The Sopranos Season 6: How Christopher’s Crash Led Tony to Kill Him
Trouble beneath the surface
In “Walk Like a Man,” Tony and Christopher seem to be on good terms, though their relationship has unresolved tensions. Christopher is one of Tony’s soldiers, but his personal struggles and recurring troubles have strained their bond.
The episode also shows Tony dealing with A.J.’s depression and suicidal behavior after a breakup. Tony tells Dr. Melfi he is quitting therapy and blames himself for passing “rotten” genes to his son, as the article quotes him. He also expects Christopher to have another meltdown after Christopher throws Paulie’s nephew through a window.
The crash changes everything
Tony does not know Christopher is no longer sober before they get into the car. After the crash, Christopher admits he cannot pass a drug test, and Tony sees a crushed baby seat in the wreckage.
Tony may see Christopher’s recklessness as a danger to his own children as well as to the crime family. The account presents Tony’s guilt about A.J. as part of his motivation: he cannot change what he passed on to his son, but he can stop Christopher from putting others at risk.
A choice with several motives
Christopher is not killed in a planned mob hit. Tony suffocates him after the crash, and Christopher chokes to death on his blood. The scene leaves the precise reasoning unstated, while suggesting that Tony’s concern for family, fear of Christopher’s decline and need to protect the organization converge.
Tony loves Christopher like a son and trusts him to a degree, but Christopher has driven under the influence with Tony in the passenger seat. The account also suggests Tony is aware that an unstable Christopher could reveal information about the organization.
Music foreshadows the ending
Before the crash, Christopher plays Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb,” referring to the soundtrack of Martin Scorsese’s 2006 film The Departed. In that film, the song accompanies Billy Costigan as he spirals during an undercover investigation and considers suicide.
In “Kennedy and Heidi,” the lyric “the dream is gone” underscores the scene’s bleak mood. The account describes Christopher’s final moments as marked by numbness and a faint sense of acceptance, while the crash and Tony’s decision end their relationship.
Key points
- Tony kills Christopher after a crash exposes his drug use.
- A.J.’s depression and Tony’s parental guilt help explain the killing.
- The crushed baby seat may connect Tony’s decision to his own children.
- The episode’s music foreshadows Christopher’s decline and the fatal ending.