‘Better Call Saul’: 5 Theories About That Phone Call to Kim
Spoiler Alert
[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Season 6 Episode 11 of Better Call Saul, “Breaking Bad.”]
Better Call Saul‘s final episodes are on the horizon and after the most recent installment, “Breaking Bad,” one big question looms: What was that phone call to Kim about?
Set partly in the Breaking Bad timeline and partly in the “present-day” for Gene (Bob Odenkirk), the episode saw the former criminal lawyer ring up his old assistant Francesca (Tina Parker) for an update on the current situation unfolding in Albuquerque. Before hanging up, she mentions that Kim (Rhea Seehorn) had called to check in, asking how he was.
Considering this, Gene begins driving away from the phonebooth he’d visited to make the call to Francesca, but then he hits a crossroads and turns back, dialing information for the number that could connect him with Kim. Unfortunately for fans, the dialogue cuts off as the camera exits the booth and captures Gene from across the street.
(Credit: Greg Lewis/AMC/Sony Pictures Television)
It’s clear he’s yelling and frustrated, and although some subtitled and audio-fixed versions of the sequence have surfaced online, the original episode doesn’t reveal anything about the nature of the conversation or if Gene even managed to get Kim on the phone at all, and that’s how we’re approaching these ideas. Below, we’re breaking down five possible theories behind the reactive moment that led to Gene hitting the booth with the phone and kicking the glass walls out.
Kim & Jimmy Have a Deal
It’s unclear why Gene called Kim since we don’t hear the basis of the conversation, but if he did reach her, it is possible he called to convey he’s upset about her reaching out to Francesca. A looming question for the series based on past episodes set in this timeline includes the reason for Gene’s box of diamonds. Clearly, it’s a way to transport something of large value with minimal space, but is it some kind of fail-safe or contingency?
For instance, Jimmy got the contact info for the Best Quality Vacuum Repair, a.k.a. the number you call when you want to disappear, alongside Kim. Who’s to say that in the years we didn’t see them onscreen that they didn’t make some kind of deal to disappear together if their lives went sideways? By her calling Francesca, it puts a target on both of their backs because Francesca said her phone was bugged. If authorities know she was checking up on him, that could spell danger for them both, hence Gene’s freakout in the phonebooth. An idealistic belief, this theory would mean there’s hope for Jimmy and Kim yet, but it would take a lot of work to accomplish.
(Credit: Greg Lewis/AMC/Sony Pictures Television)
Kim Asked Jimmy to Turn Himself In
Considering their complicity in Howard’s (Patrick Fabian) murder by Lalo (Tony Dalton) earlier this season, it would be a shocking notion for Kim to suggest Jimmy turn himself in, especially when she’s done bad things as well, but perhaps that could be the reason he’s upset. He could have called to express feelings about her contacting Francesca, then heard her say something about turning him in. It would be a perfect storm for his reaction.
Kim Rejected Jimmy
Taking stock of his quiet life in Nebraska, perhaps Jimmy called with the intention of reconnecting with Kim, but she turned him down. It’s certainly a possibility and would force him to reckon with the choices he’s made which landed him in this quiet existence, where his more colorful side is stifled by the need to hide his identity as Saul.
Kim Is Dead
Kim felt a great amount of guilt following the death of Howard and her near-death experience alongside Jimmy with Lalo. Perhaps in the years since she and Jimmy broke up, the upset ate away at her until she couldn’t handle it anymore. When the national news story about Walter White (Bryan Cranston) broke, she would have heard about Saul’s involvement and it could have been the tipping point. If Francesca couldn’t be honest about how Jimmy was doing living as Gene, maybe it was the last straw before ending it all. If Gene were to discover such a terrible possibility, then it would explain his questionable choices in the most recent episode, including scamming a businessman with cancer.
Kim Offered to Turn Herself in if Jimmy Does
When hearing from Gene, perhaps Kim suggested he turn himself in and as a gesture of solidarity, offered to turn herself in too, answering for her involvement in the death of Howard. What would be more full-circle than corrupt lawyers, doing the lawful thing and turning themselves in? Only time will tell for certain though.
Let us know what you think was said during the phone call in the comments section, below, and stay tuned for the final two episodes of Better Call Saul.
Better Call Saul, Season 6, New Episodes, Mondays, 9/8c, AMC and AMC+
