why did tony kill christopher

Tony killed Christopher because Christopher represented a dangerous liability to himself, Tony's family, and the crime organization. Christopher's drug addiction made him reckless and a threat to the safety of those around him, including his own daughter. In a car accident, Tony saw a baby seat struck by a tree branch, which symbolized the risk Christopher's addiction posed to his daughter. Although Tony initially tried to help Christopher after the crash, he ultimately suffocated him, driven by a mixture of guilt, fear for his family, and the realization that Christopher's destructive behavior could not be controlled. This act also symbolized Tony's harsh acceptance of the transactional nature of relationships in his world, where personal feelings were subordinate to survival and control within the mafia. Additionally, Tony's decision was foreshadowed by his growing disillusionment with Christopher's repeated failures and his own struggles as a parent, seeing Christopher as a reflection of the "rotten" genes he feared passing on to his son. Despite the emotional complexity, Tony's killing of Christopher was both an act of eliminating a threat and a tragic end to his surrogate son's self- destructive path. In summary, Tony killed Christopher because Christopher had become a dangerous liability due to his addiction and unpredictability, threatening Tony's family and business, and Tony believed this was the only way to protect those he cared about and maintain control.