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Enforcers / Soldiers

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Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bpbvwx2013_6036.jpg

"Guys...not the face?"

Played by: Vincent Pastore, Samson Moeakiola (The Many Saints of Newark)

"Remind me to never get sick again huh? Remind me please to never have a serious illness because with you, Silvio, Paulie, and all you pricks weakness likes to spread around!"

Tony's best friend and a long-time member of the Soprano crew.

Affably Evil: A zig-zag between this and Faux Affably Evil. Despite being a hardened criminal, he's a benevolent mentor to the hotheaded Christopher Moltisanti, whose easygoing personality belies his unwavering loyalty to Tony Soprano. He also serves as AJ's sponsor for his confirmation, offering some adult advice. However, though a loving father, he's a ruthless heroin trafficker and at times an abusive husband.
Alas, Poor Villain:
- Gets one at the end of "D Girl" at AJ's Communion party.
- His last moments by the end of Season 2. Alone on a boat with his closest friends, they soon turn on him and confront him about his status as an informant for the FBI. He initially tries to face his inevitable murder with some dignity, but is unceremoniously gunned down while begging for his life after realizing that there was no way out for him.
Animal Motifs: The second season finale makes fish a prominent one for him:
- Tony's fever dreams start after eating a lot of seafood with Pussy at Vesuvio;
- He appears in Tony's dream as a talking fish, joking at one point that the other fish next to him are sleeping;
- Ultimately, the above pun foreshadows his ultimate fate, as his dead body is thrown into the ocean after the Tony, Sil and Paulie whack him.
Anyone Can Die: He's a major character who dies in season two.
Big Bad Ensemble: Initially set up to be this with Richie Aprile in Season 2 as the FBI's innermost informant in the DiMeo crime family. This is ultimately subverted as he proves to be an unreliable asset to his handlers and is abruptly whacked in the season finale after having little impact on the course of the plot.
Boxed Crook: Revealed to have become an FBI informant following his arrest in Season 2 after it was previously implied that he was one in Season 1.
The Brute: He's employed personally by Tony to deliver beatdowns and intimidations.
Burial at Sea: His ultimate fate, complete with a body bag and weights.
*Crack!* "Oh, My Back!": Consistently makes complaints about his bad back.
Dark and Troubled Past: He tells AJ about his sister dying of cancer during the latter's confirmation party and The Many Saints of Newark shows his father "Buddha" dying in a gunfight with Harold's gang.
Disc-One Final Boss: In the opening episodes of season 2, he's initially set up to be the main antagonist upon being confirmed to be the FBI's paramount informant within Tony Soprano's crime network. However, as the threat he poses is increasingly compromised by his unstable domestic situation and fluctuating commitment to betraying his longtime best friend, he is relegated to the season's B-plot before being unceremoniously whacked in its finale.
Domestic Abuse: Uses his wife as a punching bag when the pressure of being an informant starts getting to him.
Dude, Where's My Respect?: Pussy was already an informant at the time, so his bitterness rings a little hollow, but Furio's inclusion in Tony's inner circle coincides with his own fall from grace, which he rants about to his FBI handler. Paulie rubbing his nose in this redistribution of favour doesn't improve his mood either. He's also mildly indignant when a street-level associate suggests he'd rather sell his intel to Tony or Silvio than the lower-ranked Sal.
Embarrassing Nickname: No one in the mob ever seems to acknowledge it, but being called "Big Pussy" and sometimes just "Pussy" can sure be taken the wrong way. When people outside of the mob bubble hear it, it does give them pause.
Enigmatic Minion: It's never made entirely clear what was in Pussy's heart and what his plan really was. He spits on Tony's name to his FBI handler but seems to enjoy spending time with Tony, and covers for him. He taps the mobs' private conversations but weeps in the bathroom about doing it. He gets it into his head that he could be an FBI agent himself in one episode. Tony only works out he's a rat during a fever dream. An enigmatic figure, it's unsurprising he almost literally haunts later seasons.
Even Evil Has Loved Ones:
- He's a loving father to four children, after all. It's also his weak point, and what gets him to flip.
- He seems to feel this way about his deceased sister as her death obviously pained him deeply.
Evil Former Friend: Although the "former" part is news to Tony, it's revealed that he has been simmering in repressed rage against Tony for years, and became an FBI asset.
Face Death with Dignity: Tries to do this, asking that the shooters leave his face alone, but he visibly starts to panic in the moments before he is shot.
Family-Values Villain: Like most of the mobsters in the show, Pussy has old school family values. His main cause of stress- and motivation for turning rat- is providing for his kids. He takes his role as AJ's confirmation sponsor very, very seriously. Also, despite willingly becoming an FBI informant, he is disgusted by the idea of wearing a wire to AJ's confirmation party, as it is a sacred and happy event.
Hidden Depths: Again, near the end of "D Girl".
Hidden Wire: Was suspected of wearing one in season one and confirmed in season 2.
In-Series Nickname: His nickname is a reference to his early career as a cat burglar.
I See Dead People: His death figuratively haunts each of his three murderers (even Paulie, who claimed to feel entirely justified in what he did to Pussy), but Tony is hit the hardest by it. At Livia's wake, an apparition of a somber-looking Sal appears in a cabinet mirror Tony opens.
It's Personal: Puts in work to help Tony find Bevilaqua and goes along to whack the kid. He refuses to wear a wire or report any of it to Skip. While he was an accomplice who would want to avoid incriminating himself in the violence, he could have easily informed Skip of the coming murder and found an excuse to stay behind, but he didn't. At the end of the day, he did truly care for Chris and want to avenge him.
Kick the Dog: When he can't take the pressure of the mob life anymore, his wife Angie gets the brunt of it.
Mentor: To Chris and in a lesser way to his godson AJ.
Manipulative Bastard: The primary reason why he's been able to stay under his fellow mobsters' radar for years while working as an FBI informant.
Mistaken Identity: Tony thinks the authorities confused Pussy and Jimmy Altieri since the two fat crooks look alike. For a while, anyway.
Mistreatment-Induced Betrayal: Both he and FBI handler Skip Lipari cite Tony's passing him over for a bump up in the ranks as a major reason why Pussy owes Tony no loyalty.
The Mole: Served as this for the FBI before his death, supplying them with information on the inner workings of the DiMeo crime family.
Neighbourhood-Friendly Gangsters: He took on Johnny Boy's tradition of dressing as Santa Claus and giving out presents to local children at Satriale's Meat Market at Christmas time.
Only Known by Their Nickname: At least as far as his fellow mobsters are concerned. This makes certain lines quite amusing if taken out of context, such as Tony's "I can't find Pussy anywhere!".
Passed-Over Promotion: He lists this as a reason why he stops feeling guilty over his betrayal of Tony. For his part, Tony seems to figure it out, judging by his dreams.
Pet the Dog: He has a heart-to-heart with AJ at his communion party. Notably occurs at the end of "D Girl", the same episode as his Kick the Dog.
Properly Paranoid: Sal picks up on Tony's suspicions and confides as much to his FBI handler, but Skip feels it's more likely all in Pussy's head. It's implied that Tony had known something was amiss with Pussy for a very long time, but bottled his misgivings because he wasn't willing to face such a betrayal.
Reformed Criminal: He tried to be one, but he failed.
Regretful Traitor: At first, but he gradually grows more resentful of Tony after being passed over.
Sanity Slippage: After being alienated from his friends and family, Pussy actually seems to think that he can join the FBI.
Stockholm Syndrome: Agent Skip Lipari says Pussy must have a severe case as he went from reluctantly wearing a wire to avoid jail to despising Tony and wanting to help the FBI take him down. He even deludes himself into thinking he can become an FBI agent one day.
Villainous Friendship: With Tony and Christopher. His relationship with Tony eventually becomes deconstructed, as bitterness drives them apart.

Furio Giunta

"I 'ate the north."

Played by: Federico Castelluccio

"You know, there are worse things that can happen to a person than cancer."

An enforcer from Italy who joins the DiMeo family in Season 2, brought in as part of a "men-for-cars" deal with the Neapolitan Camorra.^note

The Ace: Furio is by far the most effective enforcer in the DiMeo family, thanks to his toughness and no-nonsense personality. It's probably not a coincidence that after he flees New Jersey, the group finds itself struggling against the Lupertazzis.
Affably Evil: He's very polite and cultured in addition to being a violent thug who has no qualms with beating women.
Beware the Quiet Ones: While he acts calm and reserved, he has certain moments of violence throughout the series.
The Big Guy: He's 6'2" and the most physically formidable member of Tony's crew.
Bruiser with a Soft Center: He's essentially just a violent thug with a romantic and cultured side.
The Brute: In spite of being a cultured Neapolitan, his role is almost exclusively limited to busting heads. He serves as the strongest enforcer of the DiMeo crime family,
Culture Clash: A native Italian, his habits and worldview often differ from his second and third-generation Italian-American associates. In "Christopher", while Silvio and several of the others are furious at the protests surrounding Columbus Day, Furio tells them that, due to the historical friction between Northern and Southern Italy, he (a southerner) doesn't view Christopher Columbus (a northerner) as a hero like the rest of them.
The Dragon: For Tony.
The Driver: Serves as this for Tony.
Gratuitous Italian: Slips into this whenever he gets pissed off or hurt.
Hidden Depths: While he initially appears to be little more than a violent thug, he's shown to have a more caring and classy side that shows at times. In fact, he comes across as a lot more cultured than his brutish Italian-American colleagues. He also has feelings for Carmela, and is rather pissed when Tony shows how little he cares about her.
In Love with the Gangster's Girl: He has a sort of platonic affair with Carmela, and has to go back to Italy before Tony finds out about it.
Laser-Guided Karma: During a shakedown, he shoots a man in the leg to brutalize him. Later, when Jackie Jr. attempts to rob a card game with him there, one of Jackie's accomplices shoots Furio...in the leg.
Meaningful Name: Characters comment on how his name is emblematic of his danger.
Names to Run Away from Really Fast: The ruthless Italian mobster has a name that sounds like "Fury-o".
Odd Friendship: He hangs out with Christopher and Adrianna to do drugs in "Proshai, Livushka".
Punch-Clock Villain: He can go from laid back to vicious in seconds as the job demands.
Put on a Bus: Or rather a plane, back to Italy, when his and Carmela's feelings for each other become too strong to ignore (and before Tony finds out).
Real Men Wear Pink: His "Euro-trashy" wardrobe. Also, he's officially brought in for visa purposes as a "master cheese maker" for Artie and seems to at least be competent at it (he seems to have no problem putting his bare hands in the very hot water needed to turn curds into mozzarella).^note
Ruthless Foreign Gangsters: Pure-blooded Italian, hired straight from Napoli, and presented as fiercer than the average enforcer.
Uncertain Doom: His last mention in the show is when Tony claims he called a few people in Italy and Furio will be killed if the wrong person sees him. However, given he says this to Carmela when they are arguing, it's possible he was bluffing and just wanted to hurt her. Also, Furio is a cousin of Annalisa Zucca, the de facto head of the Neapolitan mafia. More than likely, Tony's contacts in Italy simply told him they would "keep an eye out" before laughing at him behind his back.
What You Are in the Dark: Fed up with how Tony treats Carmela, Furio has a chance to Murder the Hypotenuse and Make It Look Like an Accident by pushing an inebriated Tony towards a helicopter's rotating blades, but he chooses not to and rolls back at the last moment.
Wicked Cultured: He's a crook, but has more continental class than the greaseball American mobsters.
Would Hit a Girl: In Italy, there's really no gender discrimination. Suggested to be part of why Tony brought him back to the States. Also punches the female owner of a brothel square in the face in "Big Girls Don't Cry".
Would Hurt a Child: Furio slaps the piss out of a kid who couldn't be more than fifteen for a small prank intended to get him noticed by the Camorristi (His reaction suggests that both the prank and the slap are kind of just a part of life in Napoli; an old man on the sidewalk jokingly calls the whole scenario "the University of Napoli").

Eugene Pontecorvo

"I'm doing everything I can."

Played by: Robert Funaro

"The only thing I ever found in the street was my first wife."

An enforcer in the Cifaretto crew.

Alas, Poor Villain: He's a stone-cold killer and a violent thug. And yet, there's something tragic about his suicide.
Ambiguously Gay: Implied on several occasions by other characters, including the secretly homosexual Vito.
Ascended Extra: Until he gets his own episode in series 6, his biggest scene is when he smashes a bottle on Little Paulie's face. Though for some reason Robert Funaro is often billed in the opening credits before series 6, despite having smaller roles than other characters (maybe he had a good agent).
A Death in the Limelight: Finally gets some screentime where he looks like he might be the new mole threat to Tony. Kills himself about five minutes after we find this out.
Despair Event Horizon: His realization in "Member's Only" that he'll never be able to leave the mob and move with his family down to Florida.
Driven to Suicide: He hangs himself in the basement.
Even Evil Has Loved Ones: The last thing he does before hanging himself is to reminisce through a photo book of his family.
Faux Affably Evil: According to Meadow, he's a "really sweet guy," and is sometimes shown to be rather pleasant. He then threatens a child, brutally beats Little Paulie over a joke, and carries out a hit later on.
Hair-Trigger Temper: His beating of Little Paulie is an example.
The Mole: Turns out to be an FBI informant.
Mook Promotion: Shares his made man initiation with Christopher.
No Dead Body Poops: Averted; He pisses himself after he expires.
Out of Focus: Listed in the main cast of season 3, but mostly amounts to being a background character until the premiere of season 6, and then he dies.
Politically Incorrect Villain: He attacks Little Paulie only because he (jokingly) implied Eugene was gay.
Resignations Not Accepted: He's reminded verbatim by Silvio of this when he tries to quit the Jersey crew.
Would Hurt a Child: He forces a juror to deadlock Junior's trial by implicitly threatening his son.

Benito "Benny" Fazio Jr.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/benny_fazio_4.jpg

"Kill me after if you want, but he's a fucking dead man!"

Played by: Max Casella

"When they're good to me, they get treats. And when they're not, well I got this severence thing I do, it's a complete break actually."

A young enforcer and friend of Chris Moltisanti who gradually rises up to become a high-ranking soldier in the DiMeo family.

The Ace: Benny gets trusted with a lot of tasks and, aside from maybe his fighting prowess, is one of the more competent young gangsters on the rise in the DiMeo family. His staying power and persistence is especially impressive, no matter how many times he is beaten.
Artie: "I'm just another victim of Benny Fazio, criminal mastermind."
Affably Evil: One of the nicest guys in the Soprano crew, but he's brutal when he needs to be.
Ascended Extra: Is a background character in Season 3 and 4, and then rises in importance around Season 5 and 6 once he gets made.
Blatant Lies: When confronted by Artie over conducting credit card fraud in his restaurant, he gives this halfhearted excuse as justification for his actions: "I was gonna cut you in, but now you're acting stupid!"
Boisterous Weakling: He joins Silvio and Paulie in beating Christopher by kicking him when he's already down, but Christopher quickly gets up and easily tackles Benny through a table. He later loses a fight to Artie Bucco, of all people. Though it can't be denied what he lacks in fighting prowess he makes up for in perseverance.
Butt-Monkey: Gets his ass kicked on several occasions, though is not as inept as most examples of this.
The Charmer: One of the younger and better-looking mobsters, and charms the pants off Artie's hostess (and Lust Object) Martina.
The Dragon: To Christopher for Seasons 3-5.
The Driver: Originally for Christopher and Tony, before earning his button.
Foil: Serves as one to Brendan Filone, Matthew Bevilaqua, Sean Gismonte, and Jackie Aprile Jr. Like them, Benny is a younger associate of the family who hangs out with Christopher and assists him with his crimes. The difference is that, unlike those four, Benny is patient about rising up in the ranks and goes about his business with the family in a smart and respectful manner. The result is that Tony and the other higher-ups begin to take notice of his competence and begin trusting him with their own tasks, eventually leading to him becoming a made man when he proves his ability and loyalty.
Kick the Dog: Even though Benny was very much in the wrong for ripping off Artie and not telling him about it, Benny indigently burns Artie's hand in retaliation.
Mook Promotion: Is made between Season 5 and 6, partly as compensation for being beaten by Leotardo.
The Napoleon: One of the shorter gangsters on the show, but is rather violent all the same. Played with in that he's not at all self-conscious about his height and jokes about it himself.
No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: He's brutally beaten and sent to the hospital by Phil Leotardo. He then suffers another (less severe) beating at the hands of Artie.
Oh, Crap!: While at a club, he spots Leotardo on the prowl, prompting him to get the hell out of there. Unfortunately for him, he only gets as far as his car.
Punctuated! For! Emphasis!: While interrogating a guy, he punctuates every word with a crowbar to the man's knees.
Rage Breaking Point: Because Tony won't allow Benny to clip him, he resignedly accepts Artie's earlier beating of him and allows Artie to serve him. But then Artie pushes his luck by referencing Benny's affair with Martina, right in front of Benny's wife. In response, Benny burns Artie's hand in a boiling pot of tomato sauce, getting some sort of retribution for the beating.
Smug Snake: Given his status as a made man, he thinks he can jeopardize Artie's business and get away with it (which he probably would have were it not for Tony's friendship with Artie).
Villainous Friendship: With Chris. He is one of the mobsters most saddened by Chris's death and seems to be forming this with Walden by the finale, working together to take out Phil Leotardo, though leaving the action for Walden to take care of.

Peter "Bissell" LaRosa

Played by: Jeffrey Marchetti

A would-be soldier in Paulie's crew.

The Apprentice: A rising hitman who makes his bones during the show and doubles as a doorman.
The Generic Guy: His role is to further demonstrate the growing number of new blood filling up the DiMeo Family's ranks.

Mikey Palmice

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mikey.JPG

"The party's over. Junior Soprano is the new boss."

Played by: Al Sapienza

"If you can fly, I won't shoot you down. Deal?"

Junior's right-hand man at the start of the series.

Affably Evil: Downplayed, but he seems to lionize "old school" mafiosos like Junior and the result is a slightly more refined class of gangster. He seems like an okay guy to be around in general, provided you don't hassle him constantly (Tony) and he doesn't have orders to kill you (an occasion he'll dip into full-blown Faux Affably Evil for). He's also a bit over-enthusiastic when he gets going on a topic and unthinkingly lays on the gory details too thick and fast for some.
Jackie Sr.: Thank God he left. He's a nice guy but he's like the grim fucking reaper.
Ain't Too Proud to Beg: Spends his last moments yelling "Please!" over and over again and insisting that it was Junior, not him, that murdered Brendan Filone.
Belligerent Sexual Tension: Trades insults and barbs with his wife in every scene they have together, but there's a definite flirtatious element to it.
Butt-Monkey: For Tony, who dislikes and abuses Mikey with impunity.
The Consigliere: After Junior becomes boss, the FBI have him as this on their wall chart. Although he's half Junior's age and is more of a sycophant than a real advisor.
Dirty Coward: Dispatches of his victims while giving them no chance to save themselves. When he finally winds up in the same situation, he unashamedly begs for his life.
The Dragon: Doubles as Junior's main enforcer.
The Driver: Initially for Junior.
Even Evil Has Standards:
- Was genuinely shocked at the death of Junior's tailor's grandson, even if he ruined it by being overly descriptive as usual.
- When he is giving Donnie orders on killing Tony, Donnie quips that even Tony's own mother wants him dead. Not only does Mikey not believe it but he finds it tasteless to joke about a mother wanting her son dead. When relaying it to Junior, the old man believes Donnie's a liability with a big mouth and should be killed; even though Mikey does the deed he at least tried to talk him out of the order.
Evil Virtues: Loyalty — he backs Junior against all of his rivals even when Tony's faction holds the stronger position. Cast off at the very end, where he futilely tries to put Brendan's murder on Junior rather than himself (half a lie).
Foreshadowing: When Junior is getting fitted for a new suit, Mikey is with him. They have a discussion about how the young mobsters don't wear suits anymore, instead opting for athletic clothes like tracksuits. Junior says "these guys today they wanna be buried in their jogging outfit"; when Mikey is finally killed, he's wearing jogging clothes.
Forgotten Fallen Friend: His enemies in Tony's crew recall him plenty of times after his death, but Junior never mentions him again.
Ghostly Goals: The show's understated supernatural element has some fun with Mikey.
- When Christopher is shot and clinically dead for a short while, he claims to have seen Mikey playing dice in hell with Brendan Filone, and that the two former enemies have become friends after death. He then says that Mikey has a message for Tony and Paulie: "three o'clock."
- Paulie dismisses this but is rattled enough to see a psychic about it, who identifies Paulie's first murder by name and claims to be seeing many other ghosts around him, suggesting that Mikey (who still remembers Paulie being stung by poison ivy during their showdown) is the ringleader of the ghouls haunting him.
- The significance of this, particularly Mikey's three o'clock comment and the eerie recurrence of that time, has been endlessly pored over by fans, some of whom believe it holds the key to unlocking the most lingering mystery of the series.
It's Personal with the Dragon: Tony feuds with his uncle to the point of deadly retaliations, but accepts the necessity of their conflict and comes to forgive him in time. Tony despises Mikey on a personal level and revels in his death.
Jerkass: Rude and unpleasant to almost everyone apart from Junior, whom he may only be nice to because he's Mikey's immediate superior.
Joggers Find Death: He's killed by Paulie and Chris in the middle of his outdoors routine.
Masochism Tango: His relationship with his wife has this in spades. They're almost always shown arguing or insulting each other. Ironically, she's the only person shown to be sad when he disappears.
Pet the Dog:
- He at least tries to convince Junior that Donny is alright and shouldn't be killed.
- Despite his hate for Tony he defends him when Junior reveals he's been seeing a shrink, arguing that the therapist couldn't ever reveal anything. Given his loyalty to Junior it's likely he wanted him to be spared the heartbreak of having to kill his nephew.
Posthumous Character: One of the many dead characters to appear in Season 5's "The Test Dream."
Pre-Mortem One-Liner: He enjoys mocking his victims before killing them.
Professional Butt-Kisser: His relationship with Junior amounts to little more than being his most fervent sycophant.
Psycho for Hire: Clearly relishes his job as Junior's hitman and enforcer.
Sadist: Toys with Rusty Irish by giving him a Hope Spot and then quickly taking it away before killing him.
Mikey: Listen to me, I'm gonna give you a break! I'm gonna give you break... when I toss you over!
Smug Snake: Arrogant and overconfident despite his rather limited competence.
Stepford Smiler: Projects a smiling, affable persona that thinly disguises a murderous, rapacious core.
Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: For the sake of his working relationship, he remains amiable to Tony in spite of his insults and beatings. Best demonstrated when he awkwardly shakes hands with Tony as he's insulting him and then quickly switches from a smile to a grimace once Tony exits.
Undying Loyalty: Serves as Junior Soprano's most unwavering supporter, although he does attempt to pin his murder of Brendan on him to save his own skin when he's about to be whacked.
Unholy Matrimony: Despite all their problems, he's frank with his wife about his criminal activity and she is enthusiastically supportive of him climbing the ladder.
Villains Out Shopping: Gets whacked out on a morning jog.
Yes-Man: He follows Junior's every order, supports him over the other, more powerful faction in the family, and speaks reverently of his boss to his wife.

Pasquale "Patsy" Parisi

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/patsy_parisi.jpg

"It won't be cinematic."

Played by: Dan Grimaldi

"Here's some standard operating procedure; stay the fuck away from Tony Soprano."

An enforcer introduced in Season 2.

Affably Evil: One of the more pleasant gangsters, and, aside from a beating and intimidation, is rarely involved with violence. Even when he's threatening to kill someone (like Gloria) he delivers his threats in a calm, friendly tone of voice.
The Alcoholic: Spends an episode drowning his sorrows over his brother's death. Gigi mentions him "getting into the booze very heavily" and needing to be helped off the bar floor.
Alliterative Name: Pasquale " Patsy" Parisi.
Angsty Surviving Twin: He's devastated after his talkative twin, Philly, gets killed on Tony's order.
Avenging the Villain: Subverted — he almost kills Tony by shooting him through his kitchen window to avenge his twin, but opts to pee in Tony's swimming pool instead and ostensibly buries the hatchet with Tony afterward.
Awful Wedded Life: He and his wife have one scene together, and it is clear they don't care for each other's company, with Patsy showing mild desesperation as she Cannot Tell a Joke.
- May also extend to him and his goomah as they are seen bickering over dinner.
Beware the Quiet Ones: Patsy is a lot more reserved than the rest of the crew, but he's no less averse to violence because of it.
Big Brother Instinct: Was older than Philly by eleven minutes. His death almost convinces him to murder the boss of the family.
Cannot Tell a Joke: His wife, again.
Cast the Expert: Patsy's main role in the family is accounting and bookkeeping. Dan Grimaldi, his actor, has three college degrees (including a Bachelor's in Mathematics from Fordham) and is a college math teacher.
Cultural Posturing: He, along with most of the gang, takes offense at Columbus Day being protested by Native Americans. Patsy goes to the protest and even climbs a pole to tear down a Columbus Effigy, an act he's arrested for.
Deadpan Snarker: In most scenes, he's usually bantering with other characters.
Even Evil Has Standards: For all his immoral behavior, he's not a homophobe and openly says he doesn't give a fuck about Vito being gay. Contrast that with Carlo, who takes it as a personal affront, Paulie and Chris, who salivate at the prospect of killing him, and Tony, who is only slightly more tolerant and open-minded, not wanting to sacrifice a great earner just for his sexuality.
Evil Genius: The accountant of the organization.
Funny Background Event: When Tony points out to Sil that James Caan isn't Italian, Patsy can be seen in the background doing a double-take by the revelation.
The Generic Guy: Appears in many scenes but has very little characterization beyond being the family's accountant, although he gets fleshed out a bit in the later seasons.
In-Series Nickname: Two — "Patsy" or "Pat".
Kick The Son Of A Bitch: Patsy is far from a moral paragon, but it's rather satisfying seeing him intimidate Gloria Trillo after she goes full psycho and tries to get Tony to kill her.
A Lighter Shade of Black: He's one of the more restrained and sensible members of the Soprano crew.
Mauve Shirt: He's not exactly a main character, but he becomes a bit more prominent as the series goes along. He even ends up being one of the few surviving members of the Soprano crew after it's decimated by the events of season six.
Mook Promotion: The fact that his son is courting Meadow ingratiates him with Tony, and he ends up being on track to being promoted to Caporegime after the decimation of the DiMeo Family's numbers in Season 6.
Nepotism: There is an unspoken implication that his weight in the mob hierarchy is going to receive a boost after becoming an in-law with the Sopranos, but the show ends before this can be manifested.
No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: Attacks a construction worker with a metal bar for trying to interfere with a mob altercation.
Non-Action Guy: He serves a valuable role as the Soprano crew's accountant but he doesn't have much of a knack for fighting. When he and Silvio are ambushed in the final season, he misses all of the shots he takes and only barely manages to escape with his life.
No-Respect Guy: Despite being one of the family's most intelligent and reliable members, Tony doesn't think very highly of him and puts several others in positions where he would be the best choice for the role.
Passed-Over Promotion: By Christopher when Paulie is sent to jail. Patsy ends up having the last laugh when Christopher is murdered by Tony, and Patsy's son marrying into the Soprano family means he will probably be fast-tracked for Capo or even Consigliere in Silvio's absence.
Politically Correct Villain: At least by comparison. When Vito is outed as a homosexual, Patsy is the only mobster to explicitly state he doesn't give a fuck. As noted above, Tony does give a fuck, but he's willing to overlook his habits because he's a good earner and a loyal capo.
Pragmatic Villainy: He's indifferent to Vito's homosexuality and doesn't see the point of killing him just for it.
Real Men Love Jesus: When Patsy joins Paulie at the local Catholic church during "The Ride", Patsy kneels and makes the sign of the cross in front of the statue of Christ.
The Reliable One: Although he contemplates shooting Tony at one point for his twin's murder, Patsy is consistently reliable and trustworthy despite the constant backstabbing and defections that plague the Soprano crew.
The Resenter:
- Though Tony denies it, Patsy is very much aware that his twin brother, Philly, was killed on his orders, and at one point he goes as far as walking into Tony's garden with a loaded gun and the intent to kill him, though he just barely manages to suppress his anger enough to not go through with it at the last second, with Tony none the wiser. He eventually buries the hatchet, although one interpretation of the finale would argue he hasn't.
- Also bears considerable (and well-deserved) ill-will towards Christopher, as Tony grants his "nephew" a promotion that Patsy's seniority, dependability, and superior intelligence should have entitled him to.
The Smart Guy: Implied by his role as an accountant.
The Sociopath: He doesn't have many moral standards besides those that keep him from getting killed. He will maim, threaten, and murder without any feeling. His threat to murder Gloria is quite terrifying, and he generally lacks empathy. It's downplayed — by comparison with his fellow mobsters — when he's openly unconcerned by Vito's homosexuality.
The Stoic: He's a lot more reserved and quiet than his boisterous compatriots, and even keeps his calm tone of voice when threatening Gloria.
Stoic Spectacles: He's a very serious guy (usually).
Wicked Cultured: References Ralph Bunche once, of all people.

Philly "Spoons" Parisi

Phillip "Spoons" Parisi

Played by: Dan Grimaldi

"Listen, you'll be fucking amazed!"

Enforcer and Patsy's younger twin brother introduced in the Season 2 premiere.

Alliterative Name: Phillip Parisi. Though the fact that his nickname was "Spoons" means it was in play to a lesser degree than his twin, Patsy.
Loose Lips: While Tony's motivation for ordering the hit on Philly was mainly political in nature, as he was one of the likely candidates to ascend to boss after Junior's incarceration, it is implied that it was also at least partially because Tony also resented Philly's gossipy nature on a personal level, blaming him for starting the (factual) rumor that he attempted to strangle his mother.
We Hardly Knew Ye: Philly only appears in two episodes, and in the second one he solely appears in a dream sequence. Additionaly, a flashback of Gigi killing him is shown in Season 3 premiere.

Robert "Baccala" Baccalieri, Sr.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/terminator.JPG

"It's good you called. That's all I'm going to say..."

Played by: Burt Young

"Junior, I want to do it... eight years sitting on my ass, it'll feel good being useful for a change!"

An aging but brutal DiMeo hitman and father of Bobby Baccala.

Affably Evil: He can engage in banter with his son and friends, then gleefully enjoy sadistically murdering his targets the next moment. He also has a reputation as the "Terminator" for the mob.
Alas, Poor Villain: As awful a man as Baccala is, seeing this reportedly “proud man” and feared mob enforcer reduced to a walking asthma attack who can barely stand up is quite pitiable.
Ax-Crazy: He clearly enjoys his job.
A Death in the Limelight: His only episode focused heavily on him and the conflict over whether he should be the one to kill Mustang Sally, considering his health. He passes away during the course of the episode.
The Dreaded: He was this in his prime, with Tony describing him as being like "The Terminator".
Dying Moment of Awesome: On the way home from a brutal murder of two goons, he succumbs to a coughing fit and crashes into a billboard, accompanied by "Sister Golden Hair" by America. One of the few deaths that avert Soundtrack Dissonance — the panning shot of the aftermath of his crash to the song's guitar solo is quite cinematic.
Evil Parents Want Good Kids: Baccala Sr. was one of the most vicious and efficient killers in the syndicate, but he never wanted the life for his son and the hassle was such that he'd rather have become a barber. Bobby still became a made guy because his dad's service overrode the need to make his bones, but even in his middle age remained unblooded until Tony demanded it of him.
Hidden Depths: He apparently had a passion for cutting hair, and according to his son would rather have devoted himself to that profession full-time rather than endure the worries of mob life.
Incurable Cough of Death: A pretty nasty one that requires him to bring around an inhaler. He occasionally coughs up blood too.

Junior: Oh fuck... is that blood? Jesus Christ! Call a fucking doctor!

The Last Dance: He is more than eager to carry out one final hit, despite — or possibly because of — his deteriorating health.
Living Legend: The so-called "Terminator" of the DiMeo family, feared as an effective hitman during his youth. Not for long, though.
Old Master: His age and rapidly deteriorating health don't make him any less dangerous as he overpowers and kills two much younger men.
Smoking Is Cool: He spends most of the episode being a walking aversion of this trope due to his cancer but he finally succumbs to it by having a cigarette after taking out Mustang Sally and his roommate.
Your Days Are Numbered: He's dying of lung cancer and knows he only has a few months left at most. Ultimately, he dies choking on his own blood shortly after his final hit.

Burt Gervasi

Played by: Artie Pasquale

A soldier and Carlo Gervasi's cousin. Introduced late in Season 5.

Ascended Extra: Has a single apperance in Season 5 "In Camelot", becoming a background character and more important in the final season.
A Death in the Limelight: His one important storyline happens near the very end of the series, in which he is murdered for treason.
Rank Up: Burt and Gerry Torciano become a "made man" for their respective families at the same time, and have a shared celebration afterwards.
Remember the New Guy?: He shows up late in Season 5 and is treated as if he'd been around for a while.
Resignations Not Accepted: He decides to defect to the Lupertazzis during their war with the DiMeo family in Season 6, then makes the mistake of trying to get Silvio to defect with him. Sil promptly kills him for his disloyalty.
Satellite Character: He exists mainly to bulk out the DiMeo family's numbers and doesn't appear in many episodes prior to his death at Silvio's hands.
Small Role, Big Impact: Possibly. He only appears in a handful of episodes, but his death may or may not be one of the reasons Carlo decides to flip on Tony in the series finale.
Those Two Guys: He and Patsy share this dynamic when they're making collections in "Johnny Cakes".
Too Dumb to Live: Burt tries to get Silvio, who is easily Tony's most loyal underling, to join him in defecting to the Lupertazzis during the Mob War. He then turns his back on Silvio when the latter appears unannounced at his house and is promptly garroted to death.
Turncoat: During the war with New York in Season 6, Burt decides to defect to the Lupertazzis.

Walden Belfiore

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/waldenfiore_6496.jpg

"I was named after Mr. Bobby Darin, Walden Robert Cassotto."

Played by: Frank John Hughes

A reliable, subdued Soprano hitman from the Altieri Crew, notable for committing the final confirmed murder of the series.

Affably Evil: Quite kind and relaxed for a man we see in the finale is a cold-blooded hitman who ruthlessly and unflinchingly guns down a mob boss in front of his wife and grandchildren while wearing a determined Death Glare.
Badass Longcoat: Wears a black one during the finale.
Chekhov's Gunman: Is mostly in the background for his first few appearances, scenes which could easily be forgotten. Ultimately, Walden is the one who whacks Phil.
Foil: Seems to be one for Christopher, as a more competent, stable, serious, subdued, and reliable version of him, and essentially replacing him after his death. Right down to curling weights at Satriale's as Christopher did in an early appearance, though lifting heavier ones and doing so properly and not chain-smoking, being better with animals than Chris, as well as bickering with Paulie and becoming close to Benny Fazio.
Hidden Depths: While everyone at the safe house is ordering unhealthy foods for supper after arriving, he orders a couple of healthy salads in contrast to the rest of the more heavyset crew. Also is fond of the cat from the safe house.
Kindhearted Cat Lover: Downplayed, but in the finale, he quite clearly likes the orange cat they've brought back to Satriale's from the safe house, compared to superstitious Paulie, who is especially weirded out by him constantly staring at Chris's picture and wants to get rid of him.
The Quiet One: Doesn't have much dialogue compared to others of the crew, being a good deal more subdued, professional, and serious.
The Reliable One: Of Tony's decimated crew by the end of Season 6, taking out the Big Bad for him, and seeming to be the strong, silent type of man that Tony always thought highly of.
Remember the New Guy?: He's suddenly a member of Tony's inner circle and social circle despite only appearing halfway through the last half of Season 6.
Same Surname Means Related: Possibly. He shares the maiden name of Big Pussy's wife Angie, hinting at a possible familial relation.
Small Role, Big Impact: Introduced midway through the second half of Season 6, is in the background of a few scenes, has maybe half a dozen lines, and carries out the spectacular final hit of Phil Leotardo and is the only named character of the series seen whacking a boss.
Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Potentially for Tony, by whacking Phil in front of his family, which could have had lethal repercussions for Tony, if he really was killed in the diner in front of his own family at the end of the series.

Italo and Salvatore

Played by: Carlo Giuliano (Italo), Peter Allas (Salvatore)

Two seasoned hitmen from Naples.

Eloquent in My Native Tongue
Genius Bruiser: For both their hits, they use tactics to put their targets off their guard and get their hands away from their guns. They're quite effective at what they do, although they get bad information at one point and mistakenly kill the wrong man.
Mistaken Identity: They kill the father of Phil's mistress instead of Phil because the two grey foxes look very alike.
Professional Killers: Hired to kill Rusty Millio and Phil Leotardo, with mixed results.

Richard "Dickie" Moltisanti

Characters / The Sopranos: DiMeo Crime Family Soldiers

Enforcers / Soldiers

Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero

Played by: Vincent Pastore, Samson Moeakiola (The Many Saints of Newark)