The following contains spoilers for Better Call Saul Season 6, Episode 9, "Fun and Games," which premiered Monday, July 17, on AMC.
Better Call Saul is slowly filling in the gaps of what happened to its title character before the events of Breaking Bad. With Season 6, Episode 9, "Fun and Games" featuring a large leap forward in time, Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman is closer than ever to how he is by the time Walter White and Jesse Pinkman meet him. With the two shows beginning to overlap and just a handful of Better Call Saul episodes remaining, what's left to explore in the prequel now that Jimmy is completing his transformation into Saul?
Throughout its six-season run, Better Call Saul has painted a detailed picture of how the titular character came to be. With series creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould choosing to jump into the era of Breaking Bad before the end of the prequel, there are a few questions that need to be answered and a few plot lines to tie up. But there also isn't much time to do either.
Saul Goodman quickly became a fan-favorite during his appearances in Breaking Bad, but the prequel/spinoff has given audiences a deep dive into the character that's made him even more interesting. During the events of Better Call Saul, viewers have learned about Jimmy's family, how he got involved in scams and cons, and even his love life. The complicated and evolving Kim Wexler acted as a rock in Jimmy's life and "Fun and Games" makes clear that in her absence, Jimmy's heartbreak led him down a dark path.
Kim is out in the world during the events of Breaking Bad. Therefore, Better Call Saul still needs to answer whether or not Kim -- frustrated by her own "breaking bad" -- ever resurfaced during Saul's involvement with Walt and Jesse. During the time jump, Jimmy became the Saul Goodman persona that is familiar from Breaking Bad. This means there's ample opportunity to explore the sides of Jimmy McGill that may have lingered while Breaking Bad unfolded.
Better Call Saul has also yet to explain what happens to Jimmy's other alter ego, Gene Takovic. Flash-forwards have been used throughout the series to illustrate what happened after Saul had to relocate because of Walt and Jesse. The last time audiences saw Saul's new persona Gene, he was getting recognized and declaring that he'll handle the situation himself.
The Gene identity has played an important role in framing how far Jimmy/Saul has fallen and contrasting that with how he started out. Now that the show has caught up to Breaking Bad, it seems logical for Better Call Saul to dive back into that part of his life. Doing so would tie his story together.
Better Call Saul has proven to be an success independent of its powerhouse parent show. With the series now leading into the events of its predecessor, audiences can get excited for what stories could be told in the final episodes that will connect to Breaking Bad. Walt and Jesse are set to appear in the final episodes, which reiterates that Better Call Saul will reframe the events familiar to audiences.
Saul Goodman has gone from a fan-favorite guest star to a full-blown complex protagonist thanks to Better Call Saul. These last episodes will highlight just how complex he really is. Not only will the final steps between the two shows tell more about Saul as a character, they'll also shed light on what he was doing between his check-ins during the Breaking Bad era.
Better Call Saul airs Mondays at 9:00 p.m. on AMC.