Ranking the Five Best Characters From the "Breaking Bad" Universe

Jesse Pinkman is an iconic Breaking Bad character, and an argument can be made that the series would not have thrived without him. He is a critical part of the story; his relationship with Walter White is one of the most prolific and examined relationships in television history.

At the start of the original Breaking Bad series, Jesse is like a lost puppy. It is evident he has=d made many mistakes in his adolescence and young adulthood, which is something that many viewers in a similar age range can relate to. The thing that makes Jesse unique is that comparatively, his character development is minimal; however, he still became one of the most beloved and relatable characters in history.

Throughout the series, Jesse consistently makes poor decisions. Fans love him because he has many heroic moments, but his decision-making prevents him from fully becoming a hero. By the end of the sequel film to the original series, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, he is just an older, more mature version of the person he has always been – a screwup who is easily influenced and does not learn from his mistakes. In a way, this is what makes him the most realistic and relatable character in the whole series.

More often than not, people do not learn from their mistakes, just like Jesse. People are often manipulated by people that they look up to, just as Jesse was by Walter White. People allow their significant others to influence their decision-making, whether that be for the worse or the better, which is what Jesse allowed Jane Margolis to do. With that said, most people continue pushing forward after their heartbreaks and hardships; that is what Jesse did after experiencing some of the most horrific traumas a man can endure. His resilience and importance to the story are what make him a top-five character in the franchise.

When Better Call Saul premiered, people were most excited to learn more about the goofy, lovable character from the original Breaking Bad series, Saul Goodman. To many’s surprise, the series taught fans about Saul’s background while bringing another lovable character into the fold, Kim Wexler.

Kim is a character that many find easy to root for; she is a self-built lawyer that respects her own morals, is admirably professional, and supports the series’ main protagonist no matter the mistakes he makes. As her and Saul’s relationship grows, so does her development as a character. She begins to live life more on the edge without fully abandoning what makes her a great character. Just when the audience thinks she is going to actually become what once seemed like an impossibility for her, she witnesses the murder of Howard Hamlin and has a coming-of-age moment. She leaves Saul and starts a brand new life in Florida by marrying another.

Her decision to leave Saul, or Jimmy McGill to her, was a logical way for her to save her moral compass. For fans, it was one of the most gut-wrenching things to witness. Her and Saul’s relationship ended up being a tragedy, not a love story. Regardless of her role in breaking Saul’s heart and spirit, her cunning nature made her one of the most complex and appreciated characters in the entire franchise.

Many people consider Walter White to not only be the greatest character in the Breaking Bad franchise, but also the greatest character in cinematic history. This is because he has one of the most drastic and understandable character arcs of all time. When the audience first meets Walter White, they quickly learn that he is a broken man; he can barely afford to support his unsound family, he mourns the loss of his multi-million dollar company, and he suffers from lung cancer. Walter symbolizes how the average man is often used as a stepping stone in a capitalist society.

Walter also symbolizes that anybody can reach prosperity in a capitalist society, but it rarely comes without a price. He became a millionaire, but it also cost him his morality and family. He turns into his own antagonist by allowing his ego to consume him. He becomes obsessed with power to the point it drives him mad. Walter is such a unique character because he makes so many immoral decisions, but the audience empathizes with him throughout the entire series because, logically speaking, most of his actions are justified. Criminal or not, he is what many lower and middle class Americans strive to become.

While Walter develops drastically throughout the original Breaking Bad series, he never really became the noble hero many fans hoped he would become. Sure, he did go out on top in arguably the greatest ending to a television series ever. Before dying on his own accord, he freed Jesse from captivity, he left his children with life-changing money, and he avenged his brother-in-law, Hank Schrader; however, the society he left behind will always remember him as the murderous leader of a drug empire. His character arc is one of the extreme arcs in history, but is never came full circle.

Mike Ehrmantraut is one of the most mysterious characters in the original Breaking Bad series. Honorable is how many would describe him; he was willing to do anything necessary for his job regardless of the legality of the task. With that said, it was obvious that there was always more to his character that met the eye. He was a character that clearly had baggage, yet something was driving him to continue to work until his death.

Better Call Saul revealed the root of Mike’s loyal and honorable nature. Not only did the series reveal how he came into contact with Gus Fring, it also revealed the secrets of Mike’s previous life. The way in which he lost his son explains why he feels he has such a responsibility to care for his granddaughter. The way in which he lost Nacho Varga explains why he takes on the responsibility of subtly mentoring and protecting Jesse. He is technically a criminal, but at the root of his character, he is a man motivated by love, guilt, and compassion.

Mike is also admirable because of his toughness and intelligence. He endures physical and emotional wounds throughout both series, but he always continues on with his duty unfazed. He is not arrogant, but he is almost always the smartest person in the room. These traits are what make heroic characters so popular among audiences, but what makes Mike unique is that he is not a hero. He is not exactly a villain either, but he is a criminal.

The debate of whether or not Mike is a good person has been ongoing since the original series premiered, and it will continue on for years to come in YouTube comment sections and Reddit forums. A character that can still spark discussion and debate amongst fans years after their on-screen death deserves to be among the top of a best characters list.

Before Better Call Saul premiered, Saul Goodman would probably not have been anywhere near most people’s five best Breaking Bad characters lists. He was a fun character in the original series, but he lacked depth. In the grand scheme of things, he was just a loud and colorful supporting character.

The Better Call Saul prequel gave so much more background and profundity to the character of Saul Goodman, or Jimmy McGill as he is better known in the series. The series skyrocketed him all the way to the top of many people’s character rankings. The series explored how he developed his own identity in the shadow of his older, more accomplished brother, Charles McGill. Saul experienced many tribulations in his life, but his intelligence and grit made him a protagonist that the audience wanted to see succeed.

The flaws of Saul Goodman are what made him so dynamic and relatable in the fan’s eyes. While ambitious, the choices he made always made sense from his perspective. Whenever he would fall flat on his face, the audience felt it too because his character had a powerful way of making the viewer empathize with him. His victories in the series felt even more rewarding for the fans because they were firsthand witnesses to all of his difficult experiences and failures. In the last season of Better Call Saul, though, the loss of Kim Wexler brought out a side of Saul Goodman that was no longer fueled by innocent ambition – it was fueled by greed and anger.

The end of Better Call Saul delivered a tragic ending for Saul Goodman, but it was also a rewarding one. Saul, the most colorful and loud character in the entire series, saw the most bleak and dark ending when he was sentenced to 80+ years in prison. When he chose to accept his sentence, though, it is evident that a weight was lifted off of his shoulders. In a way, he is the only character that completed his arc by taking full ownership over the mistakes he made. He faced the repercussions like a man, which is arguably more honorable than the way Walter or Jesse concluded their arcs. Saul ended his story by relieving himself of the greed and anger that fueled him.

Saul Goodman’s charisma, motivations, character arc, and relatability are all things that make him a great character. His transformation from a fun side character to one of the most prolific characters in history makes his resume that much more impressive. Breaking Bad brought to life some of the most dynamic and deep characters in the history of storytelling, but Saul Goodman will forever stand atop many people’s lists of the franchise’s best characters.