Richie Aprile's animosity towards Christopher Moltisanti stemmed primarily from Christopher's violent treatment of Richie's niece, Adriana La Cerva. Richie, protective of his family, took strong exception to Christopher physically abusing Adriana.
The Core of the Conflict
Richie's dislike for Christopher was deeply rooted in Christopher's behavior towards Adriana, his girlfriend at the time. As a member of the Dimeo crime family and Adriana's uncle, Richie felt a duty to protect his niece.
- Violent Relationship: Christopher's relationship with Adriana was often marked by physical altercations. These violent episodes were a major point of contention for Richie.
- Family Loyalty: Within the hierarchical structure of the crime family, loyalty and respect for family members, especially women, were paramount. Christopher's actions were seen as a direct disrespect to Richie and the Aprile family.
Richie's Warning
Richie made it explicitly clear to Christopher that his violent conduct towards Adriana was unacceptable. He issued a stern warning, indicating severe consequences if Christopher were to hit her again, especially while they remained unmarried. This warning highlighted the traditional values Richie upheld and his readiness to defend his family against any perceived harm or disrespect.
- Protecting Adriana: Richie's intervention served as a direct attempt to safeguard Adriana from Christopher's volatile nature.
- Consequences for Disrespect: The warning underscored that such behavior would not be tolerated and would incur Richie's wrath, potentially leading to violent retaliation.
- The Unmarried Status: The specific mention of their unmarried status implies that even within the confines of their world, there might have been differing expectations or codes of conduct for how a woman should be treated before marriage compared to after. However, the core issue was the violence itself.
Ultimately, Richie's hatred for Christopher was a manifestation of his old-school values, his protective instincts as an uncle, and his intolerance for Christopher's abusive behavior towards a member of his family.
