The seventh episode of the sixth season of Better Call Saul certainly lived up to the promise that the show will go out with a bang as the producers are going all out for it. Ever since the show began airing, Howard Hamlin has been a main character and he has been a constant source of frustration for Jimmy McGill and Kim Wexler.
He has also been the source of many laughs. As a result of Howard’s tragic encounter with Lalo Salamanca in the latest episode of Better Call Saul, the character’s run on the series has come to an end. However, after the jaw-dropping moment, fans were left wondering why Lalo made the decision to kill Howard in cold blood.
Howard Hamlin’s last scene
The plot of the sixth season of Better Call Saul revolves around Jimmy and Kim’s strategy to get a quick settlement in the Sandpiper Crossing case so that Jimmy can get a $2 million payout. This will be accomplished by discrediting Howard Hamlin as a witness in the case.
In episode seven, the plan the two came up with is successful, and Howard is left licking his wounds. In the episode’s final scene, he visits Jimmy and Kim to congratulate them on the success of their plan, but also offers a warning that he’ll not only land on his feet, but make their lives hell.
He does this in the context of a scene where he visits them to congratulate them on the success of their plan. But just at that moment, the apartment door opens, causing the candle currently sitting on the table to flicker, and Lalo Salamanca enters the apartment.
Jimmy and Kim are visibly shaken by the appearance of the cartel kingpin and try to convince Howard to flee the scene. However, Howard doesn’t take their advice and instead notes that Lalo needs to get better lawyers. Those were the last words Howard said before he was viciously shot in the head by Lalo, who then proceeded to spray Howard’s blood and brains all over Jimmy and Kim’s apartment.
Why did Lalo kill Howard?
Lalo decides to take Howard’s life for a number of reasons, the main one being that he doesn’t want any witnesses to the crime at the crime scene. Lalo was absent from Albuquerque until episode 7, since he had traveled to Germany to gain further knowledge regarding Gus Fring’s superlab.
Lalo wanted to keep his homecoming a secret. Keeping Howard in a talkative state would put him in danger. Second, by eliminating Howard, Jimmy and Kim will be beyond terrified, which Jimmy manages to accomplish. This will give Jimmy the upper hand in the discussion they are about to have with each other.
Finally, the third reason is that he was aware of the kind of person Howard was. After being warned by Jimmy and Kim, Lalo initially gave the impression that he would be willing to let Howard leave quickly to avoid the possibility of Howard being able to remember his face.
However, Lalo’s violent temper shows when Howard’s arrogance prompts him to joke that Lalo should hire a better lawyer, and Lalo ignores the warning. As a result, Howard was killed by Lalo.
Better call Saul Fans react to Howard’s death
Fans certainly found that the death of Howard, a figure who has been a part of Better Call Saul since the beginning, proved to be an important topic of conversation among them. On Twitter, a user opined that “That Better Call Saul conclusion was crazy.”
The looks of pure horror on Kim and Sol’s faces when Lalo walked in and Howard’s helplessness as he had no idea what was going to happen. And another voice chimed in, saying, “One thing Howard didn’t take into account – that there are monsters in this world far more heartless than Jimmy McGill.”
This supporter, who was aware of the seriousness of Jimmy and Kim’s plan, gave this feedback: “It was actually wonderful. If they hadn’t been able to pull off the scam, Howard wouldn’t be there at all. It demonstrates the unintended consequences of their actions, as well as how sinister their plan really is.
Another fan said in surprise, “I can’t believe it!” “When it came to Better Call Saul, one of my favorite characters of all time was Howard Hamlin. I was hoping it wouldn’t end like this! This viewer noted how the show emphasized Jimmy and Kim’s accomplishments only to feel terrible for Howard in the show’s closing moments: “Now that’s a narrative.”
After experiencing the rush of seeing Jimmy and Kim triumph over Howard in one episode, one is left feeling sorry for Jimmy and guilty for Kim’s actions. I can’t help but feel cheated. And I just love it!