Line #301 Awesome/BetterCallSaul


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5
6	-> '''Lars Lindholm:''' You - you are - you are the worst lawyer, the worst lawyer ever!\
7	'''Jimmy [=McGill=]:''' Hey! I just talked you down from a death sentence to six months' probation. I'm the ''best'' lawyer ever.
8	-->-- "[[Recap/BetterCallSaulS1E2Mijo Mijo]]"
9
10	'''As a Moments subpage, all spoilers are unmarked [[Administrivia/SpoilersOff as per policy.]] Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned.'''
11	----
12	[[foldercontrol]]
13
14	[[folder:Season One]]
15
16	[[AC: Uno]]
17	* Jimmy gets points for seeing through the skaters' StagedPedestrianAccident scheme almost immediately and then berating them for going after ''him''.
18	-->'''Cal Lindholm:''' Ow! What the hell, man?!
19	-->'''Jimmy [=McGill=]:''' Listen, Theatre/StarlightExpress, [[DoWrongRight I'm gonna give you a 9.6 for technique, and a 0.0 for]] ''[[DoWrongRight choice of victim]]''[[DoWrongRight .]] [[EpicFail I'm a lawyer!]] Furthermore, does this [[TheAllegedCar steaming pile of crap]] scream "payday" to you, huh?! The only way that entire car is worth 500 bucks is if there's a $300 hooker sitting in it! Now, let's talk about what you owe ''me'' for the windshield.
20
21	[[AC: Mijo]]
22	* A villainous one comes in the form of Tuco quickly and swiftly knocking out the two con artists with his grandmother's cane.
23	-->'''Tuco Salamanca:''' (twirls the cane one handed) [[IronicEcho Biznatch]].
24	* Jimmy successfully negotiates with Tuco to spare the lives of the two con artists he accidentally put in his crosshairs, while anyone who remembers Tuco from ''Breaking Bad'' knows exactly how tricky dealing with this psycho is. As he puts it later:
25	-->'''Jimmy [=McGill=]:''' ''[opens car door]'' Here you go. Here you go. Easy, easy.
26	-->'''Lars Lindholm:''' ''[moaning]'' You — you — you — ''[screams in pain]''
27	-->'''Jimmy [=McGill=]:''' ''[helps Lars into a wheelchair]'' Save your breath.
28	-->'''Lars Lindholm:''' ''[moaning]'' You—you are—you are the worst lawyer, the worst lawyer ever!
29	-->'''Jimmy [=McGill=]:''' ''[begins wheeling Lars towards the emergency room]'' Hey! I just talked you down from a death sentence to six months’ probation. ''[Lars continues to breathe and moan heavily]'' I’m the ''best'' lawyer ever.
30	** The fact Jimmy decided to do it ''at all'' bears mention. Considering how idiotic and asshole-ish the two have been acting, neglecting to confirm the car's license plate even though Jimmy specifically told them to and had them repeat it back to him, and how they were willing to throw him under the bus, Jimmy could've just walked away. [[WhatYouAreInTheDark He instead negotiates with a violent psychopath for their lives, at significant personal risk.]] Wow.
31
32	[[AC: Nacho]]
33	* Jimmy finding the Kettlemans in the woods, and subsequently busting them, even going so far to walk all day and night to find them.
34	** Not to mention Mike deciding to help Jimmy to this end by refusing to press charges ''and'' telling him that the Kettlemans are most likely still near their house.
35	* Jimmy giving a tongue-lashing to the prosecutor in the bathroom over treating defendants like numbers.
36
37	[[AC: Hero]]
38	* Jimmy making Nacho look like the very idiot he mocks by giving him an epic tell-off after he gets out of jail about all the things that could make him look guilty for the Kettlemans' "kidnapping".
39	-->'''Jimmy:''' You should be thanking this good Samaritan, because whoever he is, he did you a favour.
40	* Jimmy "saving" the billboard worker from falling to his death. It's staged, but the sheer audacity is awesome and Jimmy clearly does struggle with climbing to such heights. Jimmy pulls the guy up with just one hand!
41	** Even better is the implication that Jimmy ''deliberately'' plagiarized Hamlin's billboard just to pull this off.
42
43	[[AC: Alpine Shepherd Boy]]
44	* Jimmy shutting down the "Tony The Toilet Buddy" idea.
45	-->'''Jimmy [=McGill=]:''' Hey, you know what? I hope you do make a fortune 'cause Chandler's gonna need it to help pay for his therapy!
46
47	[[AC: Five-O]]
48	* Mike killing the two corrupt cops who killed his son.
49
50	[[AC: Bingo]]
51	* Jimmy incriminating the Kettlemans by having Mike break into their house and extracting their embezzled cash. Then going to their house the next day, where they confront him when he immediately asks them about the money. They threaten to report him to the cops, which Jimmy nonchalantly shrugs off by pointing out that while he may get in trouble, the Kettlemans would get in worse trouble. What's moreso, he echoes Nacho's quote about ripping off thieves because "they have no recourse".
52	** Even better is [[WhatYouAreInTheDark his decision to put the money they gave him back into the pile, even if it means he's back to square one financially]].
53	-->'''Mike:''' ...what are you doing?
54	-->'''Jimmy:''' ... (finger quotes) "The right thing."
55
56	[[AC: RICO]]
57	* The return of Charles [=McGill=], attorney at law and class action bulldog. At first, Jimmy's doing all the talking with Sandpiper Crossing's lawyers, with Chuck apparently just observing and keeping quiet due to his condition. Sandpiper's lead attorney, Rich Schweikart offers $100,000 to settle out-of-court for the "accounting errors" that Jimmy has uncovered, but Jimmy rebuffs this offer on grounds that Sandpiper's dealings fall foul of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, meaning, they're looking at $300,000 damages at the absolute minimum. And then Jimmy, Schweikart, and the audience find out what Chuck was actually doing -- quietly listening to Schweikart in order to size up Sandpiper and work out how lucrative a class action suit could actually be -- with the following words:
58	-->'''Chuck:''' Twenty million.\
59	'''Schweikart:''' Excuse me?\
60	'''Chuck:''' You heard me.\
61	'''Schweikart:''' Oh, you can't expect--\
62	'''Chuck:''' [[PunctuatedForEmphasis Twenty. Million. Dollars.]] Or we'll see you in court.
63	** Special mention goes to Chuck taking over for Jimmy in reassembling the shredded papers after he falls asleep... ''and completing all of them''.
64	** Also, there's that little matter of the ending minutes of the episode? You know? Where he accidentally '''cures himself'''?
65	* His reason for doing it is less CrusadingLawyer and more fear that Kim would come to think like Chuck and think him worthless, but working days in the mailroom and nights/weekends on a bar degree (and failing twice but trying a third time) is insane to the point of masochistic determination on Jimmy's part.
66
67	[[AC: Pimento]]
68	* When Mike is hired as a bodyguard for a drug deal, his fellow bodyguard is Sobchak, a GunNut who thinks that Mike will turn out to be useless on the job because he didn't bring a gun. Mike says "If I need one, I'll take one of yours", and Sobchak dares him to try, pointing a gun right in his face. Mike easily grabs the gun, and ejects both the magazine and the bullet in the chamber. He then uses the empty gun to hit the guy in the throat which takes him out of the fight completely. To top it off, he takes all the other guns the guy had on him (up to and including a ''Desert Eagle'') and throws them in the trash since he knows that this is the kind of deal where packing a pistol won't help and will cause more problems than it solves.
69	** After Mike overpowers the guy, the other bodyguard "man mountain", a giant who could probably lift Mike with one hand, takes one look at Mike and takes off running without a question.
70	** During the deal Mike's employer counts the money he is given and finds that it's short $20. Mike stares down Nacho until he coughs up the missing $20 bill. It's a trivial amount but Mike knows that he has to establish that he cannot be pushed around.
71	** And having completed the deal, Mike explains to Price about the difference between being "a bad guy" or "a criminal", offering in this speech his own ethics and defining the core appeal of both ''Series/BreakingBad'' and ''Series/BetterCallSaul'':
72	-->I've known good criminals and bad cops, bad priests, honorable thieves — you can be on one side of the law or the other, but if you make a deal with somebody, you keep your word. You can go home today with your money and never do this again, but you took something that wasn't yours and you sold it for a profit. You're now a criminal; good one, bad one — that's up to you.
73
74	[[/folder]][[folder:Season Two]]
75	%%[[AC: Switch]]
76
77	[[AC: Cobbler]]
78	* Mike totally gives Nacho a piece of his mind when he reminds him that if he keeps Daniel's baseball cards, Tuco's going to find out that Nacho's been making deals behind his back and kill him. Given that Mike found Nacho at his workplace, it's clear that he can find Tuco and tell him too.
79	* The "Squat Cobbler" story is more impressive considering that Jimmy had to improvise it on the fly. That means he came up with the HurricaneOfEuphemisms instinctively.
80
81	[[AC: Amarillo]]
82	* Jimmy sets out to add more clients for the Sandpiper case, but he's constantly blocked off the premises and the mail doesn't get much feedback. Cue him intercepting a bus trip for the elderly of Sandpiper Crossing, paying the driver to fake engine problems. In only five minutes, [[MagnificentBastard he manages to sign an additional 23 or so clients to the case using his charisma and choice of words.]]
83	* After a tense wait while Jimmy's targeted commercial plays, the phone lines suddenly light up like a Christmas tree and he grins looking over his new kingdom. Though it's quickly soured when SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome occurs and Cliff is quite upset that he ran the ad without permission.
84
85	[[AC: Gloves Off]]
86	* Mike's confrontation with Tuco. From beginning to end, Mike was in complete control of the situation, and never at any point showed even the slightest hint of fear towards Tuco. Let's count the ways:
87	##After calling the police and informing them of impending violence, Mike deliberately nicks Tuco's bumper, getting his attention, and knowing that Tuco is far too petty and [[AxCrazy hot-tempered]] to let something like a simple fender bender go.
88	##Then he further angers Tuco by simply not showing any immediate fear of him, and ignoring his DeathGlare. Tuco doesn't like it when people aren't afraid of him. This forces Tuco into threatening Mike for his wallet with a gun, and stalls Tuco just long enough for the police to arrive.
89	##THEN Mike does what nobody else in either ''Better Call Saul'' or ''Breaking Bad'' would ever dare do, and actually puts his hands on Tuco, refusing to release his grip, causing Tuco to attempt to kill him. Then he expertly disarms Tuco of his gun, forcing him to use his fists.
90	##When the cops arrive, they see Tuco whaling on Mike, who is NOT fighting back (even though he likely could have easily taken Tuco down)... Tuco has his wallet, there is an attempted murder weapon on the ground, and when Mike quietly goads Tuco into attacking him again, multiple police officers witness Tuco defiantly hitting him again. Every single event played out exactly as Mike planned it. Now, Tuco is on the hook for assault, armed robbery, and possession of an illegal firearm while committing a felony, all because Mike very gently nicked his car, all witnessed by multiple police officers. Mike played Tuco like a harp from hell.
91	** Considering that Tuco killed a person way younger in ''Breaking Bad'' with his bare hands and Nacho's story about Dog Paulsen, Mike could have gotten himself killed simply from rolling with the punches, yet he still brags at Tuco's face so he won't have to testify (since Tuco just [[TooDumbToLive punched him in front of the cops]]).
92
93	%%[[AC: Rebecca]]
94
95	[[AC: Bali Ha'i]]
96	* Mike single-handedly ''schooling'' the two cartel {{mooks}} sent to (allegedly) scare him into taking Hector's deal.
97	* In order to ensure the safety of his family, Mike agrees to meet with the Salamancas in order to discuss a deal where he tells the police that Tuco's gun was his in order to reduce Tuco's prison sentence. Mike was previously offered $5,000 for doing this, but Hector tells him that [[OffTheTable the offer has expired]], with the payment now being simply that he and his family don't get murdered. Mike manages to intimidate the room full of armed cartel thugs into instead paying him 10 times the original amount ($50,000), with Hector even making an impressed comment about Mike's "giant balls".
98	* After the Cousins threaten Kaylee at the swimming pool, Mike eventually killing Leonel with [[SickbedSlaying a lethal injection]] in ''Breaking Bad'' becomes an even more satisfying moment.
99
100	[[AC: Inflatable]]
101	* Cliff Main gets points for calling Jimmy out on his scheme and giving him a fierce ReasonYouSuckSpeech for his behaviour.
102
103	[[AC: Fifi]]
104	* Say what you want on Jimmy forging documents he'd snuck out of Chuck's house. But that's some real commitment to be willing to pull an all-nighter meticulously doing that much forgery.
105
106	[[AC: Nailed]]
107	* With little more than a ski mask, a revolver, a saw, and an improvised spike strip made from a perforated garden hose, Mike takes out one of Hector's trucks and takes away a six figure sum of money stashed inside the tires. He's so effective that Hector is positive he had help from inside the operation.
108
109	[[AC: Klick]]
110	* Mike is perfectly set to kill Hector, but we know it can't happen since he was part of ''Breaking Bad''. So what stops him? His car horn goes off thanks to a tree branch stuck on the steering wheel, and when Mike gets there, he finds a note that simply says "Don't." Given the anagram game in the episode titles this season, it seems that Gustavo Fring has made his entrance into the story.
111	* Much as you may hate him for it, Chuck out-conning the con man and getting Jimmy to make a recorded confession of his misdeeds is breathtaking to watch and makes a hell of a final shot to the season.
112	* Subtle awesome for Nacho, who conveniently places himself in the line of Mike's shot every time he draws a bead on Hector, not only figuring out what Mike is going to do, but the exact spot he'd do it from. Also for remembering that Mike doesn't like leaving innocent victims, so he wouldn't shoot him to kill Hector too.
113	[[/folder]]
114
115	[[folder:Season Three]]
116
117	[[AC: Mabel]]
118	* Jimmy having had enough of silence and shouting at a shoplifter to get a lawyer. It's about as much of a HesBack moment as "Cinnabon Gene" is likely to have.
119	* Mike's in a bad way at the start, as he desperately tears apart his car looking for how he's being tracked. But once he finally does find the device in the gas cap, he slowly and methodically turns the tables, switching the tracker with one of his own and then using a radio to drain the battery of the first one, then stays up all night munching on pistachios until someone shows up to replace it, and leads him right to their return destination. About twenty minutes of screen time with hardly any dialogue as he goes about his work, and utterly riveting throughout.
120	* Jimmy finally shows a bit of Saul poking through, as after getting caught for his scam on the air base, he challenges the guard to go ahead and file charges, since it will also mean revealing his own incompetence in falling for it.
121
122	[[AC: Witness]]
123	* Whilst it ties into Chuck's BatmanGambit, seeing Jimmy get in Chuck's face for once and call him out on his bullshit was insanely satisfying in that it got Chuck going from looking smug to looking scared shitless, especially jarringly awesome considering Jimmy spent the first two seasons trying to please Chuck.
124	* Chuck, on the other hand, also gets points for his tape recorder trick coming to full fruition with Jimmy out of control and playing into his hands, quite the comeback from his professional humiliation caused by the Mesa Verde forgery.
125	* Gus Fring makes his entrance into the series, in the background and out of focus but still instantly recognizable as he spots Jimmy tailing his henchman and calls off the drop. This leads him to realize that Mike is on to him, and contact him directly by leaving a cell phone in the middle of the road on his route, on top of the gas cap he was being tracked with.
126
127	[[AC: Sunk Costs]]
128	* Mike embarks on a gambit that even puts his handiwork in locating Gus's trackers to shame. He hits another one of Hector's ice cream trucks, but instead of robbing it, he engineers an ingenious scenario that involves planting drugs on the truck, by stuffing them inside a pair of shoes, which then deposit the cocaine powder when Mike shoots them from a hilltop with a rifle. The Border Patrol subsequently arrest the drivers when the sniffer dogs find the drugs. And we see that Mike has learned from the mistakes he made the last time he hit Hector. The robbery merely disrupted Hector's operation and got two people (the driver and an innocent bystander) killed. This time, Mike and Gus have guaranteed that the Feds come down hard on Hector and shut him down completely, as Mike had planned for the first job to do. Unlike last time, Mike ensures that this plan won't end with civilians in the crossfire. And as the flash-forward in the opening shows, this operation has caused Gus to gain an edge in the drug market.
129	* Jimmy's [[TranquilFury calmly furious]] way of countering Chuck giving yet another sanctimonious speech trying to claim that he's doing this for Jimmy's [[CondescendingCompassion "good"]].
130	-->'''Jimmy [=McGill=]:''' [[ShutUpHannibal Here's what gonna happen. One day you're gonna get sick — again. One of your employees is gonna find you curled up in that space blanket, take you to the hospital, hook you up to those machines that beep and whir and... hurt. And this time it will be too much. And you will die there, alone.]]
131
132	[[AC:Sabrosito]]
133	* Jimmy and Kim pull off a clever gambit to strike back at Chuck: by having Mike infiltrate the house posing as the repairman sent to fix Chuck's door.
134	* Kim gets one later, baiting Chuck into admitting that Jimmy only destroyed a duplicate tape and the original one is still out there, proving that he was committing entrapment.
135	* Gus' RousingSpeech to his employees after Hector's terrifying visit, perfectly covering his tracks after what looked like an inescapable blow to his cover and making them all feel like heroes.
136
137	[[AC:Chicanery]]
138	* Kim's cross-examination work is pretty impressive. Especially when Howard claims that the reason HHM didn't hire Jimmy was concerns about "nepotism," only for Kim to discredit that excuse by making him acknowledge that his father helped found the firm. Even Howard looks impressed with her for managing to back him into that corner and answers her question with a proud smile on his face.
139	* Jimmy playing Chuck like a fiddle. First he leads Chuck into thinking he has the upper hand when they don't contest the confession tape. Then, Jimmy hires Huell to secretly plant a cell phone battery in Chuck's pocket. He then secretly has Chuck dig his own grave when he has him describe his electromagnetic sensitivity in detail, in that his body will physically detect any electronic device before revealing the battery, proving that all of Chuck's claims about his condition are either a complete lie, or Chuck is mentally ill. Chuck then goes into an enraged tirade against Jimmy in public, basically destroying any credibility he has as a witness. It's only when Chuck turns to the panel's stand mid-tantrum and notices the entire courtroom staring at him with frightened awe that he realizes what he's been screaming.
140	** Jimmy and Kim had a perfect strategy lined up. Emphasize that Jimmy is a good guy who takes care of his sick brother and has worked hard to earn his place as a lawyer, before finishing it up with the move mentioned above.
141	** One [=YouTube=] comment put it best:
142	---> "The only person powerful and skilled enough to take down Chuck [=McGill=] was Chuck [=McGill=], so that's exactly what Jimmy did."
143	** Let's not overlook Michael [=McKean=]'s performance during the aforementioned rant: every single line is delivered with ''righteous'' anger, enough to convince every single viewer that this really is a man letting out '''decades''' of frustration with his younger brother, and it's easily his finest moment playing the character. Hell, if the show weren't from Jimmy's perspective and letting us in on his HiddenDepths, it'd be hard to disagree [[JerkassHasAPoint with a single thing Chuck says]].
144	---> '''Chuck:''' You think this is something, you think this is bad, this, this chicanery? [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech He's done worse. That billboard! Are you telling me that a man just happens to fall like that? No, he orchestrated it! Jimmy!]] ''[[NoodleIncident He defecated through a sunroof!]]'' And I saved him! I shouldn't have, I took him into my own firm! What was I thinking?! [[DisappointedInYou He'll never change.]]
145
146	[[AC:Off Brand]]
147	* Chuck trying to desensitize himself as much as possible to electricity, dressing himself up in a Mylar blanket, and taking a lengthy nighttime walk through a brightly lit neighborhood to find a pay phone and calling a doctor who he believes can help him with the EHS that he now knows is a mental health issue.
148	* Jimmy finding a legal loophole in his contract with the TV station for his remaining commercial slots. While the contract says he can't resell the slots, they don't say anything about him giving away the airtime for free. Not to mention, this is where we see the birth of Saul Goodman.
149	* Nacho insists on taking the amount of drugs that Hector is asking for, and manages to stare down Gus's men even with Victor holding him at gunpoint.
150
151	[[AC:Expenses]]
152	* Despite how unethical it was to the point of qualifying for the NightmareFuel page, Jimmy acting out a mental breakdown to out Chuck's EHS to the insurance company was very believable and goes to show how talented his con skills are.
153
154	[[AC:Slip]]
155	* Chuck is deciding to take steps to cure himself of his EHS. To that end, he manages to buy groceries from the supermarket all by himself.
156	* When the guitar store owners decide to renege on their deal with Jimmy, Jimmy gets back at them by pulling a classic "slip and fall" con by pretending to slip on a dropped drumstick and get injured while his film crew is recording. The shop owners have no choice but to pay up to keep him quiet.
157	* Then, during community service, Jimmy straight up threatens the supervisor with a lawsuit for not letting one of the volunteers leave to see his sick child.
158	* When Howard accuses Kim of betraying HHM by exposing Chuck's EHS, Kim coldly fires back that Howard shouldn't have tried to cover up Chuck's condition in the first place.
159	* Nacho, after lots of practice, managing to flawlessly swap Hector's pills with fakes without Hector being the wiser.
160
161	[[AC:Fall]]
162	* Howard gets points for growing a spine and finally in management-speak, basically telling Chuck to 'GTFO'. He then doubles down when he tells Jimmy [[JerkassHasAPoint what he truly thinks]] after the numerous times Jimmy has in some way sabotaged his firm.
163	* Gus gets a minor one when one of Don Eladio's subordinates says over the phone that Eladio wants to use Fring's trucks from now on because it's doing the best for business. This is with Hector present, and Hector has a mild VillainousBreakdown over this.
164	* Although a major step into villainy, Jimmy's con with Irene is quite complex and intricate, and he [[MagnificentBastard gets off scott-free till he outs himself.]]
165
166	[[AC:Lantern]]
167	* Howard out-gambitting Chuck by presenting him with a check for $3 million out of his own pocket (more to come in several other installments), which eliminates Chuck's leverage over HHM and forces him to cave on the threatened lawsuit. In Howard's words, Chuck won, [[PyrrhicVictory but he still won't be reinstated in HHM, and he will never get what he desires most: to return to his former glory as the mighty Chuck [=McGill=]]]. Howard also immediately tells everyone at the firm that they're throwing Chuck a retirement party, forcing Chuck to either keep publicly fighting Howard when he knows he can't win or leave while everyone cheers him on. Never has a genuine retirement party also been such an effective "fuck off".
168	* Jimmy sacrificing both the payday he earned last episode and his reputation he spent a year building with the elderly to reverse the damage he did to Irene's life by [[EngineeredPublicConfession engineering his own public confession]].
169	* Nacho's ploy to remove Hector from drug business goes off flawlessly, with Hector succumbing to a stroke with little evidence to trace back to Nacho.
170	* Jimmy blames himself for Kim's car crash — if he hadn't pulled the number-swap trick on Chuck, Kim wouldn't be so paranoid about every little detail of her paperwork, and would be getting more sleep. In Jimmy's mind, this is how culpability works; other people's actions drive you down unavoidable paths. It's how he justifies blaming Chuck for his terrible decisions. Kim manages to set this straight in just three sentences, forcing Jimmy to own up to his own part in how terribly wrong things have gone for the past thirty episodes.
171	-->''You didn't make me get in that car. I'm an adult. I'm responsible for my own actions.''
172	[[/folder]]
173
174	[[folder:Season Four]]
175	[[AC:Smoke]]
176	* Mike shows Madrigal just how much he's worth his paycheck on his very first day, as he spots a ''ton'' of security flaws, including being easily able to get in after swiping another employee's ID. And then he shuts up the building's SmugSnake manager by suggesting that he take it up with Lydia if he's got problems with Mike.
177	-->'''Mike Ehrmantraut:''' I waltz through security with someone else's ID. Nobody gives me a second look. When the rightful owner shows up, there's no facility-wide badge check. I find access doors left unlocked or propped open, passwords written on Post-It notes. Warehouse workers are using pen and paper instead of electronic inventory devices, which leaves you wide open to pilfering. You got duplicate routing numbers on cargo, surveillance camera blindspots on the north and the east side of the floor, inventory documents that are going into the trash instead of being shredded, not to mention loading equipment being driven at unsafe speeds and crews disregarding safe...
178	-->'''Manager:''' Wait. Wait. Hold on. Hold on. Who are you, exactly?
179	-->'''Mike Ehrmantraut:''' Ehrmantraut. Security consultant.
180	-->'''Manager:''' Well, all due respect, I don't know anything about a security consultant.
181	-->'''Mike Ehrmantraut:''' Well, you wouldn't, would you? Maybe you'd best call corporate. Try Lydia Rodarte-Quayle.
182
183	[[AC:Breathe]]
184	* Gus shuts down Lydia's efforts to complain about Mike's recent behavior with a very blunt "Then I suggest you give the man a badge."
185	** His ambush of Nacho and Arturo at the end of the episode, where he allows the latter to slowly suffocate to death as he blackmails Nacho into subservience, is chillingly so, and reinforces that (unless you are Walter White) you do ''not'' fuck with Fring's operation.
186	* Kim lets out an absolutely '''volcanic''' TheReasonYouSuck speech to Howard, pointing out how self-serving and hurtful to Jimmy it was for Howard to lay out his theory about Chuck committing suicide right after the funeral.
187	-->'''Kim:''' What were you thinking when you came to Jimmy on the day of his brother's funeral and laid that shit on him? That Chuck killed himself? What's wrong with you?
188	-->'''Howard:''' I thought... I thought I owed it to Jimmy, to tell him.
189	-->'''Kim:''' "Owed it to him." [[ArmorPiercingQuestion Did you owe it to Rebecca?]] You tell her your theory? That Chuck INTENTIONALLY set himself '''on FIRE'''? I guess not. I guess you just saved that one for Jimmy.
190	-->'''Howard:''' Kim, I didn't do it to hurt Jimmy—
191	-->'''Kim:''' No, you did it to make yourself feel better. To make yourself feel better by unloading your guilt. Who cares what it does to Jimmy, right? As long as Howard Hamlin is okay.
192	-->'''Howard:''' Kim, I don't think that's fair-
193	-->'''Kim:''' FAIR?! Let's talk about fair. "Hey let's Jimmy dig around the fire-damaged wreck where his brother died SCREAMING! And then let's him pick up a keepsake or two." That is so, SO "fair"! And did I hear you right? You want him to serve on the board of '''a scholarship committee'''? A scholarship that Chuck never in a million years would've given to Jimmy, NEVER! It is just, I mean... Oh what's this too, Howard? What's in this? One last "SCREW YOU, LITTLE BROTHER" from beyond the grave?! Am I really supposed to do this to him?
194	-->'''Howard:''' All right, Kim. What can I do to make it better?
195	-->'''Kim:''' Nothing. There is nothing you can do. Just stay away.
196	* Jimmy can tell he's not going to get the job at Neff Copiers, so he goes back in and wows the bosses with an impassioned sales pitch about how he knows from personal experience that a copier is the "beating heart" of any business and can fully sell the importance of having the best one possible. They offer him the job on the spot... and he turns it down in disgust at how it only took a few words to get him in the door without any kind of background check, just like the easy mark that his father was.
197	-->'''Jimmy:''' Are you... out of your mind? You don't ''know'' me. I just came in off the street. You guys are like a couple of cats. I come in, wave a shiny object around, you're like, "I want ''that''!" No due diligence? No background check? No? Just hire the guy that says them fancy words? I could be a serial killer! I could be a guy who pees in your coffee pot! I could be ''both''!\
198	'''Seymour:''' ...So you're ''not'' taking the job?\
199	'''Jimmy:''' No, I'm not taking the job! Suckers. I feel sorry for you.
200
201	[[AC:Something Beautiful]]
202	* The BackalleyDoctor to whom the Salamanka Twins bring the wounded Nacho, shows no fear of the dreaded cartell assassins, yells at one of them to drive more carefully, then, during the surgery, casually co-opts them to help him, jokingly calls one of them "{{Creator/YulBrynner}}" and then quietly but sternly tells Nacho that he wants no further part in the cartell business.
203
204	[[AC:Talk]]
205	* The Cousins show some real prowess managing to wipe out an entire fortress of gangbangers, with the only damage they receive themselves being a single bullet to Marco's shoulder.
206	** And when Nacho sees reinforcements arrive, he fights past his injuries to give support, allowing one of them to slip around and take the rest out. This actually gets him a slight nod of respect, which from these guys is pretty much gushing about how cool someone is.
207
208	[[AC:Something Stupid]]
209	* When the construction crew at the laundromat get into an argument that turns into a fight, Mike and Werner break it up, and Mike starts yelling at them ''in German''. To all appearances, Mike didn't speak the language before this job, and simply picked it up over the last few months (despite every member of the crew speaking perfect English).
210	* When Hector knocks over his water cup, Dr. Bruckner dismisses it as a simple muscle spasm. When she shows the tape of the session to Gus, he immediately realizes that Hector did it on purpose to [[DirtyOldMan make his nurse bend over]], deduces that Hector's mind is back to normal, and changes his plan to [[AndIMustScream keep Hector conscious but paralyzed for the rest of his life.]] All of this from a spilled cup. Granted, Gus knows Hector pretty well, but Dr. Bruckner is a world-class neurologist, and she assigned it no significance. Gus doesn't miss ''a thing''.
211
212	[[AC:Coushatta]]
213	* To get Huell off with no jail time, Kim orchestrates a scheme that makes all of the scams Jimmy's led look like amateur work.
214	** First, as seen at the end of the last episode, Kim bought coloring and writing supplies at a crafts store. Which she gives to Jimmy. He boards a bus all the way to Huell's hometown in Coushatta, Louisiana. During the drive, he gets other passengers on the bus to write messages of support for Huell, enough to, by the time he gets to his destination to have the letters postmarked and sent, fill at least ''three mail bins''.
215	** Kim goes to the courthouse with [[{{Army of Lawyers}} some associate attorneys]] and gives ADA Ericsen an offer of several months probation for Huell. Ericsen, obviously, refuses such a weak deal. At which point, the associates to file endless discovery motions to collect evidence backing Huell's story, and Kim to then reveal she's looking into civil rights litigation on Huell's behalf; in other words, drown the other side in paperwork. Ericsen dismisses the associates, and chides Kim for wasting such resources on a worthless case, and says she's not going to be swayed by "shock and awe" tactics.
216	** With ADA Ericsen and Kim in a stalemate, Judge Munsinger receives the letters Jimmy wrote. He is flustered, and demands to know from Ericsen if she's prosecuting Santa Claus. [[ExactWords Kim denies playing any role in the letter-writing campaign]]. Judge Munsinger, exasperated by the volume of letters and the prospect of non-existent "yahoos" coming from Huell's hometown to pack his court for the trial, says that the case does not merit a media circus and demands that the two women resolve the case.
217	** Ericsen has her associates comb through the letters and find anything to throw the book at Huell. She also calls several of the supposed senders, with all of the calls actually going to Jimmy and his camera crew in Jimmy's backroom office at the nail salon, with four rows of drop phones lined up on the table for them to answer as different parishioners. The first call we hear Ericsen make goes to "Louise Lockhart," which is answered by the makeup artist. She pretends to be a religious Bible-loving belle, and ends the call by angrily shouting, "Shame on you!" Jimmy is impressed by her acting skills and she sheepishly admits she's been doing improv classes since their last gig. Jimmy then does a [[OohMeAccentsSlipping Senator Tankerbell]] impression to pretend to be a Southern reverend. The calls are enough to convince Ericsen to cave in to Kim's offer.
218
219	[[AC:Wiedersehen]]
220	* The brilliant scam Jimmy and Kim pull to get Mesa Verde an extra 17 percent of space:
221	** Kim limps in, selling her leg injury to Shirley, the clerk. She claims that her boss is worried the land maps are off and pulls out a copy of her own. She compares them to realize they're the same, selling how terrible it would be to mix them up.
222	** Jimmy then comes in, posing as Kim's wayward brother, putting down a diaper bag and totally nonchalant over leaving her "infant son" in the car with the window open. The two head out, yelling at each other as Shirley watches...unaware of the broken bag leaking milk onto the plans.
223	** Kim then comes back in, brushing off the kid being okay. She looks horrified to see the milk has ruined the plans. Shirley tells her it's okay and just use Kim's own copy as "they're exactly the same." Kim is happy to...secretly switching her copy for plans that show a bigger space for Mesa Verde.
224	** In other words, a little distraction and sleight of hand and by the time anyone up top realizes Mesa has suddenly grown larger than it originally did, it'll be built.
225
226	[[AC:Winner]]
227	* Karaoke night. Jimmy and ''Chuck'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qll7hCYFNjs sing]] "The Winner Takes It All". Jimmy delivers an amateur performance, spirited but terrible. Reluctantly at first, Creator/MichaelMcKean takes the lead and brings the house down with his singing chops.
228	* Mike evading Lalo simply using a piece of gum, jamming a parking lot exit, and even waving goodbye to him. Doesn't shake off Lalo for long, but it was worth it.
229	* Lalo gets one for being able to figure out Werner's location and Gus's lab in a matter of hours.
230	[[/folder]]
231
232	[[folder:Season Five]]
233	[[AC:Magic Man]]
234	* After "Gene" is made by his cab driver, he very nearly orders another identity change from Ed. However, halfway through the call, he suddenly starts looking like Saul Goodman again, and declares he's going to take care of the problem himself.
235	* Kai, in a rather insincere effort to empathize and make amends with Mike, tells him that Werner was a liability who needed to be killed. Mike responds by giving him [[TalkToTheFist a well-deserved punch in the face]].
236	* Casper, taking the opposite tack, shares a piece of his mind with Mike before his departure, to which Mike has no response:
237	--> '''Casper:''' He [Werner] was worth 50 of you.
238	* Mike is seething at Gus' callous attitude toward Werner's death, and when he finally starts to say something after Gus offers to keep him on "retainer" until the laundromat job can start again, Gus cuts him off and warns him to choose his next words ''very'' carefully. After some consideration, Mike goes with:
239	-->"You can keep your goddamn retainer."
240
241	[[AC:50% Off]]
242	* Nacho and his extremely risky attempt to get in favor with Lalo with ''parkour.'' When one of Lalo's drug stashes is at risk of getting confiscated, Nacho runs towards the building that the cops are seconds from raiding, jumps onto the roof from a neighboring building, and then inside to retrieve the drugs and escape without a second to spare. He might not have earned Lalo's trust, but he definitely earned some respect from him.
243	-->'''Lalo:''' Ignacio Varga, eres un chingón.[[note]]Translates to "you're a badass."[[/note]]
244
245	[[AC:The Guy For This]]
246	* Jimmy takes it upon himself to improve Lalo's plan to use Krazy-8 to feed Gus' operation to the DEA, setting Krazy-8 up as a full time informant who can give the authorities anything Lalo wants, true or not. And judging from what we see in ''Breaking Bad'', Hank and Gomez ''never'' figure it out.
247
248	[[AC: Bagman]]
249	* On his way back with the money, Jimmy is ambushed by several mercenaries, who steal the money and prepare to execute Jimmy. Right before it happens, they're all shot down by a sniper, later revealed to be none other than Mike, who checks on Jimmy and returns the money with the usual calm attitude he always seems to have.
250	* After Mike's speech about [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes why he does what he does]], Jimmy gets up with a new idea when they hear the last gunman driving up. He wraps himself with the space blanket and walks right out into the road, with Mike readying his rifle when he realizes [[WeNeedADistraction just what Jimmy's planning to do]].
251
252	[[AC:Bad Choice Road]]
253	* Kim stands up to Lalo to defend Jimmy's narrative of what happened. She points out that the bullet holes and the car in the ditch could have been done by simple vandals, and proceeds to [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech tear him a new one]] about how in sending, of all people, [[AmoralAttorney Saul Goodman]] to collect seven million dollars for his bail, it means that Lalo [[WhamLine does not and cannot trust his own men]], and, to top it all off, [[NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer we kid you not]], ''[[RefugeInAudacity tells Lalo to get his house in order]]'' and to, literally, ''get his shit together'' instead of torturing the man who risked his life to bail Lalo out. The man had a gun, the man is ''not'' known for his self-restraint, from a ''family'' that is not known for self-restraint, and the man, nonetheless, [[DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu left quietly and peacefully]].
254	** Remember way back in Season 1 when [[HistoryRepeats Jimmy talked a psychotic Salamanca down from a death sentence to probation]]? And remember how he proclaimed he was the best lawyer ever? There's a reason why Jimmy Goodman is the World's Second Best Lawyer, because the position of best lawyer has been taken by KIM FUCKING WEXLER.
255	* Lalo Salamanca's CMOA is simply accepting the criticism and taking Kim's BrutalHonesty on board, a less secure villain would have fucked themselves over by shooting her and Jimmy on the spot there and then, but not Lalo.
256
257	[[AC:Something Unforgivable]]
258	* As scary as Lalo is, it's amazing to see him manage to take out a group of hitmen all by himself. All it took was a secret entrance, impressive shooting, and forcing a hitman to say that Lalo was taken out.
259	[[/folder]]
260
261	[[folder: Season Six]]
262	[[AC: Carrot and Stick]]
263	* Kim effortlessly taking apart the Kettleman's latest scheme by threatening to use her connections with the Albuquerque IRS office to prosecute them.
264	* Nacho not only figures out he's being watched while waiting at the motel, he sneaks up on the watchman and disarms him. And soon after, a cartel hitman squad shows up, including the dreaded Salamanca cousins. Nacho manages to escape them.
265	* Gus manages to figure out that Lalo survived his assassination attempt by noting how Hector went out of his way to shake his hand while supposedly grieving his nephew, smiling and looking him in the eye.
266	[[AC: Rock and Hard Place]]
267	* At the meeting between Fring and the Salamancas, Nacho gives Bolsa the lie about being hired by Alvarez to kill Lalo as per Gus' plans, before turning to Hector and giving an absolutely scathing speech in his final moments:
268	-->'''Nacho:''' Alvarez has been paying me for years. Years. But you know what? I would have done it for free. Because I hate every last one of you psycho sacks of shit. I opened Lalo's gate, and I would do it again, and I was ''glad'' what they did to him. He's a soulless pig, and I wish I killed him with my own hands. And you know what else, Hector? [[InternalReveal I put you in that chair.]] Oh yeah, your heart meds? I switched them for sugar pills. You were dead and buried, and I had to watch ''this'' asshole [Gus] bring you back. So when you are sitting in your shitty nursing home and you're sucking down on your Jell-O night after night for the rest of your life, ''you think of '''me,''' [[PrecisionFStrike you twisted fuck!]]''
269	** For those who are aware of just what a grade-AAA asshole Hector is, watching his expressions when Nacho reveals his role in the stroke that left Hector in hospice care is absolutely sweet catharsis: when Nacho claims responsibility, Hector's expression is confused and a little annoyed, as if not quite buying Nacho's story...and then he mentions the sugar pills, at which point his eyes widen in realization and his breath quickens in seething rage, giving Nacho a [[DeathGlare look]] that just silently screams ''"[[YouExclamation YOU...!]]"'' as it all clicks together for Hector. And Nacho gives a Death Glare right back at Hector, looking the cartel leader in the eyes as he ''knows'' that Salamanca is going to spend every remaining day of his life cursing his name.
270	** He follows this up by taking Bolsa hostage before turning the gun on himself, [[SpitefulSuicide thus denying the Salamancas]] the chance to [[ColdBloodedTorture prolong his death]], and [[BetterToDieThanBeKilled going out on his own terms]]. Hector is so enraged by this that all he can do is fruitlessly shoot the corpse in his tantrum.
271	** Even [[HorrifyingTheHorror Gus and the Salamanca Twins look scared and disturbed by Nacho’s confession]]. Now that’s a badass death.
272	** His final words in particular end up being dangerously prophetic for the Salamancas. Here, Nacho gets to die on his own terms, having secured safety for his father and at least knowing his bloody story is finally over. Everyone ''else'' will go on to die horrifically violent or pointless deaths only three years later, largely thanks to [[Characters/BreakingBadWalterWhite an egomaniac chemistry teacher]] and [[Characters/BreakingBadJessePinkman a societal washout]], with Hector and Gus, the two people largely responsible for getting him in this situation, dying the most violently of all of them. In the end, while Nacho has to kill himself, he becomes the only major Cartel member who actually ''wins''.
273	** Credit where credit is due for Creator/MichaelMando who absolutely ''sells'' Nacho's final scene as a man who has nothing left to lose, and as such is using that moment to [[HiddenDisdainReveal give a final "fuck you" to everyone present]]. Many fans have commented that Mando almost seemed to be channeling [[VideoGame/FarCry3 Vaas]], especially in that final, snarling "''you think of '''me''', you twisted fuck!''" directed at Salamanca.
274
275	[[AC: Black and Blue]]
276	* Howard, realising that Jimmy is once again trying to ruin his reputation, challenges him to a boxing match in a supposed attempt for them to both get the aggression out of their system. While Jimmy is hardly an imposing physical threat, Howard is a stuffy middle-aged clean-cut businessman who lacks Jimmy's plentiful street experience, which Howard uses to coax him into accepting the challenge. Howard proceeds to [[HiddenDepths dominate the fight]], and while Jimmy [[CurbStompCushion manages to get in a few cheap shots]], it isn't long before Howard knocks him flat with an uppercut.
277	-->'''Howard:''' You've mistaken my kindness for weakness. I'd like to think that tonight made a difference. I'd like to think that tonight ends it... [[GenreSavvy probably not]].
278
279	[[AC: Plan and Execution]]
280	* Although it is somewhat undercut by what happens later, Jimmy and Kim successfully reshooting the faked photos they need for their plan in a few hours (if that) after discovering the real Rand Casimiro has broken his arm.
281	* Lalo's quick-thinking in outsmarting Gus and Mike again. After Lalo discovers his call to Hector is bugged and realizes that Gus knows he's still alive, Lalo was mad at first but he exploits this knowledge by tricking them into thinking he is planning to go after Gus tonight on the phone. Mike and Gus fall for this and Mike responds to Lalo's statement by pulling out his men from watching low priority targets to deal with Lalo if he goes to Gus's house. With Gus's men occupied at his home, Lalo is able to pay Jimmy and Kim a visit without any trouble.
282	* He may not have had a chance to act on it, but Howard calling Jimmy and Kim out for their actions, while vowing to bounce back is incredibly admirable. Many would completely break after such torment.
283
284	[[AC: Point and Shoot]]
285	* While also realising they're traumatised, Mike sits Jimmy and Kim down like he's their disappointed parent, telling them what's going to happen, and with clear disgust, that they have to keep with the lie they've already been telling about Howard.
286	* Almost the entire episode is [[XanatosSpeedChess one big cat and mouse game]] between Gus and Lalo, also illustrating in his final episode what made Lalo such a perfect adversary. Both Gus and Lalo at various points get the drop on another and it's only due to [[EvilGloating Lalo needing to gloat one last time]], Gus' [[CrazyPrepared preparedness]] and a crazy amount of luck that Gus is able to win in the end. Rather than be upset, as he lies on the ground choking on his own blood, [[DyingSmirk Lalo can only smile at Gus]], as if [[GracefulLoser his only reaction]] to Gus unexpectedly turning the tables is to say "[[WorthyOpponent Touche]]".
287
288	[[AC: Fun and Games]]
289	* Despite Hector's accusation that he killed Lalo, Gus is able to escape punishment from the cartel by sitting silently and letting everyone else at the meeting make his case for him, while Hector becomes increasingly angry.
290	* After two shows' worth of cynical lectures and acting like he has some sort of ethical high ground despite the company he keeps, Mike is finally put in his place by Nacho's dad of all people, who quickly and quietly points out for all of Mike's talk of justice he's still responsible for Nacho's death because he's just a criminal.
291
292	[[AC: Nippy]]
293	* TheReveal that Jimmy/Gene wasn't helping Jeff just out of the kindness of his heart, or for the fun of it: It was leverage. He makes it quite clear that if they ''ever'' try to out him as Saul Goodman, he has all the evidence he needs to send them down too and it's about as threatening as he's ever sounded.
294
295	[[AC: Breaking Bad]]
296	* During Jimmy/Gene's call with Francesca, she reveals that the Feds found Jesse's car near the Mexican border and they believe they won't find him there, meaning that [[Film/ElCamino Skinny Pete's plan worked like a charm and the authorities have no idea Jesse is actually in Alaska]].
297
298	[[AC: Waterworks]]
299	* After spending the last two episodes as mild comic relief, Marion [[BewareTheSillyOnes manages to accidentally discover "Gene"'s identity as Saul Goodman and withstands Saul's]] [[ImpliedDeathThreat intimidation]] before alerting the police, forcing him to flee.
300	-->'''Valerie:''' Marion? This is Valerie with [=LifeAlert=]. Are you okay?\
301	'''Marion:''' No, Valerie, I'm not okay! There's a criminal standing in my kitchen, threatening me! He's a wanted man, and his name is Saul Goodman!
302
303	[[AC:Saul Gone]]
304	* Sitting face-to-face with one of the key players in the Heisenberg empire, Marie gives Saul a ''brutal'', but also completely accurate[[note]] apart from blaming Walt for the murders, though he led her to believe that.[[/note]] and well-deserved, TheReasonYouSuckSpeech:
305	-->'''Marie:''' They tell me they found you in a garbage dumpster. Well, that makes sense. My husband was the best man that I have ever known. He lived to help others. If somebody was in trouble, no matter the time, no matter the place, Hank Schrader would be there. With a smile and a joke. He was kind, he was decent, he was strong. His partner, Steve Gomez. Steve and Blanca made a home that was warm and full of laughter. Three children. Three fatherless children. Hank and Steve, the good guys, they were shot dead and left in a hole in the desert. And you. You helped the two-faced poisonous bastard behind it all. For what? Money. You did it all for money. No matter what they do with you now, no matter where they put you or for how long, it will never be enough.
306	* Facing decades in prison for his role in the crimes of Walter White's empire, Saul manages to successfully argue prosecutors down to an obscenely lenient seven-year sentence in a LuxuryPrisonSuite. Even after months out of practice, he's damn good at what he does... Which makes throwing it all away for what comes next even more awesome.
307	* Jimmy firmly telling the judge that his name is James Morgan [=McGill=] after confessing his role in Chuck's suicide. Just moments before, he was insisting that the court refer to him as Saul Goodman. Saul Goodman is now truly gone, Jimmy [=McGill=] having returned to take back his rightful place.
308	* Oakley points out that Judge Small always takes the state's recommendation and will probably accept the seven year sentence one, but when Jimmy confesses to everything and the state changes the recommendation to the maximum of life without parole, the judge ''doesn't accept it'' and instead issues an 86 year sentence--with the potential of parole after an indefinite period of "good behavior". That means Jimmy's punishment he got was not the worst possible thing thanks to his confessing and putting himself at risk. It also means that it gave the judge such pause that she chose to put a strict but still surprisingly fair sentence on him too.
309	* In the same confession, Jimmy gives Walter White's criminal legacy a big verbal middle finger, by loudly stating Walt would've never built his empire without Saul's help and making sure the Feds heard it. Not only is it on record, but notably the inmates on Saul's bus chant HIS name, not Walt's.
310	* After years of pushing every trauma down, the constant cycles of something bad happening - getting angry - shoving it down - self destructing, and only being able to admit real feelings when trying to manipulate someone, Jimmy admits that yes he really did try with Chuck, yes he really was afraid getting kidnapped again, but none of those are excuses for what he chose to do next.
311	* While being transferred to the prison, the prisoners on the bus gradually begin to realize that he's none other than Saul Goodman himself. After expressing quiet awe and excitement about this, they eventually start a chant consisting of Saul's iconic catchphrase, giving Jimmy back the respect and loyalty he originally gave him as the criminal lawyer of Albuquerque. It's not just for show either; when Jimmy has to stop making bread while in the prison's walls, one of the inmates immediately jumps up to take his place without any complaints.
312	* A quiet kind of awesome: instead of thinking he's just doomed to make bad choices, Jimmy gives Kim hope "with good behavior, who knows?" He ''can'' change, he can be consistently good. Likewise, Kim gets out of her crippling funk, starts working at legal aid and is able to enjoy herself once more.

Context Awesome / BetterCallSaul