When Breaking Bad ended in 2013 with the end of the grand finale of the fifth season, fans were sad that their favorite show had ended. They wanted to know more about their favorite characters in the show and get a glimpse of the events after the original series. So everyone was pleasantly surprised when the Breaking Bad franchise announced a movie, “El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie,” in 2019. They were even more surprised when the movie made several callbacks to the original show allowing fans to feel nostalgic about the series.
The movie is set to pick up where the series left off and once again casts many of the original cast members, with Aaron Paul returning to the role of Jesse Pinkman, Jesse Plemons in the role of Todd Alquist, Krysten Ritter as Jane Margolis and Charles Baker as Skinny Pete. Additionally, Matt Jones was in the role of Brandon Mayhew, Robert Forster played Ed Galbraith, and Jonathan Banks returned to his role as Mike Ehrmantraut.
Jonathan Banks first appeared in the role of Michael Ehrmantraut in 2009 in Season 2’s finale episode, Episode 13. The episode was titled “ABQ.” Mike is introduced as an ex-police officer from Philadelphia who works for Gus Fring and sometimes for Saul Goodman as his private investigator, cleaner, and a hitman. In the show, Mike dies in Season 5.
What Was El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie About?
Fans of Breaking Bad would know that since the series was a critically acclaimed crime drama series, the movie had to be crime-based. After the events of Breaking Bad, we follow Jesse Pinkman as he escapes the Brotherhood and tries to make something of himself despite his past. Still, his past keeps haunting him, and the movie is essentially the chain of events where he must learn to deal with his past, make his own decisions, and create a future for himself.
Who Was Michael “Mike” Ehrmantraut?
Michael Ehrmantraut, or Mike, first came to the screen as one of Gus Fring’s employees. He acts as a private investigator, security head, and as hitman for Gus and sometimes Saul. In Philadelphia, Mike had worked in a corrupt job that led to the death of his son, so he would have moved to New Mexico to watch over and take care of his granddaughter and his daughter-in-law. He supports them financially through the money he earns in the underworld.
Jonathan Bank’s portrayal of Mike has led to several award nominations and acclaim for the actor. Mike is often seen doing dirty work for his boss. He is sent to jobs that involve cleaning up the evidence, tracking down individuals, acting as a spy, and even acting as a hitman. The role of Mike was originally just to replace Saul for that one episode of “ABQ” due to availability issues; however, the reception was so good that the writers went ahead with fleshing out a proper role for Jonathan Banks.
Mike plays an instrumental role in Gale’s death, where he is about to kill Walt, and Walt convinces him to let him talk to Jesse and gets Jesse to kill Gale. Mike is also the one who suggests that they drive Walt and Jesse apart.
How Did Mike Die In Breaking Bad?
In Season 5, after Gus’s death and after Mike joined Walt and Jesse, they go on a spree trying to erase evidence of their association with Gus as the DEA continues to investigate. The DEA identifies a link between Mike and Gus. Intending to flee, Mike asks Saul to get his go bag which has his getaway money and other essentials. However, Walt gets it, hoping to get the names of his associates so he can have them killed and protect his own identity. When he asks for the names, Mike refuses to give them, so Walt takes out a gun from the go bag and shoots him through the car’s window.
Mike makes it out of the car and edges toward the riverfront, where he is slowly going to die. That’s when Walt realizes that he could have gotten the names of the associates through Lydia, the chemical supplier, and he apologizes for shooting Mike. All Mike has to say to that is, “Shut the fuck up, and let me die in peace.” After that, Todd and Walt dispose of Mike’s body together by dissolving it secretly in acid. This happens in Season 5, Episode 7, “Say My Name.”
The movie, “El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie,” references the series strongly. In one of the flashback scenes, we see that Jesse and Mike have a conversation where Mike suggests Alaska for remaking a man’s identity. This becomes the basis of Jesse trying to deal with his past and make his own future. This flashback scene also triggers a call back to the scene of Mike dying at the riverfront in the original series, Breaking Bad, which also happens in front of the river.
