This Is Like A Renaissance Painting To Me

This is like a Renaissance painting to me

it was, in fact, not all good, man.

Gus Fring (childless gay male drug lord blatantly trying to manipulate Walt into cooking meth for him by appealing to his masculine vanity): "What does a man do? A man provides for his family."

Millions of self-declared "alpha male" chuds at home: *nodding along* "Oh my God, that's so true, I can't believe that bitch Skyler doesn't appreciate Walt for all he does for the family"

Gregory House, House M.D., 1×9 // Thorned Jesus, recreation of Guido Reni's "Ecce Homo", circa 1640

Gregory House, House M.D., 1×11 // Head of Christ Crowned with Thorns, Guido Reni, 1620

A few thoughts on the Breaking Bad universe and Greek mythology...

I'm intrigued by the parallels drawn between Hector Salamanca and the Trojan hero, Hector, who most famously kills Achilles' partner, Patroclus, in the Iliad. Hector's murder of Patroclus is what spurs Achilles to a massive killing spree, culminating with Achilles' murder of Hector. His ultimate revenge. In this vein, Gus and Max make for compelling Achilles-Patroclus figures. Like their predecessors, they are highly implied to be romantic partners outside of relationship in the "war." Though in the end of Breaking Bad, it's Hector who brings down Gus/Achilles, which sort of turns the Iliad narrative onto its head. Unlike the Iliad, Breaking Bad doesn't permit its "Achilles" even a moment of victory or glory. The heroics of vengeance and rage are completely disavowed.

It's also interesting to think of Nacho as a sort of failed "Trojan horse." In Greek mythology, the Greek army sends the massive wooden horse into Troy as a false sign of their surrender. Unbeknownst to the Trojans, a group of Greek soldiers are hiding inside it. Having entered enemy territory, those soldiers escape, opening the city gates to their army. They destroy the city and win the war. It's all reminiscent of Nacho's trip to Mexico, particularly his opening of the gates for Lalo's assassins. Nacho setting a fire in their kitchen can even be read as a microscopic burning of Troy. The main exception, of course, is that the "Trojan horse" plan that Gus sets out for Nacho doesn't exactly win the war...