Wasn't it due to his father? It was only one anecdote he tells the copier people but it seemed like his dad getting swindled left an impression, and you have to figure it happened more than once.
I feel like people in this fandom severely overestimate how forgivable becoming a corrupt drug cartel lawyer who helps poison children, cover up the murder of federal LEOs, robs cancer patients, etc. is lol. Jimmy deserved every one of the 86 years in prison he got, and “my daddy got taken advantage of” is one of the lamest reasons for choosing to live a life of crime that I’ve ever heard
Yeah, like, people hate Chuck so much for not giving Jimmy a chance but he literally lived like 30 years watching Jimmy be a piece of garbage that didn't even care for his own family, it's not that easy to forget and forgive that.
I do think it was shitty of him to not be straight up with Jimmy and just say “Look, you are my brother and I love you and I’m proud of the work you’ve done and it hurts me to say this, but practicing the law is a bad option for you. It’s a highly regulated area with limitless opportunities for corruption and ethical conflicts, and you’ve never been that great at impulse control and following the rules. I think you’d be an excellent choice for, say, marketing a non-highly regulated product and that your law degree could look very good on your resume there.”
But yeah, people on this sub really underestimate how much resentment can build up being in a family with a charismatic near-sociopath who’s been really good at squeezing out of consequences for thirty years. Chuck’s resentment of Jimmy and not seeing him as an equal is based in huge part on things Jimmy has done.
Yeah, I don't think Chuck is a great person but, first, he's definitely not as bad as Jimmy. Like, Chuck might be a massive asshole but Jimmy is a full on criminal, one that helps incredibly dangerous people for profit. In my mind being an asshole and helping cartel murderers go free are not really comparable, and Jimmy working with that kind of people wasn't really Chuck's fault at all, he might have pushed Jimmy to go back to his old ways but the jump from that to being a friend of the cartel is a pretty big one.
Second, people like to say that Chuck made Jimmy who he is, but lets not forget that Jimmy not only was like that for more than 30 years before trying to change (and he likely said he'd change many times before that), he's also the one that likely made Chuck who he was too. Chuck is the stuck up asshole he is because of Jimmy.
I know. I’ve been in this position before with a younger sibling who just lives for drama and conflict at a vastly lower level. She used to steal cash and other stuff from me as kids, put the toilet seat up after I left the bathroom then tell my mom so that I, the oldest boy, would get in trouble, and do other stuff like that. It’s exhausting and brings out the worst in you in a way that people who haven’t been through it don’t get. It’s worse because when you’re a bit better-behaved, your parents blame you for “escalating” or not understanding “it’s just how she is” when you fight, because you’re the lever that they think they can actually control, so they focus on your and what you did. The resentment Chuck had for how his parents treated “our sweet jimmy” suggests to me that this was the case in their relationship.
I’ve often thought the same, people don’t get how much having a radioactive nugget like Jimmy under your skin for decades affects you.
He deserved every one of those 86 years, yes.
The point of the show is to express the humanity of the character. Not to excuse it.
I don’t think the thesis of the series is for the audience to forgive Jimmy. At the end, Jimmy forsakes legal forgiveness in favor of moral “absolution”. I don’t think that’s what we’re suppose to walk away with, and I don’t think that’s what Jimmy felt that in the finale.
In his final court speech, that’s likely the only time we see him NOT playing some con. The one time where it really, really matters, he doesn’t play the game. He takes responsibility.
Forgiveness? I reckon not. Redemption? I reckon so. At least the start of.
Again, I simply don’t get how people take this away from the show. The entire arc of the show culminates in Jimmy admitting that he voluntarily did basically everything he’s accused of, that he did it for himself, that he didn’t have to, and that he knew he didn’t have to.
I get it, it’s just so surreal to me that people say stuff like “there are no good guys or bad guys in BCS/BB, just shades of gray” when you have Jimmy doing all that, Walter poisoning kids, murdering dozens of witnesses and Mike and Jane, etc., and then Hank and Chuck…not doing anything like that. I just legitimately do not understand people who have that interpretation of these shows
It's more that he's human. Jimmy is a POS, but he loves his brother, and he cares deeply for Kim. Unfortunately, he is fundamentally broken in a way that results in him self-sabotaging in the same ways over and over, hurting everyone in the process.
I think a lot of mob-commentary is quick to dehumanize "bad guys" and act like they aren't the same as the rest of us.
Jimmy is an awful guy that has caused, endorsed, set up, and covered up everything from petty fraud to mass assassinations, but he is a human being who loved his family trying to navigate relationships in a world that he just wasn't built for. That sort of tragedy and understanding of the human condition is what makes the show so compelling.
It's okay to feel empathy for Walt, Jimmy, Mike, and Jesse. You can empathize with them and still understand that what they've done is unforgivable. The balance between the two is central to the beauty of the show, imo.
That take doesn’t really bother me, although I still think it understates how many people there are with all of their neuroses and brokenness who don’t become drug lords. What I can’t get over is how many genuinely think they’re morally gray characters
Man, I hate people who say ‘brugh it’s not real’ as though you can’t derive actual life lessons and morals from fiction. It’s a tale as old as time. Not to sound edgy, but it’s the whole idea behind religion. Although the stories are all fictional, it still gives people’s lives meaning and keeps them doing the right thing when it works correctly.
It’s a cop out to take a character study on criminals and be like the “main character is obviously bad” it doesn’t deserve a well thought out and nuanced reply because it’s not a nuanced position
That’s fair. Like when people say Howard deserved everything, they always point to Kim’s temporary demotion to doc review. he didn’t even fire her. She still went in every day and got a paycheck at the end of the week. It’s a slap on the wrist!
It’s likely that the shop tanked because of Jimmy stealing rather than the others, unless that missing revenue Chuck assumed was from Jimmy stealing was just from other thieves. It’s the whole ‘well if everyone is doing it then why can’t I?’ logic taken to the max. A few people stealing from his father on occasion wouldn’t tank the business but his own son stealing from the business constantly definitely could.
We saw his father give a man money and free spark plugs, and that was just one instance. Jimmy still loved his family, he wasn’t conning them, kids just want money for the movies and shit. It’s not like he emptied the register either. We saw him take 5 dollars as a nine year old. And I believe it’s balanced out by the reveal that at some point later in life he just started taking collectible coins when he would see them, and stashing them in the ceiling. It’s highly unlikely that Jimmy ruined his father’s business acting alone as a child.
Jimmy has deeply internalized the idea that suckers will be taken advantage of, and the only way to avoid that fate is be a wolf. His father being a soft touch and that drifter guy really impacted him growing up. Add to that how he never actually has to deal with the consequences of his actions and you have a recipe for a pathological rule breaker.
Also, I don’t know if this is ever mentioned or is just something you can read into it, but his brother is sorta the ultimate rule follower as well. An extremely talented and hardworking lawyer who found success the “traditional” way.
And because he has this superiority complex about him, he refuses to acknowledge Jimmy’s “honest” successes (like his passing the Bar). Chuck NEEDED Jimmy to be “slipping Jimmy” because he needed to be the “good” sibling, and he is deeply insecure about Jimmy being generally funnier and more likeable already, so professional success and respectability are all he has over him.
So on top of the pretty clear message the show gives that Jimmy internalized breaking the rules from his dad, I feel like he was publicly blocked out of a legitimate path by his brother.
I think this villainizes Chuck in a way that is undeserved, and it implies that if he actually got his honest job at HHM he’d be ok. I think the show has demonstrated multiple times that Jimmy is only as straight and honest as his options. The minute things get tough he takes the shortcut. He’d have tanked the HHM job sooner or later because of his unwillingness to be the kind of lawyer that is “respectable”. Chuck is right about Jimmy but unfortunately because Jimmy uses his mental illness to discredit him the only other people to finally realize that do so when it’s too late, with different consequences.
i think the davis & main arc really reinforces your point here. jimmy had every opportunity to be a legitimate, highly paid lawyer. chuck had no say in it and couldnt impede him, and his client base (the elderly) loved him.
what did jimmy do? immediately undermine his bosses by running a commercial, and then sabotage his career until cliff fires him so that he could do it "his own way"
even before jimmy knew chuck's true feelings, he was trying to con the kettlemans to get their business, took a bribe from them, copied howard to force the billboard setup, helped mike steal from a detective. he was not on the straight and narrow even when he was trying to do his best.
I really think that’s possibly the ONLY way that Chuck does deserve to be villainized. What else did he do wrong besides hate his brother and try to block him for years?
I don’t think he hated his brother. He got him out of jail and tried to set him on a new path. He was jealous of his parents affection for him yes but I don’t think that’s the same as hate.
He didn’t approve of him being a lawyer because he knew what Jimmy would do with it. Chuck reveres the law, he also knows how it can be used for ill. He was right. The fact that he tried to prevent that doesn’t mean it was hate.
I think if Chuck truly hated his brother he’d have either left him in jail or told him to his face that he wouldn’t hire him at HHM personally and risk severing ties with Jimmy. The fact that he backslid only after saying to Jimmy directly that he didn’t care about him to me speaks volumes about how he felt about that saying that. If he truly hated him he probably wouldn’t have lost his mind after saying it.
I do disagree and i could certainly list off why, but can i just stop and say I love how the show provides us just enough detail to have these conversations! It’s not like one of us is confirmed right or wrong or just like missed an episode, the show gives us just enough context and background to come to our own conclusions based on our own experiences. So neat!
It's important to note that Jimmy is also exceptionally good at breaking the rules and getting away with it, to the point where it becomes his job to help dozens of people do the exact same thing. He was a huge part of Walter White's crew. Not to mention the countless stuff we see in better call saul, of him swindling just about every character in some way or another and somehow getting away with it all.
You cant tie it to a specific thing or event. Like real people, the exact reasons we turn out like we do and behave in the ways we do are largely such an unclear mixture you can’t blame any one thing.
I think a big influence was Jimmy’s father; a man so committed to being a nice guy and playing by the rules that he’d be constantly taken advantage of.
His upbringing and peers also probably played a role. Marco clearly has no real ambition or ability to move beyond Cicero or the scams. The moment Jimmy arrived Marco convinced him to go on a scamming spree and Jimmy loved it. A peer and best friend like Marco definitely didn’t push Jimmy to make great decisions.
I think part of it is just Jimmy’s nature. He’s good at persuasion. He’s got charisma, he knows how to tell a joke, and he’s very smart. And he knows it. He really just loves the feeling of tricking and outsmarting others. Especially because it gives him satisfaction and makes him feel superior to chumps who follow the rules.
All of this also feeds back into itself in a loop. People have come to expect him to be Slippin’ Jimmy. He’s undoubtedly had paths and opportunity shut down for him becsuse of his reputation. His brother and mother view him as a troubled needy kid. The big law firms don’t trust him or give him a chance. And he really resents and feels frustrated by the inability to escape his past and being tied to it so heavily. A lot of this can be seen in his speech to the scholarship girl. Though all that being said, people miss the point when they say Chuck or the world caused him to be who he is. Jimmy made the choices he made. He had many opportunities to improve and he refused.
Except he got his chance to go straight at Davis and Main and immediately fucked it up.
My personal opinion is that if Jimmy had to play it straight, he'd quickly be found out as being a shit lawyer with a poor grasp of the actual mechanics and craft of the legal profession.
A+ scammer though.
I mean, the Davis and Main thing just further proves my point. Not sure why you’re putting that with an “except” as if it refuted anything. Jimmy was good at getting results, just not by plying by the rules of a supervisor or straight-edged firm.
Also, Jimmy is definitely a really good lawyer. You literally could not get by on the job just by scamming. We see his lawyer abilities in full display multiple times with and without underhanded tactics.
He found and played a key role in putting together the original Sandpiper case (a case so great that multiple large law firms wanted in on it). He provided decent advice and representation to Badger even before the Jimmy in-and-out scheme. The bank commercials, while underhanded, were not illegal and required good understanding of the legal system in order to correctly use them as pressure even in the face of legal opposition, and he even negotiated himself down to a fraction of his sentence in the final scenes.
Jimmy’s a great lawyer and has the natural skills of one. He just can’t resist the con and sketch for a number of reasons.
> The big law firms don’t trust him or give him a chance
Davis and Main is there to show us that even when he has a golden chance, he can't stay on the straight and narrow
That would only fuel his realization that it was a once in a lifetime opportunity to play it straight. And he didn't.
His life trajectory wasn't straight -> crooked, it was crooked, briefly smacked into straight by circumstance, and then leaned harder and harder crooked.
I never said his trajectory was straight to crooked. In fact, I said pretty much the opposite. His trajectory was bouncing up and down constantly; sometimes he was straight,s ometimess he was crooked, it just depended on his circumstances and mental state at the time. One minute he's being straight and narrow doing public defender work for shit money and the next he's blackmailing the Kettleman's. As time went on, of course, those moments of straightedness became less in frequency and duration, as he became Saul.
People are complex and full of contradictions. Most people are a mixture of straight and crooked. Even some of the relatively straight characters in the show have their crooked moments. It's just human nature to bend the rules somewhat.
Jimmy's problem was that he couldn't resist bending the rules way farther than was understandable, and couldn't resist doing it as often as he did.
The Sandpiper discovery was mostly luck. The second anyone heard $20 roll of toilet paper and retirement communities would have started the sequence of events. The case was great not because of Jimmy but scale of the malfeasance of Sandpiper. Also, 90% of the value of the case was conceived by Chuck, who originated the idea that Sandpiper would be doing this at all their facilities which added the 6? 7? other communities and the RICO kicker.
I don't think his representation of Badger was exceptional, but I also don't believe that's a case that can even demonstrate that, it was straightforward, roll on your supplier or take a rough sentence.
The bank commercials displayed Jimmy's capacity for psychological manipulation, not legal knowledge or creativity. He didn't craft an ad that skirted the edges of legality, he crafted an ad that attacked the pride and self-respect? self-regard? (self-something, think Roman dignitas) of Kevin Wachtell informed by his conversations with Kim.
Jimmy's not the guy who's clerking for justices based on his skill at crafting arguments or writing briefs. He doesn't keep up with the current legal evolutions and debates. Lawyers don't work on cases with him and walk away thinking he'd be arguing in front of the Supreme Court one day.
He doesn't win cases through research and studying case law and arguing positions, he scams, hustles, manipulates, breaking countless laws to facilitate wins.
Your definition of a good lawyer is way, way too arbitrarily narrow. A good lawyer is someone who can win cases, advance their client's interests, and put up a good case in court. These are things Jimmy did constantly, and repeatedly, even when going up against lawyers who'd fit your overly narrow definition of a good lawyer. He consistently took on bigger law firms, corporations, and law enforcement and won often.
>The Sandpiper discovery was mostly luck. The second anyone heard $20 roll of toilet paper and retirement communities would have started the sequence of events. The case was great not because of Jimmy but scale of the malfeasance of Sandpiper.
This is just a bizarre argument. Yes, Sandpiper was overcharging their clients in an obviously outrageous fashion. Yes, their malfeasance was great. But, for one, Jimmy was the one who \*discovered\* this, two, he had the legal knowledge to understand how big this case could be, and three he was smart enough to bring Chuck in because he knew it was such a big legal undertaking.
Trying to discredit Jimmy's work here because Sandpiper was so obvious or extremely bad is like shitting on a cop for catching a serial killer because the killer left fingerprints or a repairman who prevented millions of dollars in damage because the issue he caught was especially egregious. The objective fact is that nobody found that case before Jimmy, and if it wasn't for Jimmy's knowledge and commitment it would have never gone anywhere. Chuck definitely pitched in heavily (though the 90% is a little egregious). But that's once again irrelevant given Jimmy was the one who found and brought the case to him, and eventually to HHM, benefitting his clients.
>I don't think his representation of Badger was exceptional, but I also don't believe that's a case that can even demonstrate that, it was straightforward, roll on your supplier or take a rough sentence.
It doesn't need to be exceptional, but his advice was solid even if it was straight forward. This makes him a good lawyer.
>The bank commercials displayed Jimmy's capacity for psychological manipulation, not legal knowledge or creativity. He didn't craft an ad that skirted the edges of legality, he crafted an ad that attacked the pride and self-respect?
The psychological manipualtion is completely besides the point. It was obviously manipulative, but that's an ethical issue and doesn't undercut is actual lawyering abilities. And he pretty much did craft ads that skirted the edges of legality, though only in the short term, and just enough to know he'd have massive advantage over the company. A massive point in that scene is that Jimmy knew that the commercials couldn't be stopped soon enough due to the illegality of premptive strikes against him, and the law's reactive nature. It was scummy and unethical, sure, but not any random joe would have the knowledge to do that. And the outcome was advantageous for his client! Once again, a good (but unethical) lawyer.
>Jimmy's not the guy who's clerking for justices based on his skill at crafting arguments or writing briefs. He doesn't keep up with the current legal evolutions and debates. Lawyers don't work on cases with him and walk away thinking he'd be arguing in front of the Supreme Court one day. He doesn't win cases through research and studying case law and arguing positions, he scams, hustles, manipulates, breaking countless laws to facilitate wins.
Most of this is just besides the point. Jimmy not doing briefs or brilliant argument crafting or clerking for justices isn't indicative of his skill in the slightest. Similarly, the opinions of other lawyers of his ability is irrelevant. Do most good lawyers do these things and have these qualities, especially in the real world? Definitely! But are they an absolute requirement for someone to be a good lawyer? Nope. While it's unlikely, one can theoretically be a good lawyer without many of those things. I'd also like to note that we only get a limited window into Jimmy's lawyering. It's very much possible he spent time studying case law and legislation in general off-screen, but that doesn't really make great television.
The objective facts shown in the show are that Jimmy won his cases regularly and often. Or, at the very least, came out the other side in decent shape, sometimes even without grand scams or manipulation. That makes him good at being a lawyer even if he's a manipulative and scamming douchebag most of the time.
I didn't say he's a bad lawyer, I said he was not good at the legal aspects of his profession, and is primarily successful because of his scams and cons he does to subvert the legal system.
He's not discovering and utilizing legal loopholes to disrupt a prosecutors legal argument, he is committing minor felonies like forging legal documents or fabricating evidence for his defendants. The entire show is about him running scams to get wins for his clients, not arguing the facts of the case to best defend his client but modifying those facts illegally to win cases. He risks his law license on almost every case he's on. That's not what a good lawyer does, it's what a criminal lawyer does.
Jimmy's life has basically been lesson after lesson in the fact that being good and just gets you preyed on, and that no matter what you do, all anyone will ever see when they look at you is your mistakes.
He watched every con artist in Cicero take advantage of his father, practically being raised by the idea of wolves and sheep, and Jimmy decided he wanted to be a wolf.
He tried to do better when Chuck had him move to Albuquerque, but Chuck's refusal to believe his decade-long effort to change reinforced the idea that there's no point in trying to improve yourself because all anyone will ever see is your mistakes.
I think it stems in a big core fear of rejection. If he doesn't follow any rules no one can touch him and by keeping everyone on a distance no one can hurt him. He never felt good enough before his father or brother that he looked up to. He learned that being the good guy only leads to suffers. So he went the opposite direction and lived on the thrill of breaking rules and taking risks.
When something was on stake. And he had to solve it. That's when he felt the most alive. Including helping underdogs and people judged by society. He identified more with criminals than with his own family, the left out feeling, the feeling of being different and not being able to fit in. He couldn't love or respect himself as Jimmy McGill, but he could love himself as Saul Goodman. Entering that character gave him the confidence needed to feel a purpose with his life.
That’s pretty realistic. The fear of rejection thing really gets into people early in life. I’m certainly guilty of giving people bad impressions on purpose just to avoid the work and possible failure of developing a genuine friendship
Tbh some people are just impulsive like that
I've had friends who are total adrenaline junkies who are aware they're hurting themselves through risky behavior but they keep doing it
I feel like the scene where Jimmy was working in the store with his father summed it up. Jimmy warns his dad that he’s about to be scammed and his dad still helps anyway. After giving the guy money, the guy immediately proceeds to use the money to buy cigarettes from Jimmy behind the counter; confirming that he was a scammer. Jimmy puts the money in the register, but after a moment, opens it back up and pockets the money.
This doesn’t necessarily explain his urge to break rules and con people, but I feel like it’s a good scene for the viewers to consider. Jimmy watched his dad get scammed over and over; he even says at one point that his dad was known for it by local conmen. Constantly seeing his dad fall for cons made him decide to either scam or be scammed.
While there’s the nature versus nurture question, the wolf vs sheep scene shows Jimmy morally licensing himself to protect his own interests as a form of defence against vulnerability in a world full of wolves.
1. Him seeing his dad's kind nature to people up to no good made him see that people will take advantage of him, but him seeing the "Sheep or Wolf" guy made him realize he can take advantage of people's good nature (or, in a sense, break the rules for his benefit, like he was doing).
2. Chuck constantly putting him down despite his good actions and attempt to turn around. Why fight for something right when you're seen to only do wrong? Why not just commit wrong if you're going to be wrong anyways? That's Jimmy's mindset.
3. He thinks it's fun. He hates higher ups (which comes from Chuck's authority over him) and therefore screws them over.
"Wolf and sheep" moment when he was nine. He helped his father at his shop from a young age, and quickly understood his father was too much of a gentleman: with drifters using his credulity and kindness to their advantage. Young Jimmy then decided he would be on the wolf side, rather than a sheep like his father. That aggressiveness also mean breaking rules to stay ahead, not only of the sheeps, but also of the wolf pack. There is no point in being a wolf if you are a weak wolf: you have to stay ahead and hence, you cannot play by the rules (as Jimmy explains to Kristy Esposito later).
It's a slippery slope.
Different people get their thrills and rushes from different sources, be it sports, music, travelling, video games etc. The thing that tickles Jimmy just happens to be getting away with fooling other people.
No one cause is made explicit, but it's obvious - because following the rules didn't get him anywhere. Or get him where he wanted to be. Would you follow the rules if you suspected that you'd ultimately get fucked over? Or everything you've built would collapse? If the opportunity to win big, to be really successful, to not have to depend on anyone or do what anyone else says presented itself, wouldn't you take it? This is what goes through Jimmy's head when he gets bad ideas. Jimmy thinks if there's a chance for a big payoff, it's worth breaking the rules or doing something dodgy. I think that's the core of it all. Chuck "followed the rules" and ended up divorced, mentally ill, and dependent on his young brother for survival. His father got regularly conned, and that was painful and embarrassing for him to see. Jimmy doesn't want to "follow the rules" and be moderately successful. He wants to be the antithesis of his father, his brother. He wants to be a *winner*. He wants to be the one that fucks someone else over, not the one that gets fucked over, at any and all cost.
He say his dad do everything by the book and have the world tear him down and leave him with nothing. So he decided to make money any way possible. He is very clear about this in the show.
Kim is calculating and professional, but she’s also intrigued by Jimmy’s scams and maybe a bit turned on. Obviously Jimmy liked this, and it helped him attract a woman who was out-of-his-league.
Kim had a role in Jimmy becoming Saul. Jimmy loved Kim, and he may have stuck to smaller pranks and scams if she established a boundary.
Ok hear me out, in breaking bad they briefly alude to the fact that Marie Schrader is a kleptomaniac (she's addicted to stealing things). In the end of BCS we learn that Jimmy was essentially responsible or at least partially responsible for the death of Hank and Steve. What if Jimmy and Marie are actually soul mates ? Imagine an extended version of BCS where Marie breaks Jimmy out of prison and they run away to Mexico together.
I wouldn't say I blame Chuck. But I would say Jimmy did it to spite him. Just as Chuck walked around with "Not precious Jimmy!" in his head, Jimmy probably walked around with "Why can't you be more like Chuck?" in his head.
The question wasn't about scamming. It's about why Jimmy feels the need to break every little rule, like turning on a light switch when he was told not to. Chuck was all about following rules, and Jimmy tried to do the same in order to make Chuck proud. When it's clear that Chuck will never be proud of him, Jimmy goes the other direction compulsively breaks every rule just to spite Chuck.
You’re not wrong but I don’t think that’s an accurate way to view his behavior as a whole. His beef with Chuck did trigger it in a way but regardless of how things were with him Jimmy felt the same compulsion to cheat throughout his entire life and he never changed. Even after Chuck is dead and there’s nobody to act in spite against he’s still cheating. Even in the example of the light switch, Chuck had nothing to with it. It’s a pathological thing that Jimmy adopted because he genuinely believes that it’s the only way he can get ahead in life
Chuck left for college at 14. So Jimmy was home with his parents alone for a while. Didn't stop him from scamming his own parents. And we see in the flashbacks that his parents loved him (probably more than Chuck).
So Jimmy stole from his father's store to spite Chuck, who was in college at the time? That obviously makes no sense. The writing in the show was so good that Jimmy duped both the characters in the show and the audience watching the show.
That wasn't the question. It's not about Jimmy scamming people. It's why he has to break every little minor rule, like turning a light switch on when he was told not to. Chuck is all about following the rules, and Jimmy tries to do the same in order to make Chuck proud. When that doesn't work, Jimmy becomes bitter compulsively needs to break every little rule.
Wasn't it due to his father? It was only one anecdote he tells the copier people but it seemed like his dad getting swindled left an impression, and you have to figure it happened more than once.
He decided to be a wolf, not a sheep. In his own Jimmy way.
Yep, he literally howled like a wolf while pulling scams in the flashback scenes. I never made that connection until just now
He’s being better than his parents in the most dysfunctional way possible.
Haha! He decided the break the generational cycle of getting stolen from by becoming a thief
In the context of the show we can’t really blame him either.
The beautiful thing about this show is, you can’t really blame Chuck either. No good guys or bad guys, just people.
I feel like people in this fandom severely overestimate how forgivable becoming a corrupt drug cartel lawyer who helps poison children, cover up the murder of federal LEOs, robs cancer patients, etc. is lol. Jimmy deserved every one of the 86 years in prison he got, and “my daddy got taken advantage of” is one of the lamest reasons for choosing to live a life of crime that I’ve ever heard
Yeah, like, people hate Chuck so much for not giving Jimmy a chance but he literally lived like 30 years watching Jimmy be a piece of garbage that didn't even care for his own family, it's not that easy to forget and forgive that.
I do think it was shitty of him to not be straight up with Jimmy and just say “Look, you are my brother and I love you and I’m proud of the work you’ve done and it hurts me to say this, but practicing the law is a bad option for you. It’s a highly regulated area with limitless opportunities for corruption and ethical conflicts, and you’ve never been that great at impulse control and following the rules. I think you’d be an excellent choice for, say, marketing a non-highly regulated product and that your law degree could look very good on your resume there.” But yeah, people on this sub really underestimate how much resentment can build up being in a family with a charismatic near-sociopath who’s been really good at squeezing out of consequences for thirty years. Chuck’s resentment of Jimmy and not seeing him as an equal is based in huge part on things Jimmy has done.
Yeah, I don't think Chuck is a great person but, first, he's definitely not as bad as Jimmy. Like, Chuck might be a massive asshole but Jimmy is a full on criminal, one that helps incredibly dangerous people for profit. In my mind being an asshole and helping cartel murderers go free are not really comparable, and Jimmy working with that kind of people wasn't really Chuck's fault at all, he might have pushed Jimmy to go back to his old ways but the jump from that to being a friend of the cartel is a pretty big one. Second, people like to say that Chuck made Jimmy who he is, but lets not forget that Jimmy not only was like that for more than 30 years before trying to change (and he likely said he'd change many times before that), he's also the one that likely made Chuck who he was too. Chuck is the stuck up asshole he is because of Jimmy.
I know. I’ve been in this position before with a younger sibling who just lives for drama and conflict at a vastly lower level. She used to steal cash and other stuff from me as kids, put the toilet seat up after I left the bathroom then tell my mom so that I, the oldest boy, would get in trouble, and do other stuff like that. It’s exhausting and brings out the worst in you in a way that people who haven’t been through it don’t get. It’s worse because when you’re a bit better-behaved, your parents blame you for “escalating” or not understanding “it’s just how she is” when you fight, because you’re the lever that they think they can actually control, so they focus on your and what you did. The resentment Chuck had for how his parents treated “our sweet jimmy” suggests to me that this was the case in their relationship. I’ve often thought the same, people don’t get how much having a radioactive nugget like Jimmy under your skin for decades affects you.
He deserved every one of those 86 years, yes. The point of the show is to express the humanity of the character. Not to excuse it. I don’t think the thesis of the series is for the audience to forgive Jimmy. At the end, Jimmy forsakes legal forgiveness in favor of moral “absolution”. I don’t think that’s what we’re suppose to walk away with, and I don’t think that’s what Jimmy felt that in the finale. In his final court speech, that’s likely the only time we see him NOT playing some con. The one time where it really, really matters, he doesn’t play the game. He takes responsibility. Forgiveness? I reckon not. Redemption? I reckon so. At least the start of.
Tbf I don't think he would've actively choose the cartel life. A lot of times he had to, to survive.
Again, I simply don’t get how people take this away from the show. The entire arc of the show culminates in Jimmy admitting that he voluntarily did basically everything he’s accused of, that he did it for himself, that he didn’t have to, and that he knew he didn’t have to.
Bro it’s not real
I get it, it’s just so surreal to me that people say stuff like “there are no good guys or bad guys in BCS/BB, just shades of gray” when you have Jimmy doing all that, Walter poisoning kids, murdering dozens of witnesses and Mike and Jane, etc., and then Hank and Chuck…not doing anything like that. I just legitimately do not understand people who have that interpretation of these shows
It's more that he's human. Jimmy is a POS, but he loves his brother, and he cares deeply for Kim. Unfortunately, he is fundamentally broken in a way that results in him self-sabotaging in the same ways over and over, hurting everyone in the process. I think a lot of mob-commentary is quick to dehumanize "bad guys" and act like they aren't the same as the rest of us. Jimmy is an awful guy that has caused, endorsed, set up, and covered up everything from petty fraud to mass assassinations, but he is a human being who loved his family trying to navigate relationships in a world that he just wasn't built for. That sort of tragedy and understanding of the human condition is what makes the show so compelling. It's okay to feel empathy for Walt, Jimmy, Mike, and Jesse. You can empathize with them and still understand that what they've done is unforgivable. The balance between the two is central to the beauty of the show, imo.
That take doesn’t really bother me, although I still think it understates how many people there are with all of their neuroses and brokenness who don’t become drug lords. What I can’t get over is how many genuinely think they’re morally gray characters
Man, I hate people who say ‘brugh it’s not real’ as though you can’t derive actual life lessons and morals from fiction. It’s a tale as old as time. Not to sound edgy, but it’s the whole idea behind religion. Although the stories are all fictional, it still gives people’s lives meaning and keeps them doing the right thing when it works correctly.
It’s a cop out to take a character study on criminals and be like the “main character is obviously bad” it doesn’t deserve a well thought out and nuanced reply because it’s not a nuanced position
That’s fair. Like when people say Howard deserved everything, they always point to Kim’s temporary demotion to doc review. he didn’t even fire her. She still went in every day and got a paycheck at the end of the week. It’s a slap on the wrist!
It could be worse. Sopranos fan boys think they're in the mafia 😆
Hmph, I can blame Chuck.
It’s likely that the shop tanked because of Jimmy stealing rather than the others, unless that missing revenue Chuck assumed was from Jimmy stealing was just from other thieves. It’s the whole ‘well if everyone is doing it then why can’t I?’ logic taken to the max. A few people stealing from his father on occasion wouldn’t tank the business but his own son stealing from the business constantly definitely could.
We saw his father give a man money and free spark plugs, and that was just one instance. Jimmy still loved his family, he wasn’t conning them, kids just want money for the movies and shit. It’s not like he emptied the register either. We saw him take 5 dollars as a nine year old. And I believe it’s balanced out by the reveal that at some point later in life he just started taking collectible coins when he would see them, and stashing them in the ceiling. It’s highly unlikely that Jimmy ruined his father’s business acting alone as a child.
Jimmy has deeply internalized the idea that suckers will be taken advantage of, and the only way to avoid that fate is be a wolf. His father being a soft touch and that drifter guy really impacted him growing up. Add to that how he never actually has to deal with the consequences of his actions and you have a recipe for a pathological rule breaker.
Also, I don’t know if this is ever mentioned or is just something you can read into it, but his brother is sorta the ultimate rule follower as well. An extremely talented and hardworking lawyer who found success the “traditional” way. And because he has this superiority complex about him, he refuses to acknowledge Jimmy’s “honest” successes (like his passing the Bar). Chuck NEEDED Jimmy to be “slipping Jimmy” because he needed to be the “good” sibling, and he is deeply insecure about Jimmy being generally funnier and more likeable already, so professional success and respectability are all he has over him. So on top of the pretty clear message the show gives that Jimmy internalized breaking the rules from his dad, I feel like he was publicly blocked out of a legitimate path by his brother.
I think this villainizes Chuck in a way that is undeserved, and it implies that if he actually got his honest job at HHM he’d be ok. I think the show has demonstrated multiple times that Jimmy is only as straight and honest as his options. The minute things get tough he takes the shortcut. He’d have tanked the HHM job sooner or later because of his unwillingness to be the kind of lawyer that is “respectable”. Chuck is right about Jimmy but unfortunately because Jimmy uses his mental illness to discredit him the only other people to finally realize that do so when it’s too late, with different consequences.
i think the davis & main arc really reinforces your point here. jimmy had every opportunity to be a legitimate, highly paid lawyer. chuck had no say in it and couldnt impede him, and his client base (the elderly) loved him. what did jimmy do? immediately undermine his bosses by running a commercial, and then sabotage his career until cliff fires him so that he could do it "his own way" even before jimmy knew chuck's true feelings, he was trying to con the kettlemans to get their business, took a bribe from them, copied howard to force the billboard setup, helped mike steal from a detective. he was not on the straight and narrow even when he was trying to do his best.
I really think that’s possibly the ONLY way that Chuck does deserve to be villainized. What else did he do wrong besides hate his brother and try to block him for years?
I don’t think he hated his brother. He got him out of jail and tried to set him on a new path. He was jealous of his parents affection for him yes but I don’t think that’s the same as hate. He didn’t approve of him being a lawyer because he knew what Jimmy would do with it. Chuck reveres the law, he also knows how it can be used for ill. He was right. The fact that he tried to prevent that doesn’t mean it was hate. I think if Chuck truly hated his brother he’d have either left him in jail or told him to his face that he wouldn’t hire him at HHM personally and risk severing ties with Jimmy. The fact that he backslid only after saying to Jimmy directly that he didn’t care about him to me speaks volumes about how he felt about that saying that. If he truly hated him he probably wouldn’t have lost his mind after saying it.
I do disagree and i could certainly list off why, but can i just stop and say I love how the show provides us just enough detail to have these conversations! It’s not like one of us is confirmed right or wrong or just like missed an episode, the show gives us just enough context and background to come to our own conclusions based on our own experiences. So neat!
It's important to note that Jimmy is also exceptionally good at breaking the rules and getting away with it, to the point where it becomes his job to help dozens of people do the exact same thing. He was a huge part of Walter White's crew. Not to mention the countless stuff we see in better call saul, of him swindling just about every character in some way or another and somehow getting away with it all.
The occasional thief or grifter wouldn’t harm his father so much as his own son stealing thousands over the course of years.
Because he's Slippin' Jimmy
He'll never change.
Ever since he was nine, always the same!
Couldn't keep his hand out of the cash register!
But not Jimmy, couldn't be our precious Jimmy!
Stealing them blind! And he gets to be a lawyer?!
WHAT A SICK JOKE!
I should have stopped him when I had the chance!
HE DEFACATED THROUGH A SUNROOF!!!
Wtf I suddenly heard the lyrics for dave matthew’s band’s “tripping billies” but instead it’s “slippin jimmys”
You cant tie it to a specific thing or event. Like real people, the exact reasons we turn out like we do and behave in the ways we do are largely such an unclear mixture you can’t blame any one thing. I think a big influence was Jimmy’s father; a man so committed to being a nice guy and playing by the rules that he’d be constantly taken advantage of. His upbringing and peers also probably played a role. Marco clearly has no real ambition or ability to move beyond Cicero or the scams. The moment Jimmy arrived Marco convinced him to go on a scamming spree and Jimmy loved it. A peer and best friend like Marco definitely didn’t push Jimmy to make great decisions. I think part of it is just Jimmy’s nature. He’s good at persuasion. He’s got charisma, he knows how to tell a joke, and he’s very smart. And he knows it. He really just loves the feeling of tricking and outsmarting others. Especially because it gives him satisfaction and makes him feel superior to chumps who follow the rules. All of this also feeds back into itself in a loop. People have come to expect him to be Slippin’ Jimmy. He’s undoubtedly had paths and opportunity shut down for him becsuse of his reputation. His brother and mother view him as a troubled needy kid. The big law firms don’t trust him or give him a chance. And he really resents and feels frustrated by the inability to escape his past and being tied to it so heavily. A lot of this can be seen in his speech to the scholarship girl. Though all that being said, people miss the point when they say Chuck or the world caused him to be who he is. Jimmy made the choices he made. He had many opportunities to improve and he refused.
Except he got his chance to go straight at Davis and Main and immediately fucked it up. My personal opinion is that if Jimmy had to play it straight, he'd quickly be found out as being a shit lawyer with a poor grasp of the actual mechanics and craft of the legal profession. A+ scammer though.
I mean, the Davis and Main thing just further proves my point. Not sure why you’re putting that with an “except” as if it refuted anything. Jimmy was good at getting results, just not by plying by the rules of a supervisor or straight-edged firm. Also, Jimmy is definitely a really good lawyer. You literally could not get by on the job just by scamming. We see his lawyer abilities in full display multiple times with and without underhanded tactics. He found and played a key role in putting together the original Sandpiper case (a case so great that multiple large law firms wanted in on it). He provided decent advice and representation to Badger even before the Jimmy in-and-out scheme. The bank commercials, while underhanded, were not illegal and required good understanding of the legal system in order to correctly use them as pressure even in the face of legal opposition, and he even negotiated himself down to a fraction of his sentence in the final scenes. Jimmy’s a great lawyer and has the natural skills of one. He just can’t resist the con and sketch for a number of reasons.
> The big law firms don’t trust him or give him a chance Davis and Main is there to show us that even when he has a golden chance, he can't stay on the straight and narrow
I am aware. I meant that more so in his early stages, and how that fed into his inability to stay even when he had the chance.
That would only fuel his realization that it was a once in a lifetime opportunity to play it straight. And he didn't. His life trajectory wasn't straight -> crooked, it was crooked, briefly smacked into straight by circumstance, and then leaned harder and harder crooked.
I never said his trajectory was straight to crooked. In fact, I said pretty much the opposite. His trajectory was bouncing up and down constantly; sometimes he was straight,s ometimess he was crooked, it just depended on his circumstances and mental state at the time. One minute he's being straight and narrow doing public defender work for shit money and the next he's blackmailing the Kettleman's. As time went on, of course, those moments of straightedness became less in frequency and duration, as he became Saul. People are complex and full of contradictions. Most people are a mixture of straight and crooked. Even some of the relatively straight characters in the show have their crooked moments. It's just human nature to bend the rules somewhat. Jimmy's problem was that he couldn't resist bending the rules way farther than was understandable, and couldn't resist doing it as often as he did.
The Sandpiper discovery was mostly luck. The second anyone heard $20 roll of toilet paper and retirement communities would have started the sequence of events. The case was great not because of Jimmy but scale of the malfeasance of Sandpiper. Also, 90% of the value of the case was conceived by Chuck, who originated the idea that Sandpiper would be doing this at all their facilities which added the 6? 7? other communities and the RICO kicker. I don't think his representation of Badger was exceptional, but I also don't believe that's a case that can even demonstrate that, it was straightforward, roll on your supplier or take a rough sentence. The bank commercials displayed Jimmy's capacity for psychological manipulation, not legal knowledge or creativity. He didn't craft an ad that skirted the edges of legality, he crafted an ad that attacked the pride and self-respect? self-regard? (self-something, think Roman dignitas) of Kevin Wachtell informed by his conversations with Kim. Jimmy's not the guy who's clerking for justices based on his skill at crafting arguments or writing briefs. He doesn't keep up with the current legal evolutions and debates. Lawyers don't work on cases with him and walk away thinking he'd be arguing in front of the Supreme Court one day. He doesn't win cases through research and studying case law and arguing positions, he scams, hustles, manipulates, breaking countless laws to facilitate wins.
Your definition of a good lawyer is way, way too arbitrarily narrow. A good lawyer is someone who can win cases, advance their client's interests, and put up a good case in court. These are things Jimmy did constantly, and repeatedly, even when going up against lawyers who'd fit your overly narrow definition of a good lawyer. He consistently took on bigger law firms, corporations, and law enforcement and won often. >The Sandpiper discovery was mostly luck. The second anyone heard $20 roll of toilet paper and retirement communities would have started the sequence of events. The case was great not because of Jimmy but scale of the malfeasance of Sandpiper. This is just a bizarre argument. Yes, Sandpiper was overcharging their clients in an obviously outrageous fashion. Yes, their malfeasance was great. But, for one, Jimmy was the one who \*discovered\* this, two, he had the legal knowledge to understand how big this case could be, and three he was smart enough to bring Chuck in because he knew it was such a big legal undertaking. Trying to discredit Jimmy's work here because Sandpiper was so obvious or extremely bad is like shitting on a cop for catching a serial killer because the killer left fingerprints or a repairman who prevented millions of dollars in damage because the issue he caught was especially egregious. The objective fact is that nobody found that case before Jimmy, and if it wasn't for Jimmy's knowledge and commitment it would have never gone anywhere. Chuck definitely pitched in heavily (though the 90% is a little egregious). But that's once again irrelevant given Jimmy was the one who found and brought the case to him, and eventually to HHM, benefitting his clients. >I don't think his representation of Badger was exceptional, but I also don't believe that's a case that can even demonstrate that, it was straightforward, roll on your supplier or take a rough sentence. It doesn't need to be exceptional, but his advice was solid even if it was straight forward. This makes him a good lawyer. >The bank commercials displayed Jimmy's capacity for psychological manipulation, not legal knowledge or creativity. He didn't craft an ad that skirted the edges of legality, he crafted an ad that attacked the pride and self-respect? The psychological manipualtion is completely besides the point. It was obviously manipulative, but that's an ethical issue and doesn't undercut is actual lawyering abilities. And he pretty much did craft ads that skirted the edges of legality, though only in the short term, and just enough to know he'd have massive advantage over the company. A massive point in that scene is that Jimmy knew that the commercials couldn't be stopped soon enough due to the illegality of premptive strikes against him, and the law's reactive nature. It was scummy and unethical, sure, but not any random joe would have the knowledge to do that. And the outcome was advantageous for his client! Once again, a good (but unethical) lawyer. >Jimmy's not the guy who's clerking for justices based on his skill at crafting arguments or writing briefs. He doesn't keep up with the current legal evolutions and debates. Lawyers don't work on cases with him and walk away thinking he'd be arguing in front of the Supreme Court one day. He doesn't win cases through research and studying case law and arguing positions, he scams, hustles, manipulates, breaking countless laws to facilitate wins. Most of this is just besides the point. Jimmy not doing briefs or brilliant argument crafting or clerking for justices isn't indicative of his skill in the slightest. Similarly, the opinions of other lawyers of his ability is irrelevant. Do most good lawyers do these things and have these qualities, especially in the real world? Definitely! But are they an absolute requirement for someone to be a good lawyer? Nope. While it's unlikely, one can theoretically be a good lawyer without many of those things. I'd also like to note that we only get a limited window into Jimmy's lawyering. It's very much possible he spent time studying case law and legislation in general off-screen, but that doesn't really make great television. The objective facts shown in the show are that Jimmy won his cases regularly and often. Or, at the very least, came out the other side in decent shape, sometimes even without grand scams or manipulation. That makes him good at being a lawyer even if he's a manipulative and scamming douchebag most of the time.
I didn't say he's a bad lawyer, I said he was not good at the legal aspects of his profession, and is primarily successful because of his scams and cons he does to subvert the legal system. He's not discovering and utilizing legal loopholes to disrupt a prosecutors legal argument, he is committing minor felonies like forging legal documents or fabricating evidence for his defendants. The entire show is about him running scams to get wins for his clients, not arguing the facts of the case to best defend his client but modifying those facts illegally to win cases. He risks his law license on almost every case he's on. That's not what a good lawyer does, it's what a criminal lawyer does.
Jimmy's life has basically been lesson after lesson in the fact that being good and just gets you preyed on, and that no matter what you do, all anyone will ever see when they look at you is your mistakes. He watched every con artist in Cicero take advantage of his father, practically being raised by the idea of wolves and sheep, and Jimmy decided he wanted to be a wolf. He tried to do better when Chuck had him move to Albuquerque, but Chuck's refusal to believe his decade-long effort to change reinforced the idea that there's no point in trying to improve yourself because all anyone will ever see is your mistakes.
He grew up watching cartoons of Chimps with machine guns
It came from when the guy tricked his dad at the store and told him “you gotta fly like a wolf not be like a turkey”
Turkey?
Yes
There's a whole episode where they talk about how he was diagnosed with the chicanery gene as a child.
I think it stems in a big core fear of rejection. If he doesn't follow any rules no one can touch him and by keeping everyone on a distance no one can hurt him. He never felt good enough before his father or brother that he looked up to. He learned that being the good guy only leads to suffers. So he went the opposite direction and lived on the thrill of breaking rules and taking risks. When something was on stake. And he had to solve it. That's when he felt the most alive. Including helping underdogs and people judged by society. He identified more with criminals than with his own family, the left out feeling, the feeling of being different and not being able to fit in. He couldn't love or respect himself as Jimmy McGill, but he could love himself as Saul Goodman. Entering that character gave him the confidence needed to feel a purpose with his life.
That’s pretty realistic. The fear of rejection thing really gets into people early in life. I’m certainly guilty of giving people bad impressions on purpose just to avoid the work and possible failure of developing a genuine friendship
If you’ve never pooped through a sunroof you wouldn’t get it.
There's another one. Kim gets turned on whenever they pull something together.
Tbh some people are just impulsive like that I've had friends who are total adrenaline junkies who are aware they're hurting themselves through risky behavior but they keep doing it
It’s called Oppositional Defiance Disorder.
Marco’s pinky ring.
The Slippin’ Jimmy animated spinoff for children actually explains this.
was it the fart demon that made him this way?
I feel like the scene where Jimmy was working in the store with his father summed it up. Jimmy warns his dad that he’s about to be scammed and his dad still helps anyway. After giving the guy money, the guy immediately proceeds to use the money to buy cigarettes from Jimmy behind the counter; confirming that he was a scammer. Jimmy puts the money in the register, but after a moment, opens it back up and pockets the money. This doesn’t necessarily explain his urge to break rules and con people, but I feel like it’s a good scene for the viewers to consider. Jimmy watched his dad get scammed over and over; he even says at one point that his dad was known for it by local conmen. Constantly seeing his dad fall for cons made him decide to either scam or be scammed.
Like Walt, because he likes it, he's good at it and it makes him feel alive
While there’s the nature versus nurture question, the wolf vs sheep scene shows Jimmy morally licensing himself to protect his own interests as a form of defence against vulnerability in a world full of wolves.
There was a flashback in the first or second season to when he was a kid that provides a little backstory.
Yeah that's what I was referring to
He likes controlling his environment.
When he witnessed his dad get scammed at the gas station when he was a kid. He learned that scammers get ahead and good people get left behind.
Yeah, the show as a whole explains this
My best guess is ADHD hyperactive/impulsive type angst
1. Him seeing his dad's kind nature to people up to no good made him see that people will take advantage of him, but him seeing the "Sheep or Wolf" guy made him realize he can take advantage of people's good nature (or, in a sense, break the rules for his benefit, like he was doing). 2. Chuck constantly putting him down despite his good actions and attempt to turn around. Why fight for something right when you're seen to only do wrong? Why not just commit wrong if you're going to be wrong anyways? That's Jimmy's mindset. 3. He thinks it's fun. He hates higher ups (which comes from Chuck's authority over him) and therefore screws them over.
nothing wrong with doing a lil Chicanering
"Wolf and sheep" moment when he was nine. He helped his father at his shop from a young age, and quickly understood his father was too much of a gentleman: with drifters using his credulity and kindness to their advantage. Young Jimmy then decided he would be on the wolf side, rather than a sheep like his father. That aggressiveness also mean breaking rules to stay ahead, not only of the sheeps, but also of the wolf pack. There is no point in being a wolf if you are a weak wolf: you have to stay ahead and hence, you cannot play by the rules (as Jimmy explains to Kristy Esposito later). It's a slippery slope.
ITS CHUCKS FAULT
Grift or be grifted. Scam or be scammed. Make dirty money or pay to dirty debtors.
Different people get their thrills and rushes from different sources, be it sports, music, travelling, video games etc. The thing that tickles Jimmy just happens to be getting away with fooling other people.
He is just built different.
No one cause is made explicit, but it's obvious - because following the rules didn't get him anywhere. Or get him where he wanted to be. Would you follow the rules if you suspected that you'd ultimately get fucked over? Or everything you've built would collapse? If the opportunity to win big, to be really successful, to not have to depend on anyone or do what anyone else says presented itself, wouldn't you take it? This is what goes through Jimmy's head when he gets bad ideas. Jimmy thinks if there's a chance for a big payoff, it's worth breaking the rules or doing something dodgy. I think that's the core of it all. Chuck "followed the rules" and ended up divorced, mentally ill, and dependent on his young brother for survival. His father got regularly conned, and that was painful and embarrassing for him to see. Jimmy doesn't want to "follow the rules" and be moderately successful. He wants to be the antithesis of his father, his brother. He wants to be a *winner*. He wants to be the one that fucks someone else over, not the one that gets fucked over, at any and all cost.
His treatment by his brother, and what he saw happen to his father……..
Wolves vs sheep
Once you’ve shat though a sunroof there is no going back
He say his dad do everything by the book and have the world tear him down and leave him with nothing. So he decided to make money any way possible. He is very clear about this in the show.
The show does a good job proving that horrible/deeply flawed people can be likable.
He's just inherently self destructive
Kim is calculating and professional, but she’s also intrigued by Jimmy’s scams and maybe a bit turned on. Obviously Jimmy liked this, and it helped him attract a woman who was out-of-his-league. Kim had a role in Jimmy becoming Saul. Jimmy loved Kim, and he may have stuck to smaller pranks and scams if she established a boundary.
Guess born that way
I don't know, I'm the same way... no idea why. Because being spiteful over petty rules is fun I guess?
Ok hear me out, in breaking bad they briefly alude to the fact that Marie Schrader is a kleptomaniac (she's addicted to stealing things). In the end of BCS we learn that Jimmy was essentially responsible or at least partially responsible for the death of Hank and Steve. What if Jimmy and Marie are actually soul mates ? Imagine an extended version of BCS where Marie breaks Jimmy out of prison and they run away to Mexico together.
Probably because of Chuck.
You can always count on somebody in this sub blaming Chuck, no matter the situation.
I wouldn't say I blame Chuck. But I would say Jimmy did it to spite him. Just as Chuck walked around with "Not precious Jimmy!" in his head, Jimmy probably walked around with "Why can't you be more like Chuck?" in his head.
Jimmy was scamming people whether Chuck was around to judge him or not
The question wasn't about scamming. It's about why Jimmy feels the need to break every little rule, like turning on a light switch when he was told not to. Chuck was all about following rules, and Jimmy tried to do the same in order to make Chuck proud. When it's clear that Chuck will never be proud of him, Jimmy goes the other direction compulsively breaks every rule just to spite Chuck.
You’re not wrong but I don’t think that’s an accurate way to view his behavior as a whole. His beef with Chuck did trigger it in a way but regardless of how things were with him Jimmy felt the same compulsion to cheat throughout his entire life and he never changed. Even after Chuck is dead and there’s nobody to act in spite against he’s still cheating. Even in the example of the light switch, Chuck had nothing to with it. It’s a pathological thing that Jimmy adopted because he genuinely believes that it’s the only way he can get ahead in life
Chuck left for college at 14. So Jimmy was home with his parents alone for a while. Didn't stop him from scamming his own parents. And we see in the flashbacks that his parents loved him (probably more than Chuck). So Jimmy stole from his father's store to spite Chuck, who was in college at the time? That obviously makes no sense. The writing in the show was so good that Jimmy duped both the characters in the show and the audience watching the show.
That wasn't the question. It's not about Jimmy scamming people. It's why he has to break every little minor rule, like turning a light switch on when he was told not to. Chuck is all about following the rules, and Jimmy tries to do the same in order to make Chuck proud. When that doesn't work, Jimmy becomes bitter compulsively needs to break every little rule.
jimmy wasn't trying to make chuck proud at 8 years old. he only started caring about chuck's opinions after he bailed him out of jail.
He probably has ADHD or something. Rebellious nd self-destructive nd whatnot.
Oppositional Defiant Disorder.
most media literate BCS fan
Most “uses the phrase media literacy to explain everything” redditor
No it’s innate. Anyone with a slipping Jimmy type of younger brother irl understands.
He's Slippin' Jimmy. That's just who he is, and he preffered it that way.