Salvatore “Sal” Tessio Character Analysis

Tessio is the other powerful caporegime in the Corleone Family alongside Peter Clemenza. Tessio first collaborates with Vito Corleone and Clemenza as a young man in Little Italy. When Don Fanucci demands protection money from the three men’s rackets, Tessio is the first to agree to Vito’s plan that they pay Fanucci less than he demands so that Vito can snare him in a murder trap. Tessio’s early trust in Vito solidifies a lifelong personal and business relationship between the two men, and Don Vito eventually makes Tessio a caporegime in charge of the Corleone Family’s Brooklyn territory. After Sollozo’s attempt on Don Vito’s life, Tessio’s soldiers are instrumental in carrying out the retaliatory murder of Bruno Tattaglia. In contrast to Clemenza, who embodies Mafia loyalty, Tessio becomes a symbol of betrayal. Although he respects Michael Corleone, Tessio does not trust him to protect the Corleone Family’s interests after Don Vito’s death. In order to lay the foundation for his own crime Family, Tessio arranges a peace summit between Michael and Don Barzini, knowing that the latter will murder Michael there. When Michael discovers the plot, he has Tessio assassinated as a warning to other potential traitors.