The story starts in 1986, two years after Maria's kidnapping. Nicky is the head of his family. He is taking Sal to see the mausoleum he built for their mother and father. Sal is living in a mental ward after he smothered his parents. Nicky believes someone got to Sal and made him do it. At the grave site Sal is shot and falls to his knees. Nicky thinks he is crying but then sees the blood. Then Nicky is shot. Pauley and Rocky rush Nicky to the hospital, Sal is already dead.
Lana gets a call from Cherry Bomb to tell MoJo that Nicky has been shot and is in a coma. MoJo is America's most wanted as John Morrison. He travels to the US as Maj. Nelson, the name he borrows from a sitcom. He has people to clear his flight as a NATO secret agent at Steward Air Force Base. He reminisces on Nicky other 'shooting.'
MoJo goes to the hospital in '78' because his people reported that Nicky was the victim of an assassination attempt. When he arrives, he can tell Nicky is faking. Nicky tells MoJo of his plan to finally gain control of the NY Mob. He has Carmella kill Angela because Nicky had jilted her. He would help Carmella take down the other family and make her a boss. MoJo points out the flaw in his plan, that Angela's father would never stop looking for her killer. MoJo plans to kill Carmella's Colombian cocaine family calling the hit that killed Angela a retaliation for Nicky's drug trade.
Nicolas, Nicky's father, is informed the DA is reopening the Banoa murder case. He has an ADA on the hook and confesses to the hit. Pauley and Vinny (who is already in jail) are his coconspirators. Nicolas is suffering from Alzheimer and his wife heart is getting weaker. After he is convicted, he planned to have Pauley and Vinny exonerated. However, Benny the Chicago Godfather tips off the FBI that Nathan, who has been arrested for prostitution in Las Vegas, is a person they should talk to.
Before the FBI can discredit Nicolas' statements, he has Sal kills him and his wife. He makes a tape for MoJo explaining his plan and not to go after Sal's killer. With his confession and Sal death, Nicky and MoJo should be in the clear. But Nicolas did not know about Nathan and the gun.
MoJo takes control of the family and has Pauley killed when he objects. He puts Chris, Carmella's husband, in charge of the operations while he considers the actions other capos. Nicky comes out of the coma but is terribly shaken. MoJo set his bed on fire to get him to snap out of it. MoJo shows Nicky his father's tape, they know who killed Sal and Nicky wants revenge.
They must figure out who tried to kill Nicky.
