There’s often a lively debate among “Queen of Crime” fanatics about who truly reigns supreme – be it Walter White from “Breaking Bad”, Saul Goodman from “Better Call Saul”, or perhaps Gus Fring, the chilling head of a chicken-roast based drug empire? But when comparing these masterful monarchs of organized criminal empires, we need to look carefully at how each character leverages their status… or at least what kind of money that buys them.
On one side stands Walter White “Mr. White” himself, the meth cook turned chemistry whiz with an undeniable knack for manipulating markets and production, raking in considerable drug revenue by the finale. But it’s all relative; let’s be honest,”Breaking Bad’s” budget limitations kept Saul’s high-gloss office suites and Gus’ sophisticated restaurants slightly further downmarket than some true titans like James McGill himself – “Better Saul” Saul, that is. His empire? Constructed, not on the production of street drugs, but through savvy legal practice (and some strategically placed moral compromises). This allows him to be far more entrepreneurial – building trust funds for unsavory clients while still maintaining a legitimate law practice (which surely had an extra line in his contracts stating: “for better…or worse” when signing them up. ).
Rayna “Red” Reddington enters this ring wielding immense cultural sway within the underground worlds, but the specific dollar amounts associated with The Blacklist remain vague compared to what we’re familiar with from Breaking Bad etc.” We see him pullstrings in high places, manipulating global markets not quite through drugs (and certainly more ethically sound than drug-lord ventures. ), but through cunning deal making and covert intelligence ops.
So, who is richer? Based on the pure “business” scope of their exploits, one might say that Walter Whites’ control of New Mexico’s illegal met business would see him claiming the gold in a traditional financial comparison. But Red Reddington’s influence across countless industries, from the Stock Exchange to global politics, suggests an altogether different valuation — measuring his worth not in mere dollars but also power and prestige. It might be that, at the end of the day Redington, with a portfolio that goes beyond money , reigns as a more powerful “Kingpin”. After all , power is about having options. Does anyone really picture Mr White successfully manipulating stock options ? Probably not,
The point is… with show business’ favorite criminals constantly redefining just what a kingpin in today’s world looks like, we can’t simply rely on old metrics . These are figures whose true wealth lies perhaps in their cunning, influence and sheer staying power that transcends any tangible figure attached to the bottom line. So instead of simply ranking these characters by the “worth” in their pockets , Perhaps it’s more nuanced– and certainly more interesting – to consider: who holds the ultimate leverage? Who shapes events rather than being beholden to them?.
The world these villains inhabit is all built on a currency far more valuable than cash itself – influence, strategy, and most importantly… sheer audacity. Each kingpin represents a different iteration of wealth, offering their own unique brand of power to the narrative fabric we love about these shows.