“Better Call Saul” is an American legal drama created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould. It takes place within the same universe as the critically acclaimed TV show “Breaking Bad” and serves as a prequel to the latter show. The plot of “Better Call Saul” centers around Jimmy McGill (played by Bob Odenkirk), a lawyer and con artist, on his journey to becoming his persona “Saul Goodman” - who we know him as in “Breaking Bad.” Over the course of Jimmy’s transformation and the origin story of Saul Goodman, he finds himself surrounded by a variety of other characters - some familiar from “Breaking Bad” and some are completely fresh faces.
Ignacio “Nacho” Varga went from working at his father’s upholstery store to becoming one of the highest in command of the Salamanca family drug cartel. However, in the escalation of his life of crime, he becomes increasingly discouraged in the face of threats to both his and his father’s life - which eventually leads to his betrayal and demise.
Nacho’s inner motivations for betraying the Salamancas were never explicitly revealed or stated to the audience. However, there are several factors that might have influenced his decisions throughout the entire series:
Every single time Nacho enacted some form of betrayal or revenge against the Salamancas, there was always another member of the family - an even more dangerous one - waiting in the wings to enter the picture. Eventually, his actions - and the Salamanca family - catch up to him.
1. Desire for Independence: Nacho’s ultimate goal was to secure a safe and stable future - not fighting to make ends meet - for himself and his father, who was unwittingly involved in the drug cartel’s activities. By betraying the Salamancas, Nacho desired to distance himself from the dangerous world of drug trafficking and establish his own path.
2. Conflict with Hector Salamanca: Nacho’s strained relationship with Hector, one of the high-ranking members of the cartel, was evident in the series. Hector was abusive and seemed to have little regard for Nacho’s well-being. This animosity contributed to Nacho’s decision to undermine the Salamancas.
3. Protecting His Father: Nacho’s loyalty to his father was evident throughout the series. As his father got involved unknowingly in the cartel’s business, Nacho repeatedly felt compelled to do whatever it took to ensure his father’s safety and well-being, even if it meant betraying the Salamancas.
4. Gus Fring’s Influence: Gus Fring, another key character in the series, had a significant impact on Nacho’s decisions. Gus is known for his meticulous planning and strategic moves. It’s a definite possibility that Gus influenced Nacho to take actions against the Salamancas to further Gus’s own agenda.
In the end, every sacrifice, betrayal, and the deaths left in his wake, Nacho ultimately takes his own life rather than be killed by Victor - per the plan. Even according to Michael Mando, the actor portraying Nacho, Nacho’s death is one of sacrifice and protection. The character died without fear; some of his final words were proudly proclaiming to Hector that he was the one who caused his paralysis and placed him in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
It’s important to note that the show’s creators deliberately left some aspects of Nacho’s character and motivations ambiguous to maintain suspense and surprise in the storyline - and to encourage fan interpretation. The tragedy and shock-factor of Nacho’s eventual death left fans reeling. Nacho’s character was shrouded in moral ambiguity - doing wrong things with good intentions at heart - and his struggles to protect his father while navigating the dangerous world of drug cartels added complexity to his journey and character arc.