A Telling Exchange Between Michael and Tom Hagen

SPOILERS

Right at the end of Godfather II, we get the flashback to the "happy family" of years ago, with "dead men come back to life": Sonny, Carlo, Tessio. Young Michael is there as the family gathers round the table to await the arrival of an unseen Don Vito on his birthday -- which just happens to be on December 7, and Pearl Harbor has just happened.

Eventually, Michael reveals that he has joined the Marines. Sonny rages and slaps him around; Fredo reaches out to shake his hand and Sonny slaps it down, etc.

And Tom Hagen reminds Michael of "all the strings your father had to pull to get your a deferement" and how "we have been making plans for your future."

And Michael says, calmly and coldly; "YOU have been making plans for MY future?"

Its a great moment , for a few reasons:

ONE: The way Michael says this line is pretty much exactly how he spoke to Moe Greene in the first film "YOU've got to keep MY brother in line?" The camera angle on Michael in II here is almost exactly the same as with Moe Greene, its a "visual rhyme" from the first movie to the second.

TWO: It is revealed here that Michael ALWAYS had the toughness of character and self regard for his own powers that he would reveal later in The Godfather.

THREE: This flashback comes not too long after Michael has browbeaten and insulted "1960 Tom Hagen" for considering a Vegas job(turning it down) and Hagen has said "why do you hurt me after my loyalty?" Perhaps Michael remembers the days when his ADOPTED brother tried lording over him as Don Vito's consigliere ("We have been planning your future.")

In any event...good stuff. Subtle. Links the two movies together.