‘Breaking Bad‘, created by Vince Gilligan is one of the most brutal series, with numerous heartbreaking deaths. The fifth season marks the sad demise of Mike Ehrmantraut. This particular episode received appreciation from many critics, singling out the performances by Jonathan Banks (Mike Ehrmantraut) and Bryan Cranston (Walter White). The episode is recognized by many television critics as one of the best in the series, with Matt Richenthal from TV Fanatic giving ‘Say My Name’ a five-star rating, and calling it “one of the best in series history.”
The series revolves around an underpaid chemistry teacher, Walter White who runs a meth drug pin with a student Jesse Pinkman. As the empire grows, more trouble is invited resulting in more bloodbaths. The series goes on a blood rampage brutally killing all our favorite characters episode after episode. Mike’s death was totally redundant and undeserving, which created a huge impact on the fans. He plays a vital role in ‘Breaking Bad‘ and ‘Better Call Saul‘, the series spin-off.
Related: Top 25 Thriller Series Worth Watching
Who Is Mike Ehrmantraut And What Makes Him A Formidable ‘Breaking Bad’ Character?
Mike Ehrmantraut made his first appearance in season two, episode 13 of ‘Breaking Bad‘, working for Gustavo Fring and occasionally working for Jimmy, who continues practicing law under the name Saul Goodman. He formally worked as a private investigator and was an expert soldier and a skilled assassin. Unlike the other characters from the series, Mike indeed stayed away from unnecessary drama with a bare minimum of ego-tripping. Furthermore, he had no interest in killing his way up the meth chain, his sole purpose was his safety and his boss’s. He is the most rational person in the entire series as he makes the best decisions that benefit anyone with a minor danger.
Mike’s experience as a cop and a marine, gave him an added advantage over the other players in the meth game. For someone of advanced age, he had remarkable decision-making skills and tactics. Unlike Walter, he did not use his family, as an excuse for his crimes, he proudly owned him. In ‘Bagman’, he delivers a remarkable speech, claiming that he’s at peace with the concept of death, and fine going out knowing that he improved the lives of his loved ones, all of which makes his death undeniably sadder. This particular monologue is why Mike is everything that Walter failed to be. Although he was a criminal, Mike had a respectable moral code and explicitly stayed in the business to save up money for his granddaughter, Kaylee.
In case you missed: Which Is the Worst-Rated Episode Of ‘Breaking Bad’?
How Does Mike Die? Who Kills Him?
‘Say My Name‘ marks the death of Mike Ehrmantraut, perhaps the only character who did not deserve such a death in ‘Breaking Bad‘. The most tragic part of Mike’s death is that it was needless and avoidable. After an intense argument, Walt loses his head and shoots Mike in the gut and he bleeds out by a nearby river. After such a spontaneous action, Walt tried to apologize, after realizing that their fight was irrational. Bent over by a river, Mike told him to shut up and “let me die in peace,” making his death even sadder.
All the while building his drug empire, Walt argued he was working in the interests of his family, which certainly was a convenient lie. Walt eventually admitted that he both liked doing what he did and enjoyed being good at it. Meanwhile, Mike was someone who genuinely did bad things for the sake of his family, so the fact that it’s the two-faced Walt who ultimately guns Mike down adds drama to the character’s death.
You might also like to read:
