Did you notice these creepy Todd Easter eggs in El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie? Although Jesse Plemons’ Todd Alquist was a late addition to Breaking Bad’s roster of villains, the character quickly became one of the most despicable and insane antagonists in the series. In contrast to Gus Fring, who was calculating and financially motivated, and the fiery aggression of Tuco, Todd was simply unhinged, with a complete lack of awareness regarding his own crimes. This is demonstrated in no uncertain terms when Todd shoots a young child without a second thought, just for being a witness to his gang’s train robbery. Along with a desperate desire to impress others, this lack of empathy remains a part of Todd’s character until his death in Breaking Bad’s series finale.
Plemons reprises his role as Todd in El Camino with a significant supporting role during Jesse’s flashback sequences. Set during the time Jesse was being held captive by Jack’s Nazi gang, the scenes depict Todd and Jesse on a day out together. The way in which Todd casually attempts to act like his prisoner’s best friend is creepy enough, even before the eventual reveal that the madman has murdered his cleaning lady because she found some of his stashed money. Todd’s happy-go-lucky attitude in spite of the corpses racking up behind him is deeply unsettling, and El Camino gives Breaking Bad fans a far greater insight into his troubled mindset.
However, El Camino also includes several disturbing Easter eggs that provide further indication that Todd isn’t all there. The character himself even signposts this when talking about decorating his apartment, stating, “I was thinking of Easter eggs, but…” Firstly, Breaking Bad fans might remember how Todd’s pet tarantula actually belonged to Drew Sharp, the murdered young train heist witness. Drew is carrying the spider in a jar at the time of his death and season 5’s “Buyout” reveals that Todd still had the jar in his car in the aftermath of the murder. El Camino confirms that Todd actually went so far as to take the animal home with him and make it his pet, buying a special tank, a light and some creepy people-shaped toys.
This further highlights something Breaking Bad heavily hinted towards - that despite his protestations to the contrary, Todd really wasn’t phased at all by shooting Drew. It’s hard to say whether the spider was kept as a trophy of the killing, or just because Todd liked the idea of having a pet tarantula, but neither explanation casts Todd in a particularly sane light. When Jesse visits Todd’s apartment and spots the tarantula, it’s not completely clear whether he believes the creature could be the same one Drew was holding or not, but his feeding of the animal could be taken as a final, small tribute to the young child.
El Camino’s second creepy Todd reference comes in one of the snow globes the villain has in his collection. Among the novelty holiday items is a globe depicting a man who looks suspiciously like Todd and a woman sitting on a teacup who bears a striking resemblance to Lydia, the business manager of Walt’s meth business. The female figure is wearing the familiar blue coat and skirt combo that is commonly thought of as Lydia’s trademark appearance.
In Breaking Bad, Todd had a childish infatuation with Lydia, who very much did not share his affections, maintaining a purely business relationship with the sociopath. The fact that Todd would keep a snow globe that represents himself and Lydia together as a couple when she expressly won’t even entertain the idea of dating him is, needless to say, quite a creepy move, if far from the weirdest thing Todd has done.
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie has been generally well-received by fans, and part of the reason for that is the additional exploration into the likes of Jesse and Todd. The long-awaited sequel adds further context to what already transpired on TV, and these apartment Easter eggs serve that purpose perfectly.
More: El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie’s Ending Explained (In Detail)
