I agree TB that that the exchange you referenced above is one of the best, most incisive exchanges in the Trilogy. But you know TB, in previous threads over the years we've gone over this topic of Michael's culpability several times. It comes down to this: Michael chose to lead the life he led. He eschewed other life choice options, but was a gold medal winner when it came to rationalizations (to quote someone, "Maybe you weren't hugged enough when you were a kid"). He had many opportunities to just walk away from it all and maybe most telling, he always considered murder as a problem-solver. Now, that's pretty black and white.