8 Greatest Modern-Day Machiavellian Characters

A lifetime of unfulfilled potential following a capricious business deal with friends rears its head in 'Breaking Bad', as audiences witness the downfall of a law-abiding family man and his descent into evil.

Walter illustrates the ultimate potential of machiavellian exploits. On the one hand, incredible feats can be achieved, as a cancerous man acquires $88m in cash, whilst countless murders take place on the back of a criminal enterprise. Whether Walter's exploits are viewed positively or negatively is a matter of perspective, although he achieves them with machiavellian brilliance.

What begins as an attempt to provide for his family, transpires into a narcissistic exercise of persona and ambition, as Walter instills fear to accumulate power and control. He subverts the hopes of Machiavelli, who advocated the necessity of atrocities for the benefit of the public, by construing the betterment of his family and his own private ambitions as justification for his actions. Gradually, the killings and the extent of the methamphetamine empire fail to have an effect on Walter, as each act is deemed necessary for progress. 

He also masters the art of manipulation and strategic empathy, able to outwit fellow machiavel Gus Fring and control Jesse at every opportunity. Yet, most chillingly, Walter White is the least unlikely of machiavels, successfully hiding behind an alias for years and beneath the radar of the close-by Drug Enforcement Agency.