3) The Roster Of Villains
Though Walter White’s moral compass flickers frantically during the course of the show, Breaking Bad has a defined and downright formidable roster of scene-stealing villains. Perhaps one of the show’s most impressive feats, though, is its ability to render an iniquitous, yet memorable personality. Unlike the conventional bad guy archetype, Gilligan’s dark forces feel substantial and perfectly executed. From exploding turtles to bell-ringing cripples, the emphatic nature of Breaking Bad’s morally corrupt is an out-and-out testimony to the creative process at work behind the scenes.
We encounter Walt’s first, villainous obstacle in the form of Tuco Salamanca; a member of the Mexican family that encompasses Hector, Leonel and Marco. Serving as the over-arching antagonist for season one and the preliminary episodes of season two, Tuco is an unhinged sociopath with crucial links to the Juaréz cartel. While his spat with Walter was rather brief in the grand scheme of things, the influential kingpin helped cultivate Heisenberg into existence. After all, it’s only when our questionable protagonist confronts Tuco in season one that he debuts that famous guise for the very first time.
The show then balances Tuco’s erratic, loud-mouthed personality with the silent, but equally intimidating Hector Salamanca; a crippled uncle to Tuco with nothing but a bell to communicate with. It’s a frightening dynamic that the show uses to great effect (more on that later), though the Salamanca lineage also proliferates on into Season 3, where Leonel and Marco come into the fray. Raised under the brutal guidance of their uncle Hector, these twin siblings quickly became a terrifying screen presence. The mechanical movements, the reticent personas; quite frankly, the Salamanca twins – commonly referred to as “The Cousins” by their employer – are like a modern reimagining of the creepy Grady sisters from The Shining.
With that said, perhaps the title of Breaking Bad’s most enduring antagonist belongs to Gustavo Fring; Albuquerque’s very own genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist – you know, sort of. Acting as the figurative Joker to Walter’s Dark Knight, the jarringly calm and chilling founder of Los Pollos Hermanoes is the primary adversary for season four. Played by Giancarlo Esposito, Gus is not only an unconventional villain, his unflinching intelligence and courteous demeanour allows him to preserve a dark alter-ego from the eyes of the public; a feat that arguably emulates Walter’s infrastructure of pretences.
This is illustrated in a brilliantly tense scene during season two, where Gus – having donated to the DEA’s charity event – is given a tour of the department’s offices by Hank. Like a Trojan horse being ushered obliviously through the gates of Troy, Fring is able to acquire information about Walter all the while maintaining his ice cool deception in front of his constabulary affiliates. Given the depth of Gus’ character, though, this is but one example from his catalogue of scenery-chewing moments – his dinner scene with Walter is also exceptional.
But perhaps the most significant element of Gus’ brooding make-up is his peculiar chemistry with Walter. It’s an intriguing dynamic, one which so often evokes the familiar master and apprentice relationship trope. Although, what’s interesting, is that given the fate of the restaurant manager, Walt almost absorbs some of his characteristics – particularly in the current and final season. The ruthlessness. The unwaveringly calm demeanour. Heck, Mr. White even placed a towel down during the “Blood Money” episode to kneel on before he vomited – a very Fring-like trait.
It goes to show that these villains, unlike many antagonists on other, more procedurals television shows, are not disposable; in fact, they are anything but. The way in which their consequences proliferate throughout the series to haunt Mr. White et al typifies the show’s core, cause and effect legacy – the scene of Hank in Walter’s bathroom in season 5 is a prime example of this. They are memorable, well-rounded characters that are to Breaking Bad’s plot what sodium hydroxide is to the methamphetamine process – and we wouldn’t have it any other way.