"Better Call Saul" - What Happened To Everyone? Quiz

Answer: "Gene" joined forces with Jeff to pull scams

"Gene" tricked Jeff's mother Marion (played by the famous Carol Burnett) into letting him into their home. He then "befriended" Jeff and Buddy (the other guy at the mall that day in Season 5 Episode 1). He arranged for Jeff to sneak into the mall one night, avoid security, and steal lots of expensive clothes (and lingerie - but we're not here to judge).

When the three comedians...er, I mean accomplices were gloating over the merchandise in Jeff's mother's garage, Gene threatened them. He told them how much jail time they'd get if they informed on him and/or bothered him again. They had to grudgingly swear "We're done."

But, soon after, Gene contacted them again. He found he had missed "the game" too much. They worked on a new scam together. Photographing ID cards, credit cards, etc, and selling to an unnamed "gentleman". Jimmy McGill was still clearly addicted to crime after all this time.

To be honest, I would have expected the black and white Omaha scenes to change to colour at this point. B & W was meant to represent Saul's misery hiding from the police, not able to enjoy crime anymore, living in hell, a boring job, etc. So logically, a return to his element would warrant a return to colour. Wouldn't it?

Answer: Killed during a showdown

Eduardo "Lalo" Salamanca is arguably the deadliest of all Salamanca gangsters. Unlike the other psychotic cartel members, he has charm and intelligence. He can fool people, until it's too late.

He and Gus had a showdown in the unfinished Superlab. Lalo had forced Gus - at gunpoint - to take him down into the laundry's secret underground chamber. Lalo had always been one step ahead of "The Chicken Man" and was about to kill him. But Gus had EXPECTED Lalo to be one step ahead. He quickly kicked an extension cord out of its socket...the whole place turned black...and Gus ran to retrieve a hidden pistol. BANG! BANG! BANG! Despite firing in the dark, Gus hit his adversary in the throat.

Lying on his back in a bloody mess, Lalo realised Gus had set him up. By force of habit, he laughed. Then never laughed again...

He was buried under the lab. Years later, when certain chemists worked in the finished Superlab, they literally walked over his grave.

Answer: False

Jimmy didn't believe him. Mike had assured Jimmy the very same thing at the end of Season 5.

But, late one night, Lalo walked into Jimmy and Kim's home out of nowhere. They both screamed - an enemy back from the dead!

Answer: He shot himself in the head

Nacho shot himself in the head to avoid Cartel revenge - with Gus' assurance his father would be OK - in front of Bolsa, Hector and co. Gus set the whole thing up. Originally Gus' plan to assassinate Lalo needed The Cartel to think Nacho was behind it all.

But Nacho fled and eventually made it back to the USA. But he told Gus and Mike he wouldn't lie about arranging the bloodbath - unless his father was left alone. His father had been telling him for years to stay away from crooks - now Nacho wished he'd listened. Mike swore he would personally see to Manuel Varga's safety. Mike always kept his word, so that was good enough for Nacho. Mike and Nacho looked at one another sadly before Gus' goons dragged Nacho away.

They had formed a kind of mutual respect over the years...

Answer: Mike

Mike went to Manuel Varga's shop late one night and told him the bad news. He didn't mention Gus or Mexico or Lalo. He only promised there would be justice - "The Salamancas' day is coming". Implying the Salamancas had actually killed Nacho. (Which, in a manner of speaking, was true. Hector was forcing the Vargas to let him use their trucks...which began Nacho's series of mistakes.)

Senor Varga was devastated, but coldly pointed out: "Not 'justice', what you talk of is revenge", "It never ends", and "You gangsters and your 'justice'. You're all the same", and walked away.

The grieving man's words hit Mike hard...

Answer: False

In March 2010, Jimmy aka Saul Goodman heard his Number One client Walter White was wanted in connection with the deaths of two DEA agents. He knew he had to flee - now!!!

His long-suffering receptionist Francesca helped him shred all incriminating evidence - for a fee. Saul arranged to call her eight months later - on a public phone at an abandoned gas station (probably the phone from the opening credits). The very same station where Jesse Pinkman gave meth to a cashier in 2009, as it happens. Saul would call Francesca on November 12th - his 50th birthday.

When that day arrived, Saul hoped (esp. since Walt was now dead) Francesca would say it was safe to return and/or access hidden wealth. But the Feds had found it all. Plus his money-laundering businesses (laser-Tag, nail saloons, etc). The police were still spying on Francesca. Tapping her phone, etc.

Francesca was angry with Saul for another reason: he'd put her name on some illegal paperwork - without even asking! Then she hung up - permanently.

Answer: He was murdered

Lalo wanted to see Gus' guarded secret underground lab, and needed a diversion. So he visited the lawyers' home late that night, expecting to see only the two of them. But Howard was there. Drunk, and accusing his former subordinates of ruining his reputation - everyone now thought he was a cocaine addict! Lalo didn't need any witnesses. So he put a silencer on his gun, and shot Howard in the head. Just like that.

Lalo intended to tie Kim to a chair and force Jimmy to go to Gus' house and shoot him. Jimmy begged the psycho to let Kim go instead. Lalo did. Why not? He only needed this diversion to draw Mike's goons away from the laundry, and bring them here. Lalo expected to enter the empty laundry, use his camcorder to video evidence for The Cartel, and return to Mexico laughing.

But, to his delight, Gus came to the laundry looking for Lalo. Lalo smiled. But he came to regret that...

Answer: It changed its name

Howard's body was never found. The general belief was that Howard - under the influence of drugs - had taken his own life. The remaining partners realized the firm's reputation was now tarnished by two name-partner suicides. So after poor Howard's wake, HHM downsized and moved to a smaller building downtown. They changed their name to "Brookner and Associates".

Answer: He retired in 2004

The Vet was helping Jimmy and Kim with their latest scam. Late one night, he took them into his confidence. He had decided to retire and leave town. He showed them a strange black notebook full of undecipherable symbols. "I'm not keeping my contacts in plain English," he explained.

Saul probably purchased the man's encrypted "Black Book" - which contained a business card for vacuum repair. That's how he learnt about The Disappearer aka Ed Galbraith (aka Robert Forster).

Six years later, Saul fled town (with Ed's help). Since this was a serious RICO matter, The Feds raided his mansion in 2010, and confiscated everything. They added a strange black book with odd symbols to their junk box - no idea what it was.

Answer: Yes

Yes. Jimmy and Kim came up with a plan to accelerate the settling of the huge case they helped create in 2002. The plan involved making people think their former boss and arch-rival Howard was a cocaine-user. So: two birds.

They began by tricking Jimmy's other former boss Clifford Main. They borrowed Howard's car, spread rumours about Howard on drugs, planted a bag a white powder (baby-powder, actually) in Howard's locker. All to convince Cliff.

Cliff angrily confronted Howard about his "cocaine problem". Of course Howard told the truth and denied it. But Howard guessed The Lovebirds were setting him up (as they intended him to). Howard hired a PI to keep tabs on Jimmy. But he didn't realise the "PI" was working for Jimmy.

Howard and Cliff had asked a retired judge to mediate between them and Sandpiper's lawyers. Howard hadn't met him yet, but when he walked into the Conference Room - Howard gasped. The phony PI had given him some photos of Jimmy handing this man a huge bribe! Howard accused the moustached judge in front of everyone. The judge was perplexed, not to mention insulted.

But Howard produced photos, everyone gathered around to look and...they were different photos! (The PI had switched them before leaving.) Jimmy was simply handing a Frisbee to a guy with a similar moustache. "Is that supposed to be me?" demanded the flustered judge. It didn't help when Erin noticed Howard's eyes looked like cocaine-eyes (thanks to a chemical Kim and Jimmy put on the missing photos!).

The angry judge left. Clifford Main, realising this whole situation was hopeless, agreed to settle offer. J and K's plan against Howard worked - they were rich!
A very brilliant plan, it must be said! Such a shame it led to Howard's death...

Answer: She left Albuquerque in 2004

She quit the law after Howard's wake - too guilt-stricken for even pro-bono work. She and Jimmy broke up that same night. Kim later moved to Florida and reverted to her natural dark hair. She did the right thing cutting ties with Saul Goodman and "the game". But she wasn't really the same person anymore. Less confident, less happy.

When Saul became a national fugitive in 2010, Kim kindly phoned Francesca out of the blue. Just to ask if she was OK. She even asked about her loathsome ex-husband.

Heart of gold...

Answer: Kim Wexler

Kim was still living in Florida in 2010. She worked at an irrigation firm (coincidentally it was also the receptionist's birthday). She and her ex hadn't spoken since 2004. She wasn't pleased to hear from him, nor interested in "catching up". "You shouldn't be calling me," she kept whispering. She told him to turn himself in - she was still worried about him after all this time. So sweet.
Unlike "Gene", who shouted at her and mocked her. Naturally she hung up. Then her ex childishly kicked the booth. Glass everywhere...

But, after hearing the voice from her past, conscience compelled Kim to return to New Mexico. She went to the familiar courthouse and confessed everything to DA Suzanne Eriksen. Then signed an affidavit - which she also showed to Cheryl Hamlin, Howard's widow.

Answer: Mike

After Gus killed Lalo, it was essential his body never be found. Officially, he had died in Mexico at the hands of unknown assassins. After surviving the attack, Lalo had murdered a poor look-a-like with matching dental records. So the authorities and The Cartel were convinced the burnt dead look-a-like was Lalo.
Mike buried Lalo and Howard side by side in the underground lab. Mike covered up the latter's death to seem like a cocaine-induced suicide, and "persuaded" Jimmy and Kim to go along with that lie. Howard's reputation stayed tarnished for years...

Until 2010.

Kim returned to Albuquerque to confess everything to the DA, and Cheryl. The latter was furious; Howard's name and reputation are still tarnished after all these years! Cheryl threatened to sue in civil court. However, New Mexico's statute of limitations for defamation is three years (and six have passed). So it was an empty threat.

Later that night Kim took a bus to the airport...and hysterically burst into tears. She was comforted by a nice blonde woman. She's Vince Gilligan's wife (the blonde woman, I mean). She was also a teacher at Walter White's school.

Answer: Yes

According to writer Thomas Sanchez, it was the same man. Silly naive Pryce should have quit "The Game" after that "Squat Cobbler" incident in 2002. In 2010, Francesca informed Saul The Feds had found out what Danny was up to. So we assume he was arrested.

Answer: He was sentenced to life

Originally, he probably didn't intend to stay so long in Omaha. He had hoped by his 50th that the heat would have died down. Then he could access hidden funds, and possibly move to Belize. But Francesca informed him the Feds had found it all. Then she hung up.

Shortly after, "Gene" teamed up with his new "friends" for more scams. Then he got arrested - whilst hiding in a dumpster.

No longer going by "Goodman", McGill eventually got life imprisonment. He almost tricked prosecutors into giving him seven years of easy jail time. Then he heard about Kim confessing her 2004 misdeeds, and possibly facing legal action. So he manipulated her to come to his trial. But then he stated in court he'd lied about Kim's involvement in Howard's murder. He "fell on his sword" some people put it. So Kim was effectively spared any future legal action. From the police or Cheryl Hamlin.

So Jimmy got life, instead of the generous seven year plea bargain. And Kim, like Jesse Pinkman, has been punished, redeemed herself and is now free.
Kim visited Jimmy in prison. She was pretty much wearing her old lawyer suit, so she could be returning to her old vocation. She will probably never see Saul/Viktor/Bill/Gene/Jimmy again. No great loss.

Personally I would have expected Kim's black and white scenes to change to colour at this point. The B & W was meant to illustrate how miserable she had been since 2004, all the guilt, trying to forget the murder she's witnessed, etc. So logically, shouldn't a return to innocence warrant a return to colour?