Nacho Implicates Alvarez, an Unseen Character

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Nacho mentioned a man named Alvarez in 'Better Call Saul' Season 6 Episode 3, but fans may be scratching their heads wondering who that is.

Published on April 26, 2022

Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 3 introduced the name of an unknown character — Alvarez. If fans are confused about who Alvarez might be, they’re not alone. Nacho threw out this name without any explanation, but it might be important in the future.

[Warning: This article contains spoilers for Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 3.]

Nacho meets his end in ‘Better Call Saul’ Season 6

Better Call Saul Season 6 had its first major character death with episode 3. Nacho chose to face the music and give himself up to the Salamancas. He agreed to make it clear that Gus was not involved with the attempt on Lalo’s life, in exchange for his father’s safety.

At the meeting with the Salamancas, Nacho tells Juan Bolsa that “Alvarez” and “Los Odios out of Peru” paid him to set up Lalo. However, Hector doesn’t seem convinced that Gus wasn’t involved. Nacho scoffs at the idea. “Him? The Chicken Man? What a joke. Alvarez has been paying me for years.” Nacho tells them.

“But you know what? I would have done it for free because I hate every last one of you psycho sacks of s***.” In his confession, Nacho also tells Hector that he switched out his heart medication, causing the stroke that left him wheelchair-bound.

Who is Alvarez in ‘Better Call Saul’?

Better Call Saul fans may have been wracking their brains for any mention of Alvarez in either the prequel series or Breaking Bad, but the name is new to the franchise. The AV Club wrote a theory that Alvarez may not be a real person at all.

“After all, if Nacho gave Bolsa the name of a real person, that person would be dead. And if Bolsa admitted there was an enemy so dangerous, yet he didn’t even know his name, he would rise to the top of Don Eladio’s hit list,” the outlet wrote.

A fan on Reddit suggested a potential explanation for who Alvarez is in Better Call Saul. “Maybe someone will correct me but just some distant or rival people who could be easily framed as enemies. No real connection,” they wrote.

A few other fans chimed in suggesting Alvarez and Los Odios are distant rivals to the cartel. It’s possible that the significance of these names ends here, but they may be important in the future.

Michael Mando breaks down Nacho’s final confession

While speaking with The AV Club, Michael Mando discussed Nacho’s motivation in telling Hector that he switched his pills out. “There’s a lot going on subtextually in that scene. For one, Nacho swears allegiance to the side of good and sort of revokes the privileges of the cartel,” Mando said.

“He turns down the highest position from Don Eladio, turns down the money and the power in order to protect the integrity and the virtue of his father. And there’s a community element to that, too, where Nacho kind of stands up for what he aspires for, for his father and his community. So he’s taking a stance, in that situation.”

New episodes of Better Call Saul air Mondays at 9 p.m. EST on AMC.

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