I think a lot of people forgot (including myself) that after the second time he deals with Tuco (Season 1 finale, opening of Season 2) the first thing he does is calculate how much is family is going to need to be ok (not rich, not millionaires, just ok without him), puts it at 11 weeks, and says that immediately after that they stop. And they're only going to do it in public places from now on to avoid any risk of putting themselves in danger.
That's not the behavior of a man who is crazy with ego, a man who is after money, or a man who, in his own words being listened to the FBI later on 'I did it all for myself, because I wanted to'.
They are the words of a man who genuinely cares for his family, and wants to be out of this as soon as he can with the bare minimum he feels he is responsible to give them now that he's dying and he won't be able to provide for the rest of his life.
Now, he chose to do it through producing drugs, which you might claim is evil unless you're a libertarian/very socially liberal, but it's not the behavior of a bad or an evil man.
Objectively, I think that Walt was a better man than Saul, and maybe all the way to end because, as Saul said to the court and meant it,
he personally enjoyed it, he did it all to make millions of dollars, and Walter would never have been able to achieve anything if it wasn't for him.
They tried to give him a redemption arc where he takes responsibility (and how much of that is redemption, now that he's a star in prison, doesn't have to look over his shoulder for the rest of his life, and finally got the approval of Kim he was looking for?), but yeah I think that ultimately Saul was a far worse person than Walt, even though he is more likable because of his personality.
Walt loved torching that dude's car or beating the guys who mocked his retard son at the clothing store. Jesse opened up the door for Walt to engage in some real violence which he seemed to love. Walt was a psychopath before he had cancer even.
I don't think that's quite right.
You haven't ever seen some rich or flashy douchebag and thought 'Man, I wish I could destroy [a flagrant symbol of his douchebaggery]' just to stick it to him? Seen some asshole in line and wish you'd throw your drink in his face? What's the reason we don't do it? Consequences. It's not worth the hassle, it's not worth dealing with the possible reaction, and it's not worth dealing with the law.
Now if you take a man who just learned he's dying of cancer, it becomes a lot easier to go 'Well, fuck it, what have I got to lose?'
As far as Walt hurting the guys who were making fun of his retarded son, that's 100% appropriate behavior, he wasn't beating on 14 year olds, he hit a guy so much bigger than him who's clearly portrayed at being like 18 or something. I'm 100% fine with that, and if I saw that in real life I'd cheer on the dad.
There are very few situations where it's appropriate to wail on a stranger, but I'd say that if that stranger was making fun of your retarded son openly and loudly in front of you, that's one of those examples. Though if said father ended up being arrested afterwards I'd be fine with that, because it's not behavior we can legalize even if we feel it's justified in that instance.
I don't think those are signs that Walt is a psychopath who enjoys violence, I think they are sign of a man who feels he has nothing to lose anymore, and it foreshadows how much further down that path he's going to be willing to go later on.
