Junior Soprano (Dominic Chianese) was not known for getting over grudges, and we learn about one of his longest-running ones in the very first episode.
In the pilot, Junior plans to have old enemy Gennaro "Little Pussy" Malanga killed. The hit has to take place in Little Pussy's favorite joint, Vesuvio, a restaurant owned by Tony Soprano's (James Gandolfini) friend Artie (John Ventimiglia). Tony schemes to get Vesuvio temporarily closed, knowing that a mafia hit on the premises will destroy Artie's business with his fancy suburban clients. He eventually resorts to having it burned down, knowing Artie can at least claim the insurance money. Junior does not, of course, forgive and forget Tony's perceived betrayal. In fact, it apparently only serves to entwine Tony with Little Pussy in his mind.
Through one of Junior's dementia-induced rants in the opener of season 6, we learn that Little Pussy also stabbed him in the back, metaphorically. Some time in the '70s, Junior and Little Pussy went in on a scheme that involved grocery chain Bohack, and Junior believed his partner in crime ripped off his $40,000 share. Tony reminds Junior that Malanga has been dead for six years, implying that the hit took place as planned back in season 1, but somewhere else and offscreen. Later in the episode, Junior apparently mistakes Tony for Little Pussy and shoots him in the stomach. This not only brings the Malanga plot full circle, but also plays out his threat that, "Something may have to be done ... about Tony," which he brought up in the pilot when Tony meddled in his hit.
