The following article contains spoilers for Better Call Saul season 6.
After a shocking return, Better Call Saul slows down its pace to deliver a different kind of blow to the lives of Jimmy McGill and Kim Wexler in the aftermath of the life-changing tragedy involving Howard Hamlin and Lalo Salamanca. The result is an equally impactful entry, but one with more hints of Marriage Story than Breaking Bad for the couple.
More than anything, “Fun and Games” is perhaps the closing chapter of Bob Odenkirk’s days as Jimmy and brings the complete transition to his Saul Goodman persona, one that mirrors the life of another Better Call Saul character, Gustavo Fring, who also gets some valuable screen time. With that, the series heads towards its final four episodes with a much clearer path as Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul’s return edges closer, and one particular Cinnabon employee from Omaha looks bound to take the spotlight.
The opening scene shows Mike’s cleanup plan unfolding as Kim and Jimmy go about their days exactly as if nothing had happened, while he and the rest of Gus’ henchmen leave the apartment looking as good as new. In a way, this could ultimately represent the message that this Better Call Saul episode wants the audience to get crystal clear, this is the end of the show’s past timeline, as by now practically all the loose ends have found some form of closure for the cast.
In Gus’ case, that means heading down to Don Eladio’s estate to confront Hector’s accusations, which ultimately fall flat due to the very nature of Lalo’s own perfect backup plan to be able to fake his death whenever the opportunity called for it. More interestingly, the scene features a few shots of Gus that mirror past moments of him at the mansion, whether it’d be when his partner Max is killed or when he finally avenges his death by getting rid of Don Eladio.
And yet, there’s more, to dispel any doubt about Gus’ sexuality, Better Call Saul treats viewers to a rare moment of bliss for the character. To celebrate the annexation of more territory to his empire, Mr. Fring visits his favorite wine bar, and seeing the character unwind a bit is quite welcome, as is the sight of him flirting with another man briefly, before he falls back into the business-only mode he’s always been known for as that is the life he’s chosen for himself.
Elsewhere, Mike also has a tough time dealing with everything that’s happened recently, something that the showrunners have never ceased to highlight. In this entry, that means facing Manuel Varga, Nacho’s father, to tell him the truth about what happened to his son in a scene where both are left to face the inevitable: this horrific world crime leaves no room for doing the right thing.
The same goes for Howard’s memorial, attended by Kim and Jimmy -as instructed by Mike- only to double down on their commitment to their alibi, to confront the pain in the eyes of Howard’s wife with more lies. After watching the episode viewers might find themselves wondering what caused Kim to give up, and despite practically every shot in the last two episodes showing the huge burden she's carrying, this might just be it. The sequence is perfectly capped off with the couple’s final kiss because as Jimmy tells Kim, it’s all over.
Better Call Saul usually delivers its most shocking moments violently, nevertheless, Kim’s departure is not like that. Ever since the show premiered, Breaking Bad fans have theorized how this amazing character would meet her end, either by violent death or going into hiding, however, the story has been far more forgiving for Kim, instead delivering a heart-breaking breakup and her ultimate sacrifice of the career that she loved so much.
Having Kim simply end her relationship with Jimmy in such a normal way might be something that divides fans, as the moment seems a bit surreal, but in a way, it’s also the perfect ending for her own character arc. The apparently permanent time skip to Breaking Bad days signals this may be the last time the Better Call Saul era is seen on screen, with the focus now being on the hyped Walter and Jesse cameo, as well as Gene’s black and white incognito future.
Better Call Saul has always been about exploring what truly killed Jimmy McGill and gave birth to Saul Goodman, so seeing the tacky exterior of his office, his ridiculous mansion, and Saul fending off a sex worker with a cereal bar is the perfect contrast to put next to the days when he would happily get up and make breakfast for Kim.
In the end, Kim is not pulling the strings in Breaking Bad, she’s not an anon figure that went into hiding, reality is a bit more simple — she is just a normal human broken down by the disastrous trail her actions and Jimmy’s had on the lives of others. She might still show up in Gene’s future, but Kim Wexler’s goodbye is almost perfect due to how extraordinary and normal it is in the world of Better Call Saul.