For Breaking Bad fans, we thought we had seen the last of Jesse Pinkman as he sped away from his life of captivity in the show’s finale episode. Amazingly, the beloved character has returned in El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie. The film picks up in those final moments of the finale and takes viewers on an intense journey as Jesse tries to make his way to freedom.
While some viewers think the movie didn’t add anything new to the Breaking Bad story, it was certainly a treat to see Jesse again and hear from him. Though a very changed man, his is in many ways the Jesse we all know and love. Here are some of Jesse Pinkman’s best quotes from El Camino.
Put Things Right
When we meet Jesse in Breaking Bad, he is a low-life drug dealer. But as the series continues, Jesse becomes the one who is torn apart by guilt at the things his life of crime has led to. As Walter White grew more obsessed with power, Jesse just wanted redemption.
The movie opens with a flashback to Jesse and Mike sharing a quiet moment, talking about their plans for the future. Jesse decides to start a new life where he can put things right. However, Mike lets him know that, while he can start fresh, he can never put things right.
You Want Me To Help You Paint?
The movie has a lot of surprising cameos from Breaking Bad characters, including one character many fans likely never wanted to see again. Todd works for Uncle Jack and, despite his polite demeanor, is a cold-blooded killer who kept Jesse captive for months.
In flashbacks, we see Todd take Jesse out of his cage to accompany him on a strange errand. The way Todd talks to Jesse like he’s a friend instead of a captor is so unsettling. The mundane nature of the day leads Jesse to think he was brought along to paint Todd’s apartment. Of course, there was a darker purpose.
I’m Taking My Half
Though Jesse experienced a lot of suffering at the hands of Todd, he did ultimately get his payback. Not only did Jesse kill Todd in the final episode, but in El Camino, he managed to steal all of Todd’s money as well.
Getting the money is not so easy as Jesse runs into two thieves looking to get the same score. At gunpoint, he leads the armed men to the cash, but he’s not willing to leave empty-handed. Jesse tells the men he’s taking his share of the loot, regardless of if they want to shoot him or not. This is a bolder Jesse than we’ve seen.
I’m, Uh, Looking For A Hoover Max
El Camino also sees the return of Ed, played by Robert Forster who sadly passed away the day the film was released. Ed is the mystery man who owns a vacuum shop but specializes in helping people disappear.
Jesse tracks Ed down to enlist his special services, although he’s not entirely confident about how to go about it. As Jesse struggles to remember the secret code used by Saul Goodman, Ed just stares at him blankly. It is one of the few moments of comedy in the intense thriller.
You Did Your Best
Jesse’s relationship with his parents is one of the most heartbreaking aspects of Breaking Bad. It’s clear they have had a rocky past together, especially with Jesse’s drug use, but Jesse has turned to them several times for help, only to be turned away.
Jesse reaches out to them one more time in the movie, but this time it’s clear he’s not expecting their help. Jesse lures them and the police away from their home, but leaves them with a final sad goodbye, saying “You did your best and whatever happened with me is on me.”
Pepperoni
Jesse’s strange day out with Todd ends with the two men burying Todd’s cleaning lady in the desert after Todd killed the innocent woman. But with Todd’s guard down, Jesse is able to get a hold of his gun.
For a moment Jesse thinks about killing Todd and escaping. But Todd begins talking about getting some pizza and beer as a reward for Jesse. As Jesse’s will begins to break, Todd asks what kind of pizza he likes. Jesse lets the gun go, broken and afraid, and says “Pepperoni.” Never have pizza toppings been so heartbreaking.
Look, I Am Like 96% Sure You’re The Guy So Why Don’t You Just Admit It
The Jesse we see in El Camino is a very different Jesse we came to love from Breaking Bad. The experiences of being kept as a prisoner changed him in many ways. But in that great scene in Ed’s vacuum ship, we get to see a bit of that Pinkman spark shine through.
As Ed continues to play dumb with Jesse, he becomes increasingly more agitated. He starts to slowly turn into that shouting, hysterical and hilarious version of Jesse that is so much fun. It is great to see that Jesse again.
$1800’s All I Need
Jesse never became the badass, cold-blooded operator that Walt evolved into. He was never one to willingly step into a confrontation and often has trouble standing up for himself. However, after everything he’s been through, we see that Jesse certainly has changed.
Needing a little more cash for his getaway, Jesse tracks down the men that took the rest of Todd’s money. He tries to ask nicely for it but, unsurprisingly, they don’t feel charitable. When asked why he’s only asking for $1800, Jesse calmly replies, “$1800’s all I need.” Just like that, Jesse shows for once that he is in control.
Your Family Is Going To Get Every Dime They Got Coming To Them
Probably the most memorable moment in the film comes near the end when we flashback to Walt and Jesse sharing a quiet breakfast together during simpler times. Seeing these two characters together again is amazing and a bit surreal.
Their conversation is the same arguing and insulting that usually went on between these men, but they also show genuine compassion for each other. When Walt worries that it will take too long to see the meth they’ve cooked, Jesse assures him “Your family is going to get every dime they got coming to them.” It’s a confirmation that Jesse was always the good guy in this story.
Yeah Bitch
As exhilarating and pulse-pounding as the entire movie was, we’re sure there were some fans that were just waiting to hear Jesse say his famous catchphrase. It’s a simple phrase, but Aaron Paul’s delivery has always been so pitch-perfect, it has become iconic.
The show’s creator Vince Gilligan has always been careful to hold back on fan service too much. But even he couldn’t resist sneaking one in there, albeit at the perfect moment. During the flashback with Walt, Jesse stacks his buffet plate with pineapple, looks admiringly at the meal and says “Yeah bitch.” It’s a surprising cheer-worthy moment.
