7 heartbreaking character deaths in Breaking Bad

There is no dearth of heartbreaking character deaths in Breaking Bad. The crime drama introduced fans to the world of Walter White (Bryan Cranston), a financially strapped high school chemistry teacher whose final straw comes in the form of a terminal cancer diagnosis. He begins to create and sell methamphetamine to secure his family's future. However, he steps over the evil threshold quickly.

Created by Vince Gilligan, the show captures Walt's descent into anti-hero territory. He gets wrapped up in cartels, turf wars, and gruesome murders that have fans gasping in shock. Even within Breaking Bad's realm of moral ambiguity, one cannot help but empathize with those who die sudden, tragic deaths, like Andrea and Mike.

Disclaimer: All opinions in this article belong solely to the writer. The list is in no particular order. Spoilers ahead.

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Andrea, Mike, and other heartbreaking character deaths in Breaking Bad

1) Andrea Cantillo (Emily Rios)

Rios plays Andrea (Image via YouTube/Breaking Bad & Better Call Saul)

Andrea becomes Jesse's anchor in season 4, showing him a way out of the evil drug underbelly. His relationship with her and her son, Brock, is gentle and hints at an alternate reality, but it is all too good to last. Walt poisons Brock to fuel Jesse's rage against Gus. When Jesse realizes the truth, he breaks his partnership with Walt. However, Jack Welker's gang kidnaps him because he is vulnerable.

When Jesse tries to escape, he is captured and taken to the Cantillos's residence, where Welkers's crew member, Todd Alquist, shoots Andrea in the head in episode 13 ("End Times") as Jesse watches and screams helplessly. It is one of the most unnecessarily heartbreaking deaths in Breaking Bad. Welker's men killed her because they wanted to follow through on their threat.

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2) Hank Schrader (Dean Norris)

Hank dies trying to arrest Heisenberg (Image via YouTube/Breaking Bad & Better Call Saul)

Hank isn't the most well-liked character in Breaking Bad because of his abrasive nature as Walt's brother-in-law and a DEA agent who is after Heisenberg. After five seasons of nipping at his heels, Hank finally uses Jesse to get to Walter's money, and ultimately, Walter himself. However, Walt is one step ahead and calls Jack Welker and Todd Alquist as reinforcement.

While Walt only wants Jesse out of the way, Jack has no intention of letting a DEA agent out of their grasp. He puts a bullet through Hank's head as Walt begs for him to be spared and even offers money in season 5 episode 14 ("Ozymandias"). Hank's death conveys how deep-rooted evil affects every person around Walt, and how they have to suffer the consequences of his actions by mere association.

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3) Gale Boetticher (David Costabile)

Gale's smarts cause his death (Image via YouTube/Breaking Bad & Better Call Saul)

From the get-go, Gale is introduced as a smart chemist who bit off way more than he could chew working for Gus Fringe. His presence threatens Walt, who wants him dead when he realizes that Gus is preparing to replace him with Gale after his imminent death. While Jesse is reluctant to help, he finds Gale's address and tells Walt. However, Walt is captured by Gus's men, and Jesse is left to murder Gale.

The whole scene is horrific in season 3, episode 13 ("Full Measure"), making it one of the most heartbreaking deaths in Breaking Bad. Jesse's reluctance to pull the trigger, combined with Gale's pleas to be spared, is hard to stomach. Moreover, the act changes Jesse fundamentally, as his ethical code no longer counts. It is a tragic end to a harmless character.

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4) Drew Sharp (Samuel Webb)

Drew's death is abrupt (Image via YouTube/Breaking Bad & Better Call Saul)

The adolescent boy on a bike is one of thousands of people who are affected by Walt's descent into evil. However, seeing an unassuming boy murdered for being in the wrong place at the wrong time makes the event one of the most heartbreaking deaths in Breaking Bad. Sharp sees Todd, Walter, and Jesse celebrating their train heist in season 5, episode 5 ("Dead Freight").

The saddest part is how quickly things change. One minute, Drew is on the bike, waving harmlessly at the three men. Next, Todd has his gun out and kills the boy as Jesse begs him to stop. Overall, the death is a reminder that nobody is safe around these men, even if their meeting was accidental. Seeing a child die brings fans down from the high of the genre to a somber reality.

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5) Jane Margolis (Krysten Ritter)

Jane's death was preventable (Image via YouTube/Breaking Bad & Better Call Saul)

If Jane's drug addiction relapse isn't sad enough, her death certainly is. As Jesse's neighbor and girlfriend, she is drawn to his world like a moth to a flame, even making plans to earn more money with the meth business and run away with Jesse. But when she blackmails Walter to help Jesse get his cut of a deal, she puts herself in his bad books, which never ends well.

Walter visits Jesse's house and finds Jane asphyxiating on her own vomit from a drug overdose. Instead of helping her, he watches her struggle and eventually die, with a stone-cold look in season 2, episode 12 ("Phoenix"). This shows how Jane's death was preventable, but it shows fans just how self-serving Walter had become.

Jane's dad is piloting Wayfarer 515 and crashes it in grief, changing the course of the show.

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6) Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks)

Mike dies due to Walt's misguided rage (Image via YouTube/Breaking Bad & Better Call Saul)

As a member of the Philadelphia Police Force who turns to the dark side to make money, Mike is a morally gray character. He isn't the most liked, but his death still stung fans. By season 5 episode 7 ("Say My Name"), Walter is desperate to gain more control, and this involves getting the names of people on Gus's payroll from Mike. Mike refuses to give them up, rage-baiting Walter to shoot him from behind.

Walter immediately realizes his folly, but it is too late. These heartbreaking deaths in Breaking Bad are metaphors for how Walter's explosive pride and ego lead him astray. Walter tells Mike about needing to feed his family in their heated exchange, which becomes ironic in Better Call Saul, when fans realize that's exactly what Mike was doing when he entered the criminal side.

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7) Walter White (Bryan Cranston)

Walter's death is his own doing (Image via YouTube/Breaking Bad & Better Call Saul)

Walter's death is imminent from season 1 of the crime drama. Cancer diagnosis aside, his constant tango with dangerous people like Jack Welker makes his fate clear. He starts his meth business to support his family, but soon lets it take over his very existence, ruled by his greed for money and power.

In the season 5 finale ("Felina"), Walter goes out guns blazing, after rigging an M60 gun to fire at Jack's crew. He gets caught in the crossfire and dies amidst his lab equipment. Walter isn't exactly a hero fans root for in the traditional sense. However, his conflicting conscience and his final redeeming arc of saving Jesse and apologizing to Skyler help fans realize his human side was still inside him.

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Watch all episodes of Breaking Bad on Netflix.