History Characters / TheSopranosTheSopranoFamily

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** [[spoiler: Subverted, however since he only told Tony this in order to convince Tony he was always on his side, and he only really chose to reject Richie's offer after finding out the other bosses are not fond of him.]]

* TheBadGuyWins: Downplayed. Even though she failed to have her son murdered and [[spoiler: ends up dead in Season 3]], her negative influence still lingers on her family until the end of the series. Basically, she's a large part of why Tony's (and Janice's) capacity for empathy is so underdeveloped, and her shadow looms over all their toxic family interactions. In short, she succeeded in negatively influencing the psychological profile of Tony and Janice. Ultimately, it was her who actually destroyed her own family.

* GreaterScopeVillain: Even after her death, her toxic influence on her family (Tony especially) looms large.

* SanitySlippage: Senile dementia.

* TheSociopath: Attempting to have her own son murdered is the obvious example, but she has plenty of others: she shows zero concern or sympathy when Tony mentions that Jackie Aprile Sr. is dying, and she callously closes the curtain on the woman in the hospital bed next to hers after she mentions that she has cancer, etc.

* LikeFatherLikeSon: In this case, like mother like daughter. Meadow becomes just like her Carmela by the end of the series, hypocritical and willfully ignorant of the Mafia's degeneracy.

* StartOfDarkness: In the first few seasons, she is much more free-spirited, rebellious, and openly opposed to Tony's line of work, but gradually becomes more accepting of his lifestyle and taking his obviously false cover stories at face value, defending him from accusations of criminality and even getting upset at a friend discussing their affairs with "outsiders", primarily after the death of her ex-boyfriend, Jackie Jr.. By the end of the series, she's engaged to the son of one of Tony's soldiers and on the way to becoming a mob lawyer, much to Tony and Camela's distress.

* WhiteSheep: Gradually subverted as being born under a Mafia boss of a father catches up to her, ultimately influencing her decision yo become a defense attorney for the mob.

* FreudianExcuse: Tony really has no idea what he's doing as a father to AJ; his emotional neglect, verbal abuse, and incredible hypocrisy in combination with Livia's misery lead to AJ developing a very cynical and nihilistic worldview. Carmela spoiling him with luxuries in combination with her empty nest syndrome fears only makes things worse by making AJ more despondent and dependent into his adult years. That's in addition to AJ being raised in an environment that even his far more intellectual sister wasn't able to escape unscathed from. It's implied that AJ is also fully aware that he isn't suited to being like his father but also knows he doesn't have his sister's intellect, and his listless demeanor is due to his feeling trapped and with no clear direction for his life.

* {{Narcissist}}: Itt must run in the family. He is almost entirely unempathetic to others, exploits his status and connections as thoroughly as possible without limit, never once internalizes any form of criticism of his own behavior, and becomes particularly vain as he grows older. One of the final examples of this in the series happens when Tony comes to his room and informs him of Bobby's death. AJ's first response is to lament how inconvenient it is for his own depression and coping process.
* NeverMyFault: He struggles to accept any responsibility for what he's done.

* FreudianExcuse: Tony really has no idea what he's doing as a father to AJ. That's in addition to him inheriting his father and grandmother's depression which plays at least some part in his lack of motivation and being raised in an environment that even his far more intellectual sister wasn't able to escape unscathed from. It's implied that AJ is also fully aware that he isn't suited to being like his father but also knows he doesn't have his sister's intellect and his listless demeanor is due to his feeling trapped and with no clear direction for his life.

* HiddenDepths: In the fifth season, he shows a genuine aptitude for event organization. He throws a backyard party with his friends and nets himself a $300 share after expenses.

* {{Narcissist}}: Surpasses Tony and Carmela, achieving Livia-levels of narcissism. He is almost entirely unempathetic to others, highly prone to depression, exploits his status and connections as thoroughly as possible without limit, never once internalizes any form of criticism of his own behavior, and becomes particularly vain as he grows older.
** One of the final examples of this in the series happens when Tony comes to his room and informs him of Bobby's death. AJ's first response is to lament how inconvenient it is for his own depression and coping process.

* TooDumbToLive: And how.
** Apparently severely injured himself by walking through a plate glass door in his childhood, according to an off-hand comment by Tony in 6x11, "Cold Stones."

* InferioritySuperiorityComplex: Carmela very much knows that she is entirely dependent on Tony to maintain her glamorous lifestyle, but the patriarchal lifestyle of the Mafia and her lack of self-discipline prevent her from actually making something of herself. She takes these insecurities out on others she believes are below her and is easily stunned into silence when those people turn out to be more independent and successful than her.

'''Tony Soprano:''' Ya know what John? I'll give you undignified. Go fuck yourself. You and Phil and whoever. He's my fucking cousin.

* ThickerThanWater: Played straight for a while, [[spoiler: but ultimately subverted.]]

* ChronicVillainy: Despite attempting to go straight, Blundetto is unable to staty away from the mob life after he is released from prison, due to a combination of HardWorkHardlyWorks, BetterLivingThroughEvil, and sheer greed.

* ChronicVillainy: A combination of HardWorkHardlyWorks, BetterLivingThroughEvil, and sheer greed.

* LikeFatherLikeSon: In this case, like mother like daughter. Meadow becomes just like her mother by the end of the series.

** LoveMakesYouEvil: Furthermore, Jackie's death and Meadow's devastation over his passing essentially serve as her StartOfDarkness, which sees her beginning to fully immerse herself into her family's mob lifestyle.

* SiblingYinYang: The distinguished one.

* WhiteSheep: Gradually subverted as being born under a Mafia boss of a father catches up to her.