Violent Ends

In chronicling Lucas’s vengeful pursuit, Powell does imbue him with some groundedness. For one, it’s clear that Lucas and Tuck aren’t cut out for their family’s underworld heritage. They struggle to enact the kind of reign of terror that’ll lead to others turning on Eli and Sid. Instead, every single one of their schemes blows up in their face: from approaching Walt with an offer of control in exchange for information to pinpointing Eli’s whereabouts at a farmhouse. They’re even framed on a drug charge in a negotiation gone wrong. These failures are given greater weight by Magnussen’s taciturn performance, which relies on a stout posture and a frozen face to translate the bitter anger Lucas feels.