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I feel like the video is trying to tell us that's part of what led Mike to his downfall. Ego is not something to be eradicated completely. It's not some disease that makes us unhealthy. It's something that should be kept in check, yes. Otherwise, it would inflate out of control like Walter and lead the person to one type of downfall, the downfall Walter faced. But total eradication of ego is not and should not be something idealized. Mike gave up his ego and became part of a machine, The Empire of Gus, to do what he's told. Mike's own sense of right or wrong became irrelevant even when he had to be the one who pulled the trigger to murder a man he genuinely liked. That shit is a tragedy.
@number one internet content I might not be using the word "ego" correctly. But from this video, especially in the comparison between Walter and Mike, I think I am interpreting it as "making your own decision" or "doing what you want or you think is right". (Perhaps the word "control" is more of what I mean.) Walter was like this. He always had to have his way. It went quite extreme for Walter. To do what he wanted to do, Walter consciously or unconsciously lied to, manipulated, and used other people, even the people he cared about and loved, to feel powerful. I believe that's why he couldn't work for somebody (i.e., Gus) for a long term because when you work for someone, you have to give up certain control and let the boss make the call. And Walter couldn't share that control. Mike, on the other hand, gave up control to his boss altogether. Like what the video says, he became a machine controlled by his boss. To follow and execute the boss' decision, he gave up his sense of right or wrong, which is highlighted by his reluctant decision to kill the German engineer guy. According to this video, Mike's downfall began way before he began working with Walter. His downfall started when he gave up what's human inside him (e.g., emotions, sense of right or wrong, willingness to make his own decision) to be the most efficient, effective machine in the Empire of Gus.
While I was just doing a job, and doing it to the best of my abilities, Walter was discovering a whole new side of himself that he never knew existed. And he liked it. He liked it a lot. But in the same token, I was most likely wearing those shoes 40 years ago.
@@kusyaful Remember when Walt is going back for his PET scan? And he meets the other cancer patient? The guy who tells him "The hardest part for me was giving up control..." Walt tells hi what bullshit it is... and to never give up control. That's how he lives his life. Me? I'm just a good solider. I do what I'm told and I don't ask any questions, and I get the job done.
There's also the fact that Mike's journey starts in much the same way as Walter's. They're both older men past their prime working a job they're extremely overqualified for who secretly want more. They jump at the chance to do stuff that's less than legal that gives them an opportunity to feel useful, especially towards their family who they see as needing their help surviving. They might have been good people at some point but by the time we meet them, they're mostly just bitter and disillusioned with life.
@@johnathonhaney8291 Not true. Mike pretends that his moral code gives him the authority and stature to judge people like the Salamancas or Walter despite the fact they work in the same industry doing the same things. His primary motivation may not be ego but that's more for the fact that he lacks the kind of ambition a drug kingpin needs. He's just as deluded as the rest of them, dying because of that arrogance and unfounded sense of superiority when Walter shoots him out of nowhere.
@@BobLogical Ah, no. The delusion was that said code would protect him from ever being hurt emotionally or physically. That second part was way off, as you just pointed out. He took pride in his work and his honest assessment of what he was doing but there was no ego attached to that. It was about getting the job done right. Walt and the Salamancas offended him with their unnecessary risks and brutality which got in the way of that job.
@@gottalight9379 great observation; none of those connections were by accident either. In the scene when he has Lydia Quayle by gunpoint in her own home; if you look directly across from that scene there is a picture hanging on the wall of three Shadowy Mexican Guitar players reminiscent of the three Cartel Guitarist in season 2 episode 7 Negro Y azul that send a musical warning to Heisenberg that the Cartel is running hot and to them the gringo is a dead man. The details; symbolism and the foreshadowing of events were brilliant in both series.
"Just because you shot Jesse James, don't makes you Jesse James." To me this line just defines Mike's view of Walt. Mike is the kind of guy who just understands the world and his place on it and he's fine. He does not have a secret goal, or huge ambitions besides do his work right and provide for his family, which he does, unlilke Walt who just uses this as excuse for bad decisions.This makes him one of the most honest charecters on the show and the BB universe.
You didn't listen did you? He knows how bad he is and he's alright with that. Mike is comfortable working for a guy like Gus that rule a drug empire. Killed people without remorse, justifying his behavior with half truths
@@AMichaelFromBrasil This quote from Much Ado About Nothing: "And while it can not be said that I am a flatteringly honest man,/It must not be denied that I am a plain-dealing villain." THAT'S Mike at his core.
I feel like he is like a version of Walt in a way, but without the HUGE ambition, or arrogance, nor the genius that Walt has, in a way. The lack of these allowed him to reach a balance and be way more functional than Walt in many ways. Like "what the Walt's story would have been without all the highs and lows" But it's just my hypothesis
Creepy Closet I would be way more excited about a mike spin off than the Saul one. Don’t give me wrong, the show is decent but I watch it mostly cause of Mike lol
@@theretroreview8178 I wouldve thought that at the beginning but the show I think did a good job with telling a complete story with Mike. The only thing I think they could've done in a Mike spin off was showing more of his time as a crooked police officer but Jonathan banks is too old
Same. He's a killer, but he doesn't revel in it and he's not cold and ruthless about it. He's pragmatic and utilitarian about killing, but you can tell he doesn't like doing it. He takes no joy in killing, but he's going to be efficient at his job, and sometimes that means beating or shooting someone. He rarely lets his emotions get in the way.
@SSJaye In "Gloves Off" (S2E4) the gun dealer mentions how the buttstock of the M40A1 rifle is the same used by Marine snipers since 1966 and how the buttstock is made out of fiberglass. Mike remarks how wood used to warp with the heat and moisture of the jungle.
It’s interesting to think of him as a more rational and restrained Rambo. They’re both uncontrollably drawn to violence due to their war experience, but Mike only uses violence as a means to an end.
There was an interview with Jonathan Banks about the character of Mike where he says: "We all wanna be Mike. Mike's there, ya know? Mike does it." There's something inherently appealing and admirable about The Fixer, the Cleaner. Think of Winston Wolf from Pulp Fiction. Leon Montana from Léon. A character who embodies an unparalleled work ethic, who is competent and skilled in their craft, the consummate professional. Someone who shows up and solves problems quickly, efficiently, and with pragmatic grace. These characters are attractive because they make crime seem less brutal, less senseless, it changes the skew of horrible deeds to be dispassionate and just business. But is that really something we should want? People are killed, lives are ruined, destruction and havoc occur and these are all things we should just sweep under the rug? Just problems to be solved, like equations on a blackboard, the truth is that in order to become this kind of person you cant be a person at all. Mike becomes more like Gus than is healthy, too much is given to the stone cold businessman, to where the loving grandpa is left hollow. A façade, a construction, that crumbles under the weight of his sins. It's amazing what people are capable of, once they convince themselves there are no other options.
That's probably why I love Ray Donovan, watching a fixer that is skilled and smart but conflicted and regularly ends up with violence following them around.
Dude this is an awesome comment. But after BCS I don't think Mike is essentially a bad guy. I mean, he's a hitman. But you understand that, there's always gonna be a kingpin. If you can be associated with the kingpin who's gonna be spilling less blood around because he just feels like it, and still make a lot of money killing criminals, is it so wrong?
@@Henrique.Souza0601 WW2 veterans get PTSD from killing nazis, the most justifiable war we've ever been in, and they still couldn't deal with that trauma. Same thing goes with police killing criminals. You need to grow up and realize that humans aren't meant to murder other humans, life isn't some videogame with a morality meter where it's open season on guys who are towards the low end. Self righteous vigilante justice, which in reality is only done to protect your own hide, is immoral and traumatizing.
Death of Mike showed that there's nothing to admire in Walt. He definitely has one of the greatest character arcs, but eventually developed into egomaniacal sociopath. Walt didn't regret killing Mike at all, just slightly shocked afterwards. Huge difference between the characters is that they had different reasons to live: Mike had his family (especially his granddaughter) while Walt lived for his empire, reputation and power.
That’s after he took down Gus, his worst threat. When you slay the kings head and overthrow him, you become the king. That’s when his ego became inflated. Remember, in season 4, he was begging to be spared.
Wrong. He did regret killing Mike right after he shot him. He did it because Mike shoved a knife exactly into his true egoistical core, past all the bullshit and lies.
I loved the parallels made between Walt and Werner begging Mike not to kill them. Though we didn't know it at the time, Mike had been there before, with a man who genuinely was as innocent and naive as he seemed. So when Walt pretended to break down, he didn't sense the trap until it was too late.
I don’t think Walter pretended to break down. He didn’t expect to be taken by Victor. He regained all of his composure after making the phone call with Jesse
jmwild1 Yes, while silently building something or taking something apart, the entire process shown in painstaking detail, though we the audience have no idea what the object even is (let alone its relevance) yet are absolutely riveted by.
@@zbaksh101 …what are you talking about? It didn’t need exploration, let alone in an entire other show - he was clearly referring to Victor. It wasn’t meant to be subtle or anything; I didn’t even know any people were unclear about that
That was an impulse act. Walt regretted doing it right after he did it. He even apologized to Mike....the scene that made me despise him was when he was sitting in his car and called his next door neighbor, Becky, on his cell and asked her to go to his house and check the stove to make sure it was turned off, KNOWING Gus's goons might be in there waiting on him.....that was a low-life thing to do
In Breaking Bad, we almost didn't even get Mike Ehrmantraut as a character. Believe it or not Saul was meant to be the one who shows up and cleans Jesse's house, but he had an audition that day so they created the character of Mike Ehrmantraut for that reason. And he's one of the most important/beloved characters in the series today. Mike was never really a clean cop. Mike's son was a clean cop. We know this from Better Call Saul. As Mike would have it, basically most of the cops are crooked after some time in the force. The ones who aren't are relocated or otherwise dealt with. One time Mike's son came across some dirty money and thought he was doing the right thing by reporting it to his higher up. The higher up is like "Listen, take the money. We all do that, come on, the pay's not good enough around here anyway. Take it, no harm no foul." but he made himself seem so uncomfortable with it that they basically decided right then and there he'd be a liability so they plan to kill him. Before this though Mike's son asks Mike himself for advice, and even Mike himself says "Just take the money, don't worry about it" but by then his son's colleagues were suspicious of him so they decided to get rid of him before he decides to become a whistleblower or whatever. This absolutely destroyed Mike, and of course I think is what finally made him switch sides, he figured "If I am gonna be crooked, I may as well be affiliated with the ones who are honest about their dishonesty"
Was thinking just one week ago when The Take was rolling out something about Mike. The look on his face when he was ordered to kill.....spoiler....never seen him so sad
One element that I think you missed. Mike starts out as a dirty ex-cop trying to live like a normal civilian. Jimmy starts off as a :"reformed" con man trying to prove that he can live in a system that demands adherence to the rules and ethical standards. Both are extremely flawed characters who try to become better than they are but ultimately, their base nature becomes too much to resist.
Unlike Walter, they didn't seem to fall that far and as you say, just reverted to type. I think that Jimmy's worst instincts was held in check while Chuck was still alive, but after his death, all bets were off. With Mike, killing Werner, a good man and his friend, made him finally entrenched on the dark side if he wasn't before.
The whole point of a brilliant show like BB and better call saul, is that it shows the complexities of human nature. No one is ever Good or Bad, they just are. Boiling Mike's character down to, he kills people so he is a bad man, is missing the entire point of the show.
I like even better the way he takes him down when he says; if he needs a weapon, he will just take one of this other guy there comes with like 5-6 guns... The way he took him down was cool and show Mike has a totally different mindset, also, he always does a lot of homework before a mission.
The internet in general seems to contribute to all of us more and more turning off the tap - numbing our intellect and heart. But this channel is the best of the Internet, and here form and content are one: it’s helping us keep the tap open, at least when we think about one TV show.
Kramer vs Kramer Odenkirk wasn’t available for the episode ABQ due to contract obligations that he be in a HIMYM episode. So the writers added Mike as a hired “cleaner” to help Jesse cover up drugs in his house when Jane died. Then they just kept him on as a character
@@benwasserman8223 very interesting. I had no idea. Breaking bad is a trip in how they were flexible with the structure. Jesse was supposed to be killed in the first season, but because of a writers strike it didnt happen, gus was only supposed to be in a couple episodes of the 2and season but they adapted. The creation of the show is, ironically, very similar to walt's speech about how chemistry is about change and transformation.
"he wasn't betraying his employers" he had an agreement that he will accept these terms and be holed up until the work was done, the man broke out of the warehouse, no matter if his intentions were pure, you just can't trust him because his word was not his bond.
Mike Ehrmantraut, the last name sounds pretty German. In fact, an "Ehrenmann" is a man of honor, and "traut" might be inspired by the verb "trauen", which means "to trust.
I think "traut" here has not the meaning of trust "vertrauen" - it's more in the sense of dare to do something. So Mike is the one who dare to be a man of honour.
Couldn’t have said it better myself. Remember how he was the only one that believed in the kid with the shoplifting charge that she should deserve the scholarship because she made a mistake, faced the consequences, and became better and had much higher grades and better essay than the other high school candidates? She didn’t get it because of that felony and it just shows that he is willing to stand up for the bad guys and give people second chances.
He enjoys being Saul, not Jimmy McGill. He's charismatic, intelligent and witty which you can compare with being a lighter hearted Heisenberg but whereas Walt imposes fear and dominance over others to gain his feeling of power Saul obtains this through riding a fine line of morality which is exhilarating to him; he's in charge of his path and he isn't living with the weight of his brother's shadow and his strict moral code.
@@MackZmac in fact two of them are from germany, and are kind of famous. Stefan Kapici played Colossus in Deadpool 1+2, and lots more. Rainer Bock, the guy who played Werner acted in like 50+ german and some international movies.
i’m german too. just rewatched breaking bad but in english this time and realized there are also german speaking people :D that was fun, cause that’s not how germans speak at all :D
Another point, is that if a solid code is the only thing that keeps you from being immoral, once life forces you to break that code (and it will), you're only left with the immoral. You can see that happen to Mike multiple times, where he has to fix his code out of necessity, shifting the wall ever further into the realm of darkness. In other forms of media, you can see characters fall apart once they break their own code, not being able to build it up again.
I had never understood the scene at the group therapy where Mike exposes that liar. It felt so disconnected to me; now it makes all the sense in the world and shows how deep Mike's wounds cut. :-(
Mike was a willing player in the game. He knew himself, and was a man of honor in his own way. Mike's mentality was the same as a knight in service to a king, or a samurai sworn to a daimyo.
4:44 “Jimmy’s lack of response over his brother’s death raises questions of whether he’s in denial, or will eventually have to face a grief he’s avoiding.” ... those are the same thing...
Denial is the first stage of grief. Saul didn’t even begin the grieving process. He was just sad and moved on like it was just another day of the week.
One big thing I think you miss in this video is the parralel between the murder of Mike's son and the murder of Cerner. Mike's son was killed by dirty cops because they couldn't trust him. He didn't uphold the code of silence so they got ride of him. The last thing he told Verner was they will never trust you again. I think that's the moment he loses his humanity, and I think he recognizes it.
I love how much time and effort are put into these videos and the way they decipher each character, it really makes you see them in a different way. Great job!
My favorite thing about this show is it shows the reality of humanity. Most if not all of the characters on the show are not good people, but not all are inherently evil. They are fucked up flawed human beings, with motivations and aspirations. The protagonist doesn't have to be as horrific as Walt but acknowledging the protagonist is just as flawed as anyone else is a breath of fresh air. Seeing a perfect person face one struggle and then be perfect in every aspect gets really old
My take on Mike is that he has the mind and outlook of a mercenary. A professional whose allegiance is for sale, but still retains SOME sense of honor. Still, he can do what professional soldiers do in combat: disassociate himself and his emotions from the business at hand. Indeed, when buying a sniping rifle, there is a slight indication that Mike was a Vietnam veteran, and possibly even a former sniper. Which explains a lot because a sniper's shots are individual and require FAR more detachment and discipline than most others. PLUS, Mike has a motive for working with a criminal organization -- money for his family. So yes, I can relate to Mike, at least the emotional detachment of it, from my own experiences. I understand what made him into the Mike we see.
Mike's ultimate failure was because he actually let out his emotions, not because he cut them off. Even Hector retroactively foreshadowed that: "how did you live so long with a mouth like that?" He shouldn't have told Walt, that's what got him killed.
You're right but only in a half way. Mike DID cut off his emotions, he buried them deep and the price for that is lashing out/exploding when something bad happens, as a mechanism to let out some part of pent up emotions. Thats a psychological fact.
“Don’t make me beat you ‘till your legs don’t work.” It’s just the way things go. If you don’t provide the answers I need, YOU are making ME do something that needs to be done. It’s that simple.
I think Mike in our eyes had an illusion of success (before the end). He indulges in revenge and gets away with it, he keeps to his code, he appears grounded compared to the others. He is also an expert at his craft and respected by the drug world and his family alike. He gave everything he had for his family. He survived time and time again solely for his family - but he never allowed himself to live for them. He couldn't forgive himself and it put him onto a path that killed him. And then it was too late. And then it was all for nothing. Vince made it clear that in his story, money or not it was always for nothing in the end.
Please do a series on the characters of the sopranos!! Your character analysis for mad men, breaking, bad, and the wire are all amazing but we need some love for the sopranos! So many amazing characters and deeper meanings behind the entire series.
You're guy's videos have been getting me through a long work trip to New Hampshire. Originally got into the GoT videos but got hooked on the Breaking Bad and "You Know If" stuff as well. Super stoked to see another Breaking Bad video. I didnt think you guys would make another one lol
Extraordinary work invites extraordinary analysis. The best video essay on this crucial character I've seen. The question to be asked here is how good is our own moral code.
Great video as always!! The fact that your analyses and character studies are so good made me wonder how great it would be if you guys did a video on the dream sequences of "The Sopranos" and Tony's subconscious mind. Hope you'll soon upload a video covering that.
@@johnathonhaney8291 In the world of the drug cartels being successful means amassing territory, gaining money, power, influence and control. Emotional openedd and having a conscience are impediments to achieving this.
Verner knew exactly what he was doing and who he was involved with yet he continually flagrantly and arrogantly flouted his own will while expecting Mike to get him out of the repercussions. Anyone in Mike's position would have had to deal with it but Mike gave him the chance to go out with some dignity. Mike is a man of another era, where courage and dignity mattered.
Good video. Your insights into turning off the tap helped me understand my own life a little. I would add though that turning off the emotional tap isn't really a conscious decision, more it is a coping mechanism that your body/brain employs to protect itself and remain functional under intense pressure. Indeed my experience is that it achieves exactly that, you are able to perform at a high level despite very trying situations at the cost of emotional detachment that can take many years to reverse.
I just want to Thank you for your video's. I always had to supress all of my emotions from age 5. And now at 30 they finally resurface. Hearing you explain just gives me hope that my "soul" is still salvagable.
I think we love Mike because he doesn’t suffer fools. He’s a great character who can function as a show’s BS detector. The universes of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul are populated with complicated people, and there really isn’t room for a character who functions as the show’s conscience, which would ring false on a show that is resolutely unsentimental about temptation, motivation, and toxic relationships. So much of both shows is about people in extreme situations, and Mike’s steady presence gives the show some ballast. Kudos to Jonathan Banks for owning both these shows. It’s hard to stand out with a cast this good, and he does it.
I like to think that Walt, Jr. makes sure that some of the money his family gets makes it to Mike's granddaughter. But then I remember that this series was like Game of Thrones: "If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention."
as morals are ultimately subjective we can only expect to be moral to ourselves, and Mike was moral to himself. in his mind it was all just for his family, which is exactly what Walter thought too. now they're both dead, take that as you will
What I find cool about him is that he did whatever he needed to do, no questions asked, no ulterior motives, no nothing Just do the task at hand and keep it pushing
Great point about shutting off emotions. If we actually felt the pain deeply of others we hear about in the news etc how could we live with it? If a stranger dies in a fire our feelings are not the same as if it was one of our children. Thank God our feelings are not the same for all or else we would all surely go insane.
Seeing these dives makes me even more glad Jesse got somewhat of an happy ending and escape. He’s the only major Breaking Bad/BCS character I can think off the top of my head who didn’t fall into cynicism despite all the shit they got put through. Jesse kept his morals and grew stronger in them, despite the suffering that resulted from him still having a heart. I suppose Hank did as well, but I just personally felt it so much stronger with Jesse (love Hank too though; so many great characters in this universe)
It would have been interesting to meet Mike's son. Anyway, that moral code =\= morality bit is pretty good. I find his "Half measures" speech to be one of his best moments. Jessica Jones is currently exploring some of that with Malcolm in their final season. (You guys should do Jessica Jones!)
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The Take Why didn't Mike just kill Walter for the methylamine?
Please do Good Will Hunting
Well done... The Take.
If that really is your name?!
Only God is good
You missed out, on using the Captain Kirk meme, coming out of STV: The Final Frontier... "I NEED my pain!" Lol
What I loved most about Mike was is absolute lack on ego. Especially in contrast to Walt who had an ego the size of Jupiter.
I think that lack of ego comes from knowing and accepting your place on the food chain. Walt never could.
I feel like the video is trying to tell us that's part of what led Mike to his downfall. Ego is not something to be eradicated completely. It's not some disease that makes us unhealthy. It's something that should be kept in check, yes. Otherwise, it would inflate out of control like Walter and lead the person to one type of downfall, the downfall Walter faced. But total eradication of ego is not and should not be something idealized. Mike gave up his ego and became part of a machine, The Empire of Gus, to do what he's told. Mike's own sense of right or wrong became irrelevant even when he had to be the one who pulled the trigger to murder a man he genuinely liked. That shit is a tragedy.
@number one internet content I might not be using the word "ego" correctly. But from this video, especially in the comparison between Walter and Mike, I think I am interpreting it as "making your own decision" or "doing what you want or you think is right". (Perhaps the word "control" is more of what I mean.) Walter was like this. He always had to have his way. It went quite extreme for Walter. To do what he wanted to do, Walter consciously or unconsciously lied to, manipulated, and used other people, even the people he cared about and loved, to feel powerful. I believe that's why he couldn't work for somebody (i.e., Gus) for a long term because when you work for someone, you have to give up certain control and let the boss make the call. And Walter couldn't share that control. Mike, on the other hand, gave up control to his boss altogether. Like what the video says, he became a machine controlled by his boss. To follow and execute the boss' decision, he gave up his sense of right or wrong, which is highlighted by his reluctant decision to kill the German engineer guy. According to this video, Mike's downfall began way before he began working with Walter. His downfall started when he gave up what's human inside him (e.g., emotions, sense of right or wrong, willingness to make his own decision) to be the most efficient, effective machine in the Empire of Gus.
While I was just doing a job, and doing it to the best of my abilities, Walter was discovering a whole new side of himself that he never knew existed. And he liked it. He liked it a lot. But in the same token, I was most likely wearing those shoes 40 years ago.
@@kusyaful Remember when Walt is going back for his PET scan? And he meets the other cancer patient? The guy who tells him "The hardest part for me was giving up control..." Walt tells hi what bullshit it is... and to never give up control. That's how he lives his life. Me? I'm just a good solider. I do what I'm told and I don't ask any questions, and I get the job done.
Met him on the street in new orleans about 3 years ago. I told him he was a great actor. He smiled and said thank you.
Bobby Woods dude I saw better call Saul in Hollywood and I said he was a great actor too! This guy just kept on walking
That is the most real story I've ever heard in my life.
Im sure that made his day
And then he shot you
Chase Waterbottle seriously? He just ignored you?
The more I watch Better Call Saul and learn about Mike’s past, the more tragic it is that Walter White basically killed him for no reason.
Mike: “We had a good thing going! All you had to do was keep quiet and get the stickers!”
Walt: 🔫😡
Killed him for nothing. Because he was scared.
@Goody Goody welner was dead either way. Mike gave him a better death than Gus and his men would have given him
@Goody Goody Werner knew the consequences of his actions
To White he killed Mike for a very good reason, pride.
“I broke my boy.” When Mike cries we all cry
Everyone is a gangster until they watch that scene
I've blocked my feelings apparently..
That monologue, for my money, was the best piece of acting I have EVER seen on TV.
Joel Applegate it is masterful
Wait what? He never cried?
There's also the fact that Mike's journey starts in much the same way as Walter's. They're both older men past their prime working a job they're extremely overqualified for who secretly want more. They jump at the chance to do stuff that's less than legal that gives them an opportunity to feel useful, especially towards their family who they see as needing their help surviving. They might have been good people at some point but by the time we meet them, they're mostly just bitter and disillusioned with life.
Only major difference: Mike never lied to himself about what he'd become.
@@johnathonhaney8291 Not true. Mike pretends that his moral code gives him the authority and stature to judge people like the Salamancas or Walter despite the fact they work in the same industry doing the same things. His primary motivation may not be ego but that's more for the fact that he lacks the kind of ambition a drug kingpin needs. He's just as deluded as the rest of them, dying because of that arrogance and unfounded sense of superiority when Walter shoots him out of nowhere.
@@BobLogical Ah, no. The delusion was that said code would protect him from ever being hurt emotionally or physically. That second part was way off, as you just pointed out.
He took pride in his work and his honest assessment of what he was doing but there was no ego attached to that. It was about getting the job done right. Walt and the Salamancas offended him with their unnecessary risks and brutality which got in the way of that job.
@@massagegenie9236 ☜Found the moron. Probably high on some meth right now. You definitely have got more holes in your brain than your above statement.
@@BobLogical Mike and Walt are two completely different people. They have nothing but absolutely nothing in common.
"Just let me die in peace."
Your missing one of the greatest f bomb dropping
"just STFU..."
It parallels how Werner wanted to die in peace.
Joseph Leonard Yep, you didn’t get it right either lol
@@gottalight9379 great observation; none of those connections were by accident either. In the scene when he has Lydia Quayle by gunpoint in her own home; if you look directly across from that scene there is a picture hanging on the wall of three Shadowy Mexican Guitar players reminiscent of the three Cartel Guitarist in season 2 episode 7 Negro Y azul that send a musical warning to Heisenberg that the Cartel is running hot and to them the gringo is a dead man. The details; symbolism and the foreshadowing of events were brilliant in both series.
"Just because you shot Jesse James, don't makes you Jesse James."
To me this line just defines Mike's view of Walt. Mike is the kind of guy who just understands the world and his place on it and he's fine. He does not have a secret goal, or huge ambitions besides do his work right and provide for his family, which he does, unlilke Walt who just uses this as excuse for bad decisions.This makes him one of the most honest charecters on the show and the BB universe.
To be fair Jesse is a big reason for Walt bad decisions too
You didn't listen did you? He knows how bad he is and he's alright with that. Mike is comfortable working for a guy like Gus that rule a drug empire. Killed people without remorse, justifying his behavior with half truths
@@AMichaelFromBrasil This quote from Much Ado About Nothing: "And while it can not be said that I am a flatteringly honest man,/It must not be denied that I am a plain-dealing villain." THAT'S Mike at his core.
@@johnathonhaney8291 Still he's villain with half truths
I feel like he is like a version of Walt in a way, but without the HUGE ambition, or arrogance, nor the genius that Walt has, in a way. The lack of these allowed him to reach a balance and be way more functional than Walt in many ways. Like "what the Walt's story would have been without all the highs and lows"
But it's just my hypothesis
I like how better call saul expanded on Mike because he was my favorite character from breaking bad
@doeboyelsancho I think they balance each other out. Saul for courtroom and family drama. Mike for action and getting close to Gus
Creepy Closet I would be way more excited about a mike spin off than the Saul one. Don’t give me wrong, the show is decent but I watch it mostly cause of Mike lol
@@theretroreview8178 I wouldve thought that at the beginning but the show I think did a good job with telling a complete story with Mike. The only thing I think they could've done in a Mike spin off was showing more of his time as a crooked police officer but Jonathan banks is too old
Seasom 5 better expand on more of how mike became a dmart man before he meets saul.
Same. He's a killer, but he doesn't revel in it and he's not cold and ruthless about it. He's pragmatic and utilitarian about killing, but you can tell he doesn't like doing it. He takes no joy in killing, but he's going to be efficient at his job, and sometimes that means beating or shooting someone. He rarely lets his emotions get in the way.
It's also hinted he was a Vietnam vet. When he described the rifle he was purchasing to the dealer.
@SSJaye In "Gloves Off" (S2E4) the gun dealer mentions how the buttstock of the M40A1 rifle is the same used by Marine snipers since 1966 and how the buttstock is made out of fiberglass. Mike remarks how wood used to warp with the heat and moisture of the jungle.
Given Mike's birth year (1947) I wouldn't be surprised.
It’s interesting to think of him as a more rational and restrained Rambo. They’re both uncontrollably drawn to violence due to their war experience, but Mike only uses violence as a means to an end.
The “never-going to happen” thing I would love to see is a flashback to Mike in Vietnam
@@ourcorrectopinions6824 is there a difference?
There was an interview with Jonathan Banks about the character of Mike where he says: "We all wanna be Mike. Mike's there, ya know? Mike does it." There's something inherently appealing and admirable about The Fixer, the Cleaner. Think of Winston Wolf from Pulp Fiction. Leon Montana from Léon. A character who embodies an unparalleled work ethic, who is competent and skilled in their craft, the consummate professional. Someone who shows up and solves problems quickly, efficiently, and with pragmatic grace. These characters are attractive because they make crime seem less brutal, less senseless, it changes the skew of horrible deeds to be dispassionate and just business. But is that really something we should want? People are killed, lives are ruined, destruction and havoc occur and these are all things we should just sweep under the rug? Just problems to be solved, like equations on a blackboard, the truth is that in order to become this kind of person you cant be a person at all. Mike becomes more like Gus than is healthy, too much is given to the stone cold businessman, to where the loving grandpa is left hollow. A façade, a construction, that crumbles under the weight of his sins. It's amazing what people are capable of, once they convince themselves there are no other options.
That's probably why I love Ray Donovan, watching a fixer that is skilled and smart but conflicted and regularly ends up with violence following them around.
It's just a show, that's why we want violence
Dude this is an awesome comment. But after BCS I don't think Mike is essentially a bad guy. I mean, he's a hitman. But you understand that, there's always gonna be a kingpin. If you can be associated with the kingpin who's gonna be spilling less blood around because he just feels like it, and still make a lot of money killing criminals, is it so wrong?
@@Henrique.Souza0601 agreed
@@Henrique.Souza0601 WW2 veterans get PTSD from killing nazis, the most justifiable war we've ever been in, and they still couldn't deal with that trauma. Same thing goes with police killing criminals.
You need to grow up and realize that humans aren't meant to murder other humans, life isn't some videogame with a morality meter where it's open season on guys who are towards the low end. Self righteous vigilante justice, which in reality is only done to protect your own hide, is immoral and traumatizing.
Death of Mike showed that there's nothing to admire in Walt. He definitely has one of the greatest character arcs, but eventually developed into egomaniacal sociopath. Walt didn't regret killing Mike at all, just slightly shocked afterwards. Huge difference between the characters is that they had different reasons to live: Mike had his family (especially his granddaughter) while Walt lived for his empire, reputation and power.
Mike is what Walt wants to be a professional and wants all of his money will go to his family, but he can’t so he kills him.
He said Im sorry
That’s after he took down Gus, his worst threat. When you slay the kings head and overthrow him, you become the king. That’s when his ego became inflated. Remember, in season 4, he was begging to be spared.
Wrong. He did regret killing Mike right after he shot him. He did it because Mike shoved a knife exactly into his true egoistical core, past all the bullshit and lies.
Mike was a shitty person 🤷
next video " Walter Junior How Breakfast Matters"
im dead
Lmfao xD
Plz
That was one character I didn’t appreciate, still don’t.
Claudette Gerety rude
I loved the parallels made between Walt and Werner begging Mike not to kill them. Though we didn't know it at the time, Mike had been there before, with a man who genuinely was as innocent and naive as he seemed. So when Walt pretended to break down, he didn't sense the trap until it was too late.
I don’t think Walter pretended to break down. He didn’t expect to be taken by Victor. He regained all of his composure after making the phone call with Jesse
Fuck I missed that
"Everyone sounds like Meryl Streep with a gun to their head".
One of the most intelligent and entertaining lines ever said on TV
Hahaha, yea, it's even true :)
Hank died like a got damn hero holding his head high and proud.
Who?
Mike always saw right through Walter
He did and Gus did right off but talked himself into it via Gail.
Not immediately but close to.
if he did gail would be alive
He knew Walter for who he was but he underestimated him and this is what resulted in his death.
I could watch an entire episode of just Mike sitting in his car listening to a ball game on his portable radio and enjoy it.
jmwild1 Yes, while silently building something or taking something apart, the entire process shown in painstaking detail, though we the audience have no idea what the object even is (let alone its relevance) yet are absolutely riveted by.
Arh, come on now.....
"The fly" version of bcs
Throw in a few phone calls from various acquaintances, that are all communicated in vague terms and code words.
Kim Wexler next please. She is an amazing character!
While I agree that she's awesome, I would wait for the next season of BCS, I think it could be a deciding point for Kim
The Letter Bleeds Vince Is talking about making a spin off about her. I would absolutely love to see that happen.
Not to mention, she's HOT.
I don't know I don't like her, I don't know why she kinda bores me
@@mattbritton7097 chubby littlefinger should make a Gus Fring spinoff first
YOU are not "The Guy", you're not capable of being the guy! I had a guy but now I don't! YOU! ARE NOT! THE GUY!
Hahahahahahahahahah, yea, I remember that scene :)
who is he refering to with this btw
@@inXsights Jessie
@@inXsights i think it was meant to be Victor but that was something Better Call Saul doesn't explore.
@@zbaksh101 …what are you talking about?
It didn’t need exploration, let alone in an entire other show - he was clearly referring to Victor. It wasn’t meant to be subtle or anything; I didn’t even know any people were unclear about that
Mike is one of the greatest fictional characters ever created. Fight me. (Please don't fight me, I am very physically weak)
Why would I? You speaking truth, brother.
nah this is true so no one's gonna fite ya
I agree. However, rules is rules, and Gus says I gotta fight you.
Too bad, you offered.
*Comes at you with a chair*
Jordan Loux It is the duty of the strong to protect the frail and righteous!
Protects with a beanbag gun.
Magic Mike. Arguably the best supporting character in the whole show.
negativeletter idk if men who enjoy that movie are gay, pretty sure you gotta like dick in real life to qualify for that label
Magic mike, prison mike.
Killing mike made me despise walter
I was crying so I had to pause the episode because I couldn't focus
That was an impulse act. Walt regretted doing it right after he did it. He even apologized to Mike....the scene that made me despise him was when he was sitting in his car and called his next door neighbor, Becky, on his cell and asked her to go to his house and check the stove to make sure it was turned off, KNOWING Gus's goons might be in there waiting on him.....that was a low-life thing to do
I never forgave Walter
Walter's shadow won
Me2... But Walther is a bonified Psychopath and or Sociopath.
The one we've all waited for♥️
i want hule
In Breaking Bad, we almost didn't even get Mike Ehrmantraut as a character. Believe it or not Saul was meant to be the one who shows up and cleans Jesse's house, but he had an audition that day so they created the character of Mike Ehrmantraut for that reason. And he's one of the most important/beloved characters in the series today. Mike was never really a clean cop. Mike's son was a clean cop. We know this from Better Call Saul. As Mike would have it, basically most of the cops are crooked after some time in the force. The ones who aren't are relocated or otherwise dealt with. One time Mike's son came across some dirty money and thought he was doing the right thing by reporting it to his higher up. The higher up is like "Listen, take the money. We all do that, come on, the pay's not good enough around here anyway. Take it, no harm no foul." but he made himself seem so uncomfortable with it that they basically decided right then and there he'd be a liability so they plan to kill him. Before this though Mike's son asks Mike himself for advice, and even Mike himself says "Just take the money, don't worry about it" but by then his son's colleagues were suspicious of him so they decided to get rid of him before he decides to become a whistleblower or whatever. This absolutely destroyed Mike, and of course I think is what finally made him switch sides, he figured "If I am gonna be crooked, I may as well be affiliated with the ones who are honest about their dishonesty"
An amazing character arc
and his feelings about what happened are so intense and honest but he chooses to ignore them. if he lived by his son's memory he would be a good man.
Yes yes yes yes yes yes.
Mike is my favourite character.
He does'nt need to say a word and we already know what he's thinking.
His monologue in BCS about his son cemented him as one of my favorite characters of all time.
Thank you so much. I love Mike. I was actually hoping for a analysis of his character.
Mike is the best character
Was thinking just one week ago when The Take was rolling out something about Mike. The look on his face when he was ordered to kill.....spoiler....never seen him so sad
My fav
@@chowder8802 theory great show
One element that I think you missed.
Mike starts out as a dirty ex-cop trying to live like a normal civilian. Jimmy starts off as a :"reformed" con man trying to prove that he can live in a system that demands adherence to the rules and ethical standards.
Both are extremely flawed characters who try to become better than they are but ultimately, their base nature becomes too much to resist.
Unlike Walter, they didn't seem to fall that far and as you say, just reverted to type.
I think that Jimmy's worst instincts was held in check while Chuck was still alive, but after his death, all bets were off.
With Mike, killing Werner, a good man and his friend, made him finally entrenched on the dark side if he wasn't before.
The whole point of a brilliant show like BB and better call saul, is that it shows the complexities of human nature. No one is ever Good or Bad, they just are. Boiling Mike's character down to, he kills people so he is a bad man, is missing the entire point of the show.
Sean Reitman well said!
Better Call Saul has more letters than Breaking Bad so why did you abbreviate the shorter phrase
@@timeland8343 that was a very neccessary comment
@S V people with emotional intelligence beg to differ.
How can you kill innocent people and be good??
It's hard not to love all the baddies though. Mike was awesome. The casting for Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul was impeccable.
So, What you packing?
_A pimento.._
Sorry, What?
*_Pimento Sandwich_*
Classic...
Pimento is a cheese. They call it the caviar of the south.
@@mikeehrmantraut4797 - Nice...
I like even better the way he takes him down when he says; if he needs a weapon, he will just take one of this other guy there comes with like 5-6 guns... The way he took him down was cool and show Mike has a totally different mindset, also, he always does a lot of homework before a mission.
The cheese of the South
He is lawful neutral, lawful not to the law itself but to his own moral code.
Nope, he is Lawful Evil.
the definitive Lawful Evil character
Love mike
Shit son I just found my next Baldurs Gate portrait.
More like lawful neutral.
Gus is more of a lawful evil.
@@Nai-qk4vp But most of Mike's actions are evil. Negatively impacting the world around him
@@joshj1953 Yep. He is Lawful Evil.
The internet in general seems to contribute to all of us more and more turning off the tap - numbing our intellect and heart. But this channel is the best of the Internet, and here form and content are one: it’s helping us keep the tap open, at least when we think about one TV show.
And just think: had Bob Odenkirk not been required to star in HIMYM, Mike would never have been created in the first place
Ben Wasserman can you elaborate? I don’t know the story
Kramer vs Kramer Odenkirk wasn’t available for the episode ABQ due to contract obligations that he be in a HIMYM episode. So the writers added Mike as a hired “cleaner” to help Jesse cover up drugs in his house when Jane died. Then they just kept him on as a character
@@benwasserman8223 The best creative touches are almost always happy accidents.
@@benwasserman8223 No kidding!!! Now that's a great little piece of trivia!
@@benwasserman8223 very interesting. I had no idea.
Breaking bad is a trip in how they were flexible with the structure. Jesse was supposed to be killed in the first season, but because of a writers strike it didnt happen, gus was only supposed to be in a couple episodes of the 2and season but they adapted. The creation of the show is, ironically, very similar to walt's speech about how chemistry is about change and transformation.
"he wasn't betraying his employers" he had an agreement that he will accept these terms and be holed up until the work was done, the man broke out of the warehouse, no matter if his intentions were pure, you just can't trust him because his word was not his bond.
Mike Ehrmantraut, the last name sounds pretty German. In fact, an "Ehrenmann" is a man of honor, and "traut" might be inspired by the verb "trauen", which means "to trust.
Don't think that's accidental.
Thank you, was about to write the same!
I think "traut" here has not the meaning of trust "vertrauen" - it's more in the sense of dare to do something. So Mike is the one who dare to be a man of honour.
@@linchen008 yeah a bit like "stout" which means both bad and bold..
Saul never turned evil imo
He just empathizes with the underdogs rather than go with the "winners".
Yes! This!!
Exactly. He just found his perfect niche
Couldn’t have said it better myself. Remember how he was the only one that believed in the kid with the shoplifting charge that she should deserve the scholarship because she made a mistake, faced the consequences, and became better and had much higher grades and better essay than the other high school candidates? She didn’t get it because of that felony and it just shows that he is willing to stand up for the bad guys and give people second chances.
He enjoys being Saul, not Jimmy McGill. He's charismatic, intelligent and witty which you can compare with being a lighter hearted Heisenberg but whereas Walt imposes fear and dominance over others to gain his feeling of power Saul obtains this through riding a fine line of morality which is exhilarating to him; he's in charge of his path and he isn't living with the weight of his brother's shadow and his strict moral code.
He covers up for murderers and hurts everyone who gets close to or puts any trust in him
Im german girl. Watching better call saul was fun. There was people talking german language :)
Are the German actors famous in Germany?
@@ACIDOLATTlCO no
Never seen before
@@ACIDOLATTlCO they were most likely America actors trained to speak German
@@MackZmac in fact two of them are from germany, and are kind of famous. Stefan Kapici played Colossus in Deadpool 1+2, and lots more. Rainer Bock, the guy who played Werner acted in like 50+ german and some international movies.
i’m german too. just rewatched breaking bad but in english this time and realized there are also german speaking people :D that was fun, cause that’s not how germans speak at all :D
Long time watcher, but just wanted to say that your analyses are consistently amazing and very well-thought out.
And, personal opinion, their analyses on Breaking Bad seems to have a special something that makes them endlessly rewatchable.
Another point, is that if a solid code is the only thing that keeps you from being immoral, once life forces you to break that code (and it will), you're only left with the immoral. You can see that happen to Mike multiple times, where he has to fix his code out of necessity, shifting the wall ever further into the realm of darkness. In other forms of media, you can see characters fall apart once they break their own code, not being able to build it up again.
I had never understood the scene at the group therapy where Mike exposes that liar. It felt so disconnected to me; now it makes all the sense in the world and shows how deep Mike's wounds cut. :-(
Mike was a willing player in the game. He knew himself, and was a man of honor in his own way. Mike's mentality was the same as a knight in service to a king, or a samurai sworn to a daimyo.
It takes skill to make a 20m long video feel like a minute. It ended before I knew it. You truly are an inspiration❤️
4:44 “Jimmy’s lack of response over his brother’s death raises questions of whether he’s in denial, or will eventually have to face a grief he’s avoiding.” ... those are the same thing...
Denial is the first stage of grief. Saul didn’t even begin the grieving process. He was just sad and moved on like it was just another day of the week.
Kid named finger
Still re-watching Breaking Bad even today.
I'm holding off rewatching BB till BCS finishes, then will just follow on....
This channel is the gift that keeps on giving
One big thing I think you miss in this video is the parralel between the murder of Mike's son and the murder of Cerner. Mike's son was killed by dirty cops because they couldn't trust him. He didn't uphold the code of silence so they got ride of him. The last thing he told Verner was they will never trust you again. I think that's the moment he loses his humanity, and I think he recognizes it.
I love how much time and effort are put into these videos and the way they decipher each character, it really makes you see them in a different way. Great job!
Kid named Finger.
He has similar character of The Hound in Game of Thrones
My favorite thing about this show is it shows the reality of humanity. Most if not all of the characters on the show are not good people, but not all are inherently evil. They are fucked up flawed human beings, with motivations and aspirations. The protagonist doesn't have to be as horrific as Walt but acknowledging the protagonist is just as flawed as anyone else is a breath of fresh air. Seeing a perfect person face one struggle and then be perfect in every aspect gets really old
My take on Mike is that he has the mind and outlook of a mercenary. A professional whose allegiance is for sale, but still retains SOME sense of honor. Still, he can do what professional soldiers do in combat: disassociate himself and his emotions from the business at hand. Indeed, when buying a sniping rifle, there is a slight indication that Mike was a Vietnam veteran, and possibly even a former sniper. Which explains a lot because a sniper's shots are individual and require FAR more detachment and discipline than most others. PLUS, Mike has a motive for working with a criminal organization -- money for his family. So yes, I can relate to Mike, at least the emotional detachment of it, from my own experiences. I understand what made him into the Mike we see.
Perhaps the best TV character of all time.
No question. Mike Ehrmantraut deserves his own series
Mike's ultimate failure was because he actually let out his emotions, not because he cut them off. Even Hector retroactively foreshadowed that: "how did you live so long with a mouth like that?"
He shouldn't have told Walt, that's what got him killed.
You're right but only in a half way. Mike DID cut off his emotions, he buried them deep and the price for that is lashing out/exploding when something bad happens, as a mechanism to let out some part of pent up emotions. Thats a psychological fact.
I loved Banks as Frank McPike in Wiseguy! Banks is a terrific actor!
“Don’t make me beat you ‘till your legs don’t work.”
It’s just the way things go. If you don’t provide the answers I need, YOU are making ME do something that needs to be done. It’s that simple.
I think Mike in our eyes had an illusion of success (before the end). He indulges in revenge and gets away with it, he keeps to his code, he appears grounded compared to the others. He is also an expert at his craft and respected by the drug world and his family alike.
He gave everything he had for his family. He survived time and time again solely for his family - but he never allowed himself to live for them. He couldn't forgive himself and it put him onto a path that killed him. And then it was too late. And then it was all for nothing. Vince made it clear that in his story, money or not it was always for nothing in the end.
Please do a series on the characters of the sopranos!! Your character analysis for mad men, breaking, bad, and the wire are all amazing but we need some love for the sopranos! So many amazing characters and deeper meanings behind the entire series.
The thing I love about Mike is he knows himself that he’s irredeemable and so he does everything he does for a good cause.
A badass packing a Pimento, you gotta love Mike
I just love the way you talk. You two explore the characters in such a deep way...
As a criminal myself I can't help but love Mike, he's loyal and someone I could have to have my back!!
You're guy's videos have been getting me through a long work trip to New Hampshire. Originally got into the GoT videos but got hooked on the Breaking Bad and "You Know If" stuff as well. Super stoked to see another Breaking Bad video. I didnt think you guys would make another one lol
thanks for covering my favorite character from BB and BCS... yall are awesome! that's my Take on your channel :D
Extraordinary work invites extraordinary analysis. The best video essay on this crucial character I've seen. The question to be asked here is how good is our own moral code.
Great video as always!! The fact that your analyses and character studies are so good made me wonder how great it would be if you guys did a video on the dream sequences of "The Sopranos" and Tony's subconscious mind. Hope you'll soon upload a video covering that.
YES
Those were the most painful parts of The Sopranos! I found them obnoxious and ridiculous, yet others seemed to love em.
I know not too many people are talking about it these days, but analysis videos for The Sopranos would be so perfect for this channel!
"Took you long enough!" -Hector Salamanca
I loved Mike, such a great character with so much depth
This is generally a world that punishes emotional openess. I would say success is indeed synonymous with being emotionaly dead.
Depends on how you define success...and what you had to do to be "successful". Failing as a human being can often be its own prison and punishment.
@@johnathonhaney8291 In the world of the drug cartels being successful means amassing territory, gaining money, power, influence and control.
Emotional openedd and having a conscience are impediments to achieving this.
Verner knew exactly what he was doing and who he was involved with yet he continually flagrantly and arrogantly flouted his own will while expecting Mike to get him out of the repercussions. Anyone in Mike's position would have had to deal with it but Mike gave him the chance to go out with some dignity. Mike is a man of another era, where courage and dignity mattered.
I freaking love these breaking bad episodes you guys make.
kid named tap:
Good video. Your insights into turning off the tap helped me understand my own life a little. I would add though that turning off the emotional tap isn't really a conscious decision, more it is a coping mechanism that your body/brain employs to protect itself and remain functional under intense pressure. Indeed my experience is that it achieves exactly that, you are able to perform at a high level despite very trying situations at the cost of emotional detachment that can take many years to reverse.
i hope she sees this bro
I just want to Thank you for your video's. I always had to supress all of my emotions from age 5. And now at 30 they finally resurface. Hearing you explain just gives me hope that my "soul" is still salvagable.
One of my most favourite characters in TV History
I think we love Mike because he doesn’t suffer fools. He’s a great character who can function as a show’s BS detector. The universes of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul are populated with complicated people, and there really isn’t room for a character who functions as the show’s conscience, which would ring false on a show that is resolutely unsentimental about temptation, motivation, and toxic relationships. So much of both shows is about people in extreme situations, and Mike’s steady presence gives the show some ballast. Kudos to Jonathan Banks for owning both these shows. It’s hard to stand out with a cast this good, and he does it.
I like to think that Walt, Jr. makes sure that some of the money his family gets makes it to Mike's granddaughter.
But then I remember that this series was like Game of Thrones:
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention."
Lord Bloodraven Pinkman gives a portion of his money to his granddaughter through Saul
Mike is my favourite character on both Shows!!! He's been on both sides, which makes him a fascinating character.
Mike is doing this all for one reason: his granddaughter, i.e. his dead son's daughter.
I'm just grateful we get more of Mike Ehrmantraut in Better Call Saul
We finally got our favorite badass grandpa,our man,our lord and savior Michael 'Mike' Ehrmantraught.
Abram Sullivan it’s right in the vid title, dolt.
as morals are ultimately subjective we can only expect to be moral to ourselves, and Mike was moral to himself. in his mind it was all just for his family, which is exactly what Walter thought too. now they're both dead, take that as you will
This is a very controversial statement.
Mike was my favorite charecter (and that's saying ALOT on this show).
What I find cool about him is that he did whatever he needed to do, no questions asked, no ulterior motives, no nothing
Just do the task at hand and keep it pushing
Just finished SE1EP5, it seems that Chuck is Jimmy's conscience in the flesh. Anytime Jimmy does something questionable, Chuck gets worse.
Interesting. That makes me look at their character development in an entirely new light.
When jimmy said “ it’s not a show” that broke my heart
*hits the like button before I even watch the video*
I like how Mike was a man of his word. From everything I have seen regarding Mike, when gave his word, he kept it.
"Mike Ehrmantraut(+better call saul)" 4 minutes later "Jimmy's lack of a response to his brother's death" thanks The Take
Upset over spoilers?
Great point about shutting off emotions. If we actually felt the pain deeply of others we hear about in the news etc how could we live with it? If a stranger dies in a fire our feelings are not the same as if it was one of our children. Thank God our feelings are not the same for all or else we would all surely go insane.
For people who are empaths they actually do just that and are best advised to avoid a lot of the news.
I always called this character Mike "Trouser Trout" because I couldn't remember his real last name. Sort of a word association thing.
What I love when watching Mike scene's are how much the show tell while using absolute silence
Dude is a caucasian
Papa Smurf.
Seeing these dives makes me even more glad Jesse got somewhat of an happy ending and escape. He’s the only major Breaking Bad/BCS character I can think off the top of my head who didn’t fall into cynicism despite all the shit they got put through. Jesse kept his morals and grew stronger in them, despite the suffering that resulted from him still having a heart. I suppose Hank did as well, but I just personally felt it so much stronger with Jesse (love Hank too though; so many great characters in this universe)
It would have been interesting to meet Mike's son. Anyway, that moral code =\= morality bit is pretty good. I find his "Half measures" speech to be one of his best moments. Jessica Jones is currently exploring some of that with Malcolm in their final season. (You guys should do Jessica Jones!)
Mike is the reason I am watching Better Call Saul.