The Culpability of Skyler White in Breaking Bad

"Breaking Bad" from Skylar's perspective is a psychological horror series

“Someone had to protect this family from the man who protects this family”

You forget her worst and most unforgivable crime, veggie bacon.

One reason people generally dont root for Skyler is that the things she does are bad but not bad ass. The things Walt does, play into a power fantasy while things Skyler does do not.

"My name is Skyler White, yo."

What's interesting about this show and the majority of people watching it is that they manage to overlook what Walter gave up to embrace his double life of crime. Walter left his company out of this narcissistic pride he felt after realizing how wealthy Gretchen's family was. Gretchen and Elliot miss Walter, there's a reason Walter was still invited to his birthday party among all the other scholars he felt out of place with. Had Walter swallowed his pride for once and chose to accept Elliot's offer, he would've had job security, health insurance covered, and probably would've still left a few hundred thousand dollars with Skyler before succumbing to cancer two years later. Ending on good terms with Elliot and Gretchen, they may have even helped Skyler financially after his death, throwing a few million to her would clearly be pennies to them, especially when they care about Walter. Most importantly of all, he'd also be remembered positively by his family. Instead, despite having to already kill two people in a life or death situation before attending that party, Walter would rather turn down the offer to make the money illegally. Somehow, most people still watch this show with the idea that Skyler is a worse character than Walter.

20:21 I never hated her. I totally understand how she was feeling. I can understand how she was in a no win situation. When someone is gaslit over a period of time it causes a disconnect with reality, the person changes into someone else just to survive.

Skyler didn't consent to the life Walter was dragging his family into. In her perspective Walt's strange behaviors were just symptoms of his newfound diagnosis. Only to find out (while hes already too deep) with children that he's part of a drug empire. The weight of holding two horrible realities, keeping her children unaware as much as possible, and even HELPING Walt because of how deep he was. Compared to the large array of other characters who have done far worse.

I kinda wish Anna Gunn received WAY more credit for her performance. Beyond that, the writing for the "Skyler" character and nearly every OTHER one was pretty fantastic. So, I don't really see how *anyone* could claim that Skyler is any less three-dimensional than the majority of the other characters. In fact, I'd argue that "Skyler" is far more multifaceted than--for example--Tuco or Nacho or Hector, or even Giancarlo's character. NOT THAT THOSE CHARACTERS WERE WRITTEN WEAKLY NOR "THIN".

Bruh, you’re forgetting that Ted also splurged all that money quickly, wasted it all and lied to Skylar about paying the IRS. Cmon