Cast & Characters

Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman

Jesse Pinkman is a former student of Walt's with whom Walt forges a partnership to cook and sell meth. Jesse handles the "street" part of their operation, though he's prone to blunders that require Walt's intervention. During a meth-cooking marathon, for instance, a series of mishaps — all of which Walt blames on Jesse's stupidity — leave the two men stranded in the hot desert sun.

Jesse enjoys brief glory after false rumor has it that he killed a junkie for robbing one of his dealers. Walt takes advantage of the street's newfound fear of Jesse to expand their territory, but the ploy backfires when the truth gets out.

After his parents kick him out of his late aunt's house, Jesse rents an apartment from a recovering drug addict named Jane. The two fall in love, but she suffers a relapse and introduces him to heroin.

With Jesse high on drugs, Walt has to pull off a huge meth deal by himself. "Nice job wearing the pants," taunts Walt after Jane blackmails him for Jesse's share of the profits.

Unaware that Walt stood by while a passed out Jane choked to death on her own vomit, Jesse calls him for help. "I killed her," the guilt-ridden Jesse bawls. Walt checks Jesse into rehab, where Jesse soberly states, "I deserve whatever happens to me."