What happens to Herr Schuler in Breaking bad?
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Herr Schuler is a minor character in Breaking Bad, appearing in Season 5, Episode 1 ("Live Free or Die"). He is the German executive of Madrigal Electromotive GmbH, the multinational company that was secretly connected to Gus Fring's drug empire.
After Gus's death, Madrigal's involvement in the drug operation comes under investigation. Facing mounting pressure and the potential exposure of his company's illegal activities, Schuler decides to take drastic action. In a chilling and brief scene, he calmly goes to the bathroom during a meeting with investigators, removes an emergency defibrillator from the wall, and uses its electrical leads to commit suicide by electrocuting himself.
This moment underscores the intense pressure and far-reaching consequences of Gus's operation being uncovered, as well as the show's recurring theme of how the criminal underworld destroys everyone involved, even those on the periphery.
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Could that really happen?
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Herr Schuler's suicide with a defibrillator, as depicted in Breaking Bad, raises some practical and medical questions about its plausibility. Here's a breakdown:
How a Defibrillator Works
- A defibrillator delivers a high-voltage electrical shock to the heart to correct irregular rhythms (like ventricular fibrillation). It is not designed to kill a healthy heart but to restart or stabilize one experiencing dangerous arrhythmias.
Plausibility of the Scene
Use of Defibrillator for Suicide:
- A defibrillator is not intended to cause harm to a healthy heart, and it typically only discharges when it detects a specific arrhythmia. Modern defibrillators include safeguards to prevent misuse.
- However, if Schuler bypassed these safeguards (e.g., by manually triggering the device or hacking its software), he might cause fatal damage to himself, especially by delivering multiple shocks.
Could the Shock Be Fatal?
- A healthy heart could theoretically be disrupted by a defibrillator shock if it were applied improperly (e.g., directly over the heart) or repeatedly.
- The defibrillator's voltage might induce ventricular fibrillation (a chaotic, life-threatening rhythm) if used incorrectly, which could lead to death without immediate medical intervention.
Practical Barriers:
- Defibrillators are designed to be safe and difficult to misuse. The leads need to be placed correctly to create a circuit across the heart. It's not as simple as grabbing the device and shocking yourself.
- In reality, many automated external defibrillators (AEDs) will not discharge unless they detect a qualifying arrhythmia.
Dramatic License
The scene in Breaking Bad likely exaggerates the ease with which a defibrillator could be used for suicide for dramatic purposes. While theoretically possible, the logistics and medical specifics make it unlikely in real life without a deeper understanding of the device and effort to bypass its safety features.
Alternative Interpretation
It's also possible the scene's impact was more symbolic than realistic. Herr Schuler's calm and deliberate actions were meant to show the crushing weight of guilt, shame, and fear, which fit the tone of Breaking Bad, even if the method itself stretches plausibility.
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See also:
https://breakingbad.fandom.com/wiki/Peter_Schuler
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