‘Better Call Saul’s Ending Improved ‘Breaking Bad’ (and ‘El Camino’)

Before Better Call Saul, the idea that Vince Gilligan could improve on Breaking Bad‘s finale seemed impossible. Yet that’s exactly what “Saul Gone” has accomplished. In its final moments, Better Call Saul didn’t just give Jimmy (Bob Odenkirk) both the punishment and life he’s always deserved. It also filled in the emotional gaps of both Breaking Bad and El Camino, finally giving fans permission to step away from this universe for good.

As phenomenal as “Felina” was, Breaking Bad‘s finale always kept its focus firmly on Walt (Bryan Cranston), a move that mirrored his unparalleled ego. This series finale allowed Walt to redeem himself the only way he knew how — through deception, threats, and violence — before bleeding out in the meth lab of his Neo-Nazi rival. But though it was a finale that took out several huge criminals in this world like Jack (Michael Bowen), Lydia (Laura Fraser), and Todd (Jesse Plemons), it never challenged Walt to change who he was. The only person who wasn’t successfully manipulated or murdered by him was Jesse (Aaron Paul), who refused to end his former partner’s life. To everyone else, Walt became a demigod, a being capable of puppeteering the world around him to fit his own desires. That’s how he died — by fulfilling the myth of Heisenberg.

Compared to this final fireworks display of ego mania, Jesse’s actual ending was simply sad. El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie followed Jesse as he escaped the Neo Nazis lair, dodged the authorities, and eventually fled to Alaska. It was heart-warming to see that Jesse, the epitome of a guy who got wrapped up in something bigger than himself, managed to escape. But that escape came at what cost? The haunted, near silent man at the end of El Camino was a ghost of the animated sweetheart that Jesse was at the beginning of Breaking Bad. Though Jesse managed to escape with his life, he only found safety by sacrificing his future, abandoning his loved ones, and stripping away who he was.

These endings were fitting for their respective characters, but they never felt particularly satisfying for this world at large. Walt’s death and Jesse’s disappearance left an entire ecosystem of people who had been wounded by these crimes and seemed destined to never see the justice they were owed. Marie (Betsy Brandt) and Skyler (Ann Gunn) certainly come to mind, but so too do completely innocent and lovable characters like Mike’s (Jonathan Banks) granddaughter. That’s why Jimmy’s prison sentence feels so satisfying. It’s only one man, but finally someone is publicly paying for these life-ruining crimes in a way that can help these victims move on.

But that’s not why “Saul Gone” is a masterpiece. Better Call Saul‘s finale marked the first time a member of this main trio chose to change. Jimmy didn’t go out in a blaze of schemes like he was tempted to do, or how Walt did. His spirit wasn’t beaten and crushed until it was barely recognizable like Jesse. No, when Jimmy looked across the courtroom and saw Kim (Rhea Seehorn), for one of the first times he chose honesty and put the needs of other people over his own. Jimmy actively chose atonement, and it was beautiful.

This choice also led to the best possible ending for Jimmy. Outside of prison, Jimmy was dismissed, belittled, and hated for his borderline criminal legal tactics. But in prison, he’s hailed as a hero. Finally he can spend his days with a group of people who truly respect him for his undisputed talent for crime. And then there’s Kim. By ditching his legally sound but ethically disgusting plan to only serve seven years, Jimmy won back Kim’s respect — and her. Yes, Jimmy has to spend the rest of his life in prison. But by sacrificing his ego when it mattered most, he was able to come out on top.

Thanks to Better Call Saul, this universe finally feels at peace. Gone is the nagging feeling that these criminals were let off the hook too easily or that Albuquerque will always be haunted by this crime spree. On every conceivable level, “Saul Gone” brought closure, and that is exactly what this universe needed.