Is Howard Hamlin actually a villain in Better Call Saul? Character's tragic fate explored, in depth

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Howard Hamlin is probably the most misunderstood character in AMC’s hit legal drama Better Call Saul. Played by Patrick Fabian, he is the managing partner of Hamlin Hamlin & McGill, who is often seen as a villain due to his hostility toward Jimmy McGill and Kim Wexler.

Howard starts off as an antagonist as he constantly acts as a roadblock on Jimmy’s way to success. Jimmy is seen as an aspiring lawyer, who takes care of his sick brother, but Harold refuses to accept him as a lawyer at HMM.

However, as the Breaking Bad prequel series progresses, the attorney’s real intentions are revealed, and it becomes clear that he has no ill will against Jimmy. He is only trying to do what is best for his firm and for the aspiring lawyer.

Jimmy, on the other hand, holds grudges against him and goes to great lengths to trouble him. Howard ultimately suffers a tragic fate because of Jimmy and ends up losing his life in Better Call Saul Season 6.

Why Howard Hamlin is not a villain in Better Call Saul

Though some viewers perceive Howard Hamlin as an antagonist in Better Call Saul due to his initial actions, there is more to his character than what meets the eye. While he often clashes with Jimmy and Kim, his actions stem from loyalty and professionalism.

In Better Call Saul Season 1, it looks like Howard is stopping Jimmy from getting ahead in life when he refuses to buy Chuck out of HHM despite his mental health issues. However, it is later revealed that Howard was only following Chuck’s wishes and took the blame for his actions.

Howard stays loyal to Chuck even after his death in the fourth season. He feels guilty and blames himself for the tragedy. Howard suffers from insomnia and has to seek therapy to deal with his grief and get rid of his guilt.

He even tries to make things right with Jimmy by offering him a job at HHM, but the latter turns it down and tries to ruin Howard’s reputation. He vandalizes his car and even sets him up to look unprofessional in front of his clients.

This shows that Howard is not really a bad guy. He is just stuck in the middle of Jimmy and Kim’s schemes. The attorney stays professional and works hard to keep HHM afloat in tough times. He does not even seek revenge or have an altercation with Jimmy for his questionable actions.

Meanwhile, Jimmy and Kim continue to put his career in jeopardy. In order to force a settlement in the Sandpiper case in Better Call Saul Season 6, they make it look like Howard is using drugs and acting recklessly. This destroys his reputation and leads to the case being settled for less money than expected.

However, Howard still shows restraint and confronts them calmly. Unfortunately, drug lord Lalo Salamanca shows up at Jimmy and Kim’s apartment during the confrontation. Even though Howard has nothing to do with him, Lalo shoots and kills him.

Hence, Howard becomes an innocent victim in a fight he was not even involved in. The attorney is not perfect as he does make some mistakes, but he is far from being a villain on the show.

By the end of the series, Kim confesses to Howard’s widow about her and Jimmy’s role in ruining his life. The admission of guilt also shows that Howard is not the bad guy they make him out to be.

Patrick Fabian highlights how Howard Hamlin was never an antagonist

Patrick Fabian, who played the role in all six seasons of Better Call Saul, also highlighted that Howard was never an antagonist. He was just trying to run a law firm and got caught up in Jimmy and Kim's plans. Fabian said in an interview with MovieWeb:

“I think you can make a quick case, over the six seasons of that show, that Howard's the only one who is actually constant in his character and what he's trying to do, which is basically just maintain a law firm.”