Bad Blood versus reality, Part Three
By Michael Moriarty
web posted September 28, 2020
With the revelation in the previous episode, that Vito is as stupid as his son Nico Jr.?!
We are introduced to the price such stupidity makes Vito pay in prison.
He’s beaten up for not willing to negotiate in prison with what are, indeed, his equals, regardless of what Vito thought his reputation outside of prison was.
Where he is trapped in prison, his “legend” outside carries no weight!
Yes, he can retaliate through orders he can give to the “servant”, Declan Gardiner, whom he insulted in the same way he insulted the gang leader in prison who subsequently had Vito beaten up!
Obviously, in the next scene, Gardiner has heard about the beating and he clearly states that it cannot go unanswered.
Gardiner’s other major challenge?
Nico Jr.?!
Gardiner is now talking to the biker gang leader about Nico.
The biker says Nico Jr. would be dead by now in the old days.
Gardiner corrects him quite clearly, stating that the policies cannot include killing the son of what is still considered to be The Godfather of the entire set of alliances!
“Do we understand one another,” asks Gardiner of the biker?
The biker grabs Gardiner by the shirt and reads him the biker riot act: “We are equals!”
In the bikers’ eyes, “Nothing makes Vito the ‘BOSS’”!
Nothing can spell-out Vito’s loss of power in prison more clearly.
Gardiner, ever-cool amidst his competitors, is in a rage when home with the “Family”!
He is venting about, guess who, “the little prince himself”!
Following the spoiled brat to a nightclub where “the little prince” is indulging himself with an assortment of women, and, while doing that, tells them that Gardiner, who just arrives on the scene, is the “illegitimate son of Vito”!
Yes, the two, Nico Jr. and Gardiner, are, in fact, brothers.
Gardiner orders the girls out, and they leave.
Then Gardiner wants to take Nico home to his wife and family.
Nico tells his bodyguards to, instead, show Gardiner out!
Gardiner, on the other hand, orders those same bodyguards to take Nico home!
Back in the “family conference”, Gardiner tells every one: “We have two priorities: protect the boss and keep Nico safe! You understand?!”
Not a friendly question.
As a note bene, Gardiner has clenched his fist as he says the above, while, though hard to believe, he’s talking to what we all consider his only friends, The Family!
Meanwhile, the biker gang that previously beat up Vito in prison?!
What a set of faces!!!!
The leader’s face particularly.
“They close in on Vito, “The Face” calling Vito “Pops”.
Suddenly, in walk members of an obviously well-organized gang of blacks, led by a man named “Marlon”!
An impressively respectful tribute to the film GODFATHER and the actor who defined almost all of its power: Marlon Brando.
They sit and order “The Face” of the biker gang and his “Fellow Faces” to leave.
“The Face” stares a bit at “The Black Gang” and then leaves with all his other “Faces”.
Obviously, Vito and his idea of alliances among the gangs hasn’t entirely faded.
At last?!
Paul Sorvino as Nicolo Rizzuto gets to say it, straight to Nico Jr.’s, his grandson’s face, “You’re stupid!”
Nicolo Rizzuto
To not be afraid!
“I’m afraid,” says Grandfather Rizzuto. “Your father’s afraid! The whole family is afraid!”
Gardiner and the family’s consigliere arrive. The consigliere basically tells Nico what he must do. To stay with his wife and children. To keep his nose clean, as the old phrase has new meanings with cocaine!
When Nico basically tells everyone to go to hell, Nicolo Senior, the grandfather, puts his foot down.
Fundamentally, since Vito, the godfather, is in jail, Nicolo Senior, the godfather’s own father, announces that he will take over as head of the family.
With rather fearfully shaking lips, he says, “I don’t want to hear one more word!!”
Oddly enough, the belligerent young Rizzuto follows the family’s advice!
Somehow, almost everything returns to normal! Profits back up! Everyone knows their place in the family! No blood spilled. As Gardiner puts it:
“City Hall was happy! Our partners were happy!”
And, eventually, Vito would finally be home. 
Michael Moriarty is a Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning actor who starred in the landmark television series Law and Order from 1990 to 1994. His recent film and TV credits include The Yellow Wallpaper, 12 Hours to Live, Santa Baby and Deadly Skies. Contact Michael at rainbowfamily2008@shaw.ca. He can be found on Twitter at https://twitter.com/@MGMoriarty