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| “ | I don't tell you how to fry your chickens, Gustavo. You should really leave matters of my organization's politics to me. | „ |
| ~ Juan Bolsa to Gus Fring. |
| “ | I'll weather this, I always do. My brother's a police chief, I got connections, they'll get me through. And when I get proof, and the others find out what you've done? Maybe we come pay you a visit, maybe we com- | „ |
| ~ Bolsa's last words as he threatens retribution against Gustavo Fring upon discovering his betrayal, only to end up getting killed. |
Juan Bolsa is a supporting antagonist in the AMC crime drama show Breaking Bad and a major antagonist in its prequel/sequel series Better Call Saul.
In his characterisation, he is the underboss of The Cartel who served as one of their co-founders along with his leader Don Eladio. He was also the representative in a collusion between the Cartel's ruthless Capo Hector Salamanca and his sworn archenemy Gus Fring, the latter being a drug kingpin and major narcotics distributor who served under Bolsa's supervision until he eventually betrayed Bolsa by having him killed as part of his revenge campaign against the Cartel as well as the Salamanca Family over the death of Gus' romantic business partner: Max Arciniega.
He was portrayed by Javier Grajeda.
Personality[]
Bolsa is a cold, no-nonsense, pragmatic, and persuasive drug kingpin, only focused on earning as much money as he can through the sale of various drugs, namely methamphetamine. While not as petty as Don Eladio, nor as sadistic as Hector Salamanca, Bolsa can enact brutal punishments on those who betray the Cartel: such as ordering the Cousins to decapitate Tortuga for talking to the DEA and killing a helpless Tortoise by using it as a bomb in a dreadfully heinous way, showing Bolsa’s inhumanely cruel approach to meeting ends. His attitude towards betrayal veers towards hypocrisy, as he himself betrays the Salamanca by attempting to sabotage Lalo's bail, in an attempt to strengthen his business relationship with Gus. Thus, Bolsa is mostly self-serving and opportunistic, though he would never betray Eladio, even warning Don Hector to maintain a respectful attitude towards Vuente.
Bolsa is also unable to understand why Gus would sabotage his relationship with the cartel, even though Lalo warned him that Gus would sooner or later avenge Max's death by destroying the cartel. As a result of his lack of empathy and over-confidence, Bolsa is short-sighted and particularly gullible.
Bolsa is also quite prideful and arrogant. Upon deducing Gus' true intends, he had a hard time concealing his contempt towards the Chilean, boasting that the police will protect him, even though his fate was sealed minutes ago. With the Mexican Federales raiding his hacienda, Bolsa nonetheless shows himself to be rather brave despite the carnage surrounding him, not even dropping his gun or showing fear with an assault rifle on him in his last moments.
Biography[]
Past[]
Juan Bolsa was one of the three founding members and dons of the Cartel, alongside Don Eladio and Hector Salamanca. One day, the three dons arranged a meeting with Gus Fring and Max Arciniega, where the two wanted to partner up with the Cartel to sell meth. Eladio, however, felt disrespected by Gus and Max selling meth to his men, so he had Hector kill Max.
When Gus rushed at Hector in anger, Bolsa restrained him and then pinned Gus down on the floor and, alongside Hector, forced him to look at Max's dead eyes. Eladio explains that Gus is alive only because of his mysterious past in Chile. Despite this, he still allowed Gus to work for the Cartel.
Gus would bring tons of money to the cartel while secretly planning his revenge. Bolsa and Eladio were unaware of this, with Bolsa serving as Gus' boss while Eladio was away in Mexico.
Better Call Saul[]
Season 3[]
Hector and Gus meet at a location. Hector talks with Bolsa through a speakerphone, who explains that Don Eladio is satisfied with the new method of transporting drugs to Mexico and wishes to use Gus' distribution network exclusively. That angered Hector, who smashed the phone, cursed everyone, and took some pills due to his heart problems.
During the season finale, Bolsa arranges a meeting with Gus and Hector. He explains that Don Eladio still wants to only use Gus' network. Hector starts screaming in rage at Bolsa, explaining that his family sacrificed both their money and blood for the Cartel only to be treated like dogs. Bolsa tries to explain that the situation isn't personal, but Hector says that for him, it is personal, before suffering a stroke and taking his pills; soon after, he collapses on the ground and almost die, as Nacho Varga switched them out for placebos previously to kill Hector. Gus tells Bolsa to escape before the law arrives as he performs CPR on Hector, as he doesn't want him to die before he executes his revenge plan.
Season 4[]
Bolsa sets up a new meeting and explains that while Hector suffered a stroke, the Salamancas will still keep their territory. Gus tells Bolsa that he thinks someone will start a drug war with the Salamancas and cause the DEA to interfere. After Gus injures Nacho and kills Arturo Colon after an ambush since he deduced Nacho's plans and wanted to keep Hector alive, Bolsa and Gus agree to run dummy loads over the border until they identify the culprit. He also tells Gus he should find a supplier north of the border.
Season 5[]
Bolsa and Lalo Salamanca talk to Gus about some altered cocaine the latter found, then switch to Werner Ziegler. Gus falsely admits he replaced some cocaine with meth after Werner stole it and had the two shown the superlab while claiming it's an industrial chiller. Bolsa warns Gus that Don Eladio is not pleased, advising him not to keep secrets. Bolsa and Lalo then leave, before Bolsa berates Lalo for burning down a building with a man inside, causing unnecessary attention. When Lalo suggests that Gus might be vengeful towards Max's death, Bolsa shuts it down and says that Gus is only about business and doesn't take things personally.
Later on, Bolsa would attempt to prevent Lalo from getting bailed to help Gus. Unbeknown to him, Gus wished to set Lalo free so he could send mercenaries to his home and deal with him permanently. He would set up an ambush for Saul Goodman, a crooked lawyer tasked to carry Lalo's bail money. He hired a team of Colombian mercenaries to steal the bail money he transported (worth $7 million), to no avail as Mike Ehrmantraut, Gus' right-hand, killed the gunmen just as they were about to retrieve the money and kill Saul. A few days after, Goodman brought the bail money as ordered, freeing Lalo.
Season 6[]
After Lalo's alleged death by assassins following his return to Mexico Nacho Varga was quickly suspected of being involved since the gate to Lalo's home was opened from within and Bolsa coordinated efforts to locate him. He also setup a meeting between Gus and Hector hoping they'd make amends for their prior indifferences and Bolsa was pleased to see Hector shaking Gus' hand (unaware Hector was actually mocking Gus since Lalo was alive and faked his death to seek vengeance against Gus).
Once Nacho was apprehended he was taken into the desert by the Cartel where Bolsa interrogated him offering him a "good death" if he revealed the identity of his accomplices or a "bad death" if he refused. Nacho falsely identified other members of the Cartel as responsible for Lalo's death against Hector's suggestion that Gus was involved and even admitted responsibility for causing Hector's paralysis before expressing his hope that the Cartel members will all die. As Bolsa inquired about Nacho's claims the latter escaped his restraints and stabbed Bolsa's leg with glass before stealing his gun and holding him a gunpoint. However Nacho, realizing he was dead either way and wanting to undermine the Cartel's hold over him, instead chose to shoot himself in the head in defiance.
When Lalo was killed for real by Gus for real Hector arranged a meeting with Bolsa and Eladio revealing Lalo faked his death and attempted to exact vengeance on Gus only for be killed himself and demands Gus face punishment for conspiring against them. However Eladio didn't believe Hector's claims as the Cousins had previously proven Lalo's death via dental records (thanks to payoffs and using a burnt corpse used as his double earlier) and dismissed Hector's claims, prompting him to angrily ring his bell pleading with Eladio to believe him. As Hector was taken away by the Cousins he continued ringing as Bolsa looked noticeably disturbed possibly believing Hector's story. Moment later Eladio mocked Hector's ringing while speaking with Gus as Bolsa struggled to contain laughter in response.
Breaking Bad[]
Season 3[]
After a secret meeting with the DEA, Bolsa confronts Tortuga at a Mexican bar. Bolsa comes in looking for Tortuga, sarcastically complimenting him (though Tortuga, quite drunk, doesn't realize his sarcasm). After promising him a gift, Tortuga follows Juan to the back, and Bolsa tells him the tortoise on the ground is his gift. Tortuga is enthusiastic about his present until Bolsa signs it with the words "Hola DEA" ("Hello DEA") on the shell, making it clear that he knows Tortuga is a DEA informant. Seconds after, the Cousins, on the orders of Bolsa, enter the room and swiftly decapitate Tortuga as punishment for his betrayal.
Later in the season, Juan Bolsa arranges a grand meeting between himself, Hector, the Cousins, and Gus Fring. He tells Gus he will urge the Salamanca family to stay patient. He also warns Gus that he risks losing the cartel's favors if Gus doesn't conclude his business with Heisenberg quickly and that he cannot guarantee the Cousins will listen to reason to Bolsa any longer. Gus finds a compromise and allows the Cousins to go after Walter's DEA brother-in-law Hank Schrader.
After the ambush on Hank leaves one Cousin dead and another in the hospital, Bolsa is confined to his home as Mexican federal agents are watching Bolsa closely due to pressure from the American government and the attack on the DEA agent's life. He suspects Gus of having warned Hank but fails to understand why. He promises that he will get the surviving Cousin, Leonel, the best lawyer possible he can.
But before Bolsa could get any evidence on Gus, Mike Ehrmantraut poisons the surviving cousin on Gus' orders to avoid Leonel telling Bolsa that it was Gus that allowed them to go after Hank. Later, Bolsa rings Gus to inform him about the second Cousins death and that he speculates that Gus is connected to his death. Before Bolsa could finish the conversation with Gus over the phone, his hacienda was raided by Mexican Federal Police, killing both of Bolsa's bodyguards. Before he could escape, two officers gunned him down as he reached the front door. Gus hears his brutal death on the phone, smiling evilly as his plan to dismantle the Cartel comes more and more to fruition.
Season 4[]
Juan Bolsa is seen during a flashback, where he's present during Max's execution.
Quotes[]
| “ | Hector: The boss... can SUCK ME! Bolsa: I'd watch what I say if I were you. Hector: Who you think you are?! You should be kissing my ASS right now! Me and my family, we built this whole business! Bolsa: We all did together. Hector: No, no! Salamanca did! Salamanca MONEY! Salamanca BLOOD! Bolsa: You have to calm down. Hector: That hacienda, I PAID FOR IT! And you treat us like DOGS! Bolsa: Hector, this isn't personal. Hector: IT IS! IT IS PERSONAL-! |
„ |
| ~ Hector Salamanca and Juan Bolsa before the former has a crippling stroke. |
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- The name Juan Bolsa in English translates into "John Sack". Johnny Sack, a character from The Sopranos acts as a mediator between the Lupertazzi family in New York and the DiMeo family in New Jersey, just like Bolsa acts as an mediator between the Salamancas and Gustavo Fring empire north of the border.
- In Breaking Bad Bolsa seems suspicious of Gus' feelings towards the Cartel but in Better Call Saul he firmly believes that Gus is loyal to the Cartel despite Lalo's warnings that he harbored a vendetta for Max's death. It's possible that Lalo's death and Hector's accusations made Bolsa suspicious of Gus in between shows. When Hector angrily rings his bell in response to Eladio's dismissal of his claims that Gus killed Lalo after his supposed death Bolsa seems noticeably disturbed by Hector's convictions and even glances at Gus with uncertainty, possibly hinting towards the beginning of his own suspicions.
