‘Better Call Saul’ Recap: ‘Fun and Games’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 609 of ‘Better Call Saul’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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Over the course of the past six years, fans of the AMC series, Better Call Saul, have anxiously been awaiting two key moments when it comes to Jimmy McGill’s journey into darkness. Such as bearing witness to the exact moment when Jimmy decided to embrace Saul Goodman and everything he stands for and to learn exactly what drove Jimmy to embrace such a scummy persona and well… this particular journey more or less put those exact moments to the wayside in order to inform us that such moments and decisions don’t just arrive out of the blue. In fact, there would be no epiphany and/or eureka moment where Jimmy McGill would just decide to abandon the last vestiges of good in his heart to embrace a man that had no qualms with asking a drug kingpin to kill a man. Instead, such a transformation… takes so much more.

Such as emotional abuse, trauma, and unresolved pain in one’s heart and for a long time, it really seemed as though Charles McGill was going to be the source of all that. Since his views of Jimmy and efforts to keep him down and away from being a good and honest lawyer, combined with his passing and unresolved end to their relationship, spoke volumes to the reality that blood might have forged Saul Goodman, and in a way it did… since his passing did motivate Jimmy to practice under that name. But instead… what finally broke Jimmy and changed him forever, came about from a far more powerful act. One that was finally put on display during this week’s episode of the show. For ‘Fun and Games’ is a story that finally showed us the true genesis and origin of Saul Goodman, and it turns out that transformation… and some other poignant moments… came forth from the aftermath of Howard Hamlin’s death.

For in reality, his passing and the subsequent events that came out of his death, fundamentally changed everyone and pushed them in a bold new direction, even the ‘villains’ of this tale. Because despite appearing to relish in the death of Lalo Salamanca, and even escaping any penalty for it… Gustavo ‘Gus’ Fring was a changed man here. One that came to realize that there could be no more mistakes and no more lack of focus on his prize, and he was wiling to sever connections and potential for intimacy if it meant he could have it all, giving rise to the ruthless kingpin that will eventually butt heads with one Walter White. Not to mention… Mike Ehrmantraut faced the reality of what he had become in this tale, thanks to Nacho’s father. Since a kindhearted visit to inform dear old dad of the truth… ended in a verbal lashing that informed Mike he was no better than the criminals he once hunted, cementing his sorrowful future as well. 

But while it was wonderful and important to see Gus and Mike transition to their future personas right before our eyes… the moment of the hour was the birth of Saul Goodman… and how he was born by way of Kim Wexler. For despite doing her best in this tale to deal with everything that came out of her actions, with her even going so far as to play along further with the lies and make Howard truly appear to be a drug addict to even his own wife, she was struggling with all of this and came to quite the epiphany. One that came out of that ugly moment at Howard’s wake. In that, while she loved Jimmy dearly and found a true connection and happiness with him… he brought out the worst in her and she brought out the worst in him and for proof… she need not look any further than Howard’s downfall and subsequent death.

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Which was a reality that she wasn’t comfortable with anymore. Because it had pushed her to places, she hadn’t a clue she was capable of, and it motivated her to take part in acts that she normally would not have indulged in… and well… that pushed her to take some drastic action in her life. Because at this point, she was at a crossroads. One where she could stay the course and yes, enjoy the wonder of love with Jimmy at her side, whilst the price dearly, emotionally and mentally, for feeding off of the fundamental toxicity in their love. Or… she could make some changes to her life and try to atone for all of this and in the end, Kim Wexler chose the latter option. A decision that brought forth some grand and sweeping alterations to her life.
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Such as resigning from the New Mexico Bar Association and giving up her practice, a move that took place dramatically in court and well, once she left the law behind in the Land of Enchantment, she took the next drastic step in atoning for her sins... she broke up with Jimmy McGill. A move that utterly broke the both of them in that moment because of her raw honesty about the state of their love and because of how much it hurt her to do this. But she wasn’t wrong, they really were toxic for one another, and fed upon that often and now a man’s legacy was ruined forever because of their mutual enjoyment of it and there was no squaring that in her mind. So, she made it clear to Jimmy there was no going back at his point and well, in that moment… Saul Goodman was born and that was by far… the most heartbreaking way to create that kind of man. 

Because in that moment, Jimmy McGill had more than his heart broken, he had his very faith in humanity and the future broken. For Kim Wexler and her love was everything that Jimmy needed to keep from slipping into the darkness. For she saw Jimmy FOR Jimmy and loved him regardless of his flaws and did everything to boost him and love him, and being rejected by his true love in this manner and being told by her that there was a side to him she lamented… was enough to do the trick. For that informed him, Chuck was right all along, and the rest as they say, is history. Which allowed for us to see just how hard Jimmy embraced Saul and all the false trappings of joy he had to offer, and how miserable Saul truly is/was since there was nothing left to live for at this point in his life, but money and the thrill of sticking it to a system and a world that rejected him, and what he had to offer.

Which is about… as tragic as it gets. Because a potentially great man and brilliant lawyer, committed to whatever the hell this existence is and what’s stunning… is that the tragedy isn’t done just yet. Because it is only a matter of time now before Saul Goodman and Walter White meet, a moment that will change the course of his life for the worse in every way imaginable, and it will be fascinating to see how the show is going to get us to Point B. Since there is potential now to give us ‘Saul Goodman: Year One’ and perhaps new angles to big moments from Breaking Bad. But what matters most, is that we got what we wanted, we saw Saul come to life in a brilliant and devastating tale. One filled with stunning performances and magnificent writing and one that leaves us… with a tinge of regret and sorrow over watching the last flicker of light… fade from Jimmy’s eyes. Until next time.

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‘Alright, let justice be done though the heavens fall.’ – Saul Goodman

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