‘Better Call Saul’ Season 6 Episode 6 Recap: Axes to Grind
Better Call Saul Season 6 is approaching its mid-season finale, and the AMC series set the stage for chaos in its latest episode. Jimmy (Bob Odenkirk) and Kim (Rhea Seehorn) have reached the climax of their Howard (Patrick Fabian) scheme. And Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 6 sees Kim making a surprising decision that could change everything.
[Warning: Major spoilers ahead for Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 6, “Axe and Grind.”]
Jimmy and Kim near ‘D-Day’ in ‘Better Call Saul’ Season 6 Episode 6
Jimmy and Kim have spent the majority of Better Call Saul Season 6 setting up their play against Howard, and episode 6 sees them reaching what they’ve dubbed “D-Day.” Fans still have no idea what their takedown entails, but it’s big enough that Kim nearly turns down a compelling career opportunity just to see it unfold.
Clifford Main (Ed Begley Jr.) approaches Kim about a foundation that would enable her to do the work she loves. She struggles when she realizes her interview would land on D-Day. Jimmy convinces her to pursue it anyway, and she initially listens. Unfortunately, her triumph over her dark side is short-lived.
Jimmy and Kim have a setback just as D-Day arrives, with a panicked Jimmy calling to tell her that they’ve made a mistake with the judge. He argues that they can simply push back their plan, but Kim is hellbent on destroying Howard. She makes an abrupt U-turn on the highway, leaving Clifford Main’s opportunity in the dust.
At this point, it’s hard not to feel for Howard, especially with the early moments of “Axe and Grind” depicting his failing marriage. The poor guy can’t catch a break. And despite his insistence that he’s putting an end to all the bowling balls and strippers, one can’t help but think he’s underestimating his opponents. Kim will do anything to ensure their plan works — even give up her dream job if need be.
Season 6 Episode 6 may mark a turning point for Kim Wexler
Kim’s decision at the end of Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 6 marks a turning point for her character, and it’s a worrying development for fans wondering where Kim is during Breaking Bad.
Over the series, Kim has inched further and further from the law, even becoming worse than Jimmy on occasion. It’s telling that he’s the one who pushes her to go after her dream job while she’s focused on getting back at Howard. If anyone has an axe to grind, it’s Kim. And with her plan going off its intended path, one can’t help if the reckoning Rhea Seehorn teased is on the horizon.
“Axe and Grind” also reveals that Jimmy isn’t the one who led Kim down this path. As it turns out, her mother raised her to be a con artist. The episode opens with a flashback that shows Kim wasn’t always a by-the-books lawyer. She may have turned her life around before she and Jimmy met — or it’s possible she’s been conning him as well.
Whatever happens, one can’t help but notice that Kim struggles throughout this week’s episode. There are two wolves inside her, and it’s hard to say which will win.
Lalo Salamanca gets a win ahead of ‘Better Call Saul’s mid-season finale
Although most of Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 6 focuses on the Howard con, Lalo Salamanca (Tony Dalton) takes a big step forward with his own revenge plan. After his visit with Margarethe Ziegler (Andrea Sooch), he tracks down one of the men who built Gus Fring’s (Giancarlo Esposito) lab.
The guy isn’t at all pleased to see him. And with him holding an axe, their confrontation proves incredibly intense. Things briefly look dire for Lalo, but Tony Dalton’s character always has a plan. He manages to turn the tables, snatching the axe and gaining the upper hand. It’s only a matter of time before he extracts the information he needs, and then he’ll no doubt pay Gus a visit.
And Gus is waiting for his arrival, with his men pestering Mike (Jonathan Banks) about needing more security. Lalo’s cool and collected as he approaches their showdown, but Gus seems ready to break. If we didn’t know better from Breaking Bad, we’d say Lalo was poised to win this fight.
It’s unclear if their inevitable face-off will happen in the mid-season finale or when Better Call Saul Season 6 returns for part 2. The preview for next week suggests Jimmy, Kim, and Howard will be the ones in the spotlight. And after so much build-up this week, we can’t complain about that.
Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 7 airs on AMC on May 23 at 9 p.m. EST.
