When Jimmy McGill asks Mike where he'd go in a time machine during Better Call Saul's finale, he picks December 2001 then changes his mind. Why?

Why does Mike Ehrmantraut tell Jimmy he would time travel back to 2001 before quickly changing his mind in Better Call Saul's final episode? At the thematic heart of Better Call Saul's closing chapter - season 6's devastating "Saul Gone" - is an overwhelming sense of regret. During a series of flashbacks, Bob Odenkirk's Jimmy McGill asks his criminal buddies when they'd travel to if they had access to a time machine, and each conversation turns toward lifelong regrets. These discussions set up Better Call Saul's emotional climax, where Jimmy finally admits his own biggest regret is Chuck's death, but some insightful answers come to light from other characters along the way.

Broaching the topic with Jonathan Banks' Mike Ehrmantraut during their desert nightmare from Better Call Saul season 5, Mike considers the time-bending prospect before answering, "December 8, 2001." Mike doesn't get a chance to explain why he picks this date before taking back his answer and offering "March 17, 1984" instead. Mike tells Jimmy this was the date he first accepted a bribe as a police officer, the implication being that Mike wishes he could retroactively refuse the cash and avoid embarking on the slippery slope toward criminality.

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Mike Ehrmantaut's son, Matty, was a police officer like his old man, but died on duty in 2001. Better Call Saul's series finale flashback leads audiences to assume December 8 was the date of Matty's passing - an obvious pick for Mike to pump into a hypothetical DeLorean and change the course of history. While there's no other obvious answer, Better Call Saul may create a slight plot hole here. In season 1's "Alpine Shepherd Boy," Mike is taken for interrogation by two cops, and a newspaper confirms the date as June 2002. A police officer tells Jimmy McGill that Matty's death happened "about nine months ago," which would be more like September 2001 than December. Since there can't be an event Mike would want to change more than his son's death, the police must've been misinformed - not exactly uncommon in Better Call Saul.

But, of course, Mike does change his mind, telling Jimmy the date he'd really like to travel back to and change is the day he accepted that very first bribe. Why is this moment more regretful to Mike than his son's death?

While working as a police officer, Matty found himself in the same position as his father did on March 17, 1984, and was offered a bribe by his partner and sergeant. Matty initially refused, but sought the advice of his father after the fact. Mike revealed he used to take bribes all the time and advised his son do the same, devastating Matty, who had idolized his father since childhood. Matty reluctantly took the money, but his two accomplices got nervous about their new friend's commitment and arranged for his death. If Mike went back to December 8, 2001, he could stop his son going to work, jump in the way of a bullet, or shoot Matty's killers before they strike. But if Mike goes back further to March 17, 1984, he can avoid becoming a crooked cop. When Matty then comes seeking his father's advice 17 years later, Mike can honestly tell Matty to do the right thing by refusing the bribe.

The way Mike changes his answer to Jimmy's time machine question in Better Call Saul's series finale is secretly tragic, since it confirms Jonathan Banks' character blames himself for Matty's death more than he blames the two police officers who ordered his assassination. Mike knows his son's dark fate wasn't sealed on the day he actually died, but on the day his father sold his soul.

Craig first began contributing to Screen Rant in 2016, several years after graduating college, and has been ranting ever since, mostly to himself in a darkened room. Having previously written for various sports and music outlets, Craig's interest soon turned to TV and film, where a steady upbringing of science fiction and comic books finally came into its own. Craig has previously been published on sites such as Den of Geek, and after many coffee-drenched hours hunched over a laptop, part-time evening work eventually turned into a full-time career covering everything from the zombie apocalypse to the Starship Enterprise via the TARDIS. Since joining the Screen Rant fold, Craig has been involved in breaking news stories and mildly controversial ranking lists, but now works predominantly as a features writer. Jim Carrey is Craig’s top acting pick and favorite topics include superheroes, anime and the unrecognized genius of the High School Musical trilogy.