Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul are both tragic shows and here are 12 of the franchise's most heartbreaking moments that absolutely broke you. While both of these shows do have elements of comedy, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul are dramatic tragedies at their core, with both series following a group of characters as they fall from grace. Because of this, nearly every main character throughout both shows experiences loss, pain, and grief. While this is a frequent occurrence, these 12 Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul moments are more heartbreaking than any others.
The Breaking Bad franchise is one of the biggest TV universes of all time, with the critically-acclaimed prestige TV show still being talked about 15 years after it was initially released. Breaking Bad chronicles the story of Walter White, a middle-class father turned drug dealer, whereas Better Call Saul is a prequel that focuses on characters like Saul Goodman, Mike Ehrmantraut, and Gus Fring. Both shows are incredibly tense and impactful, with them keeping viewers on the edge of their seats throughout. So, here are the 12 most heartbreaking moments from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.
Related: Breaking Bad: The Most Tragic Major Character Deaths, Ranked
12 The Death Of Werner Ziegler
Hired by Gus Fring, Werner Ziegler is a German construction worker who is tasked with leading a team in building Fring's superlab. Although Werner and Mike initially get along, Werner decides to escape the superlab after feeling homesick near the end of season 4. However, Mike eventually tracks him down in Better Call Saul season 4, episode 10 "Winner," discovering that he has accidentally given away details to Lalo Salamanca. Because of this, Gus commands that Werner be executed, leading to Mike hesitantly shooting Ziegler in this heartbreaking scene.
11 Jesse Pinkman Killing Gale
In Breaking Bad season 3, Walt tells Jesse Pinkman that he must kill Gale Boetticher, Jesse's replacement in Gus Fring's superlab. Walt and Jesse both know that Gus will kill them if Gale isn't disposed of, but Jesse can't bring himself to do it. Jesse waits until the last minute, with him tearfully killing Gale at his apartment door. Gale was the first person that Jesse killed in Breaking Bad, making this heartbreaking and tense scene even more tragic.
10 Nacho's Final Phone Call With His Father
In Better Call Saul season 6, episode 3, Nacho calls his father Manuel Varga for the last time. Nacho knows that this will be the final time he speaks to his father, saying he just wants to hear his dad's voice. Manuel is unaware of the finer details of Nacho's situation, but he understands that this is the end, begging Nacho to go to the police. Considering how innocent of a person Manuel is, this final phone call is a gut-wrenching scene, with it showing the end of their loving but difficult relationship.
9 Walt's Final Scene With His Family
Breaking Bad's finale features one of the show's saddest moments: Walt's final scene with his family. After returning to Albuquerque, Walt goes home to give Skyler the lottery ticket. While doing this, the two have a depressing conversation, showing that Walt has truly left his family behind. He asks to see his daughter one last time, with him caressing Holly's face before leaving to die. This scene shows the end of Walt's connection to his purported motivation, with this being the last time he sees his family before his inevitable death.
8 Chuck Burning Down His House
Jimmy McGill ruins his brother's life, leading Chuck McGill to burn down his own house in the Better Call Saul season 3 finale. This moment shows that Chuck is a shell of his former self, with him having fallen so far due to Jimmy's actions. This tragic moment is only made more heartbreaking by the rest of the show, with Chuck haunting Jimmy for the next three seasons.
7 Walt Watching Jane Margolis Die
Jesse's girlfriend Jane Margolis chokes to death on her own vomit while overdosing in Breaking Bad season 2, episode 12. Walt has the opportunity to save her, but he chooses not to, as he believes she is a distraction to Jesse. This moment is heartbreaking because it shows that Walt has truly turned into Heisenberg, and there is no turning back.
6 Mike Ehrmantraut's "I Broke My Boy" Monologue
Mike Ehrmantraut's "I broke my boy" speech in Better Call Saul season 1, episode 6 is another one of the franchise's most tragic moments. In the monologue, Mike explains how he directly caused the death of his son, pouring his heart out to his daughter-in-law. For someone as stoic and stone-faced as Mike, the tears he sheds during this speech go a long way.
5 Jesse Being Forced To Watch Andrea's Murder
Jesse dates Andrea Cantillo in the latter half of Breaking Bad, but her death in season 5, episode 15 is truly tragic. As a form of torture, Todd murders Andrea on her front porch while Jesse is tied up in his car and forced to watch. Jesse's screams and cries can't be heard through his gag, with this being one of the most painful moments in the series.
4 Lalo Killing Howard Hamlin
Howard Hamlin's Better Call Saul season 6, episode 7 death is heartbreaking, as he is the character that deserved it the least. Howard Hamlin is a pretty innocent character, with him only being in the wrong place at the wrong time. If Kim and Jimmy hadn't been trying to scam Howard, Lalo wouldn't have killed him, with this shocking moment being one of the show's most memorable.
3 Walt Killing Mike Ehrmantraut
Mike Ehrmantraut was a fan-favorite character throughout Breaking Bad, making his death all the more tragic. Breaking Bad season 5, episode 7 sees Walt finally get the upper hand, shooting and killing Mike. Mike only ever wanted to get out of Albuquerque's criminal underworld, but he died realizing that he has been shot and accepting his heartbreaking death.
2 Kim Saying Goodbye To Jimmy
Jimmy and Kim's relationship is the one beacon of positivity in Better Call Saul, which is why the end of their relationship in season 6, episode 9 is so heartbreaking. Kim finally realizes how far Jimmy has dragged her down, leading to her finally leaving him. This absolutely breaks Jimmy, with viewers realizing that this moment is what sends Saul down his dark path in Breaking Bad.
1 Hank Schrader's Death
While there are plenty of tragic moments throughout Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, none are more tragic than Hank's death in Breaking Bad season 5, episode 14, "Ozymandias." Hank's relationship with Walt was tumultuous throughout the show's run, which is what makes Walt's reaction to Hank's death so impactful. Hank didn't deserve his fate, and while there are plenty of moments to choose from in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, Hank's death is easily the most heartbreaking one.
