The Knight in White Satin Armor

"The Knight in White Satin Armor" is the 25th episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the 12th of the show's second season. It was written by Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess, and directed by Allen Coulter, and originally aired on April 2, 2000.

"The Knight in White Satin Armor"
The Sopranos episode
Episode no.Season 2
Episode 12
Directed byAllen Coulter
Written byRobin Green
Mitchell Burgess
Cinematography byPhil Abraham
Production code212
Original air dateApril 2, 2000
Running time60 minutes
Guest appearance(s)

see below

Starring

Guest starring

Synopsis

Pussy turns against Tony, resenting the way he has been treated, and begins to behave like an FBI agent. Christopher and an associate are planning to hijack a shipment of Pokémon cards. Pussy spends the night trailing them and in the morning, sleepy, crashes into another car, injuring his knee, and knocking down a cyclist. Skip Lipari gets him out of trouble but angrily rebukes him: his duty is only to collect evidence against Tony Soprano.

Richie is penalized by Tony because he is still selling cocaine on his garbage routes, but for Junior the income from cocaine is his "lifeline". Richie suggests having Tony killed, and says he can muster support from other dissatisfied crews. Junior permits him to raise the matter with capo Albert "Ally Boy" Barese. Albert is not persuaded. Alone, Junior thinks it over: he calculates that Richie, failing to "sell" the plan to Albert, is not respected; he, Junior, is better off with Tony. He tips Tony off, and Tony and Silvio start planning a hit on Richie.

Richie and Janice spend a quarrelsome evening at home. She tells him that Tony does not want his children near him because of what he did to Beansie. Richie expresses disgust at the presumed homosexuality of his son, who is a dancer; Janice contradicts him, and he silences her with a punch to the mouth. She goes out of the room and comes back with a gun. She shoots him once in the chest and kills him with a second shot. In a panic, she phones Tony, who finds her crying over the body. He calls Chris and Furio to dispose of the body. They dismember it with the meat-cutting equipment at Satriale's.

In the morning, Tony encounters Livia, in whose house Richie and Janice were staying, for the first time since her stroke. Tony explains that Richie has left; Livia smiles at a distraught Janice and says she knew it wouldn't last. The mother and son exchange hurtful recriminations. On his way out, Tony stumbles down the stoop and falls on the front walk, which instantly changes Livia's crying into soft laughter. Janice returns to Seattle.

Carmela contrives a meeting with Victor. She says that one day she might be free and, as she leaves, kisses him lightly on the cheek. Victor is greatly relieved when she has gone.

Loading the washing machine, Carmela smells Irina's perfume on Tony's clothes. But he has had enough of Irina and breaks up with her. In response, Irina attempts suicide with vodka and pills. He goes to the hospital and comforts her. He then sends Silvio with a parting gift of $75,000. Irina's cousin, Svetlana Kirilenko, urges her to accept it.

First appearances
  • Jackie Aprile, Jr.: Richie's nephew and son of Rosalie Aprile and the late Jackie Aprile, Sr.
  • Albert Barese: Acting capo of the Barese crew while his cousin Larry Boy Barese is under indictment.
  • Svetlana Kirilenko: The cousin of Tony's girlfriend, Irina.

Deceased
  • Richie Aprile: shot by Janice after he punched her in the mouth for defending his son being a ballroom dancer.

Title reference
  • The episode's title is a quote made by Irina about her cousin Svetlana's American fiancé, Bill, who treats her well. Irina first says this in the season one episode "College". The phrase is a mashup of "knight in shining armor" and the Moody Blues song "Nights in White Satin."
  • Janice is fitted for a white satin wedding dress; she ironically serves as Tony's savior when she kills Richie.

Cultural references
  • Tony mentions Flying Down to Rio when referring to Richie's son's dancing talents.
  • Irina mentions reading Chicken Soup for the Soul while spending time with Tony.
  • The FBI agents reference Patty Hearst and her Stockholm syndrome as an example for Pussy Bonpensiero's co-operation and disillusioned feelings towards his role as an informant.
  • Junior mentions Joe Profaci: "old man Profaci knew how to split his enemies", as he explains Richie's inability to "sell" the plan to Albert and how it reflects upon his lack of respect and influence.
  • When advising Irina to accept Tony's parting gift of cash, and to not squander her youth by pining after any one dream that is not panning out, Silvio cites Gail Sheehy's New York Times bestselling book, Passages.[1]
  • Tony sarcastically comments that Uncle Junior is a counter-agent like Matt Helm, a fictional character from books, 1960s films starring Dean Martin and a 1970s TV series starring Tony Franciosa.
  • Carmela is seen watching the 1950 film Champagne for Caesar after Tony learns of Irina's suicide attempt.

Music

Filming locations

Listed in order of first appearance:[2]

Awards

References
  1. "Commentary on Sheehy's book Passages". Butler-Bowdon.com. Archived from the original on October 3, 2011. Retrieved November 9, 2011.
  2. Ugoku. "The Sopranos location guide - Filming locations for". www.sopranos-locations.com. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
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