Jonathan Banks portrayed Mike Ehrmantraut throughout Breaking Bad, and the actor’s favorite scene was made even sadder by his Better Call Saul story. Mike was introduced in Breaking Bad season 2, and he became a staple of the AMC series — so much so that Banks reprized the role in its prequel show. Better Call Saul dug deeper into Mike’s backstory, as he used to be a crooked cop before joining Gus Fring’s business. Mike’s history came to haunt him after his son was killed by corrupt officers, and that’s why he gave most of the money he made to his granddaughter.
This tragic background gave viewers a reason to sympathize with Mike, but it also made sense of his Breaking Bad narrative. In both AMC shows, Mike was bothered by the young men who got caught up in the meth business and couldn’t get out. This happened with Nacho Varga in Better Call Saul, who didn’t fare much better than Mike’s son in the end. And while Mike initially seemed less invested in Jesse Pinkman’s fate, Banks’ favorite Breaking Bad scene proved he cared what happened to Aaron Paul’s character as well.
Jonathan Banks’ Favorite Breaking Bad Scene Is When Mike Tells Jesse To “Look Out For” Himself
This Farewell Occurs In Season 5’s “Say My Name”
Banks had many great scenes throughout the four seasons of Breaking Bad he was present for, and his speech to Walter White in “Half Measures” was among the most iconic. However, Banks cited a different moment as his favorite when speaking to Entertainment Weekly back in 2018. He chose Mike’s parting words to Jesse Pinkman in season 5’s “Say My Name.” After Mike seemingly got out of the business, he gave Walter a cold but warranted farewell. When Jesse said, “Guess I’ll see you around,” Mike told him, “I don’t think so. When I’m out, I’m out.”
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Jesse insisted he was “out too,” but Walter’s treatment of him suggested otherwise. Mike seemed to realize this, and he gave Jesse some blunt advice: “Kid, just look out for yourself.” Mike might not have been able to help Jesse in a more drastic way, but he knew that Jesse needed to watch his own back. Mike never warmed up to Walter, and he knew that Breaking Bad‘s lead didn’t have Jesse’s well-being in mind when making most of his decisions. Banks’ favorite scene acknowledged this, as the actor pointed out:
“It was so emotional, and it’s just a small scene. I tell Jesse to be careful and I leave. I’ve always said I don’t think he could save Jesse. But he thought there was a chance that maybe he could get out of the life. Not unlike Mike, I can’t describe the level of empathy or protection maybe that he felt toward Jesse as he’s walking away.”
This Great Breaking Bad Scene Is So Much Sadder After Better Call Saul’s Mike Story
Banks’ favorite Breaking Bad scene became much sadder after Jesse didn’t escape “the life” — and actually ended up in a worse situation before finally escaping Jack Welker’s crew at the end of the AMC series. Jesse didn’t heed Mike’s advice, and it cost him dearly. He didn’t lose his life, but he suffered because he remained wrapped up in the business rather than taking a chance on a new life. As Banks pointed out, Mike couldn’t save Jesse, even with his warning. That’s made more tragic by the reality that he also couldn’t save his son.
Mike seemed to repeat his failure to save his son over and over, first in Better Call Saul and then in Breaking Bad.
Mike seemed to repeat his failure to save his son over and over, first in Better Call Saul and then in Breaking Bad. His resignation while watching Jesse fall prey to the same business that killed Nacho — and the same sort of cruelty that took his own child — made his character’s journey more devastating. Banks was right that this minor moment was one of the character’s best, as it indirectly showed how deeply his losses affected him. And knowing what happens to Jesse afterward, it’s hard to rewatch this great scene.
Jonathan Banks’ Favorite Scene Is Even Harder To Revisit On A Rewatch
Mike’s Advice Didn’t Do What It Needed To
Banks’ favorite Breaking Bad scene is harder to get through on a rewatch, as viewers already know what’s in store for Jesse Pinkman — and it’s not getting out. Although he eventually starts over in Netflix’s Breaking Bad movie, El Camino, that only happens after Jesse goes through some of the worst experiences of the series. The fact that Mike’s warning did little to prevent this, combined with the reality that Mike didn’t escape a gruesome fate, drove home how hard it was to walk away from the meth business, making the AMC series more tragic in the process.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
