Despite a rocky start that was caused by the writers’ strike of 2008, Breaking Bad became one of the most ground-breaking shows of this generation, if not in pop culture as a whole. Praised for its amazing direction, stellar acting, and air-tight writing, the transformation of mild-mannered Walter White into the ruthless drug lord Heisenberg is rightfully considered to be one of the best televised series ever aired.
As great as it is, though, the show left a few loose threads by its end. These hanging plot points don’t affect the show or its legacy in any way, but they do leave a few details open for more interpretation than the creators may have originally planned. So, without further delay, here are 10 storylines that Breaking Bad leaves unresolved.
Walter White’s Students
Let’s not mince words: Walter's day jobs suck. Before turning into a ruthless drug kingpin, he was a high school chemistry teacher no-one respected. When his students see him working his second job at a car wash, they take pictures for a laugh instead of sympathizing or even being nice.
Early viewers thought these cocky students would be revisited later on, but they’re never seen again. Granted, Walter’s classroom duties pale in comparison to his growing drug empire, but it would’ve been interesting to see if he got back at the kids.
Marie Schrader’s Kleptomania
Back when Breaking Bad was pitched as a comedy about drugs in the suburbs, Maria’s shtick would be her uncontrollable kleptomania. Though the series shifted to a more serious tone, her habit stuck – at least for the first few episodes.
Early in the show, Maria is shown going to therapy to subdue her thievery. This was understandably dropped as the show progressed, with the events she found herself in getting darker and dangerous. By the end, her kleptomania is all but forgotten, though fans joke that it returned when she “stole” Holly from Skyler.
Huell In The Safe House
After revealing the location of Walter’s money, Saul Goodman’s bodyguard Huell is left in a safe house by DEA agents Hank and Steven. The agents promise they’ll send someone to bring Huell to protective custody, and this is the last time Huell’s ever seen or mentioned.
Huell’s uncertain fate resulted in some of the funniest theories ever conceived by the Breaking Bad fanbase, with some saying that Huell’s still waiting for someone to fetch him until today. The showrunners claim that he was eventually brought in, questioned, and released, but this isn’t as memorable as the accepted fan canon.
Badger And Skinny Pete
The last time audiences get to see Jesse’s original crew – sans Combo – was when Heisenberg paid them to play the roles of “expert snipers.” In other words, they made a quick buck by aiming dollar store laser pointers at Heisenberg’s targets.
What they’ve been up to during Jesse’s disappearance and what they aim to do with their payday is never addressed, since it’s not as life-threatening as the stuff Jesse and Walter found themselves in. Considering that they were with Jesse since the beginning, this is a bit of a downer.
Kaylee Ehrmantraut
Mike Ehrmantraut may be a coldly efficient killer but he’s not a completely heartless monster. The only bit of humanity that he ever shows is his genuine love for his granddaughter Kaylee, who he sadly has to abandon when the authorities figure out who Heisenberg really is.
As the cops close in, Mike leaves Kaylee in the park without saying goodbye. It’s never addressed if she ever learns who her beloved grandpa really was or what his whereabouts are. With Mike dead, there’s little chance for her to learn more about him. He does, however, leave her millions of Dollars.
Donald Margolis’ Attempted Suicide
Despite his best efforts to steer his daughter away from the drug habit, Donald Margolis fails to keep his daughter Jane alive. It’s not his fault (it’s actually Walter’s), but the grieving father understandably can’t be told otherwise and he blames himself for everything.
Due to his depression that inadvertently caused a mid-air collision, a guilt-ridden Donald shoots himself. Walter only hears about this from the radio, where it’s reported that Donald was in emergency surgery following his failed suicide attempt. He’s never heard of or mentioned again.
The Schwartz Couple
One of the biggest mysteries about Breaking Bad is Walter’s hatred of the Schwartzes. According to him, he used to be a part of their group that created the successful Gray Matters Technologies but his contributions were slowly erased. The Schwartzes even claim that Walter only suggested the name.
But due to Walter being a duplicitous and manipulative drug lord who wasn’t above poisoning a baby just to get Jesse back on his side, his admittedly compelling accounts regarding Gray Matter are dubious at best. It’s left to audiences to decide whether Walter was wronged or not.
Walter White’s Family
The last time Walter and viewers get to see his family, Skyler had a possible arrest warrant closing in, Walt Jr. (now known as Flynn) wants nothing to do with him, and Holly doesn’t really remember her father. What happens to them afterwards is never revealed, though some hints are given.
Walter’s plan to give them his drug money through the Schwartzes will most probably succeed, while the location of the two dead DEA agents could help Skyler’s case. On the plus side, Skyler and Marie seem to be rebuilding bridges. Anything beyond this, however, is left open to interpretation.
The End of Heisenberg
Up until today, no one’s really sure if Walter actually died from his gunshot wound during the unforgettable Breaking Bad finale. His death in a meth lab is a fitting end to both the show and the teacher-turned-drug lord, but it was shot in such a way that it opened more questions than expected.
The rumors about a possible Breaking Bad movie have only bolstered the speculations about his survival, with many hoping that he would return. This, despite the fact that his survival runs the risk of nullifying his series-long character arc.
Jesse Pinkman’s Second Life
The storyline worth revisiting more than Walter’s is that of his assistant Jesse Pinkman, who became Heisenberg’s partner-in-crime. In the series’ last moments, he drives off to freedom, finally liberated from the drug trade that devoured his soul.
This leaves some details up in the air, such as the fate of Brock and dealing with the authorities, which may or may not be explored in the rumored Breaking Bad movie. The show’s creator Vince Gilligan has gone on record saying that he hopes Jesse made a clean get-away, citing the soft spot he’s always had for him.