Walter and Mike: Beyond Business Associates in Breaking Bad

In the critically acclaimed series Breaking Bad, the dynamic between Walter White and Mike Ehrmantraut is a complex one. While they may have been business associates during certain key moments in the show, their relationship was far from simple. This analysis will explore the nature of their interactions, focusing on the factors that kept them at arms' length and the occasional moments where they bridged the gap.

Why Walter Never Considered Mike a Friend

Throughout the series, Walter White and Mike Ehrmantraut maintained a strained relationship, with "business associates" being the closest label they ever fit. Their relationship was primarily driven by mutual respect and shared goals, yet it remained fundamentally devoid of genuine friendship.

Respect and Caution: Walter likely saw Mike as a necessary ally in his quest to take down Gus Fring. Mike's exceptional skills and unwavering loyalty made him a valuable asset. However, Walter's pride and need to maintain his ego prevented him from considering Mike as a true friend. His respect for Mike's abilities coexisted with a healthy dose of caution and a deep-seated dislike due to Mike's unflinching honesty and lack of fear in confronting Walt's flaws.

Personal Resentment: Walter's jealousy and resentment were also significant factors. He resented Mike's close relationship with Jesse Pinkman and the trust Mike placed in him. Additionally, Mike's insubordinate actions, such as attempting to kill Walt twice, only exacerbated these feelings. Each of these incidents strengthened Walter's resolve to protect himself at all costs, further solidifying their adversarial relationship.

Business-Driven Motivations: When analyzing their interactions, it's crucial to recognize that many of their dealings were driven by business objectives. For instance, their partnership in setting up the meth cooking operation using Vamonos Pests as a cover saw them briefly work together. However, this alliance was short-lived due to the fatal incident involving Todd who killed a child during the theft of methylamine. This event nearly resulted in a vendetta, highlighting the fragile nature of their association.

Mike's Perspective

From Mike's perspective, the relationship with Walter was one of mutual distrust and disdain. Mike viewed Walter as an unreliable and superfluous criminal, an amateur who lacked the necessary judgment and behavior to succeed in the drug trade. This perspective was consistent throughout the series.

Empathy and Outcomes: Despite their constant jabs and confrontations, Mike did feel genuine remorse after causing Walter harm. This empathy is a testament to the mutual respect they bore towards each other's skills, even if their personal feelings were entirely negative.

Professionalism: Their interactions were primarily characterized by a formal and professional demeanor. Even when Mike sought to kill Walter, it was driven more by his sense of duty to Gus Fring rather than any personal grudge. This shows that their relationship remained strictly business-related, with personal conflicts taking a backseat during their dealings.

Ultimately, the relationship between Walter and Mike never transcended their shared business interests. They maintained a cold, calculated partnership, but genuine friendship was always an unrealistic expectation.

Detailed Analysis of Their Interactions

Business Associates: Walter and Mike's collaboration in the earlier seasons was rooted in their mutual need to take down Gus Fring. They worked together on various heists and operations, but these collaborations were strictly transactional. Their primary goal was to achieve a common objective, making their partnership bounded by business and not by personal sentiments.

Personal clashes: Moments of personal conflict often led to temporary alliances falling apart. The incident involving Todd's killing of a child during a methylamine theft was a pivotal moment that strained their relationship even further. In such scenarios, Mike's decisive actions and Walter's categorical need to eliminate any potential connections made their partnership extremely unstable.

Friendship or Partnership: Despite their brief bonds of camaraderie, Walter and Mike's relationship was far from one of friendship. Their interactions were driven by a desire to achieve mutual goals, but their personal animosities and professional differences ensured that their relationship remained transactional.

Conclusion

Walter White and Mike Ehrmantraut's relationship in Breaking Bad was a complex interplay of mutual respect, professional necessity, and personal enmity. While they occasionally bridged the gap for the sake of business, their relationship never evolved into something resembling genuine friendship. The combination of their shared goals, mutual respect, and personal conflicts made their interactions challenging and fraught with tension, never truly reaching the warmth of true camaraderie.