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Just so you know, this isn't personal.
― Todd to Andrea before executing her under Jesse's eyes[src]

Todd Alquist is a methamphetamine cook and former exterminator for Vamonos Pest, and the nephew of Jack Welker. He worked for Walter White, Mike Ehrmantraut, and Jesse Pinkman in their meth manufacturing business. Todd also operated for his uncle Jack Welker's gang and their ally Lydia Rodarte-Quayle, whom Todd has a crush on.


Warning, the following may contain spoilers.
Walt and Jesse enlist Todd to help with the heist of a train carrying the methylamine they need to cook. He proves useful until he fatally shoots Drew Sharp, a young boy who accidentally witnessed the robbery. Todd defended his actions, claiming they couldn't leave any witnesses alive. While Walt seemed to accept Todd's callous rationale, Mike and Jesse were disgusted and angry. The group voted to let Todd stay on, but it was the beginning of the end of their partnership.

When Jesse and Mike decided to quit the meth business, Walt brought Todd on as his new assistant. After Walt kills Mike, Todd truly earned his place at Walt's right hand when he helped dispose of Mike's body and introduced Walt to his prison-connected uncle, Jack Welker. Walt hired Jack and his gang to execute all of the imprisoned former members of Gus' Drug Empire, getting rid of any loose ends that might lead the DEA back to Walt. After Jack and his gang kill Hank Schrader and Steven Gomez, Todd recommends keeping Jesse alive so he can cook meth for them, and Jack agrees. Todd and his gang take Jesse back to their compound, where he remained as their slave cook for several months. When Jesse attempted to escape, Todd punished him by executing his former girlfriend Andrea Cantillo.

After Walt returns from hiding in New Hampshire, he attempts to propose a new deal with Lydia and Todd to produce meth with a new formula to which Lydia feigns agreement and instead orders for Walt to be murdered. Before they are able to kill him however, the entire gang is wiped out when Walt activated an M60 machine gun he placed in the trunk of his car, killing most of the gang. While Todd initially survived the attack, he was ultimately killed by Jesse for revenge for his torture and to avenge Todd's murder of Andrea.

History[]

Background information[]

Todd was born in 1987. Little is known of his past. His uncle was the leader of a violent gang for which Todd was a close ally to and also an enforcer.

He at one point was an employee of the Albuquerque Gazette and later began working for Ira at Vamonos Pest; working as a fumigator and also secretly as a burglar.

Breaking Bad[]

Season 5[]

Todd is seen working at Vamonos Pest. He and his crew were hired by Mike Ehrmantraut to help in a methamphetamine operation led by Walter White and Jesse Pinkman. The pest control crew was ordered not to talk to Walt and Jesse at any time: they should only set up a house for the poison bombing, set up the secret mobile meth lab inside and clear space for the two cooks. Before Walt and Jesse's first cook, Todd informed the duo of a nanny-cam in the living room of the house ("Hazard Pay").

He later assisted Jesse and Walt during a train heist for methylamine to produce Blue Sky. Todd showed great interest in the plan, trying to make Walt see the potential in him. Walt explained to Todd how the heist would go down, but emphasized that nobody should ever know that the train was ever robbed. The heist went as planned until a good Samaritan offered to move the truck that was blocking the train, which forced Todd to jump from the top of a moving train. After the three secured the methylamine, their celebration was witnessed by young Drew Sharp. Without hesitation, Todd drew his pistol and shot the boy dead ("Dead Freight").

Episode-5-todd-jesse

Todd shoots Drew Sharp.

Todd helped Walt and Mike dispose of Drew's corpse and motorcycle in Hydrofluoric acid. He then attempted to explain himself to the group, saying that the only reason he shot the kid was to protect their heist. He appeared unfazed by his action, sticking to the belief that killing Drew had to be done because he was a witness. Walt, Jesse and Mike came to the agreement that Todd would remain part of their crew but Mike warned him not to bring a gun to job again unless he told Mike about it first. Later it is revealed that Todd kept Drew Sharp's jar containing a tarantula ("Buyout").

After both Mike and Jesse left the crew, Walt recruited Todd as his new lab assistant. Walt taught him how to cook meth in the mobile lab, telling him to try his hardest and pay attention, instructions which Todd seemed to take to heart. He took notes and studied them on his break. After the cook, Todd turned down Walt's offer of money until he improved ("Say My Name").

After killing Mike, Walt called on Todd to help dispose of Mike's car and corpse. Walt also needed to kill Mike's nine guys (former employees of Gustavo Fring) that were in prison and a lawyer, so Todd introduced Walt to his uncle Jack Welker, who arranged for them to be killed. Walt and Todd then continued to cook Blue Sky for several months without any hiccups, until Walt bowed out of the meth business ("Gliding Over All").

Todd was the cook left in charge after Walt's departure. Under the employ of Declan, Todd managed two successful cooks but accidentally started a fire on his third, which prompted Declan to hire back his old cook. This meth cook could not produce the quality that Lydia Rodarte-Quayle required for her buyers in the Czech Republic, so she attempted to reason with Declan in order to convince him to rehire Todd as the cook. When Declan declined, Lydia had Jack and his gang murder Declan and his crew. Todd helped Lydia out of Declan's meth lab, where she was hiding. She didn't want to see all the corpses and refused to open her eyes while Todd escorted her to a safe place. The gang proceeded to take the lab equipment and supplies ("Buried").

Shortly after the successful heist of the lab equipment and methylamine, Todd recounted to Jack and Kenny the story of the train heist he participated in with Walt and Jesse to get methylamine. He complimented "Mr. White," saying that he had planned for everything, but left out the part where he shot Drew. Afterwards, Todd and the crew drove the methylamine back from Arizona into New Mexico ("Confessions").

After Todd performed his first solo cook, he was unable to keep the blue color even though the purity was greater than Declan's crew could manage. Lydia claimed that the blue color needed to be present in the meth and Todd vowed to do a better job with the cook in the future. Todd was then called by Walt, who said that he needed his uncle Jack for another job, but this time the target was Jesse. Todd arranged a meet at the gang's headquarters. Jack asked Walt for the particulars of the contract, and then agreed to it, but on the condition that Walt will cook for them to help Todd learn how to make the meth blue again.

Later, Walt was tricked by Jesse into driving out the desert spot where he buried his money; as a car approached, Walt called Jack for help, saying that he needed Jack and his gang to save him if they wanted him to be around to cook for them. Once Walt realized that Jesse was with Hank Schrader and Steven Gomez, Walt told Jack not to come. However, the gang departed heavily armed to the place Walt said he was ambushed anyway, since Jack couldn't afford to lose Walt now. When Jack, Kenny, Todd and the rest of the gang arrived at the spot they drew their guns, which led to a Mexican standoff between the gang and Hank and Gomez. The gang opened fire on Hank and Gomez, who fired back while taking cover ("To'hajiilee")​​.

5x14 - Ozymandias 4

Todd insists to capture Jesse personally.

Following the shootout, Hank and Gomez were killed, Jack found out about Walt's buried money, and Jesse is found hiding under Walt's car. Jack was about to execute Jesse when Todd stopped him, saying they should learn what Jesse told the Feds before he is killed. Todd volunteered to torture Jesse to get the information from him, and Walt let Todd take Jesse away. While Jack and his gang also decided to take Walt's money for themselves, Jack spared Walt and allowed him to keep a single barrel of the buried money. Jack explained that Todd still respected Walt and wouldn't approve if they killed him or left him with nothing. Before they left, Todd also offered Walt his condolences about Hank's death.

Later at the compound, Todd took a battered Jesse out of a cell and hooked him up with a chain to a track inside his lab and told him to help with a meth cook, showing he knew about Andrea Cantillo and Brock Cantillo ("Ozymandias").

Following Walter White's fleeing New Mexico, Todd and the gang went to Walt's old house and intimidated Skyler White, telling her not to say anything about having met Lydia Rodarte-Quayle. Todd later met with Lydia to inform her that Skyler had been scared into compliance, and that the latest batch of Blue Sky was 92% pure. He also told her Jesse Pinkman was with his Uncle Jack's gang, cooking. Lydia, who had wanted to take a break from the meth trade, decided to stay in business with Todd since the latest batch was so pure.

When Jesse attempted to escape from the compound, Todd cowed him back into cooperating by executing Andrea Cantillo and telling him that if Jesse failed to cooperate, Brock would also be killed. ("Granite State")

Todd death

Todd gets strangled to death by Jesse Pinkman.

Many months after his disappearance, Walt surprised Todd and Lydia by showing up at their meeting in their usual café. Walt informed Todd and Lydia that he had discovered a new way to make meth without using methylamine and that he will tell them the secret for a fee of $1 million dollars. Todd was hesitant, but Lydia reassured Walt and then after he had left suggested Todd should kill Walt. Later that evening Walt drove to Jack Welker's Compound to share his new technique. Jack held Walt at gunpoint but Walt called him out on his failure to kill Jesse and said that Jack was partnered with him. Jack showed Walt that he was not partners with Jesse and that Jesse was a slave cook, by bringing him into the club house. Walt tackled Jesse to the ground and triggered his jerry-rigged M60 machine gun turret hidden in the trunk of his car. The entire gang was shot dead apart from Jack and Todd. In a state of shock, Todd peers out the window so he could see who was shooting at them, unaware it was Walt. Jesse took this opportunity to sneak up behind him and wrap his shackles around Todd's throat, strangling him to death ("Felina").

El Camino[]

15ec632728cceb7dbfd6ea38405f671e87fdfee9

Todd in one of Jesse's flashbacks in El Camino.

In flashbacks to Jesse's time in captivity, Todd and Kenny supervise Neil Kandy in building Jesse a new cage following his escape attempt. The three torment Jesse, though Todd expresses some concern that Jesse could break his leg and be unable to cook for them. Jesse is later visited by Todd while the rest of the gang is out and Todd requests his help with something. Todd takes Jesse to his apartment complex where they add a canopy to Todd's El Camino together.

After getting rid of his nosy neighbor, Todd reveals the body of his murdered cleaning lady Sonia who he wants Jesse to help him get rid of. Todd has Jesse look in the hollowed-out encyclopedia on his desk, revealing Todd's drug money. Todd explains that he murdered Sonia for finding it. Over soup, Todd discusses finding a new hiding place for the money, one that will take some engineering but will be perfect. Todd later has Jesse help him bury Sonia's body in the desert. While looking in Todd's glove compartment, Jesse finds Todd's gun and considers shooting him, but Todd calmly talks Jesse down, offering to buy him pizza. As Jesse begins crying, Todd awkwardly tries to comfort him.

I'll take that Jesse

Todd attempts to bribe Jesse into not shooting him.

In the present, Jesse returns to Todd's apartment, now blocked off with police tape, in search of Todd's drug money to pay the "disappearer" Ed with. After literally tearing the apartment apart looking for it, Jesse eventually finds it hidden in Todd's fridge, but has to contend with Neil and his partner Casey, two criminals who are also after Todd's money for themselves with Neil estimating the money to be at least a million dollars. Ultimately, with Jesse's third of Todd's money and the third he takes after killing Neil, he has enough money to begin a new life in Alaska. ("El Camino")

Todd makes an appearance in the short film Snow Globe, constructing a snow globe (which is seen by Jesse and Casey in El Camino) as he tries to call Lydia to ask her on a date.

Personality and traits[]

"Okay. That dude? Whack-job."
Jesse Pinkman to Walter White and Mike Ehrmantraut regarding Todd.[src]
VisitTheLittleBoy

Todd threatens to "visit" Brock Cantillo if Jesse attempts to escape from Jack Welker's Gang.

Despite his soft spoken nature and child-like fascination with the criminal underworld, Todd has proven himself to be a more than capable, skilled and dangerous criminal, and will normally act on instinct when he feels that the secrecy of his occupation is in jeopardy. Todd's primary motivation seems to be gratification from his employers, rather than greed or morality, and will go to great lengths to please them. His relationship with his employers is always one of respect and loyalty, and will execute any command unflinchingly and without remorse. He also seems to realize that reward is just as good a motivation as fear as he gives Jesse some ice cream simply because he managed to make a highly pure batch and figured Jesse earned something pleasant for a job well done. His attitude towards his uncle and his uncle's gang is more familiar, and though he shows an eagerness to impress them with his abilities, he does not show them the same sycophancy that he treats his bosses with. He also appears to be infatuated in Lydia, a sentiment not reciprocated.

Todd is shown to be a completely remorseless, cold-blooded murderer who will kill anyone he is ordered to or is a threat to him or his employers as seen by his murder of his own maid and notably an innocent child and shows absolutely no remorse over the deed and later on even shows glee over it. He even keeps a trophy of the ordeal in the form of the dead boy's tarantula, in a way showing that he takes pride in the murders he commits. He later murders an innocent mother on the orders of his uncle just to punish Jesse and deter him from escaping and also allows his comrades Kenny and Neil Kandy to torment Jesse just for pleasure, showing that he is also sadistic. He is shown to be a skilled psychological tormentor, being able to break Jesse almost completely whilst he is his prisoner and is even able to dissuade Jesse from shooting him with his pistol, displaying patience and calmness even when in a life threatening situation.

Sharing The Night Together

Todd singing the song "Sharing The Night Together" while driving.

Although Todd's past isn't known, it can be inferred that he was probably raised around his uncle, thus, things that might be immoral and wrong for regular person, are common to Todd. This is why Todd is such a polar opposite to Jesse, who was raised in regular family. Todd has a "kill or be killed" mindset as it is shown that nobody values Todd's life, thus, he does not values anyone's life. Unlike Jesse, who has a history with Walt, Todd respects Walt for the empire he built and understand principle of subordination. He introduces himself to Walt and Jesse as being dilligent and proactive by telling them that he found and disabled a baby monitor in the house they were going to cook meth in; he often gives valuable advices to his uncle and he gives Jesse treats to boost his morale when Jesse performs well. Yet, strangely enough, Todd usually appears to mean well, offering condolences to Walt for the death of his brother-in-law, offering Jesse ice cream while simultaneously keeping him as a slave cook and later offering him pizza after assisting him in disposing of his maid's body (though while being held at gunpoint). He also tells Andrea that it isn't personal before he shoots her, and regretfully tells Walt that he shouldn't have come back when he arrives at the gang's clubhouse where they plan to murder him. He even warns Jesse not to escape as it will force him to have to go and murder Andrea's young son, Brock and that it will be out of his hands, showing at least some reluctance to carry out such a deed. Nonetheless, Todd is willing to do whatever it takes to secure his criminal enterprise and please his uncle Jack and the rest of the gang.

Todd is in many ways the dark inversion and polar opposite of Jesse Pinkman with respect to their actions and relationship to Walter White and he overall is Jesse's arch-nemesis. While Jesse is often defiant and protests many of Walt's actions and insists on avoiding harming or murdering the innocent, Todd is shown to be even more obedient and loyal to Walt, following his orders completely and not questioning his decisions, even if it includes senseless murder and does anything he can to please Walt. While Jesse adores children and insists they be left alone due to their innocence, Todd is perfectly willing to kill them without question and ultimately is a completely remorseless murderer which is in complete contrast to Jesse who is constantly wrought with guilt over his actions that harm others.

Deaths[]

Murders committed by Todd[]

Murders connected to Todd[]

Quotes[]

Breaking Bad[]


"Man, shit happens, huh?"
―Todd's flippant remark to Jesse Pinkman about his murder of Drew Sharp.[src]

"The whole point of this was no one was supposed to know we were there. People weren't supposed to know anything got robbed. How could we let the kid go? He made us. If I hadn't done what I did, the whole mission would've failed. I'm-- I'm real sorry. I really am, but I-- But did I make a mistake? Mr. White? 'Cause to me, you know, respectfully, I was looking out for the team. I didn't want to kill him. You gotta believe that. At the end of the day, it was him or us, and I chose us. And I would do it again."
―Todd explaining why he shot Drew Sharp.[src]

"It was perfect. No one even knew they got robbed, just like we planned. Mr. White told me it was, like, the biggest train heist ever, like, potential money-wise. So that's how that happened."
―Todd describing the methylamine heist to his uncle.[src]

"Hey, Uncle Jack. He was out here with those feds, right? Working with them. Shouldn't we maybe find out what he told them first? 'Cause, I mean, he had to have told them some stuff that might not be too good for us. And I bet we could get it out of him back home. I mean, I could do it. Me and him, we got...we got history. And then, you know, we'd take care of the job after that."
―Todd asks Jack not to kill Jesse straightaway and instead get information out of him at the compound first.[src]

"This is millions, Uncle Jack. No matter how much you got, how do you turn your back on more?"
―Todd on continuing to cook Blue Sky.[src]

"I just think we work together good. We make a good team. I think it's kind of mutually good."
―Todd to Lydia after raising the purity of his meth.[src]

"Just so you know, this isn't personal."
―Todd to Andrea before executing her while Jesse watches helplessly.[src]

"Jesus. Mr White..."
―Todd's last line before being killed by Jesse[src]

El Camino[]

"If you tried to, you know, escape, I'm gonna have to visit the little boy, it'd basically be out of my hands at that point. Uncle Jack made you that promise, and he's gonna wanna stick to it. So... good behaviour, right?"
―Todd to Jesse during one of his flashbacks[src]

Todd: "I’ll take that, Jesse. Jesse, I’ll take that. On the way home, I was going to get us some pizza. A couple large pies. Maybe a six-pack of beer? Some ice cold beer. Does that sound good? Because you earned it today. You definitely did. What kind of pizza do you like, Jesse? Jesse, what kind of pizza?"
Jesse: "Pepperoni."
Todd: "Pepperoni. Sure. Classic. I like that too."
―Todd bribes Jesse into not shooting him[src]

Todd: "How do you like my place?"
Jesse: "Uh, yeah, it’s nice. Kind of pastel, but in a good way."
Todd: "Yeah, right? I was thinking of Easter eggs, but lately, I’m thinking I might like to try some new paint. This stuff is starting to feel pretty tired."
Jesse: "Okay. Sure, so, you… Is that why I’m here? You want me to help you paint?"
Todd: "Maybe, yeah. Um, if we have some time left over. But, first, uh…"
Jesse: "Oh, shit! Jesus!"
―Jesse and Todd in Todd's Apartment[src]


Appearances[]

Breaking Bad[]

Episodes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3
Season 4
Season 5A
Season 5B

Trivia[]

  • In an online 2013 article by Bustle, Todd was ranked as being the third most evil character on Breaking Bad, being surpassed only by Tuco Salamanca and his uncle Jack Welker.
  • Todd is the fourth main character in Breaking Bad to die, as well as the eighth overall across Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul.
  • According to Lydia, the meth made by Todd is 74% pure, without Walt's assistance. Later, Todd improved his cook to 76%.
  • Todd seems to like setting customized ringtones; he has She Blinded Me with Science song set as a ringtone for Walt's call ("To'hajiilee") and in the last episode, it is revealed that Todd's mobile phone has Lydia the Tattooed Lady set as a ringtone for Lydia.
  • Todd seems to like '70s Soft Rock music since he is seen listening to the song Sharing the Night Together by Dr. Hook in El Camino. The song I'd Really Love to See You Tonight by England Dan & John Ford Coley can also be heard on his radio when he is driving to his apartment with Jesse Pinkman.
  • His surname "Alquist" is of Swedish origin.[1]
  • The firearms carried by Todd in the show are a Smith & Wesson 5906TSW, which he uses to kill Drew Sharp ("Dead Freight"), and a stainless Ruger P95, which he uses to shoot at Hank Schrader and Steven Gomez ("To'hajiilee"). The gun Jesse carries in El Camino, is another one of Todd's guns, a stainless Ruger P89 that Todd kept in the glove compartment of his car. Jesse first found it while burying Sonia's body in the desert. He was about to use it to shoot Todd and escape, but decided not to (presumably because he knew that the gang would kill Brock in retaliation). Humorously, months later, Todd's P89 was still in the glove compartment, suggesting that Todd never bothered to move the weapon after Jesse nearly shot him with it. Jesse proceeds to carry the P89 as his primary weapon, until it is taken by Neil Kandy.
  • Prior to El Camino, Todd was the only character whom Jesse Pinkman killed willingly.
  • Todd drives a 1981 Chevrolet El Camino.
  • Before working at Vamonos Pest, Todd was an employee at the Albuquerque Gazette.[2]
  • Due to Jesse Plemons' putting on weight for his role in Black Mass, Todd looks noticeably more overweight in El Camino than he appeared in Breaking Bad. This inspired a series of jokes within the fandom, referring to Todd as "Fat Todd". As of 2023, Plemons has lost all the weight.
  • In an interview with PeopleTV, Jesse Plemons mentioned that Vince Gilligan's advice to playing Todd was a metaphor about the decision of driving over a raccoon because of a car on the other side of the road and the ditch on the right.
  • Todd and Walter White Jr. are the only main characters who do not make an appearance nor are mentioned in Better Call Saul. While Skyler White does not appear in Better Call Saul, she is mentioned in the season six episode "Breaking Bad".
  • Todd's jump from the train on "Dead Freight" was performed by a stuntman, Jimmy Romano.

References[]

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