Spoiler Warnings: Breaking Bad & Better Call Saul
Now that the AMC’s hit seriesBetter Call Saulhas entered its sixth and final season, many wonder whether a next installment in theBreaking Baduniverse might be in the works. The show’s creators, Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, hint at that possibility, tellingDeadlinethere are stories left to tell about these characters, but for now, they are both involved in different projects. TheX-Filesproducer Gilligan has been secretly writing a new series that is yet to be confirmed.
In a recent interview withInsider, Giancarlo Esposito, who plays one of TV’s most memorable villains Gustavo Fring, said he is interested in revisiting the character if the offer to be cast in another spin-off occurs:
“I would consider and think about that particular scenario because I think it’s another moral tale that allows us to view into humanity and into how we push our humanity aside and to be demonstrative and to say who we are and we lose everything in the process because we know where Gus ends. We don’t know where he began.”
Let’s examine why Gus Fring’s own series would be a valuable addition to the franchise and a great way of further expanding his nuanced story.
The Rise of Gus
Giancarlo Espositoclaims there is more room to explore ‘the rise of Gus’, and we couldn’t agree more. In the two series, the drug-dealing mastermind mockingly nicknamed “The Chicken Man” by his rivals is featured as an obvious antagonist. And we all know every good villain had a turning point which makes for a fascinating backstory. This would lead us to Fring’s business partner and well-educated meth cook, Max Arciniega (James Martinez).The formidable drug lord Lalo Salamanca(Tony Dalton) considers him the main reason Gus is out for his uncle’s blood and jokingly refers to him as Gus’s “boyfriend.”
Related:Better Call Saul’s Giancarlo Esposito Wants a ‘Rise of Gus’ Prequel Series
He may be onto something. Fans have been speculating about the true nature of their relationship since the iconic pool flashback scene inBreaking Bad. Gilligan himself didn’t rule this theory out when speaking withEntertainment Weekly:
“It’s fun to be a little mysterious, and it’s nice to have the audience come up with backstories on their own. Having said that, I personally think Max was more than just a friend to Gus. I think they probably were lovers. And therefore it was understandably a very crushing, terrible loss for Gus, one that he would never forget. That one bit of emotion that he allowed himself ultimately proved to be his undoing.”
Gus took a great liking to Max when he saved him from Santiago slums and even paid for his chemistry studies. The two later established a fast-food restaurant chain Los Polos Hermanos, which also served as a cover-up for their involvement in illegal narcotics. Max was a gifted chemist, and he used his skills to produce highly pure crystal meth with an unparalleled market value. Gus approached Don Eladio (Luis Politti), a cocaine-dealing cartel leader, with free samples seeking to start a lucrative partnership, and we all know how that worked out.
How Villains Are Made
They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions. It’s what turned Walter White (Bryan Cranston) into Heisenberg and Jimmy McGill into Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk). Butwho was Gustavo Fring beforehe became the sinister drug emperor as we know him? Fring’s mysterious past and unsettling ambiguity make him the perfect successor to the “good guy gone bad” character development typical of both series. Although predominantly portrayed as a cold-hearted calculative outlaw who presents himself to the public with an eerie mask of politeness, there is a subtle humane dimension to him. This was most palpable when we saw him crying after the crucial event at the poolside on Don Eladio’s estate. Eladio may actually hold the key to Fring’s untold background, given that it was the main reason he spared his life – a decision he would later come to regret.
We know that “The Man Who Knocks” emerged after Walter’s terminal diagnosis radically changed his outlook on life and faced him with the extreme option of providing for his family while he still could. Jimmy McGill, an incorrigible problem maker, was so desperate for his older brother’s approval only to learn how much Chuck (Michael McKean) has despised him his entire life. It would be intriguing to learn what led Gus, a well-respected philanthropic businessman, to delve into the criminal underground. IfBreaking BadandBetter Call Saulteaches us anything about their main characters, it’s that villains are not born. They are made.
Related:Bob Odenkirk Would Return for a Better Call Saul Movie: ‘I Love Playing This Guy’
Although Gilligan and Gould may not confirm the rumoured spin-off about younger Gus any time soon, if at all, it’s still good to know the door is open. It would be welcomed by the new fans as well as the loyal audience that appreciated the duo’s brilliant storytelling when it took an unexpected shift from the clever action-packedBreaking Badfilled with breathtaking cliffhangers to a more detail-focused but rewarding slow-burner style ofBetter Call Saul. Whatever they come up with next, it’s guaranteed to be just as binge-worthy.
