Breaking Bad: Who Was Gustavo Fring Before Better Call Saul?

Gustavo Fring (Giancarlo Esposito) has become one of the most popular characters in the Breaking Bad universe. Yet, much is still unknown about this chicken-slinging drug dealer despite further exploration into his character in the prequel series, Better Call Saul. At one point in season three of Breaking Bad, Gus tells Walter (Bryan Cranston) to never make the same mistake twice, largely in reference to Walt’s trust in Jesse (Aaron Paul), a “junkie.” This seems to have been a formative lesson in the way Gus carries himself and does business, yet audiences are left to speculate, like with much of Gus’ past, what this formative experience was. There are two Gustavo Frings, the man he was before meeting Don Eladio (Steven Bauer) and the Juarez Cartel, and the man he was after, driven by calculated revenge.