Breaking Bad: 5 Fan Theories That Make Sense (& 5 That Don’t)
Breaking Bad may be over, but that doesn't mean that fans have stopped producing theories about the show.
Though it has been over six years since the show ended, Breaking Bad is still a series that fans love to look back on. With spin-off shows and movies, the world of the show is still being explored and dissected. Like any beloved show, this has led to a lot of interesting fan theories.
Breaking Bad is a show dense with foreshadowing and subtle call-backs so it’s entirely possible some hidden details exist that fans may have uncovered. Here are some Breaking Bad theories that make sense and some that do not.
Makes Sense: Ted Is Walt Jr’s Real Father
Ted Beneke is a supporting character on the show who may be hiding a pretty big secret. Ted is Skylar’s former boss who she goes back to working for and has an affair with when she and Walt are feuding. In one episode, Ted asks how Walt Jr. is doing and makes a comment about his “good genes”.
This could be taken as some flirting on Ted’s part, but given his relationship with Skylar, some think he was hinting at the fact that he was Walt Jr.’s real father. It’s hard to believe Skylar would have betrayed Walt like this earlier in their marriage but it’s hard to ignore that comment.
Does Not: Malcolm In The Middle
Part of what makes Bryan Cranston’s performance as Walter White so impressive is that many people previously knew him as the goofy dad on Malcolm in the Middle. It’s even more impressive if you think he’s playing the same character in both shows.
This wild fan theory suggests Walt survives the finale of Breaking Bad and goes into witness protection. He takes a new identity of Hal from Malcolm in the Middle. The biggest problem with this theory is Cranston’s range as these two seem like totally different characters despite some surface-level similarities.
Makes Sense: Walt Mimics His Kills
Walt began the show as a mild-mannered school teacher who is reluctant to resort to violence. However, he does need to kill as his life of crime continues which gets much easier for him over time. And some fans noticed a disturbing trend with his kills.
This theory suggests that Walt adopts certain things from the people he kills. After killing Crazy-8, Walt begins similarly cutting off the crusts of his sandwiches. He begins driving a similar car to Gus. He even takes Mike’s favorite drink as his own. It hints at Walt’s sociopathic tendencies.
Does Not: It’s All A Dream
It seems like every show and movie is susceptible to the theory that the entire story is just one big dream. Breaking Bad is not different as some fans suggested the entire series is dreamed up by Jesse after he fell asleep in Mr. White’s science glass.
Aside from the fact that this would make the entire series rather pointless, the theory has many other logic problems. Would Jesse be dreaming about all the stuff that doesn’t include him in the story? Also, what about Better Call Saul? It’s rare for people to have spin-off dreams.
Makes Sense: Fring Works With The CIA
Gus Fring is certainly the most interesting antagonist on the series and he continues to be fascinating in Better Call Saul. But this calm yet frightening drug lord may have more up his sleeve than is seen according to some fans.
One popular theory suggests that Fring is working with the CIA to take down the Mexican drug cartel. Fring obviously has a personal vendetta against the cartel and he might go to extremes to get his revenge. The CIA may be backing Fring since he is a more business-minded man who avoids violence whenever possible.
Does Not: Mike Is Future Jesse
Mike Ehrmantraut is another fascinating character who we thankfully get to learn more about in Better Call Saul. In Breaking Bad, he came to represent a different kind of mentor to Jesse Pinkman as compared to Walter White.
One interesting fan theory suggests that Mike is actually Jesse from the future who is trying to steer his former self away from the destructive road he is going down. However, the pieces just don’t fit at all and Breaking Bad isn’t the kind of show to throw in a time travel subplot.
Makes Sense: Gus And Max Were Romantic Partners
Fring’s vendetta against the cartel is revealed in one episode of the series in which we see a flashback of Don Eladio and Hector Salamanca killing Fring’s business partner, Max. Fring is heartbroken by this and dedicates his life to making them pay.
This has led some to believe Gus and Max were more than just business partners and were also romantically involved. This theory has been strengthened by recent episodes of Better Call Saul yet still remains unconfirmed.
Does Not: The Walking Dead Connection
Breaking Bad was the first big hit on the AMC network, but then The Walking Dead came along to become one of the biggest shows on television. Over time, fans started to pick up on small details that seemed to suggest these two shows were set in the same universe.
From glimpses of blue crystal meth to mentions of a drug dealer who sounds a lot like Jesse, there is some tempting evidence here. However, it’s hard to imagine the world of Breaking Bad turning into a zombie apocalypse, especially as they continue to tell more stories in this world. It much more likely these were just fun in-jokes.
Makes Sense: Walt Is Alive In Better Call Saul
Though most of the storylines of Better Call Saul take place before the events of Breaking Bad, there are some scenes that show Saul’s life after he went on the run. Many have speculated that this takes place after the Breaking Bad finale, but that might not be true.
The timeline of these scenes have not yet been established and it’s entirely possible that they are happening before Walt’s death in the finale. Therefore, we could see Saul and Walt share some unfinished business.
Does Not: The Finale Is A Hallucination
The finale of Breaking Bad sees Walter White abandoning his life in hiding to take revenge on Uncle Jack and his gang of neo-Nazis while also rescuing Jesse. After taking out all of his enemies, Walt dies of a gunshot wound.
Some fans thought that the ending wrapped things up too tightly for Walt and led to the theory that the finale is actually Walt’s hallucination as he dies while alone in hiding. El Camino single-handedly dismantled that theory as the story picks up right where the finale ended to tell Jesse’s story.
