What Happened To Every Character After Breaking Bad: All Confirmed Details (2024)

While Breaking Bad ends with the death of Walter White, there are a lot of questions about what happened to the show's other key characters afterward. The acclaimed show featured a rich cast of memorable characters in its portrayal of Albuquerque's drug underworld, but only a few made it out of the series alive. Of the survivors, much of their fate is left unknown and uncertain. However, the spinoff Better Call Saul and the Netflix movie El Camino provide at least some idea of what happened to Breaking Bad's core characters after the final episode "Felina."

One of the elements that made Breaking Bad a commercial and critical success was its strong cast. However, over the course of the series, many of those characters, including several fan favorites, meet grisly ends as Walt's all-consuming quest to conquer the meth trade claimed many lives. Ultimately, this included his own as Walt is killed in the Breaking Bad finale following his final act of revenge and goodbyes to the people he was leaving behind. While Walt's story was wrapped up definitively, finding out what happened to Breaking Bad's remaining cast of characters requires looking beyond that final episode.

Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul)

He "Disappeared" & Started A New Life In Alaska

Walter White's cooking partner has one of the most detailed post-Breaking Bad fates as the spinoff movie El Camino: A Breaking Bad Story, revealed what happened to Jesse Pinkman next. After escaping from the Aryan Brotherhood's compound, Jesse set up a plan to make authorities think he fled south. He then arranged to be "disappeared" by Robert Forster's character, Ed Galbraith, the same service that Saul Goodman used in Breaking Bad.

After killing a criminal named Neil over a share of Todd's money, Jesse was able to pay for the service and start a new life in Alaska. He left a letter for his former girlfriend's son, Brock, but otherwise didn't say goodbye to anyone. Ultimately, El Camino leaves Jesse with a little bit of the freedom and peace he never found during Breaking Bad.

As Breaking Bad went on through the seasons, it became clear that while the seemingly mild-mannered family man Walt was capable of shocking evil, Jesse was a good person in his heart. It is fitting then that he gets one of the happier endings in the Breaking Bad universe. A throwaway line in Better Call Saul also reveals the authorities do suspect Jesse went south, suggesting he succeeded in going into hiding.

Skyler White (Anna Gunn)

It Is Revealed In Better Call Saul That Skyler Accepted A Plea Deal From The Government

Given that Walt's criminal activity initially started to provide for his family, it's heartbreaking to see what happens to Skyler White in Breaking Bad. In the series finale, Skyler is shown living in a government safe house, working as a taxi dispatcher under her maiden name, and serving as the focus of a criminal investigation for knowing the truth about Walt's drug empire. Anna Gunn didn't return as Skyler for either El Camino or Better Call Saul, but a phone conversation between Saul and his secretary, Francesca, in the latter reveals that Skyler received a plea deal from the government.

The news offers a slight glimmer of hope for her life after the events of the show, but the future does not look good for Skyler even with Walt finally dead. Even if she's legally in the clear, however, Skyler has no access to the money Walt intended to leave for her, little professional experience, and must care for her infant daughter Holly, suggesting plenty of struggles ahead, due in no small part to her late husband's selfishness. Though Walt is responsible for many deaths in Breaking Bad, the damage he caused Skyler is devastating.

While it is tragic to see how his family is left in the wake of his empire’s collapse, it was necessary for Skyler and her children to be a victim of Walt’s actions. He had begun his career in the drug business as a way to provide for them in his absence. For him to succeed in that in the end would have been like a justification for what he did. Instead, Walt leaves his family worse off than before, which truly shows the consequences of the path he chose.

RJ Mitte (Walt Jr./Flynn)

It's Unknown If Walt Jr. Received The Trust That The Schwartzes Set Up For Him

Walter's son gets a muted send-off in the Breaking Bad series finale, with his father briefly glimpsing him but not having a conversation. Walt coerced Gretchen and Elliott Schwartz to put his remaining money in a trust for Walt Jr., but it's unknown if Junior ever received his money or if he would accept it, given his anger at his father at the end of the series.

It is also revealed that Walt Jr. is once again going under the name "Flynn" at the end of the series, a hint of his continued disgust with his father. Actor RJ Mitte has suggested that Junior could join the DEA in an attempt to make up for his father's misdeeds, following in Hank's footsteps who was the father figure he deserved. The last Walt Jr. is seen in the series is when Walt watches him return from school from a distance, showing that he cannot even say goodbye to the son who now hates him.

Marie Schrader (Betsy Brandt)

Marie Serves As A Witness Against Saul Goodman & Seeks Justice For Hank's Death

Skyler's sister and Hank's widow, Marie makes a surprising appearance in the Better Call Saul series finale as part of Saul's interrogation. Marie blames Saul for contributing to her husband's death and acts as a reminder of the human damage Walter did with Saul's help. She also appears in the courtroom during Saul's climactic confession scene, joined by Steven Gomez's widow as well. Marie seems to be dedicated to finding justice for her husband in her post-Breaking Bad existence.

While Marie could be a flaky and self-centered character at times, she was a changed person in the aftermath of Hank’s death. She is stronger and more assured as shown in how she speaks to Saul. It is also notable that Marie calls Skyler to tell her that Walt has returned in the Breaking Bad finale. Despite Skyler knowing of Walt’s crimes which led to Hank’s death, Marie is still in contact with her sister and keeps looking out for her.

Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk)

Reneges On His Own Plea Deal & Is Sentenced To 86 Years In Prison

As the central character of the spinoff series Better Call Saul, Saul Goodman has the most developed future of any Breaking Bad character. While most of the sequel show takes place prior to Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul does provide glimpses into Saul's post-series life under the assumed identity of Gene Takavic, a Cinnabon manager in Nebraska. However, just a few months after Breaking Bad's conclusion, Saul finds himself drawn into a life of petty crime again when he is recognized by an Albuquerque resident.

Saul is apprehended by the police and charged with the crimes he committed while working for Walter. He initially negotiates a generous plea deal for himself but reneges on it at the last minute to accept his responsibility for the damage Walter did. Saul is sentenced to 86 years in federal prison but is able to find a kind of atonement, returning to his original name of Jimmy McGill.

What is interesting about Saul’s ending is that it seems to be an inverse of Walt’s journey in Breaking Bad. When Saul was introduced, he was a shady criminal lawyer who was certainly not above breaking the law. However, in the end, he is a man who is willing to take responsibility for his actions even though falling back on his old talent of lying would have provided him with a much easier path.

Lydia Rodarte-Quayle (Laura Fraser)

Becomes Critically Ill After She's Poisoned By Walt, But Her Ultimate Fate Is Unknown

Lydia plays a key role in Breaking Bad's later seasons as part of the Madrigal shell company who helps Walt export his meth to the Czech Republic. In the final episodes of Breaking Bad, Lydia attempts to double-cross Walt, but he instead strikes at her by slipping ricin into her coffee sweetener.

El Camino confirms Lydia's poisoning as Jesse a radio report describing a woman who is critically ill after having been poisoned and is tied to White's crimes, presumably Lydia. While it's not confirmed that Lydia died from the poisoning, it seems highly likely given Walt's knowledge of chemicals. Even if Lydia survived, she would have woken up to a life behind bars. Interestingly, with the phone conversation that Walt has with Lydia in the finale of Breaking Bad, she is the last person he speaks to in the show.

Breaking Bad's Supporting Characters

Huell Could Very Well Still Be Waiting In The Motel

Badger (Matt Jones) and Skinny Pete (Charles Parker): Jesse's best friends are last seen in Breaking Bad helping Walt threaten Gretchen and Elliott, then revealing to Walt that Jesse is still alive. They return in El Camino and help Jesse with his escape. Badger drives a car and hides it near the border to make it seem like Jesse went into Mexico.

Meanwhile, Skinny Pete agrees to wait around for the cops and tell them Jesse's plan to go south. Given that the police believe Jesse went south as revealed in Better Call Saul, it appears Badger was not caught, but it is possible Skinny Pete was punished as an accessory to Jesse's escape.

Huell (Lavell Crawford): Saul Goodman's bodyguard, Huell is an intimidating silent type, but he is rattled in his final appearance in Breaking Bad as Hank convinces him that Walt is out to kill him. Huell agrees to help the DEA, and Hank informs him that he should stay in a dingy motel room until it is safe.

Since Hank and Gomez were the only ones who knew about Huell and both men were killed, there was an ongoing joke from fans that he was still waiting in that motel room. However, Huell gets a happier ending as Better Call Saul reveals he moved back to New Orleans after the DEA couldn't prosecute him.

Patrick Kuby (Bill Burr): Huell's partner Kuby gets one of the more mysterious endings after Breaking Bad. When Hank interrogates Huell, he falsely implies Kuby may have already been killed by Walt, attempting to scare Huell more. This could suggest Hank was unable to locate Kuby and that he might have gone on the run after Walt and Saul left. This is further backed up in Better Call Saul when Francesa reveals she doesn't know where he is.

Francesca (Tina Parker): Though Saul's secretary liked to keep out of his more nefarious business dealings, Francesca clearly knew he was a criminal and even remained in contact with Saul after he went on the run. Better Call Saul reveals she became an apartment building manager and takes money from Saul to update him on events in Albuquerque.

Ted Beneke (Christoper Cousins): Ted is last seen having suffered an unfortunate fate in Breaking Bad. After Skyler risks her own exposure by helping him with his money issues, Huell and Kuby pay Ted a visit to convince him to take care of the matter. However, it leads to Ted accidentally breaking his neck and becoming paralyzed. Though he wakes from his coma, he is clearly afraid of Skyler and Walt, promising not to tell the police anything. Given that Skyler remains free, it appears he stuck to that promise even after Walt's death.

Brock (Ian Posada): Following the death of his mother Andrea, Brock is never seen again in the Breaking Bad universe. However, Jesse's letter to him at the end of El Camino suggests that he will learn the truth about his mother's death. It is unknown what he will do with that information.

Ed Galbraith (Robert Forster): Despite being introduced late in season 5 of Breaking Bad, Ed Galbraith became a recurring character in the universe, appearing in El Camino and Better Call Saul as well. After last being seen helping Walt maintain his life in hiding, Ed returns in El Camino to use his particular services to help Jesse disappear to Alaska. His final appearance, airing after the death of Robert Forster, was in Better Call Saul as Saul calls him to arrange another disappearance only to change his mind.

There Won't Be Any More Breaking Bad Stories After El Camino And Better Call Saul

No More Jesse Or Kim Stories

Even after finding out what happens to Jesse Pinkman after Breaking Bad, there still feels like more that can be explored with that character and many others within the Breaking Bad universe. However, the chances of seeing another series or movie about Jesse's life in Alaska or a story focusing on Better Call Saul's Kim Wexler seem unlikely. Vince Gilligan confirmed that the Breaking Bad timeline is done. While he expressed pride in the two spinoff stories, he insists he was pushing his luck, and it is time to end things.

As tempting as it is to spend more time in this universe, it is easy to see where Gilligan is coming from. El Camino was a necessary follow-up after Jesse's final season story was lacking. Meanwhile, Better Call Saul ended up being a series that rivaled Breaking Bad with its own fascinating arc. However, not every question needs to be answered and not every character needs perfect closure, so what happens at the end of Breaking Bad can be a fitting enough conclusion for some of these characters.

What Has The Cast Of Breaking Bad Done Since The Show

The Breaking Bad Supporting Cast Has Gone Onto Big Things

Given the popularity of Breaking Bad, it can be hard to see these actors as anything other than their characters from the series. Nevertheless, the cast of the show has managed to stay busy since the series ended, with several of them even becoming bigger stars after Breaking Bad.

Bryan Cranston showed audiences a new side of his talent in Breaking Bad, which led to several high-profile roles, and he was nominated for an Oscar for his role as the blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo in the biopic Trumbo. He followed that up with a number of blockbuster movies, including Godzilla and Power Rangers, and starred alongside Kevin Hart in the drama-comedy The Upside. Cranston has returned to television on occasion with Sneaky Pete and Your Honor. He also appeared as himself alongside Aaron Paul in an episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Paul’s reunion with Cranston was a memorable post-Breaking Bad role for the actor, who has also stayed busy over the last decade. He followed up the end of the series by securing his first lead movie role in the video game adaptation of Need for Speed and also appeared in a couple of star-studded productions, like Exodus: Gods and Kings, Triple 9, and Central Intelligence. Paul’s television roles have also been notable, playing Todd on BoJack Horseman and joining Westworld as Caleb Nichols in season 3.

After playing Skyler White on Breaking Bad, Anna Gunn returned to another television role, reprising her part as Martha Bullock in the Deadwood movie. Gunn has also recently appeared on a number of television shows, Most Dangerous Game, Physical, and Sugar. Betsy Brandt also returned to television with two sitcoms, The Michael J. Fox Show and Life in Pieces. Dean Norris has also had a mix of movie and television roles, following Breaking Bad with Under the Dome, Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark, and he recently appeared in the final episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Some of the most impressive post-Breaking Bad careers have come from the supporting cast. Jesse Plemons has proven himself one of the most exciting actors in Hollywood today with many varied projects, from his hilarious scene-stealing role in Game Night to his Oscar-nominated turn in The Power of the Dog to his chilling cameo in Civil War. Giancarlo Esposito has also channeled his unforgettable performance as Gus Fring into several notable villain roles in the likes of The Boys, The Gentlemen, and The Mandalorian. He will next join the MCU as the villainous Sidewinder in Captain America: Brave New World.

While his comedic role as Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad played into Bob Odenkirk’s career as a comedic actor, he proved himself to have a lot more range with his starring role in Better Call Saul. Odenkirk helped make Saul Goodman/Jimmy McGill a character as complex as Walter White. Odenkirk has continued to surprise people by also showing that he is a formidable action star in the critically-acclaimed Nobody.

Breaking Bad

Crime

Drama

Thriller

Where to Watch

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*Availability in US

Breaking Bad, created by Vince Gilligan, follows a chemistry teacher turned drug kingpin named Walter White (Bryan Cranston) as he attempts to provide for his family following a fatal diagnosis. With nothing left to fear, White ascends to power in the world of drugs and crime, transforming the simple family man into someone known only as Heisenberg.

Release Date

January 20, 2008

Seasons

5

Network

AMC

Streaming Service(s)

Netflix

Franchise(s)

Breaking Bad

Showrunner

Vince Gilligan

Better Call Saul

Comedy

Drama

Crime

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

*Availability in US

Set in times before, during, and after Breaking Bad, the AMC crime drama spinoff follows the trials and tribulations of criminal lawyer Saul Goodman (Odenkirk) as he looks to make a name for himself at his firm located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The show digs deeper into the events that crafted Saul and the repercussions of his actions.

Cast

Bob Odenkirk , Rhea Seehorn , Jonathan Banks , Patrick Fabian , Michael Mando , Giancarlo Esposito

Release Date

February 8, 2015

Seasons

6

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie

TV-MA

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

Not available

*Availability in US

El Camino wraps up Jesse Pinkman's story after he escapes from a group of Neo-Nazis at the end of Breaking Bad. Written, directed, and produced by Vince Gilligan and starring Aaron Paul, the 2019 movie revolves around Jesse's attempt to flee to Alaska and start a new life, leaving behind his past with meth kingpin Walter White.

Director

Vince Gilligan

Release Date

October 11, 2019

Cast

Krysten Ritter , Jonathan Banks , Matt Jones , Aaron Paul , Robert Forster , Bryan Cranston , Jesse Plemons , Charles Baker

Runtime

122 minutes