Army of One (The Sopranos episode)

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The Sopranos episode
“Army of One”
Episode no. Season 3
Episode 39
Guest star(s) see below
Writer(s) David Chase and Lawrence Konner
Director John Patterson
Production no. 313
Original airdate May 20, 2001 (HBO)
Episode chronology
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"Amour Fou" "For All Debts Public and Private"

Episode chronology

"Army of One" is the 39th episode of the HBO original series, The Sopranos. It was the 13th episode for the show's third season. The episode was written by David Chase and Lawrence Konner and was directed by John Patterson. It originally aired on Sunday May 20, 2001.

Contents

[edit] Guest Starring roles

[edit] Episode recap

Jackie Jr is forced into hiding at a housing projects in Boonton shortly after his failed armed robbery at Eugene Pontecorvo's Saturday night card game. As Jackie gets adjusted to living at the projects, he calls Tony and tries to tell him where he is so they can settle the matter before Jackie gets killed. Tony tells him to stay where he is, but to talk to Ralphie who is making the final call on what will happen. Tony then meets Ralphie, who has been hesitating over his judgement of Jackie, and asks that he make his decision in a "timely fashion". Ralphie had already dispatched Vito Spatafore to find Jackie and stay near the Boonton projects in case he leaves, but after the discussion, he is forced to act. When Jackie leaves the apartment to get some air, he is shot through the back of the head by Vito and left lying in the snow.

Meanwhile, Anthony Jr. and another friend confess to stealing answers to a geometry test after their principal convinces them he has uncovered DNA evidence at the scene, and A.J. is promptly expelled from Verbum Dei. Carmela calls Tony in tears saying that he has to come home right now. Tony becomes extremely angered when he hears the news and decides to save A.J. before it is too late. His solution is to send A.J. to military school. Over dinner, Tony and Carmela mull over school brochures as A.J. nervously awaits his pending fate. Carmela then receives a phone call from Marie, Rosalie's sister informing her that Jackie was shot and killed by "drug dealers". Carmela then hurries over to Rosalie's to comfort her grieving friend.

Paulie Walnuts demands that Tony have a sitdown with himself and Ralphie. When the request is finally honored, Paulie states that because he gave Ralph the combination to a safe that the Aprile crew subsequently robbed, he is owed half of the take ($50,000). Tony listens to the case and rules that Ralphie turn over $12,000, to Paulie's shock and dismay. When Paulie tries to convince Tony to reconsider, Silvio intrudes stating that Tony has made the decision and the sitdown is over.

Uncle Junior's cancer is in remission, leaving him physically competent for a RICO trial. However, the FBI is still intent on bringing down Tony Soprano. With Pussy Bonpensiero now "M.I.A." (actually deceased), Agent Harris recommends that they look for information via Christopher Moltisanti, who is moving through the ranks ever closer to Tony. Bureau Chief Frank Cubitoso enlists Agent Deborah Ciccerone on an undercover mission to befriend Chris's fiancée, Adriana, and report back on whatever information she can find.

A.J. is taken to an appointment with the military school's principal, Major Zwingli, who lays out the basic schedule for students that attend the school. A.J. is bemused and unnerved as the major tells him what to expect as a new recruit. Zwingli then has a talk with Tony and Carmela about the rigorous program and how he believes it will benefit their child. Carmela is still a little concerned since she believes they are training him to be a "professional killer". Tony tries to convince Carmela that their son would be learning discipline, not violence.

At Jackie's wake, Rosalie and daughter Kelli are extremely emotional as expected. When Meadow sees Jackie lying in his casket she begins to cry uncontrollably. Tony and Carmela try to comfort her, but are further embarrassed when Rosalie notes the lack of attendance; the funeral has coincided with Super Bowl Sunday. When everyone settles down, Carmela views Jackie lying in his casket and decides to support Tony's decision to send A.J. to military school.

As A.J. prepares to depart for the institution, he puts on his dress uniform for his proud parents. A.J., however, is humiliated and, in tears, asks not to be sent away. Tony, disdainful, tells him to stop and reaffirms his decision, telling him that "he needs toughening up". A.J. promptly suffers a panic attack and collapses, to Tony and Carmela's horror. In therapy, Tony relates events to Dr. Melfi, and dismayed that A.J. has inherited his psychiatric affliction, says that he can no longer send his son to military school, and begins to lose hope that he can ever rescue his child from disaster.

On the day of Jackie's burial, Christopher and Silvio are arrested for illegal gambling at the cemetery and are escorted to the District Attorney's office, while Paulie flees through the headstones. Uncle Junior witnesses this and runs back to his car almost leaving Bobby Bacala behind. After the burial, a small group of people return to Rosalie's to comfort her before proceeding to Vesuvio's. At the restaurant car park, Paulie meets Johnny Sack, and expresses his contempt for Tony's ruling in Ralphie's favour, telling Johnny to offer his services to the New York family boss, Carmine Lupertazzi. Back inside, Junior begins to sing a sentimental Italian love song. Everyone is touched, except for a very drunk Meadow who throws pieces of bread at Junior as he sings. Confronted by her father outside, Meadow tearfully denounces the funeral proceedings as "bullshit" and runs across the street, almost being hit in traffic, as Tony looks on in shock. Tony returns to the dinner, quietly telling Carmela that Meadow hopefully has money to catch a ride back to Columbia. He then puts his arms around A.J. as they listen to Uncle Junior continue to sing.

[edit] Deceased

[edit] Trivia

  • In the original 2001 broadcast, Agent Deborah Ciccerone was played by actress Fairuza Balk. However due to scheduling conflicts for the actress, she was not able to return for Season 4. For the DVD recordings and future repeats of the episode, shots of Balk were replaced with that of actress Lola Glaudini, who went on to replace Balk permanently in 2002.
  • Although it was never explicitly mentioned in the show, Vito and Jackie Jr. are cousins. This fact is backed by the fact that Ritchie Aprile was an uncle to them both. Also, when Bryan Spatafore (Vito's brother) was injured in the episode "Another Toothpick", Jackie Jr. said that Bryan was his cousin. However we never see Vito or Jackie Jr. mentioning each other as cousins, nor do we see the former contemplating over the murder of a family member.
  • During Jackie's wake, Uncle Junior's performance of "Core 'ngrato" ("Ungrateful Heart") was actually sung by Dominic Chianese himself.

[edit] Title reference

  • The episode's title is an advertising campaign slogan used by the United States Army, which Tony discusses with Major Zwingli while meeting at the military school.
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