Breaking Bad Season 4: Thirty-Eight Snub, Does Gus Know Mike Messed Up?

Breaking Bad Season 4 Episode 2 continues the saga and drama from Episode 1 about the most unexpected kill ever in the show. Last episode when Gus had slit Victor’s throat, I wondered – many questions reared their ugly heads in my mind. Without much hesitation, I came to quickly understand the rational behind Gus’ action and I totally concur with Ann.

Yet, I can’t help but bring it up again because I am sure it holds a key to the current gutter between Gus and Walter. It should also explain why Mike would want to ensure the divide persists.

Does Gus know that it was Mike who fucked up?

In Season 3, Episode 13, ‘Full Measure’ (Season Finale), Mike was instructed to get rid of Walt, but he allowed Walt to go into full begging mode offering up Jesse’s life instead. As Mike pondered, Walt called Jesse on his cell and told him to kill Gale.

That is the only reason why Walt and Jesse are still alive today. If Mike had not allowed that one call by Walt, it wouldn’t have been Gale’s and Victor’s death to pay. Make no buts about it, at least Jesse would have been sacrificed.

In addition, at the moment, Mike himself is just as shaken up by the Box Cutter Message from Gus as are Walt and Jesse. It’s no surprise that Mike is for the first time, without his favorite jacket, drinking in bars, pubs, looking frustrated, dejected and scared – of course if Gus can kill Victor just like that, he sure can kill him too – especially if Gus finds out about his mess.

Hence, Mike must keep Walt from getting any closer to Gus as he’s vested in ensuring his position at the right hand of Gus. Mike knows he’s partly to blame for Gale’s death and guilty of Victor’s. He simply can’t allow Gus to know.

At first glance it’s clear that Gus’ only reason for keeping away from Walt is because he thinks that Walt may try to kill him. This is true. Walt’s naivety has already confirmed it. But they both are missing a piece of the puzzle. Gus does not know Mike fucked up. And Walter’s academic self cannot connect the dots to his advantage. But when he does put two and two together, this could be the fertile ground that Walt needs in order to sow the seed of discourse between Gus and Mike, as it is the only way to get to Gus or start recruiting Mike to switch to his side. Divide and conquer!

In any case, Mike is scared of Gus now just as Walt and Jesse are, but would he trust Walt who has always messed up? Would you trust a man who knows you would have iced him not too long ago? Who should Mike trust? Certainly, I think not Gus. If Gus begins to get wind of what really went down, he’ll not spare Mike. Then again, Gus is not a careless man – he may be a cold drug baron, but certainly, an extremely strategic and cautious one. And the plot thickens…