Recap
In last week’s episode, we saw Kim and Jimmy ramp up their planned takedown of Howard Hamlin as D-Day approached. The scene involving Dr. Caldera and the drug he tests on Jimmy makes sense in this week’s Better Call Saul season 6 midseason finale, “Plan and Execution.”
In Axe and Grind, Lalo tracked down Werner‘s old colleague Casper. Lalo quickly gets the upper hand on Casper with the help of an Axe. Despite us not seeing anything after that involving Lalo and Casper, we find out Lalo got the information he wanted. Plan and Execution center around Kim and Jimmy’s continued attack on Howard. The execution part involves a literal Execution!
Lalo
The opening scene in Plan and Execution sees a manhole cover in a deserted street, being slid open and a male figure emerging from the hole. The camera quickly highlights his face, and you guessed it, it’s Lalo Salamanca! We soon find out he obtained the information regarding the meth lab from Casper, and he’s come to Albuquerque to hunt Gustavo Fring! He has been hiding underground and spying on the Laundromat where the meth superlab is!
As the episode continues, Lalo decides to record a video to Don Eladio, explaining his plan of action. Right before Lalo goes hunting, he calls uncle Hector. As the nurse transfers the call to Hector, some scratches are heard on the line. Gus knows Lalo’s plan! He’s set up a tap.
Lalo cannot hide his frustration that Gus suspects he’s alive, so the element of surprise is not as high. Lalo proceeds to smash his stakeout chair to pieces in his underground hideout. Despite the tap, Lalo calls his uncle back and tells him Plan A is happening. Hector proceeds to ring his bell in dissatisfaction. Lalo hangs upon his uncle, but was Hector trying to warn him of something?
We later see Gus Fring donating money to a charity on behalf of Los Pollos Hermanos. Mike interrupts the charitable giving to sinisterly tell Gus that everything is in place; if Lalo shows up, they will take him down.
Kim and Jimmy vs Howard
D-Day has arrived, and we quickly see Kim and Jimmy in the park acting out their final D-Day plans. They are staging photos in the park with someone who looks like the sandpiper mediation judge, who they make look like he is receiving a bribe from Jimmy. He gives these photos to Howard’s private investigator! Once Howard views the pictures, he takes his place in the mediation. When the judge walks in, Howard’s face drops.
The scene with Dr. Caldera testing a drug on Jimmy and Howard’s distress all comes together in this sequence of events. Howard flips out and causes a commotion which surprises everyone in the meeting. The commotion caused by Howard seemingly makes D-Day a success. However, with Lalo lurking in the shadows, D-Day is far from done!
Kim and Jimmy
As Kim and Jimmy relax after a seemingly successful day of tormenting Howard, he arrives at their apartment with a gift for them both to say well done. But, they refuse to divulge too much information, which exacerbates Howard’s already bad mood.
The air feels sinister, and they ask Howard to leave. Tom Schnauz directed this scene brilliantly. There’s a sense something sinister is approaching. As they both stand in front of Howard trying to convince him to leave, another guest joins the party.
It’s Lalo! He enters the room slowly and methodically. Howard is unsure who he is, but he soon realizes from the terrified look on Kim and Jimmy’s faces that this is a bad situation. Lalo pulls his gun out and executes one of them in cold blood! It’s a shocking end that shows intended actions can have the most unintended consequences!
I know you’re all screaming, “tell us who he killed?” You will have to watch it to find out!
What’s to come?
The first half of Better Call Saul season 6 has been brilliantly put together, with every story arc explored diligently, so no stone has been left unturned. The mid-season finale bought D-Day to life, and it was a shockingly brilliant conclusion that promises to change the lives of Jimmy and Kim irreversible from here onwards!
Mike warned Kim about Lalo and the high probability that he was still alive. However, she chose to hide this information from Jimmy, and that secret comes back on her in the most shocking way during Plan and Execution. This episode undoubtedly marks a seismic shift for all the characters in the show. Once the show reconvenes on July 11, it promises to be an eventful final stretch as Better Call Saul season 6 edges closer and closer to the Breaking Bad timeline!
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