Better Call Saul: Ep. 310 Lantern
As another successful season comes to a close on Better Call Saul there is a sense of transition with several of the storylines. While Nacho descends deeper into darkness trying to protect his father, Jimmy, Chuck and Howard all reach crossroads that come with a jarring sense of finality.
Lantern unfolds as Jimmy picks Kim up from the hospital and takes her to the scene of the accident to recover the papers she had compiled for the case with Billy Gatwood. Kim’s road to recovery is a bumpy one but is eased by Jimmy’s caring hand. During a heartfelt conversation the next morning the pair reflect on the choices that have brought them to the point they are at and how Kim’s dogged pursuit of money almost cost her dearly. The scene is shot with close ups of Jimmy and the hint of emotion he exudes harkens back to the final scene from two episodes ago when he broke down in front of the malpractice agent before turning the tables on Chuck. This time however his emotions seem genuine and his pledge to fix things for Kim is earnest. The road to ruin though is often paved with good intentions and this being Jimmy McGill after all means that despite his best efforts something will go horribly wrong.
Chuck faces the Board at HHM and delivers several options regarding the pending legal battle that looms before them. After clearing the room Howard lays his cards on the table and lets Chuck know that he’s offended that he threatened to sue the firm.
Betrayal.
It’s a strong word but one that Howard feels is most appropriate to characterize Chuck’s recent actions. In a well played and masterful stroke of genius, Howard hands Chuck a cheque for $3 million – of his own personal money – as a payout and then has him walk a goodbye gauntlet in front of the entire firm. Not only does it give Chuck a false sense of recognition as he’s effectively kicked out of HHM, but it also diffuses any chance the senior McGill brother will cause a scene as he leaves the firm he helped build for perhaps the last time.
The noose around Nacho tightens even more when he gives Hector a tour of his father’s facility. Sandwiched between commitments from his two families, Nacho tries to navigate the choppy waters that come with pulling his father into the Salamanca cartel’s business. With neither father figure happy with the present situation, Nacho is left to do damage control with the uneasy alliance between his father and Hector.
Upon reflection, Lantern’s mid-point might be the emotion core and turning point for several of the principles on Better Call Saul. There are several epiphanies beginning with Kim’s decision to take some time off and enjoy life a little, including a trip to Blockbuster to rent movies. Her near death experience has given her a new perspective – one that leaves the rat race in her rear view mirror. The second poignant moment occurs when the McGill brothers come face-to-face at Chuck’s home. With nothing but reconciliation on his mind, Jimmy begins to own up to his past mistakes but he’s immobilized by Chuck’s clinical dissection of his character. In a scene that plays like the mirror opposite to the earlier one between Chuck and Howard, the elder McGill’s scathing assessment and goodbye to Jimmy slices not only the heart of his younger brother but that of the viewer as well.
Lantern leaves viewers with uneasy feelings and stark reminders of how the pain inflicted on some becomes a weapon to use on others. Whether it’s Chuck’s disintegration, physically and mentally, Kim’s broken arm or Hector’s heart woes these conditions have parts of their origins in other people’s actions. The fallout can sometimes be minor, but if unchecked can cause everything to go up in flames.
