Directed by: John Patterson
Written by: David Chase and Todd A. Kessler
The last episode of the season finds things going pretty well for Tony. Business-wise, things are great: the Webistics scam and Scatino bust out yielded, as Junior might put it, some serious sponduliks. A current venture involving the sale of bogus telephone cards is proving to be highly profitable as well. Richie and Janice are gone and soon Livia will be, too. Tony gave her two airline tickets so that she and his aunt Quintina can go to Arizona. At last, as Tony says, "All my enemies are smoked."
But despite his success, one night Tony's doubts about Pussy keep coming up -- along with the chicken vindaloo he ate in an Indian restaurant. While in the throes of a nasty bout of food poisoning, Tony has a series of fever dreams. His E. coli influenced subconscious conjures up everything from self-immolation to a vigorous sexual encounter with Dr. Melfi. But by far the most disturbing dream is one in which Pussy -- in the form of a fish on ice -- tells him he's been working for the Feds and that Tony's known all along. "You passed me over for promotion," the Pussy fish tells him, "You knew."
Tony wakes up determined to find out the truth about Pussy, one way or the other. He shows up at the Bompensiero house with Silvio in tow and while Silvio has coffee with Pussy and Angie, Tony searches their bedroom. Beneath the false bottom of a cigar box he finds what he's looking for: Pussy's wire and some tapes he's made for the FBI. Madonn', the hit in the gut from the vindaloo was nothing compared to this.
So Tony has Pussy join him, Silvio and Paulie for a test ride on a boat he says he's thinking of buying. But once they're beyond sight of land and below decks, the real reason for the excursion is revealed. "Why'd you do it, Pussy?" Tony asks. Over strains of Frank Sinatra, Pussy admits he's a rat, leaving only one thing to be done. And after a few shots of tequila Tony, Silvio and Paulie do it: they shoot Pussy, push him into the ocean and head back to shore.
But it's hardly safe harbor. Once he's home Tony gets a frantic phone call from Livia, who's been detained by airport security. The tickets Tony gave her are stolen -- booty from the Scatino bust out -- and no sooner is Tony off the phone than the FBI shows up with a search warrant. They've found the rest of the stolen airline tickets in Tony's Suburban so he has no choice but to accompany them to FBI headquarters. And while Neil Mink assures him, "they don't have bubkes," Tony's not convinced. "We're talkin' predicates up the ass," Tony tells Neil, "A fuckin' RICO case. Thirty to life."
Bailed out by Neil, Tony's free -- at least for the time being. He has a contentious session with Dr. Melfi during which she tells him, "After two years treating you I've learned things. And I pick up sorrow coming from you." But Tony's got more important things to do than confront any sorrow he may be feeling: it's graduation day. Meadow's, of course, but Christopher's, too. At the school Tony tells his nephew that he's going to be made. "I deserve it," Christopher responds, "Got no spleen, Gene." Afterward Tony and Carmela host a big shindig in Meadow's honor. The food is by Artie Bucco and everybody has a good time -- with one possible exception.
Angie Bompensiero is angry that Pussy hasn't shown up.
Written by: David Chase and Todd A. Kessler
The last episode of the season finds things going pretty well for Tony. Business-wise, things are great: the Webistics scam and Scatino bust out yielded, as Junior might put it, some serious sponduliks. A current venture involving the sale of bogus telephone cards is proving to be highly profitable as well. Richie and Janice are gone and soon Livia will be, too. Tony gave her two airline tickets so that she and his aunt Quintina can go to Arizona. At last, as Tony says, "All my enemies are smoked."
But despite his success, one night Tony's doubts about Pussy keep coming up -- along with the chicken vindaloo he ate in an Indian restaurant. While in the throes of a nasty bout of food poisoning, Tony has a series of fever dreams. His E. coli influenced subconscious conjures up everything from self-immolation to a vigorous sexual encounter with Dr. Melfi. But by far the most disturbing dream is one in which Pussy -- in the form of a fish on ice -- tells him he's been working for the Feds and that Tony's known all along. "You passed me over for promotion," the Pussy fish tells him, "You knew."
Tony wakes up determined to find out the truth about Pussy, one way or the other. He shows up at the Bompensiero house with Silvio in tow and while Silvio has coffee with Pussy and Angie, Tony searches their bedroom. Beneath the false bottom of a cigar box he finds what he's looking for: Pussy's wire and some tapes he's made for the FBI. Madonn', the hit in the gut from the vindaloo was nothing compared to this.
So Tony has Pussy join him, Silvio and Paulie for a test ride on a boat he says he's thinking of buying. But once they're beyond sight of land and below decks, the real reason for the excursion is revealed. "Why'd you do it, Pussy?" Tony asks. Over strains of Frank Sinatra, Pussy admits he's a rat, leaving only one thing to be done. And after a few shots of tequila Tony, Silvio and Paulie do it: they shoot Pussy, push him into the ocean and head back to shore.
But it's hardly safe harbor. Once he's home Tony gets a frantic phone call from Livia, who's been detained by airport security. The tickets Tony gave her are stolen -- booty from the Scatino bust out -- and no sooner is Tony off the phone than the FBI shows up with a search warrant. They've found the rest of the stolen airline tickets in Tony's Suburban so he has no choice but to accompany them to FBI headquarters. And while Neil Mink assures him, "they don't have bubkes," Tony's not convinced. "We're talkin' predicates up the ass," Tony tells Neil, "A fuckin' RICO case. Thirty to life."
Bailed out by Neil, Tony's free -- at least for the time being. He has a contentious session with Dr. Melfi during which she tells him, "After two years treating you I've learned things. And I pick up sorrow coming from you." But Tony's got more important things to do than confront any sorrow he may be feeling: it's graduation day. Meadow's, of course, but Christopher's, too. At the school Tony tells his nephew that he's going to be made. "I deserve it," Christopher responds, "Got no spleen, Gene." Afterward Tony and Carmela host a big shindig in Meadow's honor. The food is by Artie Bucco and everybody has a good time -- with one possible exception.
Angie Bompensiero is angry that Pussy hasn't shown up.