Character Analysis
(Avoiding Spoilers)
Living… in a house in an upscale neighborhood of Albuquerque. Good luck finding out many more details; Gus is a master at controlling what outsiders see.
Profession… businessman. Gus is known locally for running Los Pollos Hermanos, a successful fried chicken chain. However the business functions primarily as a front for his meth-distribution racket. Gus’ diverse business portfolio, including managing his restaurants and even helping out at as a booster for the local Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) branch, helps to publicly legitimize his reputation. That serves to conceal his lofty position in the Mexican Cartel’s American Southwest drug-running operations.
Interests… business alone, it seems. His major pastime is maintaining delicate relationships with his cooks, distributors, the DEA, and the Mexican syndicates.
Relationship Status… unknown. Presumably unmarried. He seems untied to anyone or anything.
Challenge… managing a very dangerous business. His “profession” requires a large amount of upkeep, particularly given how many balls he’s juggling (both legal and illegal) at once. On a deeper level, Gus’ past with the Cartel has left him with some grudges, including the death of his closest friend, whom he may be planning to avenge.
Personality… calculating and pragmatic. His words to Walt, like him an outwardly respectable meth dealer, provide some insight into his philosophy of management: “What does a man do, Walter? A man provides for his family. And he does it even when he’s not appreciated, or respected, or even loved. He simply bears up and he does it. Because he’s a man.”