‘Game of Thrones’ Creator George R.R. Martin Called ‘Breaking Bad’s’ Walter White ‘A Bigger Monster Than Anyone in Westeros’
It’s difficult to compare villains in different TV shows. There’s the question of setting, intentions, and so many other factors that help determine who’s really the evilest of all time. But Breaking Bad has one of the worst vile villains in existence, and even Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin agrees on that point.
The man who conjured horrific characters like Joffrey Baratheon and Ramsay Bolton admitted that there’s one super villain who tops them all. According to Martin, Heisenberg is the worst of the worst. Here’s what he said.
George R.R. Martin thinks Walter White is truly evil
The mark of a great storyteller is to recognize that same genius in others. Martin gave credit where it was due after watching the beloved Breaking Bad episode “Ozymandias,” which is hailed by critics and fans as the greatest episode of the show and possibly all of television.
The third to last episode in the final season shows Walter White reach the peak of his decline. “Ozymandias” includes the shootout in the desert that kills Hank Schrader, Walt’s family realizing what a monster he’s become, and Walt kidnapping his own child. It’s a wild ride.
Martin was equally enamored by the episode. The Song of Ice and Fire author wrote on his LiveJournal right after it aired in 2013, saying, “Amazing episode last night. Talk about a gut punch…Walter White is a bigger monster than anyone in Westeros. (I need to do something about that.)”
Did Martin take inspiration from ‘Breaking Bad’?
At the time of viewing, Game of Thrones was still an unfinished series and still only airing its third season. Eventually, showrunners had to push forward with the final season despite Martin not having the books finished. They apparently did so with Martin’s guidance.
But the show took a controversial turn that fans are still not happy with. Most importantly, Daenerys Targaryen goes full mad queen, turns on her people, and burns down the city of Westeros. Some fans claim this was bound to happen while others saw it as the wrong decision for the storyline.
Is it possible that Martin was trying to elevate Queen Daenerys to Heisenberg levels of evil? Definitely. He already said he was inspired by Breaking Bad.
Other villains on ‘Breaking Bad’ and ‘Game of Thrones’
Walter White is the antihero of Breaking Bad and arguably the least likable character by the end. But there were other notable villains in the show too, including the chilling character Todd Alquist. Fans are exposed to his evil in El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie. In it, fans see through flashbacks how Todd locks his captive, Jesse Pinkman, in the trunk of his car next to a dead body rolled up in a carpet. Then he starts singing, “Sharing the Night Together.”
But Game of Thrones has no shortage of villains, either. Joffrey Baratheon is best remembered for being a spoiled, arrogant, cowardly, childish, and sadistic ruler who makes his wife Sansa Stark’s life miserable. Meanwhile, Ramsay Bolton brutally tortured Theon Greyjoy as his prisoner, stripping him of his human rights and painfully castrating him.
