| “ | I don't know, man. Look, I didn't want to say anything, but your brother, the way he's been talking about you lately, it's like, he's really out to get you, Jimmy. And... I don't know... You're my friend. (...) I miss the mailroom.
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| ― Ernie on why he lied to protect Jimmy. |
Ernesto is a former employee of Hamlin, Hamlin & McGill and a friend and former coworker of Jimmy McGill and Kim Wexler.
History
Better Call Saul
Season 1
In a flashback to 1998, Ernesto celebrates with Jimmy over him getting hired at HHM. Howard makes Ernesto leave as he tells Jimmy that he will in fact, not be working at HHM. ("RICO")
Ernesto is put in charge of bringing supplies to Chuck. When he doesn't bring the right items, Chuck tells Ernesto to get it right next time. Ernesto leaves the house and to his surprise, Jimmy is outside. The two exchange greetings, and Ernesto drives off. ("Marco")
Season 2
Ernesto drives Chuck to HHM on multiple occasions and carries his files up to his office. ("Cobbler", "Rebecca")
Ernesto calls Jimmy and tells him that his brother isn't doing well, and is insisting on Ernesto not calling a doctor for him. Jimmy tells Ernesto to make him chicken broth and to wrap him in multiple space blankets. Jimmy also insists on not calling a doctor. ("Fifi")
Ernesto goes to the copy shop to ask the clerk if Jimmy was in his store. The clerk confirms that Jimmy was in the store. Ernesto leaves and tells Chuck about his findings. Chuck returns to the store with Ernesto to confront the clerk. Having been paid off by Jimmy, the clerk denies ever seeing Jimmy, making Chuck irate. Ernesto attempts to get Chuck to calm down, but Chuck eventually gets overwhelmed by the electricity and hits his head on the counter. ("Nailed")
Ernesto helps Chuck after he takes his fall. After being put in stable condition, Jimmy and Ernesto go in to check on Chuck, with Chuck accusing Jimmy of bribing the copy store clerk after learning that Jimmy was there moments after he fell, but Ernesto clears him, claiming that he called Jimmy before they went to the store. Outside, Jimmy asks why Ernesto lied on his behalf, to which he answers that Chuck's increasingly vindictive nature was beginning to alarm him, and he didn't want to see his friend get in trouble. ("Klick")
Season 3
Ernesto brings Chuck his groceries, including a new pack of batteries for his tape recorder. Chuck has Ernesto change the batteries, resulting in Ernesto "accidentally" hearing part of the incriminating tape Chuck made of Jimmy. Ernesto is disturbed by what he hears and is subtly threatened by Chuck into not saying anything to anyone. In reality, Chuck orchestrated this to transpire on purpose. ("Mabel")
Troubled by the incident, Ernesto drives to Jimmy and Kim's new law office, and asks Kim to meet him in his car outside. Ernesto is conflicted, wanting to do right by Jimmy while also worried about Chuck's legal threat. Eventually, Kim learns from Ernesto that Chuck taped Jimmy's confession to doctoring the Mesa Verde files. It is revealed that Chuck used Ernesto as a pawn in order to coax Jimmy into breaking into his house to steal the tape. ("Witness")
Soon after, Chuck fires Ernesto without explanation. He apologizes to Kim for what happens to Jimmy. As she is not aware of the situation, Ernesto explains that Jimmy has been arrested. ("Sunk Costs")
Season 4
In a flashback to 1998, after Jimmy becomes a lawyer, Ernesto is present along with Kim as Chuck vouches for Jimmy. Afterwards, Ernesto rather badly sings Total Eclipse of the Heart karaoke at Jimmy's celebration party causing Jimmy and Kim to comment that "Ernie's really going for it." ("Winner")
Personality and traits
Ernesto is a hard-working and conscientious employee: when he was assigned to deliver groceries for Chuck, he went above and beyond to support him, fulfilling every one of Chuck's many requests. When Chuck took ill as a result of his EHS, Ernesto provided him with his space blanket and stayed by his side all night long, only leaving him when asked to by Jimmy.
As a friend, Ernesto is shown to be loyal and faithful, even going out of his way to lie on his friends' behalf. Upon becoming increasingly concerned by Chuck's vengeful attitude towards Jimmy, Ernesto decides to cover for his friend and lies to Chuck, protecting Jimmy from Chuck's pursuit in proving his forgery of the Mesa Verde documents. ("Klick")
Trivia
- Ernesto drives a 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII.
- Out of Ernesto's 11 episodic appearances, he only appears once not wearing the color blue, in "Cobbler".