Ep 10. Lantern

In the season 3 finale of Better Call Saul, entitled "Lantern," we see the continuing fallout between the brothers Jimmy and Chuck.

The episode begins with a flashback to Chuck and Jimmy's childhood, as their mother reveals the special gift she has for Chuck (a lantern) and gives Jimmy a book of matches. This sets the stage for the central interaction of the episode - one that takes place between the two brothers at Chuck's house.

As the two men enter, Chuck frantically searches for what he believes are electromagnetic fields that are disrupting the order of his home. Jimmy assumes this is more of his brother's erratic behavior, until he realizes that there might be something else going on. In a surprising moment, Jimmy finally tells Chuck that it was he, not Howard, who doctored the Mesa Verde files. Chuck is, understandably, hurt and angry and the two have a deeply emotional conversation about their relationship with each other.

As the evening progresses, Chuck becomes increasingly unstable, and we get a glimpse into his psyche as he tries to draw out the offending item from his house - and ultimately burns it. This scene is shot with intense, haunting beauty, as we see Chuck in closeup as the flames engulf him.

Ultimately, we leave off with Jimmy outside of his brother's house, having finally confessed the truth - and confronted with the fact that his actions have driven Chuck to an even darker place than he had ever imagined. The season-long struggle between the two brothers comes to a fundamentally life-altering conclusion in "Lantern."