With the finale of Breaking Bad coming next Sunday, now is as good of a time as any to look back on all of the great characters that have been created for the show. From "Pilot" through "Granite State," this is the list of those who went above and beyond to make Albuquerque the drug capitol of the southwest and milquetoast Walter White into the scariest guy in the world. It wasn't a pretty ride, but at least we have these 50 memorable characters to share the memories with.
40. Max Arciniega
Actor: James Martinez
First Episode: "Hermanos"
Status: Dead
One of the greatest mysteries left behind by the death of Gus Fring is his roots in Chile with partner Max Arciniega. In some ways, the mystery is what fuels the legend. There is some joy in at least getting a brief glimpse into the partnership that almost was as Fring's ego lead Arciniega's death and eventually the war with the Cartel. He is the character that hardened Fring and much like Jesse and Walter, they had their own methods of cooking and distribution that changed over time. In some ways, Arciniega did more through dying than he could in life by making the international conflict one of the show's longest and strongest plot points.
39. Domingo Gallardo Molina a.k.a Krazy 8
Actor: Max Arciniega
First Episode: "Pilot"
Status: Dead
The first kill is the hardest. While Emilio had died in the first episode, it was almost too impersonal to be considered a brutal death. However, the other drug dealer, Krazy 8, survived in Jesse's basement for three whole episodes in which the show become a philosophical debate on morals with Walter and Krazy 8 swapping stories and connecting in ways most killers wouldn't have the heart to do. It is the death that set up the show's code of ethics, yet it was still a tragic one that despite an amazing performance, left us wondering if Krazy 8 was telling the truth about his relative's businesses. To make things more appealing in the world of "what if?," he was a rat for the D.E.A. before his death, which foreshadowed Jesse's future several seasons later. Who knows how quickly the show could have ended if Krazy 8 had escaped when he had the chance.
38. Clovis
Actor: Tom Kiesche
First Episode: "Bit By a Dead Bee"
Status: Alive
Badger's cousin who just so happened to work at a car park. Despite never being a central character, they got a lot of mileage out of Clovis to the extent that he once protected Walter and Jesse from Hank with the help of Old Joe. One of his key moments was not only storing the RV at multiple points, including impounding it when Jesse couldn't pay the bill, but he also helped to destroy the remains when the D.E.A. caught on and was about to corner the mobile meth lab. He was the brawn who kept the RV in his control metaphorically. He was very protective and did his job very well, which is something we can all admire.
37. Drew Sharp
Actor: Samuel Webb
First Episode: "Dead Freight"
Status: Dead
Even though Tomas Cantillo had died in season three, one of the most notorious deaths involving adolescents on the show is that of Drew Sharp. Little is known about him and his screen time isn't even two minutes. Still, it was the power of an innocent bystander in the desert who saw the biggest train robbery in history go down that packed the biggest punch. It ruined Jesse forever by having him contemplate giving money to the Sharp family. In fact, the way that Sharp managed to hauntingly disappear off the face of the planet is so haunting that even watching his corpse being dunked in acid is more disturbing than the average death. Even if his death goes down as the most tragic, ambiguous one in the series' entire run, it does have the distinct honor of being the moment that we knew just how much of a psychopath Todd really was. He killed an innocent kid and kept his pet tarantula. Now that is crazy.
36. Old Joe
Actor: Larry Hankin
First Episode: "Sunset"
Status: Alive
Another car park employee who managed to have an impact on the show. While he helped Clovis protect Jesse and Walter from Hank, he also was the supplier of magnets. With a dark, insulting wit, he managed to become the cool gadget guy of the show. His knowledge of spare parts and ability to know his domain has made him one of the greatest underused characters that has a lot of important advice involving piercings and private domiciles. Another important partner in destroying the RV, he may be the coolest junkyard employee that has ever been captured on TV.
35. Elliott and Gretchen Schwartz
Actors: Adam Godley and Jessica Hecht
First Episode: "Gray Matter" and "...and the Bag's in the River"
Status: Alive
In season one, the Schwartz couple was Walter's deux ex machina. Providing him with a job and a way to pay for his cancer treatment, it almost seemed like the show could have solved all of its problems before reaching the 10th episode. Instead, he refused and started the biggest conflict in the show's history regarding some past relationship with Gretchen and selling his shares for thousands when their industry became worth billions. In a way, Walter's former partners of Gray Matter are the biggest blow to his ego and the most logical reason why he's in the empire business trying to be the best meth dealer in history. If things had gone differently and he had taken the money, who knows how Walter would have turned out. At least he wouldn't be lying that the Schwartz couple was paying for his treatment anyways when they really weren't.
34. Spooge's Child
Actors: Dylan and Brandon Carr
First Episode: "Peekaboo"
Status: Alive
If there is one mystery that will probably never be solved, it is the whereabouts of Spooge's Child. The neglected son of a meth couple who stole an ATM machine, he is one of the first kids that Breaking Bad introduced that was in dire straits. He didn't really say much, but with Jesse, they bonded in ways that humanized Jesse and made the harsh reality that the show existed in have more clairvoyance. The episode itself is a dark and disturbing look into the life of two awful people, but through it all, there is nothing more tragic than seeing a kid in those conditions, forced to never live up to his potential. Maybe things will work out once the police pick him up, but I doubt he will ever be the same psychologically.
33. Kaylee Ehrmantraut
Actor: Kaija Roze Bales
First Episode: "Caballo Sin Nombre"
Status: Alive
The crux to Mike's endearing quality as one of the best characters is his granddaughter. While initially created to juxtapose Mike's sinister work killing the Cartel with childlike toys and balloons, it evolved to so much more. It became the best relationship on the show, at least in terms of morality. She was full of life and her innocence brought out the best in Mike to the point that he gave some of his money to her college funds. Even if she wasn't given a story, the banter that these two shared is some of the most lighthearted, human interactions that the show had ever provided. While it is sad that Mike is gone, it is more depressing because we won't get to see these two hang out and tell jokes to each other. Even though she lost her grandfather, there is hope that that was as close as she ever got to being ruined by Walter's empire. It would be too much if she got hurt.
32. Juan Bolsa
Actor: Javier Grajeda
First Episode: "I.F.T."
Status: Dead
The person who dealt internationally with the Juarez Cartel and Gus Fring was a good negotiator. Even though he was rarely in actions, his say had the power to cause bloodshed or keep everyone safe. He controlled the Salamanca clan to the point that he kept Hank alive until Fring suggested that he sick the Cousins on him. His threat also goes back, as he was in charge of creating a distribution ring with Fring in the early days. When things didn't go his way, he shot his partner Max Arciniega and created the tension and riff that existed up through "Salud." While Don Eladio is the head of the empire, Juan Bolsa does the grunt work by giving people orders. He is sadistic but nonetheless one intimidating fellow.
31. Group Leader
Actor: Jere Burns
First Episode: "No Mas"
Status: Alive
Who doesn't want Jesse to clean up and fly straight? Introduced in season three, he was responsible for trying to make everything work. By holding narcotics anonymous meetings, he gave Jesse a place to vent and hopefully improve his life. While Jesse eventually double-crossed him by selling to patients, the Group Leader character is one who somehow became more effective as time went on. He shared dark stories of his own battles with addictions and was the closest that Jesse came to telling anyone before season five about the meth making industry, which was described as Kafkaesque. It is a shame that things didn't work out, but after deceiving him with debilitating sales, could you blame him? At very least, he was the one who brought Jesse into contact with Andrea and Brock, so his matchmaker abilities is definitely worth noting.
Come back tomorrow when we cover #30-#21, which includes doctors, Nazis, and prostitutes.
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