At this point Michael is trying to convince himself that he has become legitimate. The Papl honors ceremony, his dealing with the Vatican and Immobiliare. It was a facade that he put on that really only was done for his own satisfaction. Done to justify to himself that the the all powerful and mighty Michael had finally brought the family into legitimacy. Don Cardi
That's it right there, DC:
"..trying to convince himself..." Yes, the real tragedy of Michael's life is his self-deception. He doesn't really want to be legit, he just wants to
think he's legit because he thinks he's no worse than the pezzanovanti of politics or the church. "If those guys can lie, cheat, steal and get away with murder, and be considered legit, why shouldn't I?" Never a thought that he could be what Kay called him: "A common Mafia hood." (Well, not "common," perhaps, but a hood nonetheless.)
