Breaking Bad: The 10 Most Unnecessary Kills
Breaking Bad was a show about Albuquerque's dr*g trade where k*llings were common. However, some of the murders didn't need to happen.
A show about the drug trade is bound to have plenty of conflicts that result in killings. AMC series Breaking Bad was no different. Every death was directly or indirectly caused by one of the main characters, including the deadly Wayfarer 515 plane crash which took a total of 167 lives.
Many of the kills in the critically acclaimed show had to happen. Hank had no option but to kill Tuco while Walt had to take out Gus if he was to survive. However, some of the murders came off as quite unnecessary. No major negative consequences would have occurred if the killers had opted not to shed blood.
Gus Slices Victor’s Throat With A Box Cutter
Victor had one of the most brutal deaths in Breaking Bad when Gus sliced his throat with a box cutter. Prior to that, he had been in great spirits, going so far as to cook a batch, as he had secretly learned the process by watching Walt.
To be fair, this murder has a little justification to it. Witnesses had spotted Victor outside Gale’s apartment, making him a liability. However, it was unwise to kill him since he had learned how to cook. Even Walt was shocked that Victor was such a good cook. He could have easily been Gus Fring’s Plan B if it came to a point where Walt and Jesse could no longer cook. Victor appeared to be more loyal too, meaning he wouldn’t have caused Gus the same problems Walt did.
Nick Gets Taken Out By A Sniper Rifle
Nick — a member of Gus Fring’s security team — was shot by Gaff with a sniper rifle at the chicken farm. Gaff and the Juarez Cartel only wanted to intimidate Gus.
This kill also ranks low because it was almost necessary. The cartel needed to arm-twist Gus in order to make him dance to their tune. However, terminating one of his men only made him angrier and in the end, he took out the entire cartel. Gaff had better options such as sabotaging one of Gus’ businesses or firing randomly while intentionally missing the target (like he eventually did).
Spooge’s Wife Crashes His Head With An ATM Machine
Spooge and his wife stole meth from Skinny Pete. When Jesse went to collect, the couple offered to pay him using money from a stolen ATM. After a brief argument, Spooge’s wife crushed his head with the ATM.
Spooge should have known better than to insult his wife while he was in a vulnerable position, drilling the ATM from the bottom. Nevertheless, the argument should have been resolved amicably since the two were low-budget versions of Bonnie and Clyde. They had successfully conducted a number of heists together, hence they needed each other. Spooge’s wife’s actions not only made her lose a partner in crime but also get captured by the police.
Jack Walker Shoots Super DEA Agent Hank Schrader
Catching Walt was a major win for Hank, but Jack Welker and his gang showed up to spoil the party. Despite Walt’s pleas, Hank was executed by Jack.
Hank was partly to blame for his own death because he refused to show his badge as Jack demanded. Standing firm against the Neo-Nazis was one of the most heroic things Hank ever did on Breaking Bad, but it was unwise of him to think that he and Gomez could take out the entire gang by themselves. On the other hand, Jack and his gang should have taken the money Walt offered them and walked away instead of killing Hank. He was badly injured hence he wouldn’t have stopped them.
Tuco Beats His Henchman No-Doze To Death
During one of the car junkyard meetings, No-Doze channeled a subtle threat to Walt and Jesse by telling them to never forget who they were working for. This angered his boss Tuco since he hadn’t asked him to speak. In a burst of rage, he beat No-Doze to death.
No-Doze’s offense didn’t call for a death sentence. He was right, after all — Walt and Jesse weren’t as scared of Tuco as they should have been. Earlier, Walt had blown up Tuco’s headquarters with fulminated mercury. The duo then attempted to poison him with ricin. Instead of beating No-Doze to death, Tuco ought to have reiterated the threat. Never forget who you are working for, or else…
Jesse Shoots Gale On Walt’s Orders
Afraid that Gus would deem him surplus to requirements once Gale mastered the whole process, Walt decided to eliminate the X-ray crystallography specialist. He tasked Jesse with carrying out the homicide.
Gale was portrayed as a nice person, hence his death felt more painful than others. Walt had options that didn’t involve killing the man. If he was so afraid, he could have taken out Gus (like he eventually did). He also had the option of talking Gale into convincing Gus that he couldn’t cook without him. Gale’s journals showed that he really loved Walt. For this reason, he could have done as instructed. Gale’s murder also kicked off the events that led to Walt’s downfall. Were it not for death, Hank wouldn’t have linked Gale to Walt.
Hector Kills Max During A Meeting
A flashback scene showed a younger Gus Fring and his associate Max meeting Don Eladio at his hacienda. The two were trying to persuade him to consider partnering with them in the meth business. Instead, one of the most surprising moments in Breaking Bad followed. The Juarez Cartel boss ordered Hector Salamanca to shoot Max.
Don Eladio was powerful enough to simply warn Gus and Max not to sell meth in his territory. The duo had been gracious enough to seek a meeting with him and offer him a part of the business instead of just being rivals. More importantly, an experienced drug lord like Eladio ought to have known that Gus would eventually seek revenge for his partner’s death.
Todd Shoots Andrea To Make Jesse Compliant
Jesse’s refusal to cook and attempt to escape from captivity angered Todd, who proceeded to shoot his girlfriend, Andrea. Even worse, Jesse was forced to watch from the car.
A simple promise by Todd to Jesse that he would kill his girlfriend if he refused to comply would have done the trick. He didn’t have to go as far as to commit the actual murder. Todd’s actions only made Jesse more of an enemy, and he eventually made Todd pay by strangling him with his chains after Walt infiltrated the compound.
Todd Murders A Train Heist Witness
The freight train heist was one of the best moments of the series but it ended on a sad note when Todd shot Drew. The rest of the group was horrified by Todd’s actions.
This ranks highly among the unnecessary kills because Drew had no idea that a crime was taking place. To him, the heist crew appeared like maintenance workers doing their job. Letting him go would have led to no consequences. Drew was only a child too, hence empathy should have been factored in.
Walt Shoots Mike Over Names
Mike and Walt had some of the biggest arguments on Breaking Bad. Their last one resulted in Mike’s death. Walt shot Mike for refusing to give up the names of his associates.
Walt immediately realized how unnecessary his actions were. He could have easily gotten the names from Lydia; he didn’t have to argue with Mike about it. It was surprising that a character who was likable largely because of his intelligence failed to make the better choice in this scenario.
