Breaking Bad, had its final episode on August 15th on AMC+ stirring up a lot of questions and leaving room for ample speculation from the sizable fanbase that the show developed.
Few were confident that a spin-off to a series as highly regarded (by both critics and fans) as Breaking Bad could reach the same narrative and dramatic heights as what came before, but Better Call Saul managed to both honor what came before it and carve out a new path and identity. However, there are still several burning questions that fans have now that it's over.
Did Saul Show Regret?
Since its 2015 debut, a lot has transpired for the character Saul, who, if anything, appears invincible to the law and any semblance of moral justice. A question lingering for many viewers after the August 15th finale would be, did Saul truly regret what he did?
After all, Saul Goodman wasn’t always the slick, confident, irreverent attorney hiding his identity as a Cinnabon manager. Fans of the series after seeing the finale may wonder, did Saul Goodman have his moment of awareness of the degree of his crimes, or is he the loser Walter White and Mike Ehrmantraut always felt him to be.
Courtroom Confession
One of the highlights of the series finale is the courtroom scene where Saul Goodman in a surprise turnaround confesses to his myriad of crimes, despite having taken every precaution earlier to lessen his prison sentence in a masterful plea bargain. The burning question to fans of this series since 2015 would be, why now does he want to come clean? What is in it for him?
According to the actor, Bob Odenkirk, per the LA Times, "It’s a huge scene. It’s the biggest journey the character makes in the whole series.” But it still leaves fans trying to figure out Saul's motive for giving up, per the judge, one of the most generous offers she has seen in decades.
Dark Tale or Tragic Love Story?
Saul’s surprising patch up with ex-wife Kim Wexler (brilliantly portrayed by Rhea Seehorn) in the season finale also potentially stirs up a lot of questions for its ardent fans. As a frequent partner in crime with Saul, the final season shows a more emotional sense of forgiveness from Kim who ultimately confesses to her crimes catapulting into Saul’s further issions in court.
The deep question remaining for viewers of the show is whether this is just a sudden change of conscience or if it's because Better Call Saul is actually a tragic love story.
Saul and Walt’s Final Scene
The finale reverts to poignant earlier moments in the series and fast forwards to the future when Kim (Rhea Seehorn) visits Saul after he has received an 86-year sentence.One of the most impactful scenes, however, is a flashback with Saul and Walt.
Viewers could question the significance of flashing back to a moment where neither Walter White nor Saul Goodman are willing to accept the darkness of their crimes and their irreversible consequences. Why does Saul repeat the proverbial mistake of hiding in an underground bunker on the run from the police with someone far more intelligent than himself as he has done time and time again with his brother, Chuck?
Does Saul Redeem His Soul?
The only episode of Better Call Saul to be entirely written and directed by the venerable Peter Gould, the season 6 finale, has stirred fans around the globe to wonder whether this is a last attempt for Saul to get his soul back.
With several references during this episode about turning back time using a time machine, is this co-creator Gould’s aim to restore some essence of human goodness to the small screen even if for Saul Goodman it is a tarnished version?
Was Saul The Evil One?
Fans of Breaking Bad who have faithfully followed Better Call Saul, could have the ultimate question, who was eviller, Walt or Saul? Looking at both series, from an absolutely pragmatic viewpoint, Saul’s dark, underhanded, vile progression into a villain is done through his verbal threats and actions, not by brute force as was the case with drug pin, Walter White. But does this make him any less evil?
The debate continues as Gould very appropriately notes in an interview with Deadline that "...sometimes the people who don’t actually personally wield violence can be just as responsible for all the pain of the world as the ones who pull the trigger.
Flashbacks
Better Call Saul has several key flashbacks during the show including a throwback to simpler times when Saul’s older brother Chuck, brings him his groceries, before he became a renowned lawyer and then lost it all.
Fans have questioned the ultimate aim of looking back, especially for the darker elements of this cast, as remorse and introspection rarely seem to figure in these moments or as part of their integral character. While some made for fun moments, others never really seemed to impact anything in a meaningful way.
Loving the Antihero
A universal question that could be asked and was in fact asked by the actor Bob Odenkirk, is why we, the public, love the dark and heartless Saul? Odenkirk,since 2015, has beautifully unpeeled the many layers of Saul Goodman and his evolution into a ruthless scoundrel.
When the actor Odenkirk suffered a heart attack while shooting the series in 2021, he was shocked with the genuine outpouring of affection for him, despite the dark character he portrayed. The series brings to the forefront the universal need to embrace the anti-hero and the appeal of this kind of person on the small screen and often in real life.
Marion's Role
One question that many fans may be asking is why did Saul allow Marion (played by the iconic Carol Burnett) to give him in to the police and the authorities? As an elderly mother of his former accomplice, why, at this pivotal moment, does Saul’s evil character not resurface to threaten or harm Marion’s character?
A burning question could be if this is a turning point or a glimmer of remorse that is being shown through the storyline, but it certainly wasn't what some viewers expected to happen. .
Second Chances
The season finale ends with Saul Goodman pictured behind bars sharing a cigarette with his ex-wife, Kim Wexler, in a weird way showing a reconciled version of their relationship.
The viewer has to wonder, is this the “happy ending” to the story? Does Saul end up reducing this sentence in a future far, far away where second chances actually exist. The atmospheric, complex feel of this entire last episode leaves global viewers with the nostalgic question on how this all really turns out?