The noticeable difference in Todd Alquist's appearance in "El Camino" compared to "Breaking Bad" is due to the long wait between filming and the limited time to prepare for the role. "El Camino" is told from Jesse Pinkman's perspective, which may distort the portrayal of characters like Todd Alquist.
Seeing as El Camino picked up moments after Breaking Bad's final episode, Jesse was still 25. In fact, the character's actions to acquire a new identity occurred while he was on the brink of turning 26 years old.
Jesse recovers Neil's cash and departs after setting an explosion to cover his tracks. Ed provides Jesse with a new identity with the surname "Driscoll" and smuggles him to Haines, Alaska. Jesse hands Ed a letter for Brock and says there is no one else he wants to say goodbye to.
During the shootout, Jesse hides under a car, but Walt sees him and gives him up to Jack, but before Jack can kill Jesse, Todd says that they need to torture Jesse to see what he told Hank (that's why Jesse has scars on his face in the El Camino trailer).
Jesse has been held prisoner for a year, regains his freedom, kills his captor (the evil ginger, Todd) then steams his car! Jesse speeds to the home of his friends, Skinny Pete and Badger. The trio quickly realize that the car has LoJack (stolen vehicle GPS) and that the cops are on the way.
Better Call Saul 6x13 "Walter White might be dead but Jesse Pinkman?" Season 6 Episode 13 Saul Gone
How did Jesse change in El Camino?
As Jesse spent the entirety of Breaking Bad as Walter White's partner, El Camino in contrast shows Jesse coming to terms with his past and making his own decisions, free of White's influence.
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie is a worthy edition in the Breaking Bad canon. It takes forward the story of a character who was the moral centre of the show - or at least one who passed for one - and completes his arc in a satisfying way.
In the series premiere, we learn that Alec was involved in a church bombing nearly 20 years ago that left him permanently scarred. At the beginning of the episode he explains to his class that his experience recovering from the accident helped inspire his work as a behavioral scientist and professor.
The finale did give Jesse a happy ending of sorts when Walt, finally showing something like remorse for what he'd done to his former student, set him free. But our final image of Jesse was behind the wheel, screaming, gunning it down backroads to make his escape. It's an ending, but it's hardly closure.
During this period, Jesse's girlfriend was shot in the head. After escaping from that hell, Jesse is unsurprisingly suffering from PTSD. This is a new development for the character brought on by these traumatic events. It's something he struggles with throughout El Camino.
Who did Jessie write a letter to at the end of El Camino?
He hands Ed a final letter to one individual and, as Jesse drives away, we see who it's addressed to: Brock Cantillo. Breaking Bad fans will remember that Brock, played in the series by Ian Posada, is the young child of Jesse's girlfriend Andrea (Emily Rios), who is murdered in cold blood by Todd (Jesse Plemons).
"El Camino" is told from Jesse Pinkman's perspective, which may distort the portrayal of characters like Todd Alquist. Jesse Plemons' performance as Todd in "El Camino" reflects his growth as an actor since his breakout role in "Breaking Bad," and his changed appearance adds depth to the character's impact on Jesse.
That next move (and the next and the next and the next) form the plot of El Camino, a story about Jesse trying to finally, finally break free of his old life in Albuquerque and find a new one. The “present-day” action takes place over what seems like only a day or two.
Anna Gunn didn't return as Skyler for either El Camino or Better Call Saul, but in a phone conversation between Saul and his secretary, Francesca, in Better Call Saul Francesca mentions that Skyler received a plea deal from the government.
How much money did Jesse have at the end of El Camino?
At the end of El Camino, Jesse had more than $230k in cash and a 1988 Toyota Land Cruiser (the movie is set in 2010). When Skinny Pete asks Jesse if he has any cash, Jesse says no.
When her life fell apart and Walt disappeared, Skyler lost her assets and moved in with her kids in a small apartment with a job as a taxi dispatcher. It was revealed that her sister, Marie, reached out for a truce, so it's likely that the two reconnected shortly after the series finale.
Due to Jesse Plemons' putting on weight for his role in Black Mass, Todd looks noticeably more overweight in El Camino than he appeared in Breaking Bad. This inspired a series of jokes within the fandom, referring to Todd as "Fat Todd". As of 2023, Plemons has lost all the weight.
Jesse refused and attempted to use his power; however, God attacked him, biting out his left eye and leaving him a wreck. Before finishing the job, God fled when He detected the Saint of Killers approaching. Though physically ruined, Jesse happily realized that God was afraid of the Saint.
When Jesse finally breaks free - both literally and figuratively (from Walt and the drug trade, as ImCallingJapan pointed out) - it's understandable that he's feeling multiple emotions all at once. There's grief for what he's been through, what he's lost, where his life has gone, and who he's become.
As Walt either wouldn't do anything to save Jane, he decided not to wake Jesse up, knowing that her death would help him gain control over Jesse as a result, and possibly saving Jesse from the same fate and to protect his own criminal secrets.
El Camino is set in the immediate aftermath of Breaking Bad's final episode and focuses on Jesse Pinkman as he attempts to escape the authorities and start a new life away from the mess created by Walter White in "Felina." Generally speaking, El Camino is a sequel to Breaking Bad that takes place in the days following ...
Should I watch El Camino or Better Call Saul first?
Watching Better Call Saul before Breaking Bad can be interesting, but it spoils the events of Breaking Bad and diminishes the experience of both shows. El Camino should be watched right after finishing Breaking Bad, as it serves as an epilogue to the show.
