Box Cutter - S4-E1
Question: Why did Gus kill Victor?
Question: Would Gus not die instantly from his injuries of that explosion? Instead, he has time to walk out, straighten his tie, traumatize the nurses, then die? Or is that all for the sake of good TV?
Answer: Definitely just for the sake of good TV; in reality, this would be instant death (or at least, very soon after, and no way one could just get up and walk). There's a featurette on the production of this scene, and Vince Gilligan addresses the liberties taken with reality here. He felt that since Gus was such an iconic character, he deserved an equally iconic death, hence the calm, cool, collected way he walks out of the room with half a face. Gilligan said he also wanted to briefly fake the audience out, as we see Gus walk out from his "unaffected" side first and assume he somehow survived the blast.
Chosen answer: There are several possibilities. Gus primarily does it to make an example out of Victor. Victor is one of Gus' most loyal henchman, and yet he had no problem killing him. Meaning it doesn't matter how loyal or valuable Walt is, he can still be killed and it won't bother Gus. However, Walt tells Jesse that perhaps Victor "flew too close to the sun." Meaning, Victor over stepped his bounds by learning how to cook meth. Gus didn't appreciate Victor's initiative and Gus only wants his employees to do the job they're given. Again, telling Walt and Jesse to do their job or else.
Bishop73
I think it was a combination of anger over Gayle's death and Victor being seen by witnesses makes Victor very vulnerable and therefore a dangerous liability to Fringe's empire.
By this point, the mugshot of Victor will have been spread around as a suspect in Gail's death. Victor had been come too hot to handle, so to say, so had to go.
Ssiscool ★