Warning: This story contains plot details from Mondays season 4 finale ofBetter Call Saul, Winner.
You wondered about it.
You planned for it.
Credit: Nicole Wilder/AMC/Sony Pictures Television
You wanted it and/or dreaded it.
And in the final scene ofBetter Call Saulsseason 4finale Monday night, well, you got it.
I knew you had it in you!
Did you see those suckers???
That one ahole was crying!
He had actual tears!
As he strode off, Kim stuttered, Wait, Jimmy,what?
Sall good, man!
once again reviving the Saul Goodman alias he used to hawk local TV commercials and burner cellphones.
(And the Sall good, man!
was a phrase he used back in Chicago when someone asked for his name during a grift.)
What was it like for Odenkirk to utter those words?
Does he think that Jimmy will be able to become Saulandremain with Kim?
And how did it feel to karaoke with the great Michael McKean?
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Jimmy decided to change his practicing name and the line Sall good, man was uttered.
What did it feel like to bring that moment to life after so much anticipation?
Or did it feel more like a new beginning?BOB ODENKIRK:It feels like a new beginning.
Its weird, I like Jimmy McGill.
Its taking too long!
Were firing all the rocket boosters off now.
Like I said, it was a freeing moment for me.
It was a watershed moment of joy and energy.
Did you expect it to happen sooner?
I come from comedy, and youve got to like the audience moment-to-moment in comedy.
Its still stunning to me.
In comedy, the audience turns on you pretty quickly if youre not being funny.
Almost immediately I feel like, Aww, too bad!
Now hes Saul Goodman.
And at the same time, Im excited.
I mean, Walter White just seemed like the perfect client, you know?
[Laughs] It seemed just perfect, and it just didnt go his way.
And I imagine it might work pretty damn well.
I think that could be fun to watch.
She fell for it too.
Hes not sure if shes capable of really being on his side after that.
I dont know where the Rubicon is, but he crossed it.[Laughs.]
I think theyre doomed.
I dont think thats what happens.
And that is an incredibly important thing for a man to feel.
So he feels strong.
Theres a ton of self-loathing going on without a lot of self-awareness.
Is his fear that Kim loves him as a boyfriend but not as a lawyer valid?
But the fact that Chuck wouldnt even let him try that was the thing.
Chuck was like, Youre not even allowed to try.
And thats kind of fed up.
In Kims case, shes made a judgment, and I think shes right.
But theyre like anybody.
Im sure that Peter could somehow make that work.
Theyve been pretty good at jumping through hoops, Ill tell you.
I think what he learned was, use your feelings to manipulate people.
But like a good Buddhist, dont identify with your feelings.
He is not a good Buddhist.
[Laughs] There is a sad and disturbing and unhealthy fracturing of his personality that hes gone through.
And honestly, thats a pretty common tactic.
You see it in any kid whos tantrumming for a cookie, you know?
They actually are upset that theyre not gonna get the cookie.
Are they that upset?
I dont know if theyre aware of it, but no, theyre definitely not.
But you know, it works.
Thats what hes doing.
Its a sad, pretty deep bit of compartmentalization and shattering of a personality.
The question is, does any of that idealistic, hopeful human being, Jimmy McGill,remain?
I think it does.
I think people have options to grow and change, and even do it consciously.
But Im a big L.A. New Age weirdo, so what do I know?
Is that the tension of next season?I think youre right.
People feel like, if Im feeling strong, Im attractive.
You cant help but be attracted to that.
But I dont think they can stay together.
I dont think these [writers] have overdone the complexity of stuff.
From what you know, where does Jimmy go from here?
[Laughs] They have to get him somewhere.
They have a lot of work to do plot-wise.
So, whatever he did with them didnt go well.
That line, Youre going to die, when he offers the plate of food to Nacho?
Oh, man!!!!
I jumped out of my seat!
I was like, Oh, f yes!
Youre gonna die.
I still get goosebumps thinking about it!
We see Jimmy at his most vulnerable, crying when his literal Esteem wont start.
Weve never really seen him cry and break down like that.
Peter said that you two talked a lot about what he was crying about in that low moment.
I think thats his big goodbye.
And what hes really doing is hes talking to himself.
And hes talking to himself when he was her age.
And it kills him to do it.
Hes literally yelling and lecturinghimself.
And hes just screaming at him, No, you cant.
No, he wont.
No one will help you.
You cannot get in in a legit manner with other people with the world.
And it kills him to do it.
I always love performing with him, and just seeing him off stage as well.
Hes a delightful person, and a genius of comedy and drama and everything.
I liked singing badly.
By the way, Im singing as well as I can.
[If] youre aMr.
Showfan, you know I like subjecting the public to my voice.
Because I know its just terrible.
And I cant help you with it.
Youll just have to sit there and suck it up.
I mean, its like playing banjo with Steve Martin.
Thats not going to go well.
Im going to lose.
But I kind of relish it.
It was a lot of fun doing that scene.
There were a lot of feelings buried inside that scene.
So its got to be heartbreaking.
It was truly heartbreaking to do it.
And the way he does it is by becoming Saul Goodman at least for a while.
Its not the best choice he could make, but it makes sense.
For more on theBetter Call Saulfinale, read whatseries co-creator Peter Gould had to say.
