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One of my favorite ways to introduce characters or NPCs is to have them be helpful & useful to the central characters... in the wrong way.
And I forgot that one of the best examples of this kind of introduction is in Breaking Bad's Saul Goodman.
A short thread on his intro.
And I forgot that one of the best examples of this kind of introduction is in Breaking Bad's Saul Goodman.
A short thread on his intro.
(Breaking Bad spoilers)
First of all, we have to talk about how perfect his pre-intro is. The episode, fittingly titled Better Call Saul, begins with one of Walt & Jesse's crew getting busted in a sting. The scene itself is hilarious, but the bench?
That's the real magic here.
First of all, we have to talk about how perfect his pre-intro is. The episode, fittingly titled Better Call Saul, begins with one of Walt & Jesse's crew getting busted in a sting. The scene itself is hilarious, but the bench?
That's the real magic here.
And after this teaser scene & the intro card, we get this nifty in world commercial, which also gives us a taste for Saul's projected personality before ever meeting him.
By utilizing both the environment & title, the audience knows what to expect. This episode, we meet Saul.
By utilizing both the environment & title, the audience knows what to expect. This episode, we meet Saul.
Now after these introductory bits, the episode takes a while to actually introduce the character to us proper. We stew on who this Saul might be & what to expect before we finally meet him 20 minutes in.
And he's just as sleazy & cocky as we've been led to expect he'll be.
And he's just as sleazy & cocky as we've been led to expect he'll be.
We even get to see him interact with the show's other resident crude loudmouth, Hank, who immediately makes fun of Saul before Saul - without missing a beat - inverts Hank's bullying of him back on Hank.
So clearly, we know this guy is smart too. Very fast on his feet as well.
So clearly, we know this guy is smart too. Very fast on his feet as well.
So clearly, this quick thinking, brash, lewd sleazeball is gonna be a boon to Walt & Jesse. We even here Jesse endorse him as the guy he'd hire.
"Seriously when the going gets tough, you don't want a criminal lawyer. You want a CRIMINAL lawyer."
Saul is fit to be very helpful.
"Seriously when the going gets tough, you don't want a criminal lawyer. You want a CRIMINAL lawyer."
Saul is fit to be very helpful.
So Walt goes in posing as the uncle to the guy who got busted. And he very quickly assures Walt that his nephew will do minor time as long as he gives the DEA info on who his supplier is.
Great news!
For an uncle.
Terrible news for Walt, who is the supplier. So Walt presses.
Great news!
For an uncle.
Terrible news for Walt, who is the supplier. So Walt presses.
Walt tries to offer reasons why his dealer shouldn't snitch.
And Saul shoots all of them down with ease.
Walt says he thinks they should review their options. Saul says there aren't any. Walt worries about reprisal. Saul says he'll look into witness protection. Back & forth.
And Saul shoots all of them down with ease.
Walt says he thinks they should review their options. Saul says there aren't any. Walt worries about reprisal. Saul says he'll look into witness protection. Back & forth.
Walt even goes so far as to tell Saul about the murder attributed to Jesse. But Saul even dismisses that because he's in the know enough to know the truth.
Walt even offers Saul a $10,000 bribe.
And in a surprise twist?
Saul turns it down.
And this is why it's brilliant.
Walt even offers Saul a $10,000 bribe.
And in a surprise twist?
Saul turns it down.
And this is why it's brilliant.
Because Saul is clearly exactly the help Walt & Jesse need. He's capable, smart, & underhanded. But he has boundaries. And it's through the show setting him up like this that we learn exactly what sort of man Saul Goodman is in just 10 minutes.
You couldn't want a better intro.
You couldn't want a better intro.
And this only works this well, this fast because the Walt is forced to fight against this very helpful, very capable other character who's trying to help him in the way that character thinks is needed, but which is in direct opposition to the main character's actual needs.
We see Saul very quickly accept Walt & Jesse's actual needs once they're, uh, "revealed" to him, but I won't spoil the full episode.
My point is that sometimes the best way to introduce a helpful character is to make them a minor opposition, knowingly to that character or not.
My point is that sometimes the best way to introduce a helpful character is to make them a minor opposition, knowingly to that character or not.
Another great example of this is in Black Panther, where M'Baku is introduced early as knowing opposition to T'Challa. We get to see how fierce, capable, & independent he & his tribe are, thus establishing & foreshadowing him later in the film very easily as a much needed ally.
The point is: conflict is a great way to quickly flesh out helpful characters that will become allies to the main group. And it doesn't always need to be violent, or intentional.
Better Call Saul is a short masterclass in why this works so well.
Conflict is a tool. Use it well.
Better Call Saul is a short masterclass in why this works so well.
Conflict is a tool. Use it well.
