The actual archnemesis of Jimmy McGill was his brother, Charles ‘Chuck’ McGill.
Vince Gilligan, the show’s creator, is brilliant and foresighted as Better Call Saul was able to explain and analyze a prelude to the critically and widely praised series Breaking Bad and, to some, transcend it in every aspect. Some of the main players, like Aaron Paul’s Jesse Pinkman, had their destinies unsolved as Breaking Bad wrapped up Bryan Cranston’s tale in 2013. While the final destination of Jesse was examined in the spin-off named El Camino, aired on Netflix, Vince Gilligan created the prelude show Better Call Saul to examine the past of Breaking Bad beloved Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) and provide small peeks into his destiny.
Previously, Saul Goodman was Jimmy McGill, an upbeat lawyer with a criminal record, before he became Walter White’s slimy go-to lawyer and partner in crime, particularly money laundering. But Saul offered viewers more than just a straightforward precursor to Breaking Bad. The supporting ensemble created around Jimmy McGill, including Micheal McKean’s Chuck McGill indeed, Patrick Fabian’s Howard Hamlin, and Rhea Seehorn’s Kim Wexler, contributes to the story’s allure (Michael McKean). Chuck, Jimmy’s older brother, is one of the biggest obstacles in the way of Jimmy’s aspirations to become a lawyer. Jimmy shows Chuck love and care, but Chuck is still resentful and hostile. Chuck is desperate to put his younger brother below him despite his psychosomatic condition. Chuck became one of the series’s most detestable villains.
All over the first few seasons of the series, the establishment of Charles McGill as Jimmy’s older brother created an engaging sibling rivalry. Chuck used almost all of his time staying alone at his home despite being one of the senior partners at the famous legal firm Hamlin Hamlin & McGill (HHM). He believes he has contracted a condition named electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS), thus he tends to avoid electric or battery-operated devices. Anybody who wishes to see him at his residence must “ground” themselves by placing all electronic devices inside his mailbox and touching the metal of the mailbox.
Whenever Jimmy drops off food and supplies at the house, he has to complete this task. Jimmy is totally devoted to his elder brother. After all, Chuck acted as Jimmy’s attorney when Jimmy “defecated through a sunroof” in front of children, saving Jimmy from getting into trouble back in Chicago. Chuck also recruited Jimmy to work in the mailroom at HHM. But even without these significant favors, Jimmy still views Chuck as a member of the family. Chuck, however, declined to advance Jimmy at HHM after he graduated from the University of American Samoa via distant learning, earning himself a law degree. Jimmy’s legal degree is unauthorized in Chuck’s eyes. This conflict between Jimmy’s ambitions and Chuck’s displeasure serves as the catalyst for their breakup.
But Chuck has a far stronger animosity toward Jimmy. His “antagonist” backstory has origins when they were younger. Jimmy had sadly left the patient room when their mom wanted to talk with him specifically while she was dying on her bed. As a result of Chuck holding onto this secret and being damaged by their mother’s preference for Jimmy, his hatred for Jimmy continues to grow larger and follow him into their adulthood. Chuck feels he needs to be superior to Jimmy in all aspects if he can’t be his mother’s favorite. One example of how he shows his hatred for his little brother is by rejecting Jimmy’s chance to become a partner at HHM.
Later, Chuck makes use of Jimmy and his effort on a significant class-action case against Sandpiper Crossing, despite the fact that he experiences psychotic episodes and delusive reactions to electricity. Chuck works up the nerve to return to HHM, even making an aluminum suit to allay his fears of electricity. He continued to refuse to make Jimmy a partner and intended to keep Jimmy out of the case throughout the period. Chuck’s lifelong hate of Jimmy grants him the motivation to prove himself superior to Jimmy and prove that he may even deserve more of his mother’s affection, despite his mental inferiority.
But Chuck’s envious feelings don’t stop there. Chuck believed Jimmy and Rebecca (Ann Cusack), his former spouse, had greater connection when they were together. Jimmy would make jokes all the time, and Rebecca would particularly enjoy those that made fun of attorneys (Chuck being one of them). Although the reason Chuck and Rebecca broke up is not entirely known, it is possible that his resentment towards Jimmy contributed to their breakup. Nevertheless, Chuck’s psychosis has been possibly influenced by their breakup as well, which is what Jimmy claims in front of a judge during a hearing that was intended to result in Jimmy’s disbarment but instead only resulted in a one-year suspension.
Jimmy, though, had his distinct strategy. Jimmy hides a mobile phone in Chuck’s jacket pocket with the assistance of Huell Babineaux (Lavell Crawford), and it rings in the midst of the trial. Chuck feels completely devastated when his crazy fears of electricity are revealed in front of a court. His reputation as a lawyer, which he views as his only advantage over Jimmy, is now beyond repair. Chuck deliberately knocks a gas lamp over as he makes his way back to his home’s solitude, igniting both the building and himself. Chuck’s pride ultimately caused him to fail.
In the end, Michael McKean’s portrayal of Chuck sells the role. During his manic outbursts, McKean is able to garner sympathy, yet he can also rapidly project a stoic assurance while dressed as a lawyer. McKean effectively communicates the underlying animosity beneath Chuck’s outward paternalism when he is paired up with Odenkirk’s Jimmy. Despite Jimmy’s concern and efforts to maintain a good relationship, Chuck has no feelings of love or compassion towards his brother.
Chuck McGill is one of the worst villains in the worlds of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul because there is nothing except resentment and jealousy about him. Although Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito) and Lalo Salamanca (Tony Dalton) finally took over his part as the central villains, as the series explored Jimmy’s interactions with the cartel prior to what happened in Breaking Bad, McKean’s Chuck McGill is an icon that was undoubtedly remembered in Saul’s following seasons.
