A.J. Soprano

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A.J. Soprano
Devin Pillsbury (ex-girlfriend)

Anthony John Soprano Jr. is a fictional character on the

.

Biography

Anthony was born January 8, 1986, and is the youngest child of Tony and Carmela Soprano. A chronic

that plagued his father and grandfather. Learning this, they decide to keep him in public school, but keep a closer eye on him.

In the episode

, the act of killing a god.

Despite all of his troubles, AJ is a spoiled child. In the episode "Two Tonys", it is revealed that Tony bought him an elaborate $5,000 drum set. Additionally, in the episode "All Happy Families...", Tony gets him an almost new Nissan Xterra as a "motivational tool". A.J. is excited about the SUV, however, he comments about the environmental impact of the car, and also states he may encounter social pressure from school friends to drive a different vehicle.

During the fifth season, A.J. shows an increasing amount of disrespect to his mother, presumably due to his parents' separation. He tends to relate better to his father, and ends up moving in with him during the separation. However, in the episode "

", A.J. and Tony get into a scuffle over A.J.'s lack of respect. A.J. soon decides he wants to move back in with his mother, threatening to call social services due to the ongoing "violence against children" present in his father's home. Carmela demands certain things from A.J. in return for allowing him to move back in (e.g., showing respect to his mother, not swearing, tending to schoolwork).

Frequently throughout the series, Tony and Carmela express concern about A.J.'s future. Tony has no desire to offer his son a position in the mafia. In the fifth season of the show, A.J. displays an unexpected interest in pursuing a career in

").

In "

for college. Tony dismisses the idea as unrealistic given A.J.'s poor academic performance. During Season 3, when Tony asks him about it at a family dinner, A.J. claims that he never said that, as he knows his grades wouldn't be good enough. Throughout Season 5, references are made to the unlikelihood of A.J.'s being admitted to a four-year university.

In Season 6A, A.J. admits to his parents that he has flunked out of the community college he was attending, a worrying parallel to Tony's own youth. After a senile Uncle Junior mistakes Tony as an intruder and shoots him, A.J. steals a large knife and goes to the institution where Junior is being held, in a futile effort to exact revenge for his father. He is arrested, but later released without charges thanks to his father's political connections. He delves deep into the New York City club scene and begins using cocaine.

After several days of Anthony's claiming to be searching for jobs on the Internet to no avail, Tony intervenes and arranges a construction job for his son. A.J. claims he cannot do it because he will be trying again for community college, but Tony says that is not a problem as many of the men who work in construction are high school and college students. A.J. is reluctant to accept the job because of the early hours and outdoor work, which makes Tony angry.

Tony grabs a

(like the Sopranos).

In Season 6B, A.J. proposes to Blanca at a fancy restaurant dinner, telling her that he will own a couple of restaurants in a couple of years. However, Blanca soon gives the ring back and breaks up with him, leaving A.J. severely depressed. His father tries to cheer him up, telling him there are many reasons he will meet other women and be successful in future relationships, including that he is smart, hard-working, and white, "a huge plus nowadays".^[1]

He quits his job and mopes about until his father forces him to attend a fraternity party with the college-age relatives of his fellow mafiosi. A.J. grudgingly attends, and soon starts to enjoy himself. Several of the boys run a

on his foot. A.J. joins in to help forget his relationship problems. Later, he joins his new friends as they physically harass other students on campus. Afterwards, A.J. is seen telling his psychiatrist that he is once again depressed about the world due to that incident.

This depression leads to a botched suicide attempt, wherein A.J. ties a cinder block to his leg with a too-long length of rope and attempts to drown himself in the pool at the Soprano home. His father hears his cries for help and dives into the pool to rescue him. He is then placed in psychiatric care facility, where he meets

.

In the

's film production company. The new job, paired with the possibility of opening his own nightclub, seems to alleviate A.J.'s depression. He is seen having dinner with his family at last.

In all seasons, A.J. is portrayed as a fan of heavy metal and nu metal, via product placements (shirts, coats, posters and stickers) of bands like Pantera, Nevermore, Mudvayne (whose concert he attends in the episode "All Happy Families"), Slipknot, Limp Bizkit, Coal Chamber, Marilyn Manson, Stuck Mojo, Machine Head, Soulfly and Fear Factory. By the end of the series, having grown more worldly and introspective, he discovers and begins analyzing the early work of Bob Dylan. Through various plot points and pieces of clothing, A.J. is identified as a fan of the New York Giants, New Jersey Devils and New York/New Jersey MetroStars.

References

External links

• HBO Profile: Anthony Soprano Jr.