8 Questions ‘El Camino’, The ‘Breaking Bad’ Sequel Must Answer
Sep 27, 2019 • Matthew Arcilla
Sep 27, 2019 • Matthew Arcilla
Breaking Bad is one of those rare breed of television shows that ended in a generally satisfying fashion. The 2013 series finale, “Felina” maintained the tension and drama up to its final moments while still finding time to wrap up the various personal arcs of the show’s cast. But of course, like any good show worth talking about, there remain many loose ends worth discussing.
And while the spin-off series Better Call Saul has filled in the world of Breaking Bad, it has only a peripheral connection to Heisenberg and friends. That’s why we’re looking forward to El Camino, an honest-to-goodness sequel film to Breaking Bad set to debut on Netflix this October. With the first trailer dropping early this week, I thought it might be worth thinking about the series again.
Set after “Felina”, El Camino follows Jesse Pinkman’s quest for freedom after escaping his captors. Here’s everything from Breaking Bad that fans hope this upcoming movie might address.
Image source: AMC / Netflix
A hysterical Jesse drove away from the compound where he’d been a captive but that doesn’t mean he’s had the chance to return to a normal life. He’s unquestionably a wanted man, not just because the trailer tells us so, but because the DEA probably has the video confession Hank had Jesse record. He’s on the run, for sure, but what’s happened since?
Image source: CBS Interactive Inc.
Neo-nazi Jack declared that he took a whole bunch of Walter White’s money and stashed it somewhere. But before he could reveal where, Walt shot him in the head. At that point, the money was the least of Walt’s concerns, but it’s possible Jesse knows where that money is and could dig up that cash in El Camino.
Image source: AMC
In his final days, Walter confronted his former colleagues from Gray Matter Technologies, Elliott and Gretchen Schwartz and intimidated them into transferring his money to his son, Walt Jr. via something called an “irrevocable trust.” Walt arranged for them to believe a pair of assassins were hired to ensure their promise after he was gone, and we’d like to know if they followed through.
Image source: Collider
These two chuckleheads briefly appeared in the series finale, wielding laser pointers to help intimidate the Schwartzes into believing Walt really hired assassins. They also appear in the trailer to El Camino, so we can be sure we’ll get an update on what they’ve been up to and possibly play a big role in the continuation of Jesse’s story.
Image source: AMC
After Walt poisoned Lydia using ricin, which is guaranteed to be fatal, it’s pretty much assumed that she’s dead. That death would have happened off screen after the episode’s final shot but apparently it can take quite a while for the dose to take effect. El Camino could reveal more about Lydia’s final moments, such as whether or not she recorded any kind of confession before she expired.
Image source: Fandom
The success of Walt’s meth operation was mostly due to the perfection of his recipe born out of his chemical ingenuity, which yielded a distinct blue crystal that cropped up even after he stopped cooking. At the end of the series, their lab was busted by the cops. If blue sky resurfaces in El Camino, you can be sure that Jesse will be a primary suspect.
Image source: AMC
Walt’s relationship with his wife grew increasingly strained and fractious – lying and keeping secrets about your drug business will do that – but he tried to ensure Skyler had info – the location of Steve and Hank’s bodies – she could leverage to avoid prosecution. Skyler might appear in El Camino, especially after series creator Vince Gilligan announced several Breaking Bad characters would return.
Image source: AMC
It would seem counter to the spirit of the series finale as well as its entire narrative trajectory for dear old Walter White to have survived. Never mind that his lifeless eyes and pooling blood should leave behind any doubt to his fate. However undesirable a premise, El Camino could plausibly retcon Walt’s apparent demise by suggesting he was resuscitated by paramedics. We’re find out this October.
What do you think will happen in this movie? Share with us your thoughts below!
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