Saul's Breaking Bad Lalo Line Makes So Much More Sense Now
Jimmy name-dropped Lalo Salamanca in Breaking Bad, and more context has now been added to that line in Better Call Saul season 6's midseason finale.
Warning: Spoilers ahead for Better Call Saul season 6's midseason finale!
Better Call Saul season 6's midseason finale, "Plan and Execution," tied back to Jimmy McGill's (Bob Odenkirk) Lalo Salamanca mention in Breaking Bad season 2 while making the name drop much worse. Following "Plan and Execution," Better Call Saul will have six episodes to wrap up the prequel series leading into the events of Breaking Bad. In that time, the show will provide more insight into the fates of characters, including Kim Wexler (Rhea Seehorn) and Lalo Salamanca (Tony Dalton).
Tony Dalton made his Better Call Saul debut in season 4's "Coushatta" as another one of Hector Salamanca's (Mark Margolis) nephews who came to Albuquerque following his uncle's debilitating stroke. Despite his charm, Lalo posed a serious threat to Gustavo Fring's (Giancarlo Esposito) operations because of his unpredictable nature and penchant for violence. Nacho Varga (Michael Mando) quickly acknowledged the problems Lalo could cause well before he became one of Jimmy's clients. Following the botched assassination attempt involving Nacho, Lalo faked his death, dug up the truth regarding Gus' new superlab, and planned a move for the Salamanca family to overtake their largest cartel rival.
In Better Call Saul season 6's midseason finale, Lalo surprised Jimmy and Kim at their home while being confronted by Howard Hamlin (Patrick Fabian). During their shock at his presence, Lalo shot and killed Howard without provocation before saying, "Let's talk." This implied that Lalo returned to see Jimmy and Kim for information on Gus. Though Lalo has been a key character since Better Call Saul season 4, his interactions with Jimmy have been relatively limited. Granted, any encounters between the two tie back to a line from Breaking Bad season 2, "Better Call Saul," when Jimmy (or Saul at the time) was kidnapped by Walter White and Jesse Pinkman and taken into the desert. Out of fear, Jimmy yelled, "It wasn't me; it was Ignacio," referencing Nacho before asking if Lalo had sent them. This seemed like a throwaway line in Breaking Bad, but based on the events of Better Call Saul involving Lalo, more weight has been added to the dialogue.
Better Call Saul season 6's midseason finale added more context to Jimmy's callback line in his Breaking Bad debut episode. Saul, as he was then known, was convinced he was abducted by Lalo's men while exhibiting immense fear. After the money-retrieving mission in the desert and Lalo's supposed death, Jimmy thought he was rid of any fear brought on by Lalo. "Plan and Execution" proved the threat of Lalo was still alive and well for Jimmy and Kim. Witnessing the murder of Howard in cold blood was likely the scariest thing Jimmy saw Lalo do first-hand, and the event evidently still haunted him through the events of Breaking Bad. By instantly assuming Lalo and his henchmen were behind the kidnapping, it was clear Jimmy never forgot about Lalo, and that fear remained years later.
Lalo will certainly be an integral figure in Better Call Saul season 6's part 2. Moments prior to Gus' death at the hands of Hector, Gus mentioned the rest of the Salamanca family being dead, implying Lalo will meet his demise sooner rather than later. However, Jimmy's dialogue in Breaking Bad suggested Lalo was still an active threat, so it will be interesting to see how many of the gaps Better Call Saul ends up filling before the prequel comes to an end. Either way, Lalo looks to be a dangerous adversary for those still in the focus of Better Call Saul season 6's second half.
More: Better Call Saul’s Final Season Has Already Lived Up To Its Brutal Promise
Better Call Saul season 6 returns July 11, 2022, on AMC.
