Walt's Biggest Secret In Breaking Bad Isn't What You Think

At the center of AMC's hit drama series "Breaking Bad" was Walter White (Bryan Cranston), the sad-sack chemistry teacher turned evil drug kingpin whose machinations and hubris poisoned the lives of everyone he knew. Like fellow anti-heroes Tony Soprano ("The Sopranos") and Vic Mackey ("The Shield"), Walt had a caring side, but he did some truly terrible things, including murdering many people, either himself directly or by his orders, running a meth empire, and bombing a nursing home — the last of which isn't even the worst sin Walt has committed somehow.

For a long time, Walt kept his misdeeds from his family, including DEA Agent brother-in-law Hank (Dean Norris). But the truth eventually spilled out, first with Walt's wife, Skyler, finding out in season three (and joining his organization). Then Hank discovers the truth and works to bring Walt down in Season 5.

Somehow, however, even poisoning a child — like Jesse says, "just as a move" — isn't the biggest secret Walter White has ever hidden. This is really Mr. White's biggest deception in a lifetime full of them.

While there's been debate among "Breaking Bad" fans about this, a long-standing argument about Walter White is that he was secretly always "Heisenberg," his criminal alter-ego. After leaving the Gray Matter tech company, Walt shut down his ambition and ego, becoming a weak and passive person. Once he discovered his terminal cancer, however, the driven, prideful man Walter really was finally returned.

One Reddit user concluded in their "Breaking Bad" subreddit thread that "The show does not follow a kind and gentle family man becoming a coldhearted killer, but rather, follows a monster that had become submissive due to society finally show[ing] his true colors. It was only after losing everything in season 5, that he actually changed and became a better person." It's in the last episode that a sick, nearly spent Walt finally tells Skyler that he didn't become a meth cook for his family, but for himself, at last coming to recognize who he really is (as with many tragic heroes).

If you want to check out Walt's arc for yourself, "Breaking Bad" is currently streaming on Netflix.