Letters to the Editor
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Simplify simplify...
I think Tony saw an opportunity to simplify his life, and he took it. Christopher was like a son to him, but as the father Tony was jealous. He saw Chris cleaning up his life, distancing himself from the mob (physically, emotionally, and metaphorically through Cleaver). Tony dreamed of passing the helm to Chris, foisting the responsibilities and pain onto somebody else. With Chris on the outs, Tony was left all alone with his feelings.
For Tony, Chris represented the part of himself who wanted escape, peace, and understanding. For Chris, Tony represented the familial ball-and-chain of mob life. Both felt conflicted by the part of themselves they saw represented in the other.
By killing Christopher, Tony thought he could simplify his own feelings, ridding himself of the physical reminder of his own desires to lead a different life. Of course, changing the external world to affect the internal is a plan for failure every time, but Tony refuses to learn this. (Or maybe he finally "get's it", though I doubt it.)
I'm surprised people are playing the "Tony is a sociopath" card, as if that would excuse them from identifying with him. I really don't think we're meant to write Tony off as a soulless killing machine, tsk tsking from our comfy couches, our own souls glowing because we can correctly identify the difference between right and wrong when it comes to murder. Tony may make some seriously flawed choices, but the complexity of his intentions go way beyond right and wrong.