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Aside from crimes/murder Tony's most dispicable moments

posted 6 years ago by Sandman81 (1501)
7 replies | jump to latest

Pointing at AJ and saying to Carmela "You want me to get snipped and this is my only male heir!!!???"

Baiting Janice into attacking him in front of Bobby's kids. Yeah it was Janice and maybe her new found calmness was a bit of an act, but at least she was trying to make their family work and to improve herself.

Being a dick to Furio after he returned from his fathers funeral.

Being against Meadow dating Noah because he was black. Plenty of other reasons not to like him. He was a pompous, entitled douche.

His treatment of Hesh in Chasing It.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Retromogul (1082) 6 years ago

Agree that list is a despicable catalogue of Tony's moments but small potatoes in my view compared to:

Organizing Adriana's murder.

Using a car accident as an opportunity to suffocate Christopher. Then, inpatient with all the grief around him, taking off to Vegas and overcompensating by sleeping with the same woman Christopher was seeing.

His considering of murdering Paulie on the boat for no reason.

His treatment of AJ during his depression - "Oh boo-hoo" towards him; his expressing shame to Melfi, and violently dragging AJ off the bed after Bobby was killed.

[–] Retromogul (1082) 6 years ago

Oopps my apologies, I didn't realize the topic was "aside from murder". Keeping to that:

I maintain his treatment and resentment towards AJ during the latter's depression.

Racism towards Noah.

Having the black traffic cop fired.

Having a tantrum and calling Melfi "a fucking c*nt" when she refused to date him.

Looming over and threatning to smash Melfi's face when she tried to bring up the possibility of his mother having a borderline (or was it narcissistic?) personality.

Screaming at Artie, calling him a disgrace, while he was recovering from a suicide attempt and making out he was robbed so he could take the money owed.

His treatment of Hesh whom he owed money too.

Attacking and physically threatening Gloria.

Attacking Zellman with a belt for seeing Irina.

Baiting Janice into a violent rage at the dinner table by joking about her estranged son.

Punching and kicking Christopher when he relapses after Adriana's murder.

Attacking Perry at the back of Satriale for no other reason but to assert his dominance.

[–] SteveRes (474) 6 years ago

"His considering of murdering Paulie on the boat for no reason."

There is reason for everything in The Sopranos. Tony spent the entire episode on the run in case the Willy Overall body being dug up back in New York would be linked to him (his first kill, and one that Paulie witnessed), and was paranoid after Adriana's murder about people around him ratting him out. Paulie spends the whole trip jabbering on and on to everyone in earshot about the "old days" and different crimes they all commited. To perfect strangers in fact. When they're sat with Beansie and the three prostitutes in a crowded restaurant he mentions some kid they "accidentally drowned" in a swimming pool in the late 60s. This is why the episode is called Remember When. On the boat Tony is weighing up whether or not it's worth having a blabbermouth like Paulie around, and whether it would catch him out one day and put him behind bars. He has suspicions that Paulie told New York about the Ginny Sack "fat joke" that caused mayhem between the two families. He keeps goading Paulie about it on the boat. Pretty good reason there. If Paulie had admitted it he wouldn't have made it back to dry land. It's only the chat Tony has with Beansie at the end of the episode that saves Paulie's life.

[–] Retromogul (1082) 6 years ago

Yes you're right there is a reason or motive for wanting to kill Paulie. But how it's supposed to be interpreted - beyond my lame statement above of being no reason - is that Tony's reason isn't a very "good" one in comparison to other decisions he's made.

In the last season following his coma, rather than using it as a second chance, he degenerates further into selfishness, impulsiveness, and violence. His half desire to kill Paulie is colored by his general, long standing irritation with him, which is apparent throughout the episode - such as the scene where he's put off by Paulie laughing hysterically at his TV in the next hotel room.

Also, at this point Tony is becoming resentful of the past, and subconsciously, the role of Tony's father and uncle in shaping his life eg. "Remember when is the lowest form of conversation", his disinterest in the old photo of Johnny Boy and Juinor, and indulging himself in the vices his father disapproved of: gambling.
In the next episode he's resentful of honoring his debt to Hesh. And as we see, Paulie was once a father figure to Tony, and the woman he sleeps with also mistakes Paulie for his father. So adding another layer, Pauline stands in for Tony as a resented father figure who indoctrinated him into his life of crime - the entire Willie Overall murder coming into play and serving as a reminder.

Tony's conversation with Beansie operates as Tony trying to find a reason for having Paulie wacked.
Beansie is correct in helping to talk him out of it. Paulie has been a loyal solider and would never turn into a stool pigeon, his crew is the only family he has, and that he ultimately loves Tony.
Despite his gossipy old lady nature that almost caused a deadly fall out (an extreme reaction from Johnny Sack wasn't expected), and his issues with kicking up, it is evident that he ultimately cares about Tony - note his emotion when he talks about Tony being born and his relief when Tony awakens from his coma.

[–] SteveRes (474) 6 years ago

"Yes you're right there is a reason or motive for wanting to kill Paulie. But how it's supposed to be interpreted - beyond my lame statement above of being no reason - is that Tony's reason isn't a very "good" one in comparison to other decisions he's made."

True enough. So many layers to Tony, Chase is a genius.

[–] Retromogul (1082) 6 years ago

I know, it's really such genius, multilayered writing.