Breaking Bad: 10 Of The Nicest Things Walt Did
An infamous monster, Breaking Bad's Walter White wasn't exactly redeemable, but he did show that Heisenberg hadn't completely consumed him.
Walter White is one of the greatest anti-heroes in television history. The things he does are typically not nice, spending his time creating and selling drugs and killing people when necessary. This is what makes Walt stand out as a character, but, deep down, there’s still a flicker of the kind old version of Walt we saw when the show began.
Walt is a simple science teacher and a family man at heart, with everything he does being for his family deep down. Because of that, it’s no surprise that Walt does do a lot of nice things throughout the show at times, even though he’s not always a kind person.
Hit & Run
Normally, someone committing a hit and run would be seen as a major negative, but that wasn’t the case when Walter White did it. He went out of his way to run over two of Gus Fring’s men, murdering them in the process in order to save Jesse.
His loyalty to his friend is something that deserved respect, and it showcased Walt in a great light. When it came to this moment, he truly was the lesser of two evils, which allowed this to be one of his kindest acts.
Two Jobs
At the start of the show, Walter White is shown as a hardworking individual who is simply doing everything he can to earn as much money as possible for his family. Walt knows the tough situation he is in, therefore he works as both a chemistry teacher and at the car wash.
It’s something that highlights Walt’s character right from the start. He wants to provide for his family as a truly great father and husband, which is what makes him a nice person from the off. Even though he’s left embarrassed when students turn up, Walt showcases his niceness in these moments.
Buying Walt Jr. A Car
Throughout the vast majority of the series, Walter White has a great relationship with his son. The two of them are good together, with Walter White doing everything he can to make him happy, which includes splashing the cash on two expensive sports cars.
While this ultimately causes an issue, as Skyler points out that it will draw unnecessary attention, the actual thought process behind it is a moment of kindness from Walt himself—though it could be argued that he did it purely to compete with Skyler for his son’s affections.
Not Giving Up On His Family
Walt’s relationship with Skyler is certainly a complex one throughout the show, with the two of them having moments of pure love and then utter hatred. When Skyler first decides to kick Walt out of the house, it ends up being an important moment and showcases Walt in a nice manner.
Instead of just accepting that their marriage was over, Walt refuses to give it up. He continues to try and patch things up, and, while it does cause some issues, it ultimately shows him in a nice manner, as it is all about Walt’s refusal to let go of his family and the relationship with his children.
His Video Message
In the first episode of Breaking Bad, it quickly becomes clear that Walter White isn’t the traditional evil character. When he believes that he’s about to be arrested after cooking up crystal meth, Walt decides to tape a message to his family.
It’s a truly heartwarming moment as he reveals that he’s been doing everything with his family’s wellbeing in mind. It showcases his desire to still be seen as a good parent and husband, with this being all about his nicer side. Of course, in the series finale, he finally admits his true reason for doing what he did to Skyler.
Teaching Jesse How To Cook
Clearly, Jesse Pinkman didn’t pay much attention at school, which is why he doesn’t know much about science and how to actually make great crystal meth. However, when Jesse and Walt start working together, the inner teacher comes out of Walt.
Despite the fact they’re making drugs, Walt takes the time to genuinely teach Jesse the science behind it. This is what makes the difference in their product. The reason their product is so good is a result of the sound science behind it, and Jesse is able to create that because he is taught properly, learning something along the way.
Standing Up For His Son
There is no doubt that Walter White’s proudest achievement is being a father, which is why, when he knows there’s no hope of reconnection, he decides there’s nothing to live for. However, throughout the series, Walt does a lot of great things for his son, one of which sees him proudly defend him.
When a group of bullies are mocking Walt Jr. about his medical condition in a clothing store, Walt decides to take matters into his own hands. He assaults the bullies, giving them a taste of their own medicine, with this being a rare example of Heisenberg coming out of him in front of his family.
Taking Down Gus
Walt technically took down Gus because he wanted to be the lead man when it came to the world of crystal meth. However, orchestrating the plan to murder him was one that took a while and it was ultimately a nice act, though it was mostly selfish.
Gus was someone who caused mass pain to countless people, and, while Walt could be cruel at times, there was no doubt that this was ultimately one of his nicest acts, with Walt eliminating a major threat while offering Hector a final chance for revenge.
Rescue Mission
Walter White’s final act before his death is one of the nicest things he does throughout the show. His last big moment of brilliance is one of heroism, as he does his best to try and save Jesse Pinkman from Jack Welker’s white supremacist group.
It’s a fantastic moment where he does whatever it takes to help him survive, happily putting himself in the firing line to ensure that Jesse gets out alive. Walt knows that his time is up, but he wants to ensure Jesse lives, putting in the ultimate sacrifice, which is absolutely a nice moment.
Saying Goodbye To His Daughter
While Walt’s rescue mission of Jesse was an amazing moment that worked perfectly for their relationship as partners, it was actually his decision to say goodbye to his daughter that was the nicest thing he did. Before he goes off to save Jesse, Walt pays one final visit to Skyler and Holly.
He gets the chance to say goodbye to her, with Holly being the one character left in the show that doesn’t hate him at that stage. He is still innocent to her, which allows Walt to have one final moment as himself again, being a simple father one last time.
