So I’m supposed to just stay down here forever.
I promise you this, either we're all going home or none of us are.
What about Hector?
I’ve checked inside and out.
No wires, no camera, no surveillance.
If the boss has a problem he knows how to reach me.
If you have a problem, I’m right here.
Most Breaking Bad fans would certainly agree that Mike Ehrmantraut was instrumental in
the success of Gus Fring.
In Breaking Bad Mike was portrayed as Gus’ top guy who was always willing to put himself
on the line, such as the time he hid inside a chicken truck to prevent sabotage by the
cartel.
Mike also acted in a strategic advisory role for Gus on matters that required a certain
finesse to protect his illegal business interests.
Without Mike’s aid, where he proved cool as an assassin, Gus would have likely failed
in his efforts to take out the cartel.
But the elaborate scheme worked, in no small part thanks to Mike stepping up under pressure
when it counted most.
So with Mike’s help, Gus was able to take out Don Eladio and his Capos.
Mike was wounded during their escape, and Pinkman stepped up to rescue the mortally
wounded duo where he was the hero that saw them both to safety.
When Mike was still recovering from his wounds, Tyrus stepped into the role as Gus’ top
guy for the interim.
Unfortunately for Gus, Tyrus failed him.
During his sweep, when Walt was hiding outside on the ledge, Tyrus never found the bomb planted
in Hector’s wheelchair.
Walt fled the scene, and Tyrus later reports to Gus that he detected no surveillance equipment
inside or out, but he missed the bomb.
Walt’s plan succeeded, and Hector ding bombed Gus, Tyrus, and himself to their death.
In Breaking Bad, there is no doubt whatsoever that Mike is Gus’ top guy.
Mike has that unique blend of smarts, patience, experience, and the ability to remain cool
under pressure.
He is the complete package at that point in the story, and whenever he was acting for
Gus, Fring usually would win the war if not the battle, as proven in their biggest win
when they effectively took out the entire cartel so Gus could operate freely.
But at the current point in the Better Call Saul timeline, Mike and Tyrus still seem to
be jockeying for position, battling it out for that top spot.
First hints of a showdown surfaced in the Season 6 premiere when Tyrus pulled a gun
on Mike, without any verbal objections from Gus.
At the time I thought we’d eventually see Mike kick his ass, not unlike when Mike first
earned the job for Pryce.
But the latest hint of a showdown came when Tyrus and Mike argued over which targets were
a bigger surveillance priority.
Back when Ziegler and his team were working on the lab, it had appeared that Mike had
secured his position as Gus’ top guy, but here in Season 6, we’re getting this tension
between Mike and Tyrus.
And to date, Gus hasn’t ordered Tyrus to stand down and properly acknowledge Mike as
his top guy.
So something needs to happen here, it will almost undoubtedly relate to how the Lalo
threat is handled, and however it plays out, we know that Mike and Tyrus both survive into
and throughout most of the Breaking Bad timeline.
In the Season 6 premiere, I was convinced we’d see Mike and Tyrus have some type of
fight, a literal fight not unlike what we saw when Howie and Jimmy battled it out inside
the squared circle.
But I should have heeded Mike’s words at the time.
Whatever happens next, it’s not going to go down the way you think it is.
What I now believe is going to happen is that history will repeat itself, except in reverse.
In Breaking Bad it was Mike who helped pave the way to Gus’ ultimate victory where he
finally avenged Max.
This was the ultimate high for Gus, and then not long later, he met his demise when Tyrus
was the one overlooking his safety and interests.
So right now, Mike is leading protective custody on Gus where he wants Fring to go to his tunnel-connected
safe house, and Tyrus is overseeing the protection of the lab.
We know Tyrus lives, but somehow he is going to blow it.
Lalo is going to outsmart him, not unlike Walt previously outsmarted him.
However Tyrus’ ultimate failure here comes to fruition, it will act as retroactive foreshadowing
for when he eventually fails Gus when the trio meet their demise when Hector detonates
the ding bomb.
And if Mike comes in to save the day, to protect Gus’ lab the way he literally helped protect
Gus himself in the ploy to take out Eladio, this will secure Mike’s status as Gus’
top guy!
Something along these lines HAS to happen, where Tyrus fails and Mike marches in for
the save like Mariano Rivera.
This will likewise act as retroactive foreshadowing in the entire dynamic between Gus and his
working relationship with Mike and Tyrus.
This idea of retroactive foreshadowing, where we see moments in Better Call Saul that have
profound implications on stuff that later happens in Breaking Bad, I think there is
a lot of this going on, where these pieces will start snapping into position and providing
us a better look at the bigger puzzle.
Enter Kim Wexler.
I still maintain that the evidence thus far in Season 6 strongly suggests the compelling
possibility that Kim survives into the Breaking Bad timeline as a player.
I could be way off the mark, but right now that is what I believe.
And on that note, it’s interesting to think that Gus’ plan to take out Eladio just so
happened to involve the same pricey tequila that has a very special meaning for Kimmy
Corleone.
Coincidence?
Or is a Kim-Gus alliance potentially in play at some point?
Either way, with the inevitable showdown between Mike and Tyrus, whether it be a physical altercation
or something more along the lines of Tryus failing where Mike swoops in, their showdown
will certainly involve the Lalo story at hand, and Kim and/or Jimmy probably figure into
all of this too.
Obviously, Lalo is demanding their assistance in some capacity that will put them in play.
And Mike’s prior meeting with Kim, and the fact that McGill is totally in the dark about
all of that, leads me to believe a Wexler-Ehrmantraut powerplay might be what ultimately eliminates
and/or neutralizes Lalo Salamanca.
And all of this, of course, ties back into that line we’ve ALL been wondering about
through the entire run of Better Call Saul.
Oh no!
No, no, no.
It wasn’t me.
It was Ignacio.
He’s the one!
Lalo didn’t send you?
No Lalo?
Whatever happens with Lalo is connected to everything happening now with Jimmy and Kim,
and also Gus and his team, and in my opinion, regardless of her ultimate fate, all roads
lead through Kimmy Corloene.
Then again, what the hell do I know?
We all know I ain’t exactly Quasimodo over here.
But soon enough, all will be revealed, and I for one cannot wait to see how the series
concludes.
Thank you very much for watching everyone, I hope you enjoyed, and have a wonderful night!
I must leave.
Tell Tyrus what you need.
It will be done.
Just say the word.
Take my gum from me.
Let me see it.
Here, I’ll make it easy for you.
If the boss has a problem he knows how to reach me.
If you have a problem, I’m right here.
You can make it not so easy.
Sure thing.
You got it.
Whatever happens next, it’s not going to go down the way you think it is.
What the?
Son of a–
You ever try Zafiro Añejo?
No I have not, but I’m down for whatever.
Three of whatever she just said.
You got it.
Alright.
Zafiro Añejo!
So I’m supposed to just stay down here forever.
I promise you this, either we're all going home or none of us are.
What about Hector?
I’ve checked inside and out.
No wires, no camera, no surveillance.
Last chance to look at me, Hector.
We need home court advantage, which is you in the safehouse and him thinking you’re
alone.
Most likely he’ll never reach out.
He’s got bigger fish to fry.
But in the thousand to one chance that he does.
I pulled guys off all the low priority targets to cover you.
The laundry?
Tyrus is there with his crew.
No!
Why are you telling me this and not him?
Because I think you’re made of sterner stuff.
I just need to talk to my lawyers.
Is that right?
You want some advice?
Find better lawyers.
Howard, just, just turn around.
You know Quasimodo predicted all of this.
What is this?
That my friends is Albuquerque's public enemy #1.
Take that thing and get the hell out of here!
You and me, we’re done!
I think I’m in the middle of something.
There’s really no need to–
Hey!
We’re done when I say we’re done.
You’re done, you are done!