Summary

• Gus Fring's character in Breaking Bad is initially presented as a respectable businessman, but his true ruthlessness is revealed in the season 4 premiere.
• The box cutter scene in "Box Cutter" is one of the most chilling and tense moments in the series, showcasing Gus's unpredictability and willingness to kill.
• Gus's calm and calculated demeanor, as demonstrated in the ten minutes of the episode, solidifies him as the best villain in Breaking Bad, contrasting with Walter's visibly shaken state.

Breaking Bad has no shortage of villains throughout its five-season run, but some of the most chilling ten minutes happen in the season 4 premiere, proving just how terrifying Gustavo "Gus" Fring (Giancarlo Esposito) really is. A ruthless drug dealer, Gus Fring is initially presented as a respectable businessman who owns a fast-food chain, Los Pollos Hermanos. However, there was a lot more to unpack when it comes to his character, and he hits the pinnacle of his ruthlessness in the first episode of season 4, "Box Cutter."

Season 3 of Breaking Bad shows intricate character development and the gradual descent of Walter White (Bryan Cranston), but it also sets the scene for the rise of Gus Fring, a character further explored in season 4. His connection with Walter and Jesse gets more complicated, as he employs them to cook high-quality methamphetamine. However, they had no idea just how meticulous and cautious he was, which turns out to pose a bigger problem for the duo, setting the stage for one of the most terrifying, yet defining moments for Gus's character in Breaking Bad.

Breaking Bad's Box Cutter Scene Shows Gus Fring At His Scariest

Breaking Bad season 4 episode "Box Cutter" shows Gus Fring at his scariest, and the box cutter scene is often considered to be one of the most chilling and tense moments of the entire series. The scene picks up from the cliffhanger of the season 3 finale, where Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) kills Gale Boetticher, the highly skilled chemist Fring was working with and who posed a threat to Jesse and Walter. In the first episode, both Jesse and Walter find themselves in Gus' superlab, and they face dying after proving their subordination in one of the most anxiety-inducing scenes.

Almost halfway through the episode, Gus arrives at the lab and both Jesse and Walter fear for their life as the drug kingpin could easily punish them for their actions. While he looks imposing and walks around, Gus proves his ruthlessness and unpredictability by using a box cutter to slit the throat of Victor, his loyal henchman, in front of Walter and Jesse, in one of the bloodiest scenes of all 62 episodes of the series. On top of that, he does it without showing any emotion or saying anything. After Gus kills Victor, he cleans himself, goes to put on his clothes again, and instructs everyone to "get back to work" before leaving.

Why These 10 Minutes Of Breaking Bad Prove Gus Is The Best Villain

Gus Fring is famous for his calm and calculating demeanor, and the ten minutes in Breaking Bad's "Box Cutter" prove that; the drug lord takes his time before enforcing punishment, showing he is much scarier than he initially let on. From the moment he arrives at the lab, Gus takes his time taking off his jacket and shirt, putting them on a hanger, and putting on overalls while Walter launches into a rambling monologue, trying to defend himself and Jesse for killing Gale Boetticher. The outcome even surprises Mike, his hitman, when Gus shows a willingness to ruthlessly kill his own subordinate simply to prove a point.

The scene in the premiere of the fourth season makes Walter, who is visibly shaken, stumbling, and rambling, the direct antithesis of Gus, who is calm, relaxed, and calculated. Although Walter's character underwent a major change throughout the series, turning into a ruthless drug lord, "Box Cutter" immediately established Gus Fring as the best villain of Breaking Bad.