WatchingBreaking Badfor the second time revealed so many of the smaller details that I missed on my first watch, and highlighted some much more obvious points. One of these is that Walt is far from being a criminal mastermind, and the White family includes a much more competent criminal.Breaking Badis widely considered one of thegreatest TV shows of all time, partly due to the phenomenal performances of all the main actors in the show. Still, while the story focuses on Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, someBreaking Badside characters have main character energy.
Breaking Badfeatured some unforgettable villains, from the unstable Tuco to the terrifying Gus Fring, whose outwardly pleasant demeanor made my skin crawl during my second watch, knowing what was to come. That said, despite the show containing neo-Nazis and child killers, one of themost hatedBreaking Badsupporting charactersis Skyler White. Skyler’s character arc took her from being a stressed mother and wife, trying to keep her family together, to Walt’s reluctant accomplice. However, though Skyler never wanted to be a part of the criminal lifestyle, she could have been a formidable partner to Walt.
Skyler And Walt Were More Similar Than It Seemed
Walt’s Gray Matter Grudge Was The Catalyst For His Becoming Heisenberg
From the firstuncomfortable breakfast scene inBreaking Bad, it is clear that Walt and Skyler’s marriage is strained. Still, they are more similar than they appear, with both feeling unhappy with their position in life. Walt, as a chemistry genius, is stuck teaching bored high school students, while Skyler, an aspiring author, has a few minimal income sources. The two are resourceful, good at problem-solving, and value family highly, though Walt’s motivations change. That said, there is one major difference between the two, asWalt’s rage was more obvious to me on my secondBreaking Badviewing.
Gray Matter was worth over $2 billion inBreaking Bad, while even at his richest, Walt had $80 million.
Walt might tell people that his actions were taken to support his family, but the harsh truth is thatWalt’s ego drove most of his decisions inBreaking Bad. WhenWalt sold his share of Gray Matter, his former colleague married his former girlfriend and became a billionaire. Losing out on this fortune was the catalyst for Walt becoming Heisenberg. He can barely talk about Gray Matter without gritting his teeth, and when he tells Jesse that he checks their profits regularly, his bitterness is clear. Though Walt and Skyler have similar life frustrations, Skyler lacks Walt’s suppressed rage.
Skyler Was Just As Clever As Walt When It Came To Being A Criminal
Walt Grew To Enjoy The Criminal Lifestyle While Skyler Played The Hand She Was Dealt
Walt was exceptional at chemistry, but he was a terrible liar and had too much of an ego to run a secret drug empire. On the other hand, Skyler was a much better liar, a skilled bookkeeper, and knew how to fly under the radar. Most ofWalt’s best moments inBreaking Badinvolve shockingly evil decisions, while Skyler’s highlight her intelligence and quick thinking. Her manipulation of Ted’s auditor and her idea to use the car wash for money laundering show thatSkyler has a better criminal mind than Walt, but she just doesn’t want to use it.
Skyler was much more conflicted, playing the hand she was dealt and joining Walt’s drug empire.
One of the most chilling changes in Walt was how he taunted other characters.From season 2 ofBreaking Bad, Walt seemed to take pleasure in forcing Hank to discuss Heisenbergwithout realizing he was talking to the man he was looking for. Skyler was much more conflicted, playing the hand she was dealt and joining Walt’s drug empire to try and protect her family. Though I was never a fan of the character,I began to root for Skyler Whitewhen she stood up for herself against Saul and Jesse, changing her situation when she felt that she could.
Why Skyler Was Such A Divisive Character In Breaking Bad
Skyler is acharacter who divided the show’s audience, and though recent reviews often claim that the reaction is largely due to misogyny, I disagree. Skyler does not truly commit to a side, spending significant effort helping Walt while constantly leaving and coming back.Skyler had several ways out of her situation, including divorcing Waltwhen she discovered he was lying about his second cell phone and reporting him to Hank. Otherwise, she could have joined Walt as a full partner, as she had the business knowledge to be an asset to him. Instead, she stays and makes passive-aggressive remarks.
What Happened To Every Character After Breaking Bad: All Confirmed Details
How does Breaking Bad end? Here’s everything we know about what happened to the surviving characters of Breaking Bad after the series concluded.
Virtually all thecharacters inBreaking Badare deeply flawed, which makes the show extremely realistic in terms of its character development. Skyler was one of the main sources of tension away from Walt’s meth business, as there was always a chance that she could report him at any given moment. If Skyler had left Walt in season 1 or joined him as a full partner, this would have removed one of Walt’s greatest stressors, makingBreaking Badinto a very different show.Breaking Badstill holds up today, with characters like Skyler only growing more compelling over time.
Breaking Bad
Cast
Breaking Bad, created by Vince Gilligan, follows a chemistry teacher turned drug kingpin named Walter White (Bryan Cranston) as he attempts to provide for his family following a fatal diagnosis. With nothing left to fear, White ascends to power in the world of drugs and crime, transforming the simple family man into someone known only as Heisenberg.
