As one of the greatest shows ever made, one of The Sopranos' best elements was how many plotlines dwelled in ambiguity. Certain subplots were never clear on what happened or why it happened. The Sopranos managed to do this without flustering its viewers, which served as proof of why it was an all-timer.
The show's second season finale, "Funhouse," delved into some of this ambiguity. For context, Tony Soprano seemingly gets a bad case of food poisoning, though it's not entirely clear how he got it.
His illness also causes him to have multiple fever dreams. As his stomach bug passes through, his dreams confirm something he's known for a while but dreaded confronting: his best friend, Sal "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero, is an FBI informant.
While he's still clearly sick, Tony takes Pussy out for a boat ride along with Paulie and Silvio, where they confront their friend about his betrayal. In one of the show's most heartbreaking scenes, Pussy, while at first denying it, fesses up to what he's done and why he's done it while making his case for Tony to keep him alive.
Though hard for everyone involved, Pussy's pleas fall on deaf ears as Tony, Paulie, and Silvio gun him down. No matter what kind of history organized crime members may have with each other, a rat is a rat and must be taken care of.
It's funny how a bout with food poisoning is what got Tony to fully comprehend the situation he was in with Pussy. But that's how the show tricks its viewers because Tony never had food poisoning.
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So then why was Tony sick?
Sure, Tony showed signs of having a stomach virus, which is why many believe that's what happened. Again, this is why The Sopranos is so good: the story is not entirely clear, allowing audiences to come to various conclusions on what happened.
However, whenever someone says, "(X) makes me sick to my stomach," that isn't just a saying. That's actually something that happens. A thought can be so disgusting and/or so hateful that it makes someone literally sick to their stomach, and that's exactly what happens to Tony here.
When a person has to deal with something that would cause extreme anxiety, like hurting someone they care about - which they don't want to do - the stress can lead to actual illness, most notably fever, unbearable stomach pains, and even vomiting because of the gravity of the situation.
But what made Tony come down with this sickness that ultimately got him to admit the truth to himself? Well, while he and Pussy are eating dinner the night before his illness, the latter explains to another mobster, Furio, one of the mob's scams in perfect detail.
It's as though he's explained this to someone before, like, oh, say, a federal officer. The look Tony gives Pussy as he's explaining the scheme to Furio gives everything away.
What's worse, Tony found out about Pussy's betrayal back in Season 1 but refused to believe it because of his fondness for him. Because of their brother-like rapport with one another, he couldn't stand the thought that someone he was that close with had been working against him all along. Even though it all adds up from a rational standpoint.
Without beating around the bush, Tony came down with his sickness because he was fully coming to terms with three extremely hateful thoughts: that Pussy was a traitor, that he had been doing this for who knows how long, and that he must be dealt with immediately.
There are other signs that Tony's bug was in his head, like going out to sea, which is not a good idea when one has food poisoning. He also drinks tequila before killing Pussy, as alcohol prolongs stomach bugs while simultaneously making them worse.
It all makes sense that Tony's whole experience is psychosomatic. Killing a rat is one thing, but killing his best friend destroys his entire universe because it makes him question who he can trust. Knowing that Pussy switched sides, even if it was by force, proved to be a turning point for him, which is why his coping mechanism for it all came in the form of a foodborne illness.
The Sopranos' Season 2 finale can be streamed on Hulu, but only if you have the Disney/Hulu/Max bundle.
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