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Better Call Saul is much more than a story of lawyers. The series focuses on clever and risky villains. Most of the characters in these books planned their actions, used methods that appeared smart, and understood human nature and authority well. They frequently gave the idea of being carefree and easygoing, yet their actions revealed how genuine and serious they were.
They all applied their intelligence differently, some controlling things quietly, some choosing violence, and some using the law itself. These ten villains are ranked here from the least clever to the smartest ones we’ve seen. Seeing key moments in the story helps us see the reasons behind their powerful impact and how smart they were in helping shape the series.
**Please note: This article is solely the writer's opinion. Reader discretion is advised.**
Here is the list of the 10 smartest villains in Better Call Saul (Ranked):
10. Betsy Kettleman
Betsy, in Better Call Saul, is the mother of Warren and Jo Jo Kettleman and the spouse of Craig Kettleman. She has been working tirelessly to help her husband, a thieving treasurer, get out of his sentence to protect her family's financial security. Viewers have seen Craig Kettleman and Betsy Kettleman stealing funds from the county treasury without authorization.
In the Bingo episode, Mike discovers the cash and the Kettlemans' hidden stockpile after Jimmy surreptitiously places marked currency outside their home. As soon as Joe confronts her, Betsy threatens to let everyone know that Jimmy took part in covering up their part in the story.
Jimmy counters that she would be engaging in bribery if she made such a deal, which may result in both parents being imprisoned and the children being parentless. Consequently, Betsy consents to a plea deal. In this episode, Betsy makes excellent use of her cards, even while she is surrounded.
9. Leonel Salamanca and Marco Salamanca
Leonel and Marco are also called The Cousins. In the TV shows "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul," the two main antagonists, Marco and Leonel Salamanca, are played by Daniel Moncada and Luis Moncada, respectively. The Cousins make their first appearance when their uncle, Hector Salamanca, asks them to speak with hitman Mike Ehrmantraut. This happens after Mike has detained Hector’s other nephew, Tuco Salamanca, for having a gun illegally.
The cousins are the twin enforcers for the Juárez Cartel. Hector Salamanca tried to drown one of them as a child, explaining that brotherhood meant he had to learn not to share toys. After this, they become close and move as a deadly, united team, unable to speak.
They are difficult to deal with because of their committed and disconnected behavior. Despite not being overtly strategic, their planning and execution of their activities amply demonstrate their effectiveness as cartel enforcers.
8. Hector Salamanca
Hector Salamanca is famous for being ruthless and having strong hatreds in the Juárez Cartel. In Bali Ha’i episode, viewers have seen Hector approaching Mike after Tuco’s arrest, offering him a bribe to switch what he will say in court. After Mike declines, Hector threatens Mike's granddaughter to illustrate his willingness to exploit any weakness. Hector’s thoughts are still clear, even after he had a stroke. In the Breaking Bad series, he joins Walter White to kill Gus Fring, with the help of a bomb on Gale’s wheelchair.
Hector displays his strategic prowess and unwavering resolve by enticing Gus into a false feeling of security and sacrificing himself to extract his long-sought retribution.
7. Juan Bolsa
Juan Bolsa interacts with cartel members in the United States as a member of the cartel's higher echelons. Television viewers recognize him for his ability to keep the cartel members calm. Bolsa attempts to resolve the conflicts between Hector Salamanca and Gus Fring and control their interests.
Therefore, it proves that Bolsa is a strategic thinker whose cartel-related decisions are often astute. However, his poor judgment of inner hazards makes his position uncertain, ultimately leading to his downfall.
6. Don Eladio Vuente
Don Eladio Vuente has commanded the Juárez Cartel with civility and resolve since assuming control. Better Call Saul shows how Saul maintains his composure when dealing with significant and difficult personalities such as Hector Salamanca and Gus Fring.
A good example of his strategic thinking appears in the meeting between Don and Gus, where he praises Gus and gives warnings without risking enough to upset his subordinates. The ability to understand and handle relations within the cartel means he leads the organization.
5. Lydia Rodarte-Quayle
Lydia Rodarte-Quayle is working on the methamphetamine enterprise covertly, despite having a prominent position at Madrigal Electromotive. She is a business executive and leads the logistics team at Madrigal Electromotive GmbH, working from their office in Houston, Texas. She is quite knowledgeable because she concentrates on efficiently managing and dealing with hazards in her position.
In the Breaking Bad universe, viewers have seen that Lydia thinks ending relationships with associates is best because it stops them from revealing her secrets. The way she operates within a legal company with her illicit activities proves her smart thinking and flexible mindset.
4. Nacho Varga
Nacho is Manuel Varga's son and a Mexican-American career criminal from Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is an educated and calculating man who worked at his father's store, A-Z Fine Upholstery, before joining the Cartel. He became one of Tuco Salamanca's most trusted enforcers and later became the lieutenant of Hector and Lalo Salamanca. During season 3, episode 8, he replaces Hector's pills with nothing, hoping the heart issue would remove Hector from danger without their meeting.
This premeditated action necessitates accuracy and courage, demonstrating Nacho's strategic thinking. His actions show a thorough grasp of his surroundings and the hazards involved. Thus, it distinguishes him as a bright and resourceful person. Nacho lost faith in the groups as his involvement in Gus's drug business and the Cartel grew more significant, as his association with them endangered his father's and his own lives.
3. Lalo Salamanca
Lalo is a Mexican drug kingpin and high-ranking Cartel capo, along with his uncle Hector Salamanca, boss Eladio Vuente, and comrade Juan Bolsa. Lalo Salamanca is an appealing and clever member of his family. Lalo’s plan in Point and Shoot episode of Better Call Saul is meant to reveal Gus Fring’s location for his secret meth lab.
He pretends to be dead using someone who looks like him, making sure Jimmy and Kim help, so that he can secretly enter the lab. Lalo is smart and tough since he can easily manipulate situations and people to his advantage, making him one of Bad Guy Hero's best villains.
2. Gus Fring
Gus Fring is a drug lord, yet he makes himself look like a businessman. His careful management of both his meth manufacturing and his chicken eatery reveals his acumen.
The way Gus plans and traps Lalo in the lab in Season 6, Episode 8, demonstrates his intelligence to viewers of the TV program. Even though he is surprised, Gus uses the dark moment to finish off Lalo and secure the win, even though he ends up hurt himself.
Gus’s actions during this incident prove his strong vision for the future and fast changes as matters develop. His empire has a stronger foundation than that of other leaders because of his meticulous planning, careful observation, and faith in security and loyalty.
1. Chuck McGill
Chuck McGill is recognized as a talented lawyer with a strong understanding of the law and a talent for deception. His ability to disbar Jimmy in Better Call Saul is a testament to his cunning. When Chuck takes the witness stand to testify against Jimmy in season 3, episode 5, viewers can observe his tactics in action.
Jimmy tricks Chuck into admitting that his EHS issues are mental during the deposition. Chuck, who usually keeps his cool under pressure, lashes out violently in response, essentially ruining his case against his brother. Chuck's actions demonstrate that he is willing to play as dirty as his brother, leveraging his legal knowledge to influence events in his favor.
His actions, which demonstrate his strategic thinking and emotional intelligence, are motivated by his long-standing animosity and conviction that Jimmy is unworthy of a law degree.
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It is concluded that Better Call Saul gave us bad guys who went beyond being criminals. What made each of them remarkable, aside from their actions, was their astute reasoning. Audiences could tell why each character was special, from Betsy Kettleman making bold threats to Chuck McGill’s approach in court.
Unlike their enemies, Gus Fring and Chuck McGill didn’t rely only on power, but also tricked others with their planning. The show's plot and primary characters changed dramatically as a result of their decisions. When we think about it, it's the way they think and work that stands out the most in Better Call Saul, rather than their misdeeds.
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