10 Breaking Bad Characters Who Play Smaller, But Crucial Roles
9. Tortuga
Tortuga is barely even in Breaking Bad in the grand scheme of things, but he plays enough of an important role to be justified in making this list.
It's not necessarily the impact he has on any of the main characters in the show, although it is Tortuga's demise which first opens Hank's eyes to the sheer violence the Cartel will carry out to get their way.
The shot of Tortuga's head being carried through the desert on a tortoise before it explodes is one of the most memorable visuals from the entire show.
The whole charade impacts Hank for the rest of the series as he struggles to overcome what he has seen and suffers panic attacks.
Hank's involvement and link to Tortuga can be further explored, given he is involved in the shootout with the Salamanca cousins, the same cousins who took the pleasure in chopping off Tortuga's head.
Tortuga's demise is a firm message that betrayal will not be tolerated from the Cartel, giving the viewer an insight into just how deep in the sh*t Walt and Jesse could wind up finding themselves.