Just some of my opinions....

Pussy was afforded a lot for a guy who was an informant. He was given a boat ride, a last drink of Tequila with the guys, and even questioned, and his last wish (not to be shot in the face) was respected. He wasn't shot in the back of the head with his body callously dumped in an alley with a rat stuffed in his mouth like Jimmy Altieri or brought to a deserted woods and been in terror pleading for his life, or smothered on his own blood like Chris or shot anonymously with his hat stuffed in his mouth like Jack Massarone. Compared to the way a lot of the guys died on the show--even the non rats--Pussy didn't have that horrible of a death.

As far as being killed goes, he got the best deal, really. He knew what was coming, had enough time to process it, and actually took it like a man. He didn't beg or plead or whine; All he asked was not to be shot in the face.

Even though he was a rat, that bravery in the face of certain death, murder by your best friends, is rather admirable. He proved not to be a "Pussy" after all.

Btw...It actually seemed like at one point during their conversation on the boat that Tony might've been willing to give him a pass or exile him, or wished he could've. Silvio clearly did not want to kill him.

Interesting points MWC... I think you hit the mark...i also think it was a powerful scene... the execution of Jimmy for being a rat could be quick, but this one because it was a close friend, needed more time..I think it was excellent...

Tbh i didn't really enjoy the Pussy storyline the 2nd and 6 part 2 seasons were my least favourite.

on the other hand, which is worse- a quick, anonymous shot to the back of the head that you never see coming, or seeing your three best friends pull guns on you knowing what's coming next?

Personally I'd take the former.

I believe Tony respected Pussy so much for everything else pussy did positive for Tony for years, that he couldn't disrepect him like that. It was one mistake by Pussy, a HUGE mistake but still one mistake. Tony loved Pussy other than him being a rat. Bottom line, Pussy was dead after that boat ride which is all that really matters. Tony's relationship with Chris was another story.

I find that this episode marks the transition for Tony the "character," from someone who is redeemable to straight sociopath. I have long believed that the Tony from season one was originally created as someone who still had a strict moral code, and who could still maybe escape this with his soul intact. David Chase changed his mind and wanted Tony to be a terrible and immoral person. Hence the Tony from season 3 on seems to only be capable of destroying things and people.

Either way Tony got justice though he couldn't get by the fact Pussy was wearing a wire. It's like you're brother giving you up. It's heartless and you could never get over it.

It's too bad, the four characters i wish i had gotten more time with:
1)Livia, 2)Pussy 3)Jackie Sr. 4)Richie Aprile.

I'd easily give them more time and remove:
1)Jackie Jr. 2)Vito 3)Finn

To be honest i'd have loved to spend more time with all the characters of season 1 and 2. I guess people have to die though.

I remember reading somewhere that even the cast had trouble filming that scene without getting a little emotional. I think Tony was more disappointed than mad. I think all the guys were and they went "easy" on him. Let's be real, he provided the feds with jack shit. A few stolen airline tickets etc and that was basically that.

Paulie looked pissed.

He may not have provided them with much,but he was still talking to the cops and that's a no no..

He was unpredictable too. Obviously Tony never found this out but at times he didn't want to give them anything and when things weren't going his way he was willing to wear a wire etc.

It seems like he was indeed feeding them bullshit...Until Tony passed him over for promotion. Up till then, he was keeping the heat off Tony and the crew and passing it to others.

For example, Tony takes over Junior's stolen car ring, and when asked who took it over, Pussy tells the FBI Ray Curto did, even though he knows it was Tony who took it over.

He lied to the FBI and said he hadn't seen Tony yet, when he already had.

He could've easily given up Tony on the Bevilaqua hit, as both a participant and an eyeball witness....He didn't.

He could've given up Chris on the Emil Kolar murder....He didn't.

He could've given Paulie, Chris and Tony up with the Colombian murder...He didn't.

Perhaps because he was an informant during all of those and knew if he implicated himself in more murders after agreeing to cooperate, they'd revoke his immunity privledge and he wouldn't be able to provide for his kids anyway.


Pussy had been an informant since the mid-90's, according to the show and the flashback scenes.

Yes, Pussy had been an informant since the mid 90's. During the entire second season storyline of Pussy I did not like it. He was still talking to the feds and giving them the wrong information, but it seems he felt Tony would overlook him talking to the feds by giving them incorrect information. Even with that, Pussy was laying the blame on other active members of the family, even tony could not turn a blind eye to that and it was right in front of Tony the entire season until he was confronted with it during his sickness.

Given the subject of this thread it reminds me of my wife

Yeah they didn’t shoot him in the face but to go out to sea with “friends” and not return to land gotta be torture.