Breaking Bad (And Badder)
A chart of the bad behavior of Breaking Bad's Walter White
Still from Breaking Bad (c) AMC. All rights reserved.
America’s most beloved meth cook will finally return to television Sunday night. Once a square chemistry teacher, Breaking Bad’s Walter White now reigns king of the meth world. He’s had to cheat, steal, and kill to take his throne. Still, it’s hard not to admire him for his individuality, toughness, and smarts. Below, we’ve charted some of his most memorable actions from the first four seasons, ranking them on a scale of bad to evil and bad to badass. Want to make your own judgments? Click the "Rate Walt's Actions" tab to see if you have the same moral compass as we do.
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Chokes drug dealer with bike lock
Season 1, Episode 3
Walt uses a bike lock to chain Krazy-8 to a pole in a basement and tries to persuade himself to kill the drug dealer. Instead, Walt bonds with him. Walt is about to release him when he realizes that Krazy-8 has armed himself with a shard of a broken dinner plate. Walt then chokes the man to death with the bike lock. Later, Walt finds out that the dealer was really a DEA informant.
Intimidates drug dealer with mercury fulminate bomb
Season 1, Episode 6
Tuco, a drug dealer, steals a pound of meth and beats up Jesse. Walt takes $50,000 from Tuco and sets up more meth deals after threatening him with a mercury fulminate bomb. To drive home the threat, Walt explodes a sample and blows out the windows of Tuco's headquarters.
Lets partner's girlfriend die
Season 2, Episode 12
Jesse's new girlfriend, Jane, is a bad influence on him. They become heroin addicts, and Walt finds the two in bed unconscious after they shot up. Jane begins choking on her own vomit. Walt initially moves to help her, but instead watches her die.
Throws pizza on roof
Season 3, Episode 2
Skyler bars Walt from his own house. In a fit of rage, Walt hurls a pizza into the air. The pizza lands flat on the roof of the house.
Kills two drug dealers
Season 3, Episode 12
Jesse learns that two of Gus' street dealers killed an 11-year-old boy. He approaches them with a gun. Just as a gunfight is about to erupt, Walt runs down the dealers with his car, killing one instantly. He then shoots the other in the head. Walt tells Gus that he owed it to Jesse to save his life.
Has meth cook executed to escape his own execution
Season 3, Episode 13
Gus intends to kill Walt and replace him with Gale, so Walt plots to kill Gale. Jesse urges Walt to go to the police, but Walt refuses. Walt is captured by Gus' henchmen. He tricks them into letting him call Jesse. At his urging, Jesse kills Gale, saving Walt's life.
Launders money through ex-boss's car wash
Season 4, Episode 3
The Whites stage a fake environmental audit to prod Walt's former boss into selling his car wash to them. Then they use the car wash to launder Walt's drug money.
Puts DEA back on the chase
Season 4, Episode 5
When Hank comes across Gale's journal, he thinks he has finally found Heisenberg. At dinner with the family, Hank says Gale was a genius. Walt says Gale's notes are the work of a student. Hank continues to investigate Heisenberg.
Wears a pork pie hat
Season 1, Episode 7
With his pork pie hat, Walt can change from Walter White, chemistry teacher, to Walter White, meth cook and killer, in an instant.
Poisons child to win back partner
Season 4, Episode 12
To turn Jesse against Gus, Walt poisons the son of Jesse's girlfriend and convinces Jesse that Gus did it. The child nearly dies in the hospital.
Laughs maniacally at his own misfortune
Season 4, Episode 11
Walt needs $500,000 to pay for new identities for himself and his family after finding out that Gus is planning to kill them. When he gets home, though, he finds that Skyler gave most of his drug money to her boss to prevent the IRS from investigating their family. Walt screams and cries, then laughs like a madman.
Kills drug lord via explosive-rigged former drug lord
Season 4, Episode 13
Unable to afford new identities for his family, Walt tries to kill Gus. Gus' henchman sees Uncle Tio, a former drug lord, talk to the DEA. Gus comes to Tio's nursing home to personally kill him. Walt straps a bomb to Tio's wheelchair. As Gus leans in to kill Tio, Tio rings his bell, setting off the bomb that kills them both.