Tony Soprano's cousin Tony Blundetto, portrayed by a pre-"Boardwalk Empire" Steve Buscemi, spends 17 years in prison before he appears onscreen. When he does re-enter the world, a guilt-ridden Tony S tries to set him up with the mob — after all, before Tony B was arrested for the armed hijacking of a truck, he helped Tony S earn the money for the house the Sopranos enjoy living in. Tony B initially declines the opportunity to step back into gangster life, so Tony S sets him up with a legitimate job instead, and for a brief period, Tony B attempts to stay away from the trappings of a mafia-centered existence. He feels he's owed a good, straight life, and he's set his sights on becoming a masseuse and starting his own business.
Unfortunately, people's assumptions about him — in addition to his criminal record and the pressure he feels to either prove he can succeed on his own or join his cousin's crew — make his attempt to start anew pretty difficult. His growing anger and frustration eventually boil over. He viciously beats Mr. Kim, the boss who he planned to go into business with, before leaving his dreams behind. While working under Tony S, it's clear that he feels he's owed more upward mobility. He helped make his cousin, after all. His rage-fueled and self-destructive responses to his lack of progress (including his murder of Phil Leotardo's brother, Billy) reveal Tony B as despicably entitled.
