Vince Gilligan’s universe is not exactly known for honoring innocent men, but what Better Call Saul did to one character is beyond forgivable.

Vince Gilligan created many nuanced characters for his show Better Call Saul and these complex characters came with a lot of grey shade. Howard Hamlin, the CEO of HHM, was one such character whom viewers initially considered one of the antagonists of the series. However, as the series progressed, Howard showed us that he was more than the smug and privileged lawyer he was portrayed to be.

Patrick Fabian as Howard Hamlin in Better Call Saul | Credits: AMC

Fans came to realize that he was just another ordinary human, largely misunderstood by both people on and off-screen. Howard’s final fate was to become a pawn in the destructive scheme of Jimmy McGill and Kim Wexler. At the end of all the scheming against him, not only was the innocent Howard’s reputation ruined but he was also killed off mercilessly.

Howard Hamlin Confronting Jimmy McGill In Better Call Saul Is The Rant Audiences Wanted To Make

Patrick Fabian as Howard Hamlin in Vince Gilligan’s Better Call Saul | Credits: AMC

In Better Call Saul Season 6, Bob Odenkirk‘s Jimmy McGill and Rhea Seehorn’s Kim Wexler plot an elaborate plan to undermine Howard Hamlin. As they carry out the plan, Howard becomes aware of the situation and contracts a private investigator to follow Jimmy. However, Jimmy planted the private investigator and falsely portrayed Howard as a cocaine addict.

Howard is humiliated in front of his clients and the Sandpiper case is settled at a lower price, as Jimmy had hoped for. When Howard pieced together the entire scheme, he confronts Jimmy and Kim at their apartment. He asks Jimmy and Kim, “So, tell me… why? Why go through this elaborate plot just to burn me to the ground?”

The rant in the episode Plan and Execution had many convinced that Howard didn’t deserve the downfall that was so maliciously orchestrated. He narrates all the hardships that he had gone through in life, including debts, depression, and a failed marriage. Howard tells Jimmy and Kim in the scene (via @bettercallsaulfc/Instagram):

Oh yeah, sure. The Sandpiper settlement—HHM’s share will be substantial, absolutely. Even though I humiliated myself. And my clients and peers will whisper that Howard Hamlin’s a drug addict. You’re right. I’ve worked my way through worse. Debt. Depression. My marriage falling apart. Oh, yeah. Been sleeping in the guest house for the better part of a year. Just one more thing that good ol’ Howard has to work through. But yes, I will land on my feet. I will be okay.

When Howard said to the couple that they had orchestrated the scheme out of cruelty and not necessity, it also reflected what many thought about Vince Gilligan‘s arc for Howard. At that moment, fans couldn’t back Jimmy McGill as they usually do because this was sheer pettiness from Jimmy’s side. The tragedy that follows this scene, as Lalo Salamanca puts a bullet to Howard’s head, further intensifies the injustice.

Howard Hamlin In Better Call Saul Was A Deeply Misunderstood Character

Patrick Fabian and Bob Odenkirk in Better Call Saul | Credits: AMC

Patrick Fabian’s Howard Hamlin initially appears as an antagonist from Jimmy’s perspective. He stands as a major opposition to Jimmy’s career aspirations. However, viewers later find out that Howard was merely a pawn acting on his mentor Chuck McGill’s orders. His loyalty to Chuck often places him in circumstances where viewers see him as a smug villain.

However, after Chuck’s tragic death, fans see a man grappling with guilt. He made genuine efforts to improve his relationship with Jimmy. Despite his attempts to mend relationships, he remained a target to Jimmy and Kim. While the privilege initially made him unsympathetic, the layers of vulnerabilities in his character slowly started peeling.

He was haunted by the shadows of legacies left by his father and his mentor Chuck. Howard deserved better because he is a misunderstood character. Once again, decency was left unrewarded in Vince Gilligan’s world and an innocent man faced a tragic death.

Better Call Saul is now available for streaming on Netflix.