Sorry Walt, I’m team Skyler now (after hating her for years)

Skyler White (Anna Gunn) of Breaking bad May be one of the least-liked characters to ever appear on a TV show, but after my first two watch-troops, I was convinced she was one of the most innocent characters on the show. in Breaking badVince Gilligan takes us on Walter White’s journey from downtrodden chemistry teacher to Heisenberg, the most feared meth dealer in two countries. Three, if you count Germany. Don’t forget Peter Schuler (Norbert Weiser).

With Walter in the driver’s seat, it’s natural to want to root for him And against anyone who will be in the way. Naturally, this includes his wife Skyler, who, I admit, I was not a huge fan of the first watch. Few people really were, and Skyler is often ranked among the most hated TV characters ever. I, however, no longer stand behind my ill-informed names and proudly proclaim I’m Team Skylar over Team Walter, a proclamation that would probably make Vince Gilligan, if he ever heard it, roll his eyes and say “No sh**t“In his soft-spoken, understated way.

Skylar White didn’t get nearly the sympathetic backstory that Walt did in Breaking Bad

The audience only sees Skyler through Walter’s eyes

When Walt is first introduced, his students tease him, his sex life is non-existent, strangers antagonize his son, really, and he has lung cancer. Basically, nothing has gone right for this guy in years. So, when he starts earning money, and more importantly, confidence, it’s hard not to root for him. And when Skyler gets in the way and asks him, you know, to stop cooking with her, it’s hard not to see her as a wet blanket. Even worse, we don’t really know anything about Skyler, either It’s easy to project what we want on you.

Without a backstory, all we know about the bad parts of Skyler is because we watch her through Walt’s eyes. If the character had more of a backstory, perhaps her time writing short stories, maybe the audience would have gravitated towards her. But that’s not the point of the show. Walt is an unstoppable locomotive destroying everything in his path. Everyone and everything is crushed under his relentless pursuit of the goblin, even his wife and family. From his (and our) perspective, she’s holding him back.

From Skyler White’s perspective, she’s in a horror movie. Or at least a psychological thriller. She was completely satisfied and then out of nowhere her life took off. Not only was she put in a dangerous situation, but the circumstances were such that she could not escape without causing even more damage, and Will knew that. People like to point out Clearer going into the pool as a frustrating character moment. Watch the scene again. Heisenberg literally dances her forward, wresting for her the normal life she wanted but knows she can no longer have.

Skyler’s affair is not as bad as a cold-blooded killer. Period.

Walter brought the destruction of his family upon himself

But what about Skyler’s affair? Seriously, what about him? It was definitely not cool, but her husband was a violent drug lord. Everything she thought she knew about the man she married no longer mattered, and she had nowhere to turn. Ted Beneke (Christopher Cousins) was the only one to show her genuine kindness. Of course, she would feel safe with him. She gets to play the role of a normal woman again before her family is destroyed.

As for Skyler “stealing” Walt’s money, it was so Ted wouldn’t expose her to the IRS. As every decision Skyler makes in Breaking badIt’s to protect her family. The only time it sticks is when Walt puts everything on the line without her telling him. Walt claims he would do anything for his family. well, Skyler actually would, including casting aside her pride and ego.