim in her post-Mrs. McGill days (complete with a vanilla boyfriend and Rhea Seehorn delivering, arguably, the best bit of acting in the show’s history), witness more Breaking Bad run-ins, and watch the walls close in even further on our title character. But there’s still plenty to fill in before all is said and done. So with next week’s series finale on August 15 rapidly approaching, here are the questions we’re dying to have answered.
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I wonder if the Suzuki is one of the few remaining pieces of evidence of his direct involvement in criminal activities.A lot of stuff he could try and avoid with “I was just the lawyer, I didn’t know what was going on” but that Suzuki was left there from when he knowingly accepted payment to transport drug money cross-country.As for Kim we don’t know how much of her activities she detailed in the affidavit. If it just pertained to Howard’s death there’s not really much there that’s particularly criminal or at least not defendable from a “I was in fear for my life” angle. It’d be the Mesa Verde stuff that’d crucify her in court.
I mean, Skyler exists
Very true. And she made a deal. She’d be among the first on the list to testify as to James McGill’s (AKA Saul Goodman, AKA Gene Takovic) money laundering activities. That would prove that he was indeed a criminal attorney.Those crimes, which were part of a conspiracy with the Whites and Jesse Pinkman, would negate any privilege McGill may claim as their attorney. As to the dearly departed Esteem, it would be circumstantial evidence at best. Anyone who could place him at the scene is dead. He can just claim that it was stolen.“Why didn’t you report it as stolen Mr. McGill, if that’s your real name?” the prosecutor asked.“Listen,” McGill answered, “the only way that entire car was worth 500 dollars was if there was a 300 dollar hooker in it. I didn’t feel it was worth my time to do the paperwork.”
Would she though, she’s got her deal.Who knows, maybe the tragic ending of the show will be that the police never really had anything to realistically charge Jimmy with and instead he ends up going to jail because of what he did as Gene.
She’d probably be compelled to testify, since I’d guess further cooperation would be part of that deal.Yes, I’ve kind of always thought that Gene was in a prison of his own making. But after the call with Francesca, when he found out all his assets were seized, I’m thinking the feds have him on the money laundering at the very least.
If that’s the case, maybe we’ll get an Anna Gunn cameo in the finale.
It’d be really cool if the Walter/Jesse cameo was advertised because they wanted to keep this one hidden
Please no. Be a bad ending to an already bad ending as the last three episodes have been
As for Kim we don’t know how much of her activities she detailed in the affidavit. If it just pertained to Howard’s death there’s not really much there that’s particularly criminal or at least not defendable from a “I was in fear for my life” angle. It’d be the Mesa Verde stuff that’d crucify her in court.I assume we’re meant to assume that what Kim shows Cheryl is a copy of the affidavit as it is written very formally. So I assume she disclosed the entire scheme as they show Cheryl reading about how they tricked everyone into thinking Howard has a cocaine problem and made him act crazy.She also tells Cheryl that the affidavit should help clear Howard’s name. That doesn’t happen if she doesn’t admit to the whole scheme given Howard’s name was dragged through the mud for his supposed cocaine use.
The affidavit referred to (Lalo) Salamanca by name. If nothing else I’m sure the DA had questions as to why a Salamanca was in their living room that night.
After doing some Google legal research (the best kind of legal research), I wonder if the statute of limitations will come up in the final episode. While there is no statute of limitations for murder, Gene and Kim were never really involved in murder. The federal statute of limitations for most felonies is 5 years (I’m pretty sure smuggling the cartel money across the border is a federal crime), and the New Mexico statute of limitations is 4-6 years.The Jimmy timeline, notably, ends about 5 years before the Gene timeline. It always seemed odd to me that the primary story ended so long before Heisenberg’s creation, but this might be the reason for that. Gene is still on the hook for all the crimes he committed with Walt and Jesse — mostly money laundering and other financial crimes — because we’re in late 2010 and they met at some point in 2008, as well as all the crimes he’s recently committed in Omaha. But Gene and Kim are probably free and clear on all the pre-BrBa crimes they committed prior to Hamlin’s murder, just because of the amount of time that’s passed.
Statutes of limitations run from when a crime is discovered to when charges are filed. They aren’t designed to encourage and protect fugitives from justice. (I am not a lawyer and I may have missed some nuance, but I think that’s the gist of it.)
I am wondering if this is another curveball, remember Saul ditched ABQ because he thought his life was in danger, when it really wasn’t. So my thought is maybe the cops show up to Marion’s and are just like sure, this old lady saw a wanted criminal from ABQ in her kitchen in Omaha, and just write it off as dementia or something of the like and Gene trying to get to the vacuum guy is unnecessary.
And the last 43.5 minutes of the show’ll be a dance montage!
It ends with Jimmy meeting up with Walter, Mike, Gus and Lalo in an ecumenical church where the descend you to some weight light where they’re greeted by Jack Shepard
And, the Smoke Monster returns looking like Nacho!
I hate how much this made me laugh.
I wouldn’t even be mad!
I fought the law and the law won!
They do give good montage.
Wasn’t Saul’s life in danger after the events of Ozymandias? Jack Welker and crew owned the Southwest meth trade at that point, they’d demonstrated a willingness to kill DEA agents, and they would have viewed Saul as a huge loose end. Walt’s exposure would lead the feds to look into his lawyer’s dealings, which I’m sure showed a wide array of financial crimes, leading to them seizing all his assets beyond whatever he packed into a duffel bag when he left with Robert Forster. If he’d stayed in town, the only bargaining chip he’d have is whatever he could give them on Jack and Lydia, and we already know that Jack’s prison gang contacts can kill basically any inmate. Saul had to leave town!With Gene, we can be pretty sure Jeffy will crack and spill about the whole identity theft scam, which alone would be enough to send him away from some time. Then there are his forged Gene documents, breaking-and-entering at the cancer patient’s house, the mall heist, and so on before we get to the BrBa crimes.
I’m pretty sure Saul fled because he was afraid of the cartel, which he had no idea had been, or was about to be, wiped out.
Saul went into hiding at the same time as Walt, which is after Jack & crew killed Hank and Gomez in the desert. At that point Gus has been dead for months — something Saul helped set up — and shortly before his death Gus wiped out the cartel. Jesse witnessed the whole thing and even killed a cartel goon himself while saving Mike during their escape. While we don’t actually see Jesse tell Saul the whole story about what happened, Saul remains keyed in to Walt’s business all the way up until just before it collapses, and there’s nothing to suggest Walt and/or Jesse are leading Saul on to believe the cartel remains as an unmanaged threat. Saul is worried Jack and Todd will disappear him, not the cartel.
I just want to take this opportunity to say that I very much enjoy reading all the comments here after each episode (several days after, because I’m not usually able to watch until Wednesdays).
That said, I’m glad none of you are writers for the show, because all your theories and speculation and ideas for what “should” happen are terrible. I mean, they’re really awful. Sorry guys.
It’s fan fiction and all fan fiction is crap. It peaked with the one where Lucius Malfoy drilled a hole in Draco’s forehead and then fucked the hole. That was the pinnacle of the genre.
Was that in the BrBa timeline or the Gene timeline?
and many of them seem to contradict even the casual themes of the show!
BCS was always more of a character piece than an action show so the idea that Kim was going to be killed by a cartel seemed off because it’s just not that kind of a show. What happened and is happening is much more in line with the type of show it is
Exactly. It was a bad idea/theory that was tonally at odds with the show and made no sense from a logic standpoint (as Kim was a completely unknown to Fring and the cartel until very, very recently.)
And so much crueler. Was her puzzle flat white/grey?
This so much it physically hurts
I had one or two posters be super obnoxious to me when I said that, no,
there’s no way Kim is going to be killed by Fring or the cartel. So,
yeah, some of the theories (and defensiveness about same) have been awful.
sick slide show
1. No. I think that phone call was it. I think she will be told there are no criminal charges and then heads back to Florida, keeps her job, but dumps Yup dude. She just missed Saul.2. Someone finally ties it to Saul/Mike/etc..3. No charges. But Howard gets his picture on the law office and someone finally has a brain wave and finds his body.4. No Jeffy. Yes, Marion5. Saul die.
98 minutes? Oh god.
Maybe for an extra $10,000 Ed could have gotten Saul’s commercials pulled from YouTube.Also, I thought law enforcement found Jesse’s car at the Mexican border so no reason for them to think he’s dead.
I was going to say the same thing re: Jesse. The authorities likely assume he’s on the run in Mexico now, due to where Badger ditched Skinny Pete’s car by the border.
Yeah, they were looking pretty hard for a dead man.
Also, I thought law enforcement found Jesse’s car at the Mexican border so no reason for them to think he’s dead.Yep. Francesca told Saul that on the phone that just a couple of episodes ago (“Adios, dopehead”, as she puts it). In fact, it was even part of her argument that the heat on her and Saul has only gotten worse since Walt died (contra Saul’s assumption), as Skylar cut a deal and Jesse’s presumed to have fled the country (“Oh, so they’re still into me”, Saul grumbles). Whoever wrote the blurb for that slide wasn’t paying attention (surprise, surprise):
Exactly, as the last episode explicitly stated.
Might Jimmy/Saul/Gene give up an off-screen Ed and thereby lead the cops to Jesse?
Ed’s a rock. He’s also smart and wouldn’t leave anything around to incriminate himself. Also, wouldn’t a guy who specializes in disappearing people be capable of disappearing himself like a fart in the wind?I’m pretty sure that even if they did catch him he’d never, ever, EVER talk.
Even if the cops are 96% sure that he is the guy?
They’d have to catch him first. The they’d have to get him to talk, which won’t happen. The might as well be interviewing a dead man.I can see Gilligan & Company using the audio they have in the can to construct whatever dialog they need for a phone call. But having him turn on a client would be totally out of character. He always made a point of telling them that if they got caught he’d deny they ever met.
Even if the cops are 96% sure that he is the guy?
I see what you did there. And I laughed out loud.
I feel like El Camino’s sole reason for existing was to give us definitive closure on Jesse’s character, after BrBa appeared to leave him in a no-win situation with the authorities closing in on Walt, and Jesse “escaping” with only the clothes on his back and the burden of unimaginable trauma while wanted for murder and a million other crimes. So we went through all *that* in El Camino to assure us that Jesse was able to come to terms with that trauma and also stole enough money to escape ABQ and start a new life in Alaska.If they back off that because Saul just gives up Jesse’s location a few months later, I’ll riot.
They won’t bring or talk about Jesse again
I knew he couldn’t just get away, and it’s clear that he’s conflicted between his survival instinct and willingness to be captured/punished for what he became, I just can’t help feeling if there couldn’t be another way out
As this great show concludes one thing I think about is Chucks comments about his own brother
“ I know you. I know what you were, what you are. People don’t change.”— Chuck McGill, Better Call Saul, Season 1: Pimento
As much as I hated Chuck in general, and his treatment of Jimmy in particular, I never thought Chuck was exactly wrong…. I mean, he was a deceptive and self-deluding egomaniacal lawyer (or, a lawyer) and the way he ran the business and the way he sidelined and betrayed Jimmy was awful, but…I’ve said it before, Jimmy was never going to be a lawyer Chuck would want to associate with. Jimmy saw nothing wrong with bus stop and tv ads, and he thought those styrofoam pillars in the office and the inflatable Liberty out front spelled success, or class, or both. Chuck was mean and dismissive and he sabotaged Jimmy just as much as Jimmy sabotaged him… but Chuck was right all along. Any “changing” Jimmy/Saul/Gene ever did was more like backsliding – backsliding into decency, then course-correcting back to his natural penchant for scams and schemes and shortcuts.
All that said, I think nearly every scene that had Odenkirk and McKean facing off against each other was gold. Especially considering we’re watching two guys who were previously known mostly for some pretty silly comedy work.
FUN FACT: Odenkirk and McKean first worked together in a Mr Show sketch about —- wait for it! —- law school.
“When you came here, your heads were filled with soup. When you leave
here, your mind will be like a steel trap. A steel trap with the
bloody foot of law caught in it, crying for its mommy.”
Thanks for posting ! Good sketch and excellent coincidence. Maybe 🤔
I also found it depressing (though compelling!) whenever Chuck and Jimmy would share a scene. I appreciate Gilligan and co. for having the courage to end that storyline when they felt it was right, but wish there was more of it.
To your point about Chuck being right, I’ve also kept coming back to a line from his rant in court where he describes Jimmy with a law degree as “a chimp with a machine gun” or something like that. He’s an asshole, but that’s exactly what we’ve seen happen—Jimmy (or rather Saul) pulling big-scale “cons” in the legal world that Slippin’ Jimmy would never have been able to touch.
“…I mean, he was a deceptive and self-deluding egomaniacal lawyer (or, a lawyer)…“Whoa! So edgy, so clever.
I’ve said this so many times over the course of the show, that it really was the acting of Michael McKean that brought BCS into the acclaimed show it was. He is unbelievably talented. I felt that after he left , it was still good but it had changed. I love bob and rhea. They were great. They didn’t use Mike or gus as well as they could have, and so far the last few shows have been a big disappointment.
My guess is Saul does change, gives up that identity (“Saul Gone”) and the last scene is Jimmy in prison for 10 years or whatever and Kimmy coming to visit.
My take too. But they keep talking about how sad it is. Personally , if Jimmy gets time and Kim waits , that’s not so bad. They can still have a life together one day. I just don’t want a death . Neither of them deserve that. Neither of them were in the game. Say what you want about Saul – he was a shady character, but throughout both series he tried many times to do the right thing. He was not like Walt at all
The Suzuki scene in the trailer is in color. Which means it is more than likely a scene with Saul and not Gene. Previous trailers that show scenes set during Gene’s time have been in black and white.Probably the episode will have at least one scene during the Breaking Bad days showing how Saul executes his exit plan from Albequerque – maybe to mirror how Gene will try to exit from Omaha. As for why he would need to go to Mexico to do that, no idea. We know he’s at Ed’s place at the same time as Walt is.
Didn’t we already see him call Ed though?
You’re right.
We definitely saw him with Ed, but did we see him call? I’m not sure either way.
Starts around 3:30
Sustained
Yes , he has called Ed as Gene . People think gene has to be alive but he doesn’t. Gene called Ed and they simply don’t have to show him. We can just hear sauls end of the conversation
I’m kind of hoping they drop the black-and-white stuff. At this point there is no more Gene or Florida Kim. Whatever selves they were trying to create are gone. They’re back to being Jimmy/Saul and Kim. Also, the show (and BB) have such incredible color cinematography. It seems fitting to me for it to end with that look.
I don’t know if the black and white is meant to resemble how Gene and Kim were dead inside or just to differentiate between time periods given they flip back and forth a bunch. I think it’d be a little odd to switch it now personally.
Yeah. I guess I thought there was just more to it than that. B&W isn’t really required to distinguish the characters in time; Gene has a different look than Jimmy/Saul. I was thinking maybe it would gradually “fade-to-color.” You’re probably right, though.
Time periods. Though, if i lived Kim’s Palm Coast future, i’d be dead inside.Was Kim’s puzzle flat white?
Maybe the rusted out Suzuki is more of a symbolic image than an indicator of how Saul’s story will resolve itself.
One thing I’ve been thinking about; what better ending to this show than a courtroom showdown with Jimmy representing himself?
— Chuck McGill, “ I know you. I know what you were, what you are. People don’t change.”
— Chuck McGill, Better Call Saul, Season 1: Pimento
My biggest guess is that it’ll end with Kim having to testify against Jimmy as it seems like the most tragic ending to a show that is essentially a tragedy.
I think that will happen too— but with a not-entirely-unhappy ending where he’s in prison for 10 years or so, gave up on “Saul” for good and Kimmy is visiting with a possibility of a better future for them some day.
Jimmy would totally be the kind of prison mate who runs scams the whole time to bring in contraband from the outside
And 10 years from then is now, remember, so we can jump to the happy ending without needing flying cars in the background (just electric ones).
I like this
I can definitely see Jimmy and Kim in a courtroom in the last episode for sure.
DON’T READ THE REST OF THIS IF YOU DON’T WANT SPOILIERS**************
*****(skyler white is in the finale. so is walter.)
I’m pretty sure Jesse is presumed to have escaped to Mexico, not presumed dead
I’ve just 1 question. When the final episode is played, will they all be available to stream on AMC+ ? I mean WTF I subscribe to the AMC+ just for this show and I can only the last 3 episodes included?
While Carol Burnett has been a joy to watch and that final scene in the penultimate episode was terrific, an Emmy would be a long shot. Burnett would have to be submitted as Supporting Actress in a Drama and that category is always a bloodbath. Even though she is billed as a Guest Star, she is ineligible for the Guest Actress category because she appeared in more than half of the eligible episodes, even if she doesn’t appear in the finale. Remember they split this season into two parts so only the second half episodes are considered for the 2023 Emmy Awards.
Guest actor.
Oakely confronted Jimmy (or at least knew) about his working with the cartel right? It would be a conflict of interest for him to subsequently represent Jimmy on related crimes. I think even repping Kim for anything related to the cartel would be questionable.
Did we ever get resolution on Mike’s Daughter-in-law and granddaughter? Can’t remember if she was one of the ones Walter set up in the BB final stretch with the billionaire couple (or if/how he kept Mike’s final wishes intact). I also don’t remember if Stacey found out Mike had died. (I never did a BB rewatch, so my memory is spotty.)My predictions or guesses didn’t pan out, so I’m not guessing. But if the show is dotting I’s and crossing T’s. Stacey. Francesca. I always wanted more of Walter and Saul together experiencing the vacuum-relocation process. This show is master of the montage, so there should be one or two of those. I don’t know if they need to call back to Saul’s home being raided – from this season’s first scene. I think that one was all about the special bottle top Kim and Jimmy shared.
Considering Mike was practically the second main character in the first half of this show’s run, part of me is a little disappointed he took somewhat of a backseat these final two seasons. People might not remember just how much screen time his daughter-in-law and granddaughter had in the early seasons.
As much fun as Mike is, the fact is that there really wasn’t any story to tell with the character. He’s a great presence, but he never had any meaningful character arc. He was basically the same guy in BraBa as he is throughout BSC. The only thing that really changes is his occuapation.Don’t get me wrong, Mike and Banks are a delight, but he was in the show the appropriate amount.For me, the bigger disappointment was how Nacho was shoved to the sidelines in the back half of the series.
Never touched on mikes DIL which is why I’m so angry at the last 3 eps. Carol burnett is great , but the show needed more time with cast members not new ones
Question Number 6: Will those dipshits The Kettlemans try to profit off of Saul Goodman somehow?
One more Chuck flashback please! No offense, I’d have happily traded Walt’s cameo for a return of Chuck.
Me too!!!
Well, looks like we’re happy!
Will Kim survive? Or will she become so despondent that she harms herself.
I thought it was notable when Cheryl asked Kim if she would be charged and Kim said maybe not as there were no living witnesses except her ex-husband, then adding – assuming he’s still alive. This line of dialogue could be there to show us that Kim still cares enough about Saul/Jimmy to not reveal he is still alive, but it could also be there to foreshadow something that may happen in the final episode. If Saul gets caught he would likely be asked to corroborate Kim’s confession. Then he has to choose – does he protect her or bring her down with him. Saul, who ended their relationship by saying ‘have a nice life Kim’, would likely bring her down too. But Saul Gone. Jimmy would protect her. Kim told us that in episode 9 when she explained why she didn’t tell Jimmy that Lalo wasn’t dead. She said she knew he would protect her, go into hiding with her and end the plan to get Howard. Jimmy breaks through the Saul persona to give Kim one last show of affection.
Someone please help- I cannot figure out why Marion decided to google or ask jeeves about albuquerque con men? What made her suspicious of Gene that she would do that?