MovieChat Forums > Breaking Bad (2008) Discussion > The Los Pollos truck attacks

The Los Pollos truck attacks

posted 8 years ago by dmcreif
4 replies | jump to latest

One thing I happen to like about Better Call Saul is the scenes that provide explanations for things that didn't make sense in Breaking Bad.

One example were the two cartel attacks on Gus's trucks in season 4. I initially wondered, how come there were no police investigations? Both ambushes ended in a shot up Los Pollos Hermanos refrigerator truck on the roadside and three bodies (the driver and the two attackers in the one that Mike foiled; the driver and two redshirt guards armed with assault rifles in the second, successful attempt), and it looks like the bodies and truck were just left there, not disposed of, meaning a police investigation would happen if someone came upon it.

It takes a little logic, but remember Mike's frustration in the season 3 finale with Walt for killing the two dealers in public? Well, that pretty much means Gus has the resources to clean up messes fairly quickly. The trucks may have GPS trackers on them and some way of signaling that something's gone wrong (perhaps the driver is told, "If your truck is ambushed, press this button and it will automatically radio a distress signal"; that's not far from reality because shipping companies like FedEx and UPS do use such devices on their own trucks). Gus may even be providing his trucks with escort cars that fall back when the truck is ambushed, wait until the gunfire subsides, then once the coast is clear, move in and clean up the truck before the police can show up.

That idea is more or less confirmed by Better Call Saul, after Mike attacks the ice cream truck Hector's money-runner drives. When Nacho meets with Mike to ask about what happened, Mike asks why the stunt never made the papers. Nacho is angered realizing that Mike was trying to put the cops on Hector's trail, and mentions that Hector's crew, alerted by the driver, cleaned up the scene so that officially it never happened. Hector's operation may be small fry compared to Gus's operation, but if Hector could disappear an attacked truck like that, Gus certainly could.

[–] SaidNDone 8 years ago

Is hector running a small operation? I was under the impression he was a local client/plant for the cartel and was apart of their larger system.

[–] Whatlarks 8 years ago

BCS also shows us what they do to witnesses and potential Good Sams.

When I was a kid, there was a fairly significant mafia dude specializing in drugs who rented a neighbouring house. A nice, but fairly modest place. Ours looked down on their backyard. He had a doberman, used to snarl at us from the other side of the fence. I think once or twice we even said hi, and he seemed friendly enough. He had lots of parties, with lots of babes in bikinis. Very Mad Men. Also makes me think of BB's pool party with Don Eladio. I mean before the carnage.

Anyway, the cops asked my parents if they could do surveillance from our living room. My dad was friends with a cop so there was a connection. I remember them sitting there with binoculars and note pads. And my mom serving them coffee and biscuits. I asked questions but they kept it vague. I don't think they were expecting major evidence, but more to learn who his associates were, his patterns, that kind of thing. Eventually the guy moved, and I understand they did end up arresting him. It felt kind of exciting at the time. I remember using the family binoculars myself, and getting in trouble.

When I think of Hector and Don Eladio there's another kind of feel to it. He might have looked up and seen a guy with binoculars sitting at our living room window. I think he'd have figured cops and done nothing to us. That would have been the smart thing. But still.

"You must not judge what I know by what I find words for." - Marilynne Robinson

[–] HumansofSiliconValley 8 years ago

Now that trucks are learning how to drive themselves I guess they'll be harder to high jack.

www.HumansofSiliconValley.com

[–] Klockard23 8 years ago

What?