The Blue Comet

"The Blue Comet" is the 85th and penultimate episode of the HBO television series ''The Sopranos'', the eighth episode of the second half of the show's sixth season, and the 20th episode of the season overall. Written by series creator and showrunner David Chase and Matthew Weiner, and directed by Alan Taylor, it originally aired in the United States on June 3, 2007, two weeks after the preceding episode.

Starring

* James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano
* Lorraine Bracco as Jennifer Melfi
* Edie Falco as Carmela Soprano
* Michael Imperioli as Christopher Moltisanti *
* Dominic Chianese as Corrado Soprano, Jr. *
* Steven Van Zandt as Silvio Dante
* Tony Sirico as Paulie Gualtieri
* Robert Iler as Anthony Soprano, Jr.
* Jamie-Lynn Sigler as Meadow Soprano
* Aida Turturro as Janice Soprano Baccalieri
* Steven R. Schirripa as Bobby Baccalieri
* Frank Vincent as Phil Leotardo
* John Ventimiglia as Artie Bucco
* Dan Grimaldi as Patsy Parisi
* Sharon Angela as Rosalie Aprile
* Kathrine Narducci as Charmaine Bucco

''* = credit only''

Guest-starring

Synopsis

A.J. recognizes another patient: Rhiannon Flammer, Hernan O'Brien's old girlfriend, who has had "food issues" and depression. After discharge, they continue seeing each other.

Jennifer Melfi is at a dinner party with colleagues, including Elliot Kupferberg. The conversation turns to a recent study claiming criminal sociopaths take advantage of talk therapy. Kupferberg angers and shocks her by revealing that Tony Soprano is her patient. However, she reads the study at home and is convinced of its findings. At his next session, Tony is relaxed; her responses become sarcastic and aggressive. When she says she intends to cease treating him, he is taken aback and hurt: "We're making progress! It's been seven years!" She says, "You don't give a shit about commitments, about what I do." She waits for him to go, then closes the door on him.

Janice tells Tony that, as far as they can tell, Junior's money has run out, and she asks him to contribute, together with her and Bobby, so that he does not have to go into a state institution. Tony scornfully refuses.

Silvio garrotes Soprano soldier Burt Gervasi, who has been negotiating with the New York family. Phil speaks contemptuously to Albie and Butchie about "this pygmy thing over in Jersey". "We decapitate, and do business with whatever's left," he says. "Make it happen." Butchie and Albie meet with their own subordinates and order the murders of Tony, Silvio, and Bobby to be done swiftly in one 24-hour period. The police learn that something is going on, and Agent Harris warns Tony that his life may be in danger.

Tony decides to act first and kill Phil, using the "cousins", the Italian hitmen who performed the hit on Rusty Millio. The order is eventually passed down to Corky Caporale, who makes contact with them. But Phil is in hiding, and they kill the wrong man, the father of Phil's ''comare'' — and kill his comare, too.

Tony realizes the urgent danger, and orders Silvio to tell everyone in the family to go to their safe house, but it is too late. Almost simultaneously, Bobby is killed in a model railway store and, leaving the Bada Bing together, Silvio and Patsy are intercepted by two Lupertazzi hit men. Silvio is shot several times and severely wounded; the doctors say he may never regain consciousness. Patsy escapes unhurt.

Tony goes home and breaks the news to Carmela. He is going to a safe house; she must go to some other safe place. He goes upstairs to A.J.'s bedroom, where he now spends most of his time. Rhiannon is there and Tony sends her away. A.J. is in bed. Tony tries to explain things gently. When A.J. starts whimpering, he pulls him out of bed and throws him onto the floor.

At night, Tony, Paulie, Carlo, Walden Belfiore and Dante Greco drive to an old suburban safe house. Tony goes upstairs and lies down fully clothed, holding the AR-10 assault rifle that Bobby gave him for his birthday.

Deceased

* Burt Gervasi: garrotted to death by Silvio Dante for betraying his crime family and working with the Lupertazzis.
* Alec Kastropovic (Ukrainian mistress's father): shot dead in the head by Italo, the Italian hitman, who mistook him for Phil Leotardo, who he was supposed to murder on orders from Tony Soprano to eliminate the Lupertazzi threat to his crime family.
* Yaryna Kastropovic (Phil Leotardo's Ukrainian mistress): shot in the abdomen and then shot dead in the head by Italo, murdered for being present at the failed Leotardo hit.
*Bobby Baccalieri: shot to death by two Lupertazzi hitmen on orders from Phil Leotardo, as part of Phil's move to quickly wipe out the DiMeo family's management after continued long arguments and fights between the two families.

Final appearances

"The Blue Comet" marks the final appearances in ''The Sopranos'' of these main or longtime recurring characters:
* Jennifer Melfi: Tony Soprano's psychotherapist since the start of the series. Originally contacted to help treat his panic attacks, Tony also used his talk therapy sessions to deal with stresses in his life and gain advice on how to act in his personal and criminal life. Melfi was, at times, Tony's romantic interest, though his advances were rebuffed.
* Arthur "Artie" Bucco: a restaurateur, owner of Nuovo Vesuvio, a common mobster hangout, and Tony's close friend from childhood. After the fall-out with Davey Scatino in 2000, essentially, Tony's only civilian friend left.
* Charmaine Bucco: the wife of Artie Bucco and a childhood friend of Carmela and Tony Soprano. Throughout the series, she urged Artie not to deal with the mobsters in his career and life, but eventually started to seemingly tolerate their gatherings in their restaurant.
* Elliot Kupferberg: Melfi's own psychotherapist and mentor who often urged her to drop Tony Soprano as a patient. Also, an enthusiast of the Mafia.

Title reference

* The ''Blue Comet'' was a passenger train operated by the Central Railroad of New Jersey which ran between Atlantic City and Jersey City

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