Better Call Saul © Netflix | AMC | Sony Pictures Television

*WARNING: Spoilers ahead for Better Call Saul*

Better Call Saul is famed for not holding audience members’ hands and allowing them to piece together the events of the series themselves.

Throughout the series, this has taken the form of a returning character or details from a conversation three seasons ago popping up without any fanfare or explanation.

However, while the show must be commended for giving credit to its fanbase, a few references can sometimes slip the net.

In episode 10 of Better Call Saul season 6, one such reference has perplexed some viewers, with many asking about the ring that Gene put on in the early moments of the episode.

In episode 10 of Better Call Saul’s sixth season, we see Gene Takavic (Jimmy’s alias post-Breaking Bad) delving into a box of mementoes and pulling out a ring with a large black stone in its centre.

The ring belonged to Marco Pasternak, a friend of Jimmy’s from before his move to Albuquerque when he lived in Cicero, Illinois.

Together, Marco and Jimmy used to pull scams together, such as swapping fake Rolex watches for wads of cash.

The pair’s exploits earned Jimmy the name Slippin’ Jimmy and eventually led to him spending time in jail before his brother, Chuck, secured his release.

Jimmy broke off his friendship with Marco when he moved to Albuquerque to work as a mail-room clerk at HHM, later becoming a lawyer himself.

At the end of season 1, however, Jimmy takes a sabbatical from his work as an attorney and visits his old friend, Marco, and together, the pair spend a week pulling off more scams until Marco dies of a sudden heart attack.  

Following Marco’s death, his mother gifted the ring to Jimmy and despite not being a ring-wearing man, he continued to wear the piece of jewellery in memory of his friend.

The ring also served as a reminder of his days as Slippin’ Jimmy and the scams he and Marco used to pull together.

In the season 1 finale, Jimmy is about to attend a job interview at Davis & Main, an opportunity that would see him become a genuine and successful lawyer, but at the last minute, while rubbing the ring, he decides against taking the job as realises that a life on the straight and narrow is not for him.

Throughout Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad, Jimmy can be seen touching the ring whenever he has a tough decision to make, almost as if he’s asking his mischievous friend, Marco, what he should do.

After being forced to disappear at the end of Breaking Bad and live as Gene Takavic, he removes the ring and keeps it hidden as he knows he must stay under the radar.

However, that is until episode 10 of season 6 when Gene decides to embark on another Slippin’ Jimmy caper after Jeff the taxi driver recognised him as Saul Goodman.

The reveal of Marco’s ring is a significant moment in episode 10 of Better Call Saul season 6 and many fans have taken to social media to offer their thoughts.

One fan on Twitter wrote: “Marco’s ring, huh? Looks like Slippin’ Jimmy’s back.”

“Not gonna lie, seeing Marco’s ring made me a bit sad,” said this fan.

While this fan joked: “I get it. Once Slippin’ Jimmy, always Slippin’ Jimmy. As indicated when he puts Marco’s pinky ring back on. But…I feel sick just watching that much Cinnabon consumption.”

This nervous fan commented: “The moment Gene dug out Marco’s ring from his memory box, I feel like his fate was sealed. He’s never gonna stop because he can’t help himself. Very anxious to see how these last couple episodes of #BetterCallSaul are gonna go.”

“Is it the pinky ring that he got from Marco? He always touched that one when he was about to do a scam. Maybe the fact that he took it off means something,” wrote another Twitter user.

And finally, this fan said: “Gene Takavic definitely wears the Marco ring well.”

Season 6 of Better Call Saul continues Mondays on AMC in the US and Tuesdays on Netflix internationally until the final on August 15 and 16 respectively.

In other news, Why did Better Call Saul recast Jeff and who is the new actor?