List of characters in the Breaking Bad franchise

This is a list of characters from the AMC television series Breaking Bad.

Main characters

Walter White

Main article: Walter White

Walter Hartwell "Walt" White (played by Bryan Cranston) is an Albuquerque, New Mexico, chemistry teacher who, after being diagnosed with lung cancer, starts manufacturing methamphetamine to provide for his family upon his passing. Knowing nothing about the drug trade, he enlists the aid of his former student, Jesse Pinkman, to manufacture and sell his meth. Walt's scientific knowledge and dedication to quality lead him to produce meth that is purer and more potent than anyone else's. Walt eventually devises an alternative chemical process utilizing methylamine, giving his product a distinctive blue color. His meth, which is given the street name "blue sky", dominates the market.

Walt is initially squeamish about the use of violence, but gradually comes to see it as a necessity. He also comes to find his new status as a drug lord as psychologically rewarding, leading him to become less and less reluctant to resort to criminal acts such as theft, extortion, money laundering, depraved indifference, and murder. Walt's machiavellian descent into the criminal underworld reveals a surprising level of repressed ambition, rage, resentment, vanity, and an increasing ruthlessness which has alienated him from his family and colleagues.

Skyler White

Main article: Skyler White

Skyler White (née Lambert) (played by Anna Gunn) is Walter's wife. She has had several meager sources of income: writing short stories, selling items on eBay, working as a CPA, and ultimately helping her husband launder money. Skyler and Walter have a son, Walter Jr., and an infant daughter, Holly. Skyler cares for Walter very much, but their marriage becomes increasingly strained due to his unexplained absences and bizarre behavior, ultimately leading to their separation. Later, once Walter reveals his operation, she aids him in laundering his funds. They eventually procure the car wash that Walter once had to work at. Although she helps Walter, she is still overall displeased with the situation. As Walter slowly becomes more of a "hardened criminal", her emotions of fear and worry for him become more and more prevalent.

Walter White, Jr.

Walter Hartwell White, Jr. (played by RJ Mitte) is Walter and Skyler's teenage son. He has cerebral palsy, manifested in speech difficulties and impaired motor control, for which he uses crutches (which Mitte does not require). He grows apart from Walt due to his father's absences and bizarre behavior, being taught to drive by his friends and wanting to be called "Flynn." In an effort to help his father pay for cancer treatment, Walter Jr. sets up the website, "www.savewalterwhite.com", asking for donations. As part of a plan to launder Walt's drug profits, Walt's lawyer, Saul Goodman, arranges for a wave of donations drawn from Walter's drug money. When Skyler and Walter separate due to Walt's deceptions, Walter Jr. ultimately takes his father's side, and stops answering to the name Flynn. As of the end of season 4, Walter Jr. remains completely oblivious to his father's drug business and its role in his family's life.

Jesse Pinkman

Main article: Jesse Pinkman

In high school, Jesse Pinkman (played by Aaron Paul) was a small-time methamphetamine user, manufacturer, and dealer. He was an inattentive student in Walter White's chemistry class. Now in his mid-20s, Jesse is Walt's business partner in the meth trade. Jesse is impulsive, hedonistic, and uneducated, but also personable and possesses street-smarts. He talks in playful slang. He likes to wear garish clothing that follows the latest trends in youth culture, play video games, listen to loud music, take recreational drugs, and drive cars outfitted with gadgets to make them "bounce". When Jesse has money, he usually spends it throwing long-running parties for friends as well as strangers or on items like a giant-screen television for his home. Before his partnership with Walt, he added a little chili powder to make his methamphetamine stand out in the market. Walt insisted on making a pure product, and patronizingly taught Jesse the procedures to do it. Walt treats Jesse like a foolish son in constant need of stern correction. Jesse's own family kicked him out because of his drug use. Despite the friction between them, he and Walt have a deep bond of loyalty. Like Walt, Jesse is horrified by the brutality at the higher levels of the drug trade, but does what he thinks is necessary. He wrestles with feelings of guilt about the deaths, all drug-related, of people he's been associated with, especially his girlfriend Jane Margolis.

Mike Ehrmantraut

Mike Ehrmantraut (played by Jonathan Banks) was a former Philadelphia police officer who worked for Gus — and, on occasion, Saul — as a private investigator, head of security, cleaner, hit man and consigliere; he became a reluctant partner in Walt and Jesse's meth operation after Gus' death. Mike was a calm and calculating individual who efficiently performed his duties for Gus, using his extensive knowledge to do so without detection. Like Walt, Mike was a family man who enjoyed an affectionate relationship with his granddaughter; it is the DEA's seizure of off-shore money meant for her that leads him to join Walt, despite his strong dislike for the man. About to be arrested by the DEA, he was forced to attempt to go on the run, but Walt killed him after Mike berated him for his egotism.

Gustavo Fring

Main article: Gus Fring

Gustavo "Gus" Fring (played by Giancarlo Esposito) was the Chilean-born proprietor of Los Pollos Hermanos, a highly-successful fried chicken restaurant chain. He is also a public booster for the local DEA office. However, despite outward appearances, Gus is a major drug kingpin initially affiliated with the Mexican Juarez Cartel, using his restaurant as a front for methamphetamine distribution throughout the American southwest. Like Walter White, Gus is a criminal who "hides in plain sight", using his anti-drug philanthropy to conceal his true nature. Gus originally established Los Pollos Hermanos in Mexico several years previously, but emigrated to the United States when Don Eladio and Hector Salamanca murdered his cook and close friend, Maximino Arciniega, in retaliation for cutting into their business.

When Walt seeks a buyer for his chemically-pure meth, he is put in contact with Gus. However, despite recognizing Walt's "excellent" product, Gus refuses to do business with him because the erratic and careless behavior of his partner, Jesse Pinkman. Walt manages to persuade Gus into purchasing thirty-eight pounds of his meth for $1.2 million; after the product yields good returns, Gus offers Walt $3 million for three months of his time. Gus' hiring and protection of Walt puts him at odds with the cartel's leadership, which considers him responsible for the death of Hector's nephew, Tuco. Gus directs Leonel and Marco Salamanca, two cartel assassins, to kill Walt's brother-in-law, Hank Schrader. He arranges for the hit to fail, ensuring that the U.S. and Mexican governments crack down on the cartel and leave control of the methamphetamine market to Gus alone.

Despite Gus' initial protection of Walt, the collaboration between the two men becomes continuously strained. Walt learns that Gus is grooming his regular cook, Gale Boetticher, to replace him, leading him to task a reluctant Jesse with killing Gale. When the hit succeeds, Gus silently slits the throat of one of his henchmen, Victor, in front of the horrified duo. Walt becomes increasingly fearful that Gus will kill him and his family, causing him to look for numerous ways to kill Gus first.

Saul Goodman

Saul Goodman (played by Bob Odenkirk), real name McGill, is a sleazy "criminal lawyer" (in his own words: "a lawyer who is a criminal") who acts as Walter and Jesse's consigliere and up to a certain point, the series' comic relief. He uses the name "Saul Goodman" because he thinks his clients feel more confident with a Jewish lawyer; this name is also homophonous with the expression "[it]'s all good, man". Dressed in flashy suits, Saul maintains extensive connections within the criminal underworld, and serves as a go-between connecting drug distributors, evidence removers, impersonators, and other criminals-for-hire. Despite his flamboyant appearance and mannerisms — punctuated by his outrageous low-budget TV commercials — Saul is a highly competent lawyer who is able to solve problems and find loopholes in order to protect his clients. He is also not without integrity as he is shown to honor the ethical concerns of his profession, particularly the attorney–client privilege, and is reluctant to be associated with violence or murder. He has served as an adviser for Walter, Jesse Gus Fring, Mike, and even for Skyler, whom he also helped acquire a car wash in order to launder Walter's drug money.

Hank Schrader

Main article: Hank Schrader

Henry R. "Hank" Schrader (played by Dean Norris) is a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent. He is also Walter's outspoken brother-in-law, and Marie Schrader's husband. Hank drives a midnight blue Jeep Commander. He is currently investigating a new meth kingpin in the area named "Heisenberg", unaware that Heisenberg is actually Walter. Hank has a cavalier exterior, but in reality the dark side of his job affects him more than he cares to admit. In the course of his work, Hank is promoted to El Paso, Texas from Albuquerque for a short time, but experiences a traumatic event courtesy of the Mexican drug cartels and moves back to Albuquerque. Although he is loud and opinionated, he is competent at his job and cares deeply about Walter and his family.

Marie Schrader

Marie Schrader (née Lambert) (played by Betsy Brandt) is Skyler's sister, Hank's wife, and Walt's sister-in-law. Marie works as a radiologic technologist. She doesn't hesitate to offer advice to others, but often fails to practice what she preaches. She shoplifts obsessively due to kleptomania, for which she sees a therapist. She appears self-centered and shallow but is very devoted to her husband and cares deeply for her sister's family. In season 3, Marie becomes a major source of comfort and support to her husband, who proves to be more emotionally fragile than he lets on. When Hank is shot and nearly killed by The Cousins, Marie angrily accuses Hank's DEA colleagues of not doing enough to support and protect their fellow agent. With Walt and Skyler's help, she arranges for Hank to undergo an aggressive physical therapy program that is not covered by their insurance. Marie loves the color purple, and nearly all her household and clothing items are various shades of purple. She drives a blue Volkswagen New Beetle.

Secondary recurring characters

Badger

Brandon "Badger" Mayhew (played by Matt L. Jones) is Jesse's friend. Badger is on probation, but still does drugs. He has a job holding a sign outside of a bank. He and Jesse teamed up briefly to cook meth in season 1, using the money from Badger's job to buy pseudoephedrine. However, Jesse disposes of the inferior meth (several times), angering Badger, which escalates into a scuffle. Jesse kicks Badger out of his RV and strands him in the desert. Badger and Jesse reconcile, and Badger helps clear the meth lab from Jesse's basement and asks his cousin to hide Jesse's RV. Badger is later enlisted to deal Walter and Jesse's meth, but is eventually arrested. Badger then flees New Mexico to lie low in Fresno, California for a while, but he returns and quickly agrees to sell meth for Jesse again. Badger later appears at a Narcotics Anonymous meeting with Skinny Pete, informing everyone that "Blue Sky" is back in town but cannot bring himself to sell any to the people at the meetings because they are trying to better themselves and he thinks it is wrong. He and Skinny Pete continue to attend meetings and even begin working the steps. Eventually he relapses into drug use when Jesse tempts him into using again. He leaves Jesse's house after a few days of nearly continuous partying, claiming to remember having a cat he needs to feed.

Ted Beneke

Ted Beneke (played by Christopher Cousins) is the president and owner of Beneke Fabricators. He gives Skyler her old job back as an accountant during the second season. Ted has always been attracted to Skyler but doesn't make any advances since her return. Ted commits tax fraud to keep the company alive and saves everyone's jobs. He admits this when Skyler finds out while working on the company's books. Skyler sleeps with Ted in season three, so as to exact revenge against Walt, but she ignores Ted's offer for her to have some of her things at his house. Skyler later gets angry at Ted when he shows up at her house to ask about their relationship, and she later severs both her personal and professional ties with him.

In season 4, Ted meets up with Skyler, who is now running a car wash, and notifies her of the IRS' criminal investigation into his company's tax fraud. Since Skyler is heavily linked to Ted's tax fraud, and her entire family would be put under surveillance if the investigation were to proceed, she intervenes by pretending to be a ditzy accountant at Ted's meeting with the IRS. While her show of incompetence (allegedly using Quicken to handle the company's accounting and ignoring electronic transactions) gets Ted off from a full investigation, she must still deal with his poor financial standing and his need to pay his back taxes and penalties. Skyler arranges for Ted to receive money to pay off these IRS obligations by having Saul manufacture a dead relative in Luxembourg who leaves Ted a sizable inheritance. However, a follow up by Saul reveals that Ted has leased a new Mercedes and is using the funds to reopen his business. When Skyler approaches Ted about his need to pay the IRS first, he refuses and tells her to leave; seeing no alternative, Skyler is forced to reveal it was she who gave Ted the money. Ted still refuses to pay the IRS, as he will lose his home and social status, regardless. His motive is assumed by Skyler to be blackmail; She thinks he expects her to foot not only his tax bill but his other obligations as well. With no other options, Skyler has Saul Goodman send two of his men to force Beneke to write the check. They succeed, but Beneke panics and attempts to flee. In the process, he trips on a loose rug and crashes headfirst into a piece of furniture.

At the start of the fifth season, it is revealed that Beneke did not die from the fall. However, he has been gravely injured and ostensibly disabled by the accident. When Skyler visits an intimidated Ted at the hospital, he guarantees his silence regarding the issue of Saul's plan to extort money from him.

Gale Boetticher

Gale Boetticher (played by David Costabile) was a chemist hired by Gus Fring to help set up the new laboratory and serve as Walt's "lab assistant". He holds an MS degree in organic chemistry, with a specialty in X-ray crystallography. He describes himself as a "nerd" and a "libertarian" (confirmed in a later posthumous episode when a Ron Paul sticker is shown on a page in Gale's lab notes). He is single, vegan, apparently cultured, and an intellectual equal to Walt. He is a fan of foreign language music and apparently speaks fluent Italian. As a side project, he is working on a process for brewing a superior cup of coffee, and impresses Walt with his results. However, after Walter learns of Jesse's intentions of pressing charges against Hank, Walter is forced to fire Gale and re-hire Jesse as his partner. After Jesse's "disappearance," Gus re-hires Gale and instructs him to learn everything he can from Walt. He tells Gale that Walt has terminal cancer, and that the meth production cannot halt for even a week because of his business' high overhead. Gale agrees to take over the lab full-time after one more "cook". Upon Walt's call, Jesse shows in his doorway with a weapon, prepared to kill Gale. Gale begs for his life, offering Jesse his possessions and money. A gunshot is heard as the screen fades to black. In the season 4 premiere, Gale is found dead by Victor, who then escorts his killer, Jesse, to the lab. Gale's lab notes are shown close to his body, on a table, when the crime scene investigation is being done, at the end of "Box Cutter". Later an Albuquerque police detective gives Hank copies of the evidence taken from Gale's apartment. After reviewing it Hank then shows Walt and Walt Jr. a DVD amongst the evidence. The DVD shows Gale singing karaoke of the song "Major Tom (Coming Home)" by Peter Schilling in front of images of rockets and wildlife while the song is captioned in Thai script.

Bogdan

Bogdan Wolynetz (played by Marius Stan) is the immigrant owner and proprietor of the car wash at which Walt is employed at the beginning of the series. He is abrasive and rude to Walter, who finds this job degrading and tedious. After Walt is diagnosed with lung cancer in the Pilot episode, he angrily quits, grabbing his crotch and telling Bogdan to "wipe down this" in the process.

Bogdan does not reappear until the fourth season, when Walt and Skyler are trying to purchase the car wash in order to launder Walt's drug money. When Skyler is trying to negotiate the purchase of the car wash, Bogdan brings up Walt's angry outburst (knowing that Skyler is his wife) and states that, if Walt wants to purchase the car wash it will cost ten million dollars. Eventually, Walt and Skyler are able to purchase it for $800,000 after Skyler hires Kuby to perform a fake environmental audit on the car wash.

When Saul suggests that Walt and Skyler could accuse Bogdan of harboring Al-Qaeda terrorist activity in order to force him to sell the car wash, Walt exasperatedly reveals that Bogdan is, in fact, Romanian.

When Bogdan hands the keys to the building over to Walter, he makes a point of snidely taunting Walter: refusing to fix small problems with the store, backhandedly gloating about his unfair treatment to Walter, and implying that Walt needs his "woman", Skylar, to fight his battles for him. Walter, having been riled up by Bogdan, refuses to let him leave with his first American business dollar, which had been framed and mounted. Instead Walter spitefully breaks the glass and spends the dollar in the vending machine.

Andrea Cantillo

Andrea Cantillo (played by Emily Rios) is a love interest of Jesse Pinkman. She is a recovering meth addict and single mother to a young son named Brock. Jesse meets her at a Narcotics Anonymous meeting and initially tries to get her to relapse so that she will become a customer of his, but reverses course when he learns that she has a young son to care for. He engages in a romantic relationship with her, but ends it when he discovers that the 11 year old boy who killed his friend "Combo" is her younger brother Tomas. After the break-up, she confronts Jesse at his home about a large sum of money which he had left for her at her home. He tells her that the money is for her to move out of her bad neighborhood and to help raise her son. Saul continues to deliver money to her, in her new home, on Jesse's behalf. In season 4, she and Jesse reunite. When Brock is poisoned, Jesse rushes to the hospital and stays there until the doctors notify him that Brock will survive. In season 5, Walt manipulates Jesse into leaving her, by advising Jesse that he would have to be honest with her about all the crimes he has committed.

Steven Gomez

Steven Gomez (played by Steven Michael Quezada) is Hank's DEA partner and friend since Season 1. He has a lot of knowledge about the inner workings of Mexican gangs. He doesn't seem to mind Hank's off-color remarks about his race. Gomez, or 'Gomie' as Hank affectionately calls him, is promoted to El Paso after Hank witnesses a deadly attack on the Mexican border. Scared of going back to the deadly environment there, Hank delayed his transfer. Steve Gomez has been Hank's right hand man in the "Heisenberg" case since the beginning. After Hank is nearly killed by the Salamanca Brothers, Gomez starts performing tasks that Hank can't perform due to his handicap. At the end of Season 4, (on Hank's request) Gomez visits Gus's factory (with the underground lab) after a GPS links Gus's car to a visit. Gomez (with K9 units) finds no trace of any lab on the property. After Walt and Jesse ignite the lab in the Season 4 Finale, Gomez returns in Season 5 with Hank to find it destroyed with little evidence remaining.

Donald Margolis

Donald Margolis (played by John de Lancie) is Jane's father. He owns the building his daughter managed for him. He sent Jane to rehab once before and goes with her to recovery meetings. Donald becomes furious when he discovers that his daughter is back on heroin, suspecting Jesse is at fault. He nearly calls the police but relents when Jane promises to go back into rehab. Depressed, he goes to a bar and strikes up a conversation with a stranger (Walter) about the heartache of raising children. His words inspire Walter to help Jesse get clean from heroin. Returning to work as an Air Traffic Controller while still distraught over Jane's death, he unwittingly causes a mid-air collision of two airplanes. Shortly after the incident, it is revealed that Margolis was rushed to the hospital to treat a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Jane Margolis

Jane Margolis (played by Krysten Ritter) was Jesse's neighbor, landlord, and lover. She was a tattoo-artist (without any tattoos) and recovering addict. Although she carried an aloof air, she and Jesse soon become a couple. She eventually relapsed into drug addiction and introduced Jesse to heroin. She threatened to blackmail Walter after he refused to give Jesse his cut from a major deal nearly ruined by Jesse's drug use. Her actions work, so she and Jesse plan to run away to New Zealand with the money. When they enter the room and see the heroin, instead of throwing it away as promised earlier, they instead get high and fall asleep. That night, after Walt accidentally turns her on her back, she dies in her sleep by asphyxiating on her own vomit as Walt looks on. Her death manifests significant repercussions throughout season 3, and is largely responsible for Jesse's downward spiral throughout the first half of the season over his role in her death. Walt also expresses guilt over his inaction towards Jane to Jesse in the episode "Fly", while under the influence of sleeping pills, and later questions the statistical improbability of both meeting her and talking to her father on the same night despite never having met either beforehand.

Krazy-8 Molina

Domingo Gallardo "Krazy-8" Molina (played by Maximino Arciniega) was a meth distributor formerly associated with Jesse Pinkman and Emilio, who is Krazy-8's cousin. Unbeknownst to Walt and Jesse, Krazy-8 is a DEA informant, who acquires the customers of the dealers he rats out. Krazy-8 becomes suspicious of Jesse when Jesse attempts to sell him a new product after Emilio's arrest, and Krazy-8 forces Jesse to take him to Jesse's new partner. Krazy-8 suspects Walt is involved with law enforcement and appears intent on killing him until Walt offers to teach Krazy-8 his drug formula. While mixing chemicals, Walt creates a small explosion that produces phosphine gas and appears to kill both Emilio and Krazy-8. Emilio dies, but Krazy-8 eventually regains consciousness, prompting Jesse and Walt to imprison him in Jesse's basement for several days as Walt works up the courage to kill him. Walt attempts to rationalize freeing Krazy-8, who has regained his health, but eventually strangles him with a bike lock upon realizing Krazy-8 plans to attack him with a concealed piece of a broken plate. Later in the episode, it is implied that Walter disposed of Krazy-8's body with hydrofluoric acid in the same manner as Emilio's. Throughout the series, Walt continues to make sandwiches without bread crusts, adopting the manner in which Krazy-8 ate sandwiches.

The fourth-season character of "Maximino Arciniega" shares his name with the actor who portrayed Krazy-8.

Combo Ortega

Christian "Combo" Ortega (played by Rodney Rush) was Jesse's friend who also doubled as a dealer of his methamphetamine. Combo was later killed when a rival drug group cornered him while he was dealing methamphetamine on "foreign turf". Combo called his friend Skinny Pete, saying the two men were "mad eyeballing him". As he hung up the phone, a kid on a bicycle (later revealed to be part of the gang) shot him several times, killing him on the street. Combo's death drove Jesse to spiral into drug addiction. It is later revealed that the RV where Walter and Jesse cook meth belonged to the Ortega family, and Combo sold it to Jesse for $1,400 without his family's knowing, providing a big clue for Hank when he is tracking down "Heisenberg".

The Salamanca family

Hector Salamanca

Hector "Tio" Salamanca (played by Mark Margolis) was the elderly Don who was once a brutal Mexican drug kingpin and an associate of cartel boss Don Eladio. However, a stroke has rendered him unable to walk or speak, and he communicates only by ringing a desk bell attached to his wheelchair. He is Tuco Salamanca's uncle, having raised him as a son, along with Tuco's twin cousins Leonel and Marco. Though brutal, Hector is very loyal. He spent 17 years in San Quentin State Prison, never once revealing any information to the authorities. He taught his nephews that family is everything, and lives by the creed himself. Hector loathes Gustavo Fring, calling him a "fry cook" and a "dirty South American". Likewise, Gus despises Hector for killing Max, and goes out of his way to torment the former kingpin. These feelings come to a head in the season 4 finale, when Walter White is able to convince Hector to use a makeshift bomb to kill himself, eliminating Gus and Tyrus in the process.

Leonel and Marco Salamanca

Leonel and Marco Salamanca (played by Daniel and Luis Moncada), referred to as The Cousins, were twin hitmen for a Ciudad Juárez Mexican drug cartel. In spite (or because) of their austere, mechanical physicality and virtually non-verbal interaction, they are a fearsome presence and kill without hesitation or emotion. They are, in fact, revealed to have killed Tortuga by decapitating him with a machete. As children they occasionally argued, though Don Salamanca put this at least partially to rest when he nearly drowned one of them and reinforced to them that "family is all." Following the death of Tuco, (who turns out to be their cousin) they are summoned to New Mexico by Don Salamanca to kill Walter. En route to being smuggled into America, they killed the entire group of immigrants when one recognized them by their skull-tipped boots. The Cousins quickly tracked down Walter to his house and were about to kill him, when Mike informed Gus Fring of their presence and Gus ordered them by text message to abort the mission. Although Gus has given them permission to kill Walter after their partnership ends in three months, Gus is warned that The Cousins will probably ignore such deals. Later, outside Walter's house, Mike finds a drawing of a scythe, which he believes The Cousins have drawn to send Walt a message. Gus redirects the brothers by telling them that it is Hank who killed Tuco, and gives them special permission to kill a DEA agent on his turf, which is normally prohibited due to the amount of attention drawn by such an action. When they confront Hank, he kills Marco by firing a hollow-point directly into his head, causing it to burst. Leonel is severely injured; prior to Marco's death, Hank backs his car into Leonel and presses him against another vehicle, causing Leonel to lose both of his legs. To silence Leonel, Gus Fring has Mike assassinate him in the hospital, effectively distracting the entire police force in the hospital building by personally bringing them fried chicken; Leonel dies in his hospital bed, and Mike is seen leaving the hospital after disposing of a syringe.

Tuco Salamanca

Tuco Salamanca (played by Raymond Cruz) was a sociopathic Mexican drug kingpin who became Walter and Jesse's meth distributor. He serves as a major antagonist in seasons one and two. He was unpredictable and prone to violent outbursts, but surprisingly respectful of Walter because of his superior product, intelligence, business style, and guts. He has no respect for Jesse, whom he continually taunts, threatens and abuses. Fearing immediate arrest because his entire crew has been arrested by the DEA he kidnaps Walter and Jesse, with the plan to flee to Mexico and have Walt cook meth for the cartel, in a superlab the cartel would build.

Tuco takes Walt and Jesse to a remote desert house where his uncle Hector Salamanca lives. Walter and Jesse tried to poison Tuco with ricin, but Hector Salamanca, while appearing mentally disabled, is anything but. He rings the bell that he uses to communicate and alerts Tuco that Walt and Jesse poisoned his food. Tuco takes Jesse outside to execute him. Jesse fights back, and eventually shoots Tuco in the abdomen, but cannot bring himself to deliver a kill shot to the wounded Tuco. Jesse and Walt flee and hide behind some desert plants growing on a slight ridge.

Tuco emerges, staggering and wounded, and is caught off guard by Hank who has followed a LoJack signal to Jesse's car. Hank attempts to arrest Tuco. After a short stand-off between Hank and Tuco a shootout ensues, in which Hank shoots Tuco in the head, killing him instantly. It is later revealed that Tuco's grill was mounted in a paperweight and presented to Hank as a trophy, which he later throws in a river over guilt of having taken Tuco's life.

Gretchen Schwartz

Gretchen Schwartz (played by Jessica Hecht) is Walt's former college chemistry assistant and now co-owner of Gray Matter, a successful pharmaceutical company. Apparently a former romantic interest of Walt's, she is married to Elliott Schwartz. She discovers that Walter lied to his family about her and Elliott paying for his treatment, and is horrified when Walt angrily and bitterly blames her and Elliott for ruining his life. Although she claims that Walt sees it wrong, it is still unknown what transpired, only that Walt left her and his research behind suddenly and without explanation after Gretchen took him to her parents' home for the weekend. Later, after Skyler's suspicions of Walt having an affair with Gretchen are renewed, Skyler makes contact with Gretchen, who eventually tells her that they never paid for any of Walt's medical bills. Out of pity for Walt, Gretchen later covers for him and states that she did help Walt out on the condition that she would deny it if asked by Skyler. She also added that the two would no longer be able to continue to "fund" Walt's treatment. When told this, Walt spins another lie in which he claims that he met with Gretchen and learned that she and Elliot have gone broke due to the recession, and hence cut off their financial help.

Skinny Pete

Skinny Pete (played by Charles Baker) is Jesse's friend. He served time in prison with Tuco and introduced him to Jesse. Jesse recruits Skinny Pete to deal meth, although Pete is on probation. He is mugged by two addicts, forcing Jesse to get the money and product back. He may be borderline illiterate, spelling "street" wrong and having trouble reading his own writing, though he is a fairly skilled piano player. After Badger is nearly arrested and Combo is killed, Pete quits dealing for Jesse, fearing being sent back to prison and for his own safety. He eventually decides to sell meth for Jesse again, albeit on a smaller scale. He attends Narcotics Anonymous meetings with Badger. After following the program together and staying clean, they eventually relapse when Jesse tempts them with meth. After a few days of heavy meth use they leave Jesse's house. In the Season 5 episode '"Hazard Pay", Skinny Pete is shown to be a talented pianist.

Victor

Victor (played by Jeremiah Bitsui) was Gus's loyal henchman. He first appears in season 2 as an apparent fellow customer in Los Pollos Hermanos, when he suddenly confronts Walter and tersely conveys Gus's non-negotiable offer to purchase Walter's meth and arrange for delivery within the hour. In season 3, he continues his work under Gus. Gus instructs Victor to give half of the money for Jesse's meth to Walter as a way to convince Walter to cook again. After Walt kills two of Gus's dealers, Walt tells Gus that Jesse is "at least two time zones away." Victor guards the lab at all times when Walter and Gale are present and monitors their conversations. Walt suspects Gus is preparing to kill him, and conspires with Jesse to kill Gale, making Walt indispensable as the only remaining cook. Victor picks up Walt from his home, telling him there is a leak in the lab. Walt is greeted by Mike when he arrives, and deduces they plan to kill him. Walt begs Mike to spare him, offering to turn Jesse over. Under the pretext of contacting Jesse to lure him to a meeting, Walt convinces Mike and Victor to allow him to call Jesse using his cell phone. However, instead of arranging a meeting, Walt instructs Jesse to kill Gale before Mike kills Walt, leaving Walter as the only chemist available to Gus. Victor races to stop Jesse from killing Gale, but arrives too late; he enters Gale's apartment and is seen by neighbors. He dies when Gus slices his jugular in the season 4 opener "Box Cutter". Later in the episode, Walt, Jesse and Mike are forced to dispose of Victor's body using hydrofluoric acid, echoing Walt and Jesse's previous experience with Emilio from season 1.

Lydia Rodarte-Quayle

Lydia Rodarte-Quayle (played by Laura Fraser) is an executive of Madrigal Electromotive GmbH, working out of the company's Houston, Texas, office. She played an unspecified role in Gus Fring's criminal empire, helping him distribute drugs throughout the American southwest. When the DEA begins investigating the link between Gus and Madrigal, Lydia becomes anxious and asks Mike to eliminate eleven people who were involved with Gus. When he refuses, Lydia makes the same offer to another hitman, adding Mike to the list. However, Mike deduces her plan and dispatches the hitman, then holds Lydia at gunpoint. Mike seemingly allows Lydia to live contingent on the fact that she can provide him with methylamine.

After Lydia gives them the first shipment the DEA visits Madrigal and Lydia is forced to give up her guy in the warehouse, Ron, to the DEA. Lydia calls Mike to tell him she no longer has a guy in the warehouse who can get the methylamine and Mike assures her he will get her a new guy. Mike sends Jesse to Houston to pick up the methylamine and he and Lydia find a GPS tracker at the bottom of the barrel they were removing. Mike later deduces that the DEA is not responsible for the GPS tracker and that Lydia is because she wanted out of the business. Mike vows to kill her again and mentions that operations may have to lay low for a bit without her as a source for the methylamine, but Jesse not wanting her to die, tries to intervene on the pretense that maybe the DEA really did plant the tracker. Looking to Walt to break the tie about the decision to kill Lydia, Walt sides with Jesse but only because he refuses to cease making meth. The three give her one last chance to prove she did not plant the device. After bugging Hank's office, they force her to call him and ask about the device. Hank tells her his office did not plant any trackers, and the three are about to kill her until they hear Hank, through the bug, call the Houston DEA office. The contact there tells Hank that they placed trackers on every barrel, preventing the three from using any of it to make meth. In an effort to save herself, Lydia provides Walt, Jesse, and Mike information about a freight train that carries "an ocean of methylamine", thus giving them a new source of the chemical.

Todd

Todd (played by Jesse Plemons), is a new partner hiree in season 5 who doubles as an exterminator for Vamonos Pest (the front used by Walter, Mike and Jesse to cook meth,) as well as one of their associates. With his experience as a burglar, Todd assists in the trio's daring train heist of methylamene and is warned by Jesse and Walt that no one can ever know about the heist. As Walt, Jesse, and Todd celebrate the heist's apparent success, they discover a young boy shown earlier on in the episode - who had witnessed the crime. Todd draws his pistol and shoots the boy, to Jesse's horror. Returning from the train heist, Walt, Mike, and Todd dismantle the dirt bike ridden by the boy Todd killed, dissolving the pieces in barrels filled with hydrofluoric acid. They prepare another barrel for the boy. Defending his actions, Todd vaguely hints that he has prison connections which may be of use to the partnership. While Todd and Jesse are smoking outside, Todd glibly dismisses the tragedy, leading an incensed Jesse to punch him. After a heated debate, Walt, Jesse, and Mike agree to keep Todd alive and on the payroll with Vamonos Pest, in order to monitor him. After another falling out with Jesse, Walt is forced to instruct Todd ad hoc (who makes detailed notes on the process) when the two cook the next batch of meth. Todd proves to be much more subordinate and better at following orders than Jesse.

Minor characters

Maximino Arciniega

Maximino Arciniega (played by James Martinez) was Gus's partner. Gus paid for Max's education in biochemistry and chemical engineering, at the University of Santiago in Chile. When the pair moved to Mexico and opened up a chain of Los Pollos Hermanos chicken restaurants together, Max was the chemist; he cooked the crystal meth, samples of which he and Gus started giving away. These samples gained the attention of Don Eladio, a local drug lord, whom Max and Gus had approached in the hopes of convincing the Don to join them in the meth business. Don Eladio, unimpressed by these upstarts and nominally dismissive of selling methampethamine in lieu of cocaine, had Hector kill Max on the patio of his mansion as Juan Bolsa watched. Gus was forced to watch his partner's fatal head wound bleed into the swimming pool, a vision that stayed with him. After moving to the US, Gus set up a college scholarship in Max's name (which Gale won one year) and grew determined to avenge his friend's death, while mentally tormenting the now-disabled Hector in the hospital by mocking the deaths of Hector's nephews, and having rival drug lord Juan Bolsa killed by Mexican authorities in retribution for the attempted hit on DEA agent Hank.

The character of Maximino Arciniega shares his name with the real-life actor who played Krazy-8 in the show's first season.

Juan Bolsa

Juan Bolsa (played by Javier Grajeda) is a high-level member of the Mexican drug cartel that the Salamanca family belongs to. It is Bolsa who orders Tortuga's execution by The Cousins, and later places his head on a booby-trapped tortoise for the DEA to find. He is also the cartel's liaison with Gustavo Fring, and the one who arranges a meeting among Gus, The Cousins and Don Salamanca on the matter of Walter. He tells Gus he will urge the Salamanca family to be patient, but advises that Gus risks losing favor with the cartel if he does not finish his business with Walter quickly and that he cannot guarantee The Cousins will listen to reason. He has forbidden The Cousins to kill Hank Schrader, as the DEA is "off limits". He is later killed by Mexican federales at his home in Juarez in retaliation for The Cousins' attack of Hank.

Duane Chow

Chow (played by James Ning) is the owner of Golden Moth Chemical, an industrial chemical manufacturing company that supplies chemicals to Gus Fring's drug empire. During Fring's conflict with the Juarez cartel, cartel enforcers came to Chow's offices and held him hostage. Chow's captors were later killed by Mike, who shot Chow in the hand for not telling Gus about the situation. After Gus' death, Chow started being questioned by the DEA, as he was one of the men on Gus' payroll at the time of his murder. Chow was on the list of eleven men who Lydia suggested to Mike that he kill before they make a plea deal with the DEA, however Mike refuses. Lydia then send another hitman to kill the eleven men starting with Chow, who the hitman used to lure Mike into a trap before shooting Chow in the head.

Clovis

Clovis (played by Tom Kiesche) is Badger's cousin who operates a vehicle towing and repair service. When Jesse's RV quits running, Clovis charges him an exorbitant amount to tow and store the vehicle, due to its cargo. Clovis repairs the RV and catches Jesse sleeping in it after Jesse has scaled the fence (and destroyed a portable toilet in the process) after being evicted from his home. Clovis orders Jesse to pay for the repairs and property damage and then threatens to sell off Jesse's inventory to cover the repairs, when Jesse claims he cannot furnish immediate payment. Jesse again breaks into the gated lot and drives through the gate without paying for the repairs. He later returns to pay Clovis for the repairs and damages and arranges to store the RV inside Clovis' gated lot for $500 per week. Clovis also sells Jesse a used red hatchback (Toyota Tercel). Jesse eventually decides to retrieve the RV, but Walter had warned Clovis that the DEA was looking for it, forcing Clovis to bring it to a junkyard to be destroyed.

Don Eladio

Don Eladio (played by Steven Bauer) was the head of the Ciudad Juárez Mexican drug cartel which employed Juan Bolsa, Hector Salamanca and Salamanca's nephews. He first met Gus Fring at a business meeting twenty years prior to the start of the series, where Gus and his partner Max attempted to propose a business deal wherein they would produce methamphetamine for the cartel. Unimpressed by their pitch, Don Eladio had Max executed for manipulating him into a meeting, but spared Gus's life due to a currently unrevealed past in Chile. At some time in the ensuing few years, he entered into a partnership with Gus, who served as Don Eladio's chief distributor in the American Southwest.

Following the deaths of Juan Bolsa and The Cousins, and Gus's subsequent establishment of the superlab, Don Eladio orders retribution through his henchman Gaff, hijacking meth deliveries and killing some of Gus's operatives. Gus agrees to Eladio's demands - the formula for the blue meth and the services of a chemist - and travels to the cartel's superlab with Mike and Jesse. After Jesse cooks a successful batch, Eladio invites the three to a party at his villa with multiple capos of the cartel, toasting their new business venture with a bottle of premium tequila supplied by Gus, and chiding the latter for needing to be kept in line every twenty years. However, shortly afterwards the capos begin to collapse, victims of a poison Gus had put in the tequila. Eladio realizes that Gus (who has vomited up the poison) has betrayed him, but collapses dead into the swimming pool before taking any action.

Gaff

Gaff (played by Maurice Compte) is a member of Don Eladio's drug cartel. He is first seen coordinating the hijacking of a Los Pollos Hermanos truck that is transporting drugs, and killing the guards inside by pumping it with exhaust gas. Gaff serves as the cartel's representative in a sitdown with Gus, where he rejects Gus' offer of $50 million to cut all ties and informs Gus there will be no negotiation, only an ultimatum to deliver the formula for the blue methamphetamine. Later, Gaff kills one of Gus' men with a sniper rifle at the chicken farm, but stops shooting when Gus presents himself as a target. Mike strangles Gaff during Gus's mass poisoning of the cartel.

Gonzo

Gonzo (played by Jesus Payan, Jr.) was Tuco Salamanca's brother-in-law and one of his lieutenants. He dies while moving No Doze's body from under a stack of cars in a junk yard; the stack shifts and catches his arm under it, partially severing it and causing him to bleed to death. When Walter and Jesse learn he is dead, they incorrectly assume that Tuco is killing any witnesses to No Doze's murder.

Group Leader

The Group Leader (played by Jere Burns) is a counselor who leads group therapy sessions at Narcotics Anonymous. His real name is not revealed. He takes a calm, non-judgmental approach to leading discussions and emphasizes that those attending his sessions are there not to improve themselves, but to learn self-acceptance. During an outdoor session at a campfire, he reveals to Jesse and other recovering addicts that in July 1992, while drunk on vodka and high on cocaine, he killed his six-year-old daughter by accidentally hitting her with his car. Jesse, still reeling from Jane's death, asks the Group Leader how can he not hate himself for what happened. The Group Leader responds that self-hatred and guilt stand in the way of achieving true change. Group Leader is seen again in season 4, when Jesse returns to a session distraught about killing Gale. However, during the session, Jesse nearly breaks down and yells at Group Leader claiming that his philosophies on "accepting yourself" aren't true. Jesse then mentions the death of Group Leader's daughter and admits to the whole group that the only reason he came to the group meetings was to sell meth to them. He asks Group Leader if he's okay with that, to which the group leader responds, "no". Jesse then says, "about time", and leaves the session.

Huell

Huell (played by Lavell Crawford) is Saul Goodman's new bodyguard and security. Hired more for his size than his intelligence, he has digestive problems that keep him from being as stoic as Saul would like. Later seen in the season 5 premiere, it is made known that Huell ended up playing a huge role in the poisoning of Brock Cantillo. At the time how the boy was poisoned is left to the audience's speculation.

Saul is observed repeatedly calling Jesse's cell phone. But Jesse is not getting a signal in the hospital where he is at. Insistent on having Jesse come by, Saul leaves several messages stating he needs to get there (Saul's office). Upon Jesse arriving at Saul's office Huell frisks him. In a later episode Saul and Walt are talking. Saul says in passing that Huell while frisking Jesse lifted the pack of cigarettes in which Jesse had placed the ricen (the poison Walt manufactured in Gus' underground meth super lab and gave to Jesse, so the two could kill Gus Fring).

Hugo Archilleya

Hugo (portrayed by Pierre Barrera) is a former custodian at JP Wynne High School. When Walt would leave class to vomit (a consequence of his chemotherapy), Hugo would offer him a stick of gum and clean up after him, saying "You've got kids to teach". After the DEA connected missing school equipment to methamphetamine production, Hugo was one of the initial suspects because of the access his custodial duties afforded him. Hugo was soon placed under arrest for possession of marijuana, much to Walt's chagrin, and after a search of his home, more marijuana was found, but no methamphetamine or items that could connect him with the meth investigation.

Old Joe

Old Joe (played by Larry Hankin) is the owner of a local junkyard who appears to be in his late 60's. He has provided aid to Walt and Jesse on several occassions.

Tyrus Kitt

Tyrus Kitt (played by Ray Campbell) was one of Gus's henchman, hired to replace Victor following his murder by Gus with a boxcutter. He served as Mike's second-in-command, monitoring Walt and Jesse's activities both inside and outside the lab. Tyrus is killed next to Gus, in the season 4 finale (when Hector Salamanca rings his bell to activate the bomb placed under Hector's wheelchair by Walt).

Kuby

Kuby (played by Bill Burr) is a hired hand for Saul Goodman. He assists in facilitating the car wash sale to the Whites by impersonating an environmental inspector, and later intimidates Ted Beneke with Huell's help. He also aids Walt, Jesse, and Mike in their train robbery.

Dennis Markowski

Dennis Markowski (played by Mike Batayeh) is the former manager of the industrial laundromat which served as the cover for Gus' superlab. Following Gus' death, Dennis was incarcerated by the DEA, as he was one of the men on Gus' payroll at the time of his death. Dennis agrees to keep his mouth shut when Mike ensures that he will still receive his money from the drug empire. When Dennis' funds are confiscated, Dennis proposes a plea deal to the DEA, but he refuses, believing he can get a better deal from one of Gus' other incarcerated henchmen. Dennis is later killed on Walt's orders by several other inmates who pour flammable liquid into Dennis' cell and ignite it, burning him alive.

ASAC George Merkert

Assistant Special Agent in Charge George Merkert (played by Michael Shamus Wiles) is Hank's boss at the DEA. He is impressed with Hank's tenacity and hard work, and recommends him for a transfer to El Paso. When Hank returns, he is frustrated by Hank's stalling a second transfer to El Paso, unaware that Hank is suffering from panic attacks and is afraid to go back. After Hank attacks Jesse, Merkert is forced to suspend Hank without pay, but tells him off the record that Jesse will not press charges. Following Hank's shooting and subsequent recovery, he welcomes Hank back to work, but refuses to advance Hank's suspicions of Gus Fring beyond a basic interview. When Gus is revealed to be a drug kingpin, Merkert is permanently relieved of his duties in the DEA due mainly to his and Fring's extensive personal interactions and the subsequent doubt cast on Merkert's integrity following Fring's downfall.

Carmen Molina

Carmen Molina (played by Carmen Serano) is the assistant principal at the high school where Walt teaches and Walt Jr. attends. In season 3, Walter makes an awkward pass at her, resulting in Walt being on "sabbatical... indefinitely."

No Doze

No Doze (played by Cesar Garcia) was one of Tuco's head lieutenants in his drug organization. He was beaten to death by Tuco himself in the last episode of season 1 for making a comment to Walter and Jesse ("Just remember who you're working for"), which Tuco took as an insult of his intelligence.

Jake Pinkman

Jake Pinkman (played by Ben Petry) is Jesse's younger, over-achieving brother. Jesse accepts the blame for a joint belonging to Jake, which results in Jesse's being thrown out of his parents' house. After apologizing to his brother, Jake asks for his joint back; Jesse responds by crushing it on the sidewalk and informing his brother that the marijuana was of poor quality.

Mr. Pinkman

Mr. Pinkman (played by Michael Bofshever) is Jesse's father.

Mrs. Pinkman

Mrs. Pinkman (played by Tess Harper) is Jesse's mother. Along with her husband, she kicks Jesse out of the house, but feels guilty about it. She appears in seasons 1-3.

Elliott Schwartz

Elliott Schwartz (played by Adam Godley) is Walter's old college science partner and co-owner of Gray Matter, a successful pharmaceutical company co-founded by Walter. He is married to Gretchen Schwartz. Walter blames him and Gretchen for stealing his research and becoming millionaires in the process, although the exact truth of this claim is unknown. Elliott offers to pay for Walter's treatment. Walter declines, but tells Skyler he has accepted to cover up his use of drug money for that purpose.

Spooge

Spooge (played by David Ury) was a drug addict who stole meth from Skinny Pete at knifepoint. He is later accosted by Jesse in his home as Jesse attempts to retrieve the stolen drugs and/or cash payment. Spooge attempts to repay Jesse by breaking open an ATM he has stolen from a convenience store. While attempting to drill into the machine from the bottom, he begins verbally abusing his girlfriend (played by Dale Dickey), who tips the ATM, crushing Spooge's head and killing him instantly. Spooge's death is attributed to Jesse among his associates, as well as his rivals, for a short period until the woman confesses to the murder. Spooge had a son, whose complete neglect brought Jesse to call 911 and leave the phone line open to allow police to trace the call, in hopes they can find the child a foster home after his father's death and his mother's likely incarceration.

Tortuga

Tortuga (played by Danny Trejo), literally "Tortoise" in English, is an informant to the DEA in El Paso on the inner workings of the Mexican cartels. Upon discovering that, cartel operatives cut off his head and place it atop a tortoise with "HOLA DEA" ("Hello DEA") written across its shell. A hidden bomb in the head then explodes, severely injuring some of the DEA agents and Mexican police on the scene with Hank. It is later revealed that Tortuga was killed by Tuco's cousins Leonel and Marco Salamanca.

Wendy

Wendy is a meth-addicted street prostitute portrayed by Julia Minesci, who associates with Jesse Pinkman. She helps Jesse maintain an alibi and withstands an intense interrogation from Hank Schrader on Jesse's behalf. Recognizing her loyalty to him, Jesse tries to convince her to help him kill two drug dealers who convinced an 11 year old boy to murder Combo on Gus Fring's orders. She declines at first, fearing the repercussions, revealing that she has a son whom she needs to protect, but Jesse eventually persuades her to help by drawing a comparison between the murdered boy and her own son. At the last moment, she is spared the ordeal by Mike, who intervenes to take Jesse to a meeting with the drug dealers. She is featured in the online promotional material as one of Saul Goodman's clients.