Bryan Cranston's favorite 'Breaking Bad' line is surprising

Breaking Bad is full of so many great quotes, it's hard to choose which one sticks out as an absolute favorite.

The series star, Bryan Cranston, has a pretty clear cut answer though, as Entertainment Weekly reported Tuesday. His favorite line, said by his character Walter White, was a thinly veiled threat to his brother-in-law Hank: "Tread lightly."

Here's the quote in context:

At this point in the series, DEA agent Hank, played by Dean Norris, has been trying to chase down the leader of a drug ring who, up to this point, only Walt and viewers knew was actually Walt. Until Season 5 Episode 9.

When Hank says the line, “I don’t know who you are, I don’t even know who I’m talking to,” he's coming to the realization that Walt, who Hank only knew as his mild mannered brother-in-law, is in fact a very powerful leader of a methamphetamine operation.

Walt hits him back with his first, carefully worded threat: "If that’s true, if you don’t know who I am, then maybe your best course would be to tread lightly.”

It's a chilling line that punctuates the complete metamorphosis of the two characters' relationship.

Cranston explained to EW why exactly "tread lightly" is his favorite line: "First of all, it’s only two words so I go through it quickly,” he said “So, there. I confess. There is an expediency to it — and economy. I enjoy brevity.”

Cranston told EW that the line sums up Walt's whole personality and how he carries himself.

“It’s his credo,” Cranston said. “In many ways, he was very careful. Even though he stepped into landmines, he was very careful almost all the time. When he didn’t follow that motto is when he failed, like shooting Mike [Jonathan Banks]. It was very emotional. And the brazen hubris of telling Jesse, ‘I watched Jane die.’ It was unnecessary cruelty and emotional vomiting from his point. When he didn’t follow that credo is when he found himself in the most troubling condition.”