Bob Odenkirk Has A Theory About Jimmy McGill's Future

Looking back, it's crazy to think that Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) was only meant to be in three episodes of "Breaking Bad" (via National Review). After his debut appearance in the series' second season, the sarcastic criminal lawyer quickly became a fan-favorite character, winning viewers over with his irreverent humor and quick wit. As a result, Saul became a regular character in the series — appearing in four seasons of "Breaking Bad." 

The character become so beloved that he even got his own spin-off series in the form of "Better Call Saul," which chronicles his transformation from a struggling attorney named Jimmy McGill into a man with deep connections to the underground crime world. Now, the sixth and final season of "Better Call Saul" is fast approaching, and it promises to wrap up the story of Jimmy McGill once and for all.

Of course, after the events of "Breaking Bad," Jimmy assumes the identity of a Cinnabon manager named Gene, and each season of "Better Call Saul" has shown pieces of the character's future life via several flash-forwards. Unfortunately for him, it looks like Gene's days of anonymity may be numbered too, as he was recognized by a taxi driver in "Better Call Saul" Season 4. Based on what we know about Jimmy McGill, though, it doesn't seem like he'd simply go down quietly if someone were to come for him.

Indeed, the whole situation seems like a recipe for disaster. However, Bob Odenkirk actually has a surprisingly optimistic take on Jimmy's post-"Breaking Bad" future.

During an interview with Esquire in February 2021, Bob Odenkirk revealed that Jimmy McGill's fate is actually a point of contention between himself and "Better Call Saul" creators Peter Gould and Vince Gilligan. "This is an argument we have," Odenkirk said. "It's one-sided because Vince and Peter refuse to account for my argument that sometimes people do learn the right lessons from their mistakes and their traumas and their problems."

Odenkirk went on to say that he thinks Jimmy actually learned from everything he went through in "Breaking Bad," and believes that the events of the series would result in him embarking on a morally correct path for once. In fact, Odenkirk went on to say that he thinks Jimmy would "use his various talents to help people who really need help," and asserted, once again, his belief that people can make better choices once they learn from their mistakes.

Unfortunately, in the end, Odenkirk admitted in the interview that Jimmy will likely end up returning to his old habits after "Breaking Bad." Nonetheless, it is interesting to hear the actor speak so candidly about what he thinks lies in store for the character.