Breaking Bad: 5 Reasons Skyler Is The Better Sister (& 5 Why It’s Marie)
Breaking Bad's two least likable characters were arguably Skyler and Marie. However, one of the sisters had to be better than the other.
One of the most intriguing aspects of Breaking Bad stems from the fact that it could easily be viewed as a soap opera outside of Walter White’s criminal enterprise. One of the reasons for that is due to the relationship with Skyler and Marie, the two sisters.
While they clearly love each other as most sisters do, they also have a series of arguments and debates that leave many wondering how things will end up between them.
It’s safe to say their relationship will never be the same as it once was, but today, we want to focus on which of the two can be given the official title of being the better sister.
SKYLER – Showdowns With Walt
By standing up to Walter White as and when she did, Skyler always tried to put the rest of her family first. She was rarely ever successful in veering him off the course he was on, but even with that being the case, her intent was clear.
This was especially true when she summoned up the courage to pull a knife on Walt when she realizes that he has somehow, someway, orchestrated the death of Marie’s husband Hank.
It comes a few seasons too late, but she does try and do something to help.
MARIE – Morally Right
Morally speaking, you simply cannot argue that Marie is in the right and Skyler is in the wrong regarding the Heisenberg situation.
Marie has been lied to and deceived throughout the course of the show, which equates to around two years, and you can tell she has her heart set on Walt being caught in the end.
Skyler just can’t open her eyes and realize the problem at hand. If she was able to do that then maybe, just maybe, things would’ve turned out a little different for the whole family.
SKYLER – Not Stealing Things
Marie goes through her own series of issues and nobody is claiming that she doesn’t, with one of the biggest being her shoplifting habit.
It’s a strange thing to be addicted to, and yet whenever Skyler tries to confront her about it, Marie simply does not want to hear it.
It’s incredibly selfish of her, especially when Skyler is temporarily arrested for returning a tiara that Marie stole for her. She put herself before her sister, and while that may not be as much of a sin to some as it is to others, it’s still not great.
MARIE – Hank > Walt
Whenever fans or critics compare Hank Schrader and Walter White, Hank comes out on top in pretty much every department imaginable – unless there’s a department for being evil.
Marie married well and Skyler did not. It really is that simple. Walt is a boy disguised as a man who made a string of bad choices over the years, and instead of taking the blame for that, he decides to punish everyone around him.
Walter White is a coward, and Hank is a hero. We know which we’d rather be married to.
SKYLER – Paying Hank’s Medical Bills
When Hank is in bad shape in the hospital, Skyler and Walt offer to pay for his treatment, forging a story about a gambling addiction of Walt’s to make it seem more plausible.
While that does end up being a dagger in the heart of Hank’s hopes of catching Walt, at the time, it’s a gesture that Skyler insists she and Walt make for the sake of her sister’s husband.
The motive may not have been as pure as we’re making them out to be, but without them, things could’ve been a lot worse.
MARIE – Taking The Kids
When Skyler gets to a point where she’s clearly terrified about the prospect of someone coming to harm Walt, herself and her kids, she makes an executive decision to send them away from the house.
They end up going to live with Hank and Marie, and that’s quite clearly the right decision for everyone involved. Marie doesn’t have to say yes to taking them both on, and it’d be understandable if they didn’t, but she knows the kind of pain her sister is going through.
She may not fully understand it, but she still tries.
SKYLER – Regular Hostess
We can think of one, maybe two, instances in which Hank and Marie host the White family at their home for some kind of gathering.
On the flip side, Skyler consistently plays the role of the hostess – all in the name of maintaining a solid family structure, or at least, something that resembles that.
Whether it’s a barbeque, poker night or some other kind of activity, there’s always something going on. Skyler takes on this responsibility and while it may seem like nothing, Marie never quite appreciates her for it as she should.
MARIE – Warning Skyler
Even after everything the two sisters have been through, including Skyler playing an indirect role in the death of Marie’s husband, Marie still summons up the courage to ring Skyler and warn her that there’s a chance the infamous Heisenberg could be returning to the area.
We wouldn’t be at all surprised if Marie made the decision to cut Skyler out of her life for good, but instead, she’s still trying to protect her. That might be a slightly naïve thing for her to do, but we respect her determination to try and keep the family together.
SKYLER – More Polite
There’s something about the demeanor of Marie that comes across as rude. Whether it’s the way she talks to people or the type of conversations she actually has with them, she is the sort of “Can I speak to the manager?” mom without actually even having any kids.
Skyler is slightly more reasonable, and she definitely puts on a better front in public. Maybe that’s one of her flaws, but in terms of personalities, Skyler slightly edges it as being the more approachable sister of the two, which we respect.
MARIE – Brutally Honest
Some people like to hide away their true feelings, but not Marie.
She will let you know how she feels and she will not hold back, regardless of how much it hurts you. Without someone like Marie keeping Hank and Skyler at a level-headed point, we’re fairly certain they would’ve fallen apart.
Some might take one look at Hank and Marie as a couple and think they aren’t well suited for one another at all, but we disagree. She’s able to keep up with him, and she carries that confidence into her relationship with Skyler.
