Top 10 El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie Moments

Top 10 El Camino Moments
When it comes to the misadventures of Jesse Pinkman, we just can’t get enough. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 El Camino Moments.

For this list, we’ll be looking at some of the most memorable, tense, thought-provoking and moving scenes from the 2019 Netflix original, “El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie”.

Folks - a spoiler alert is in order!

#10: Jesse’s Speech at the Vacuum

Jesse Pinkman has made a lifetime of mistakes. But for all his goofiness and bad decisions over the years, his lawbreaking experience has also taught him a thing or two; he knows how the criminal mind works. And so when Ed Galbraith makes a suspicious call to 9-1-1 to get Jesse out of his shop, Jesse seems poised to one up “the Disappearer”. Pinkman proceeds to outline all the ways in which the call sounded suspect, delivering what initially feels like a checkmate-type argument in criminal logic. It plays like a much needed win for Pinkman; that is until the squad car rolls into frame. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions for a desperate Pinkman, and we were right there with him.

#9: Jesse Negotiates with the Fake Cop

After tearing apart the home of his former captor, Jesse finally finds Todd’s stash of cash. No sooner has he located it however, than he gets interrupted by a pair of police officers - or so he thinks. After a tense stand-off, Jesse surrenders, only to discover that they’re crooks like him; they just came armed with a disguise. The conniving pair seemingly have Jesse beat, but everyone’s favorite beanie-wearing meth cook has one last card to play - he’s got nothing to lose. And so he insists on taking a cut, and walks away with not only his life, but a bagful of cash. Like we said, experience has clearly taught him a thing or two; well played Mr. Pinkman, well played!

#8: A Plan and a Hat from Skinny Pete

When we last saw Jesse Pinkman, he was speeding away from the scene of Walt’s massacre of Jack’s gang . As the credits began to roll, it was anyone’s guess as to where he was headed. But if you happened to guess “to meet up with Badger and Skinny Pete”, well, you’d have won the bet. The pair of lovable dummies provide their usual comic relief, but Pete actually steps up when Jesse’s plan goes sideways upon the discovery of Lojack. He gives Jesse money, orchestrates a car swap and -in one of the film’s most touching moments- gives Jesse his hat. Not only is it nice to see Pete, the career screw-up, showcase his potential, but it also makes for an unexpectedly sentimental farewell.

#7: The Walter White Flashback

When “Breaking Bad” ended, many fans were in disbelief that Walter White was actually dead. The man had beat the odds so many times, it seemed inevitable that he somehow cheat death as well. Though his status is now officially “deceased”, Heisenberg nonetheless managed to rise from the dead for this film in the form of a flashback. The scene takes place early in he and Jesse’s unlikely partnership and, in it, Walter encourages Jesse to consider continuing his education. It’s an interesting moment, one that conveys Walter’s hopes for Jesse’s future and the potential he sees in him, while also reminding viewers of how little he thought of Jesse’s life up to this point. Crime brought them together, but they also developed a genuine father-son type bond.

#6: The Shootout

This thrilling moment feels as if it was ripped straight from an old western. As it turns out, Jesse has previously met the fake cop he encounters at Todd’s apartment - he’s a welder who did work for the white supremacists. Despite the man’s role in Jesse’s torment, Jesse doesn’t hold a grudge; he asks for only as much money as needs ($1800) and then promises he’ll be on his way. Unfortunately, Neil the welder is high on coke, headstrong and ready for action, and so he instead suggest they shoot for it. We’ll never know who was actually faster on the draw, because Jesse -having learned to leave nothing to chance- instead shoots a second concealed gun that he has in his pocket.

#5: Jesse’s PTSD Reveals Itself

Throughout the film, various things cause Jesse to have brief but disorienting flashbacks to his time in captivity and the torture he suffered at the hands of the white supremacists. Actor Aaron Paul does a great job of conveying his character’s struggle with what is clearly Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - even if it’s never identified as such in the film. At no point throughout the film, however, is it more effective than when he first wakes up after going to Skinny Pete and Badger. Confused by his surroundings, he jumps up like a feral animal, tearing at the blinds and pulling a gun on Badger and Pete when they come to investigate. He’s so deeply traumatized, he doesn’t even recognize his best friends.

#4: Giving Ed the Letter

After his time in captivity, Jesse is only interested in one thing - getting a fresh start. Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done. Almost everything he does in the film is in the name of locating and paying The Disappearer, Ed Galbraith. Now… Galbraith isn’t sentimental or one for emotional appeals; but he is a man of his word. In his own quiet way, he shows Jesse support, and (more importantly) he promises to deliver a letter for Jesse, one addressed to Brock, the boy who was orphaned as a result of Jesse’s criminal ties. The exact contents of the letter remain a mystery, but the mere fact that Jesse could overcome his shame and guilt to reach out to Brock says enough.

#3: The Jane Flashback

As much as the death of Brock’s mother broke Jesse, his first great loss (and arguably his greatest love), was Jane Margolis. His neighbor, landlord and eventual girlfriend, Jane similarly struggled with addiction, but is in recovery when they meet. Sadly, that doesn’t last, and her relapse ends fatally. While this film is all about Jesse moving forward, he’s defined by his past, and as he finally drives towards his new life in Alaska, he can’t help but think back to some important words that Jane once shared with him. Jesse has seemingly (and finally) taken Jane’s advice to heart. From this point onward, he appears committed to living his life deliberately and with purpose.

#2: Flashback to the Welder

When Jesse shows up to Kandy Welding late at night, we’re treated to his traumatic memory of how he previously knew Neil. The welder was hired by the white supremacists to work on Jesse’s lab, setting up a track system so that Jesse could move around, while restrained, without any chance of escape. The fact that this man was willing to turn a blind eye to human slavery is disgusting enough, but it gets worse when Neil and Kenny proceed to bet on whether Jesse can break free. Jesse is ordered to hurl himself in each direction, clearly causing himself great pain; it’s a difficult scene to watch, but it’s certainly an effective reminder of just what sort of hell Jesse has survived.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions

Badger and Skinny Pete Gaming

Todd Singing

Overhead Shot of Jesse Tearing Through the Apartment

#1: Todd, Jesse and the Gun

Getting a deeper look into the relationship between Jesse and Todd was one of the unexpected pleasures of “El Camino” . What begins as a day helping Todd run errands turns sinister when Jesse’s made an accomplice in disposing of the body of Todd’s cleaning lady. Jesse eventually finds a gun, however, and the exchange that follows is riveting. Jesse is a broken, desperate man, but he realizes -just as Todd already knows- that escape isn’t an option. And so, as bloodshed is avoided and promises of beer and pizza made, the scene ends in an unlikely embrace. It takes truly phenomenal writing to make a flashback feel this tense, especially when viewers already know the fate of the characters involved, but Gilligan pulls it off magnificently.