The GTA Easter Egg You Missed In Better Call Saul
Gamers recently found out that Red Dead Redemption 2's Arthur Morgan looks exactly like Breaking Bad's Walter White after a shave. However, that's not even close to the wildest crossover between the Breaking Bad universe and Rockstar Games. Eagle-eyed viewers of Breaking Bad spinoff Better Call Saul spotted an unbelievable vehicular connection to Grand Theft Auto in the latest episode of the series.
As spotted by Grand Theft Auto fan account GTA Series Videos, none other than the Bravado Banshee appeared in the latest aired episode of Better Call Saul, "Bagman."
In the last aired episode of Better Call Saul, "Bagman", you can spot the 2013 GTAV Bravado Banshee. Rockstar Games, West Coast Customs and GameStop gave away the car in 2013. @flat12gallery bought the Banshee in December 2018 and their garage is the one featured in the show. pic.twitter.com/reZ89poOY5
— GTA Series Videos (@GTASeries) April 8, 2020
You can see the live-action television debut of the Bravado Banshee in a slowed-down clip posted by GTA Series Videos. The car can be spotted as the two hitmen known to fans as The Cousins make their way through a garage owned by the Salamanca crime family. In the clip, you can see the Banshee just to the right of them. It's the sexy blue car with the white stripe down the middle.
The Bravado Banshee is one of the most prominent cars in the GTA fandom. It was originally featured as a getaway car in Grand Theft Auto 3 and has gone on to make appearances in the series' subsequent installments. Still, you may be wondering what the heck it's doing hanging out in a Salamanca safe house. As a promotion for the release of Grand Theft Auto 5 in 2013 (geez, has it really been that long?), Rockstar had a real-life version of the car built. The one-of-a kind Banshee (which was in actuality a modified Dodge Viper) was then made the grand prize in a promotional giveaway from GameStop stores.
Hilariously, the car was won by a grandmother whose son had used her credit card for his GTA 5 preorder. She turned around and sold it soon afterwards, telling the press that she much preferred the comfort and convenience of her SUV. The car ended up selling for around a fourth of its estimated value, which pretty much lines up with the kind of resale rates you can get at Los Santos Customs in GTA Online.
Since the original owners sold it, the car has apparently changed hands a few times. It was most recently purchased by Flat 12 Gallery, a dealer of collector cars. Flat 12 Gallery's garage was apparently used in the filming of this sequence, hence the Banshee's appearance. In other words, this wasn't an intentional Grand Theft Auto easter egg. The car just happened to be in the right place at the right time to excite fans of the video game series who tuned in.
Believe it or not, this is actually far from the first time that the universes of Breaking Bad and Grand Theft Auto have collided. In fact, in there are a few references within the Grand Theft Auto series that are way more obvious. GTA doesn't exactly do things subtly.
The most obvious one is the appearance of the giant meth lab from the show's later seasons in Grand Theft Auto Online. After players purchase a motorcycle club and get into the meth trade, they will gain access to a meth lab for their business. Fans of Breaking Bad will notice several references to the lab owned and operated by Gus Fring in the television series. One of the most notable references is the appearance of a security guard who looks just like the character of Mike Ehrmantraut from both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. The other (and more obvious) reference is the fact that the workers in the lab are producing a light blue colored meth that looks exactly like the kind manufactured by Walter White in the show.
There's also a character in Grand Theft Auto 5 named Chef who bears a striking resemblance to Walter White. In fact, he kind of looks a cross between Bryan Cranston as Walter White and Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman. Naturally, this character is notorious for cooking methamphetamine, just like Walt and Jesse.
While not a reference, it's worth noting that actor Steven Ogg, who memorably portrayed Trevor in Grand Theft Auto 5, has played supporting character Mr. X (no, not that Mr. X) on Better Call Saul. Just like in GTA 5, Ogg's character is not to be trifled with.
Again, it's highly unlikely that the producers of Better Call Saul were aware of the car's significance, but doesn't that kind of make it even cooler? Grand Theft Auto and Breaking Bad have become so oddly entwined that the connections are occurring through mere happenstance now.