The Godfather's Michael Corleone is the textbook example of a psychopath.
Michael is cold-blooded, ruthless, smart, and determined. His ability to think clearly under fire, to be decisive, and to command respect makes him an excellent Godfather. Of Vito's children, he is certainly the best candidate to take over the family.
Zasa later wiped out most the Commission, yet Michael and his old friend Don Altobello escaped. Michael had a diabetic stroke, and whilst incapacitated, Connie gave Vincent and Al Neri the go-ahead to kill Zasa.
He was Machiavellian in his dealings with other mobsters. He was narcissistic in his control and manipulation of his family, of his friends, and of others. And he lacked empathy with the touches of psychopathy.
Robert Hare is known as the Godfather of Psychopathy, he developed the psychopathy checklist used by law enforcement agencies and courts all over the world to identify those clusters and traits that only show up in psychopaths.
Ted Bundy. Ted Bundy is one of those names that is practically synonymous with “serial killer” and “psychopath.” He was known to be very sly and charming, which was the shiny veneer he used to lure his many victims.
In reference to Fredo Corleone being the weaker and less intelligent of his brothers, the term "Fredo" has come to refer to a weak member of a group, especially one of a number of siblings in a family, regardless of ethnicity.
Of course he was a sociopath. He ran a major crime family, and a well-adjusted person with no mental nor emotional issues wouldn't be able to do that.
Michael tries to turn the family into a legitimate enterprise, but his ruthlessness and obsession with revenge keeps him in the criminal underworld - and ultimately destroys his family and his life.
In The Godfather II, Vito Corleone chooses his younger son, Michael, instead of his older son, Fredo, as his successor. This decision is based on Michael's intelligence and ability. Fredo, who is considered weak, is dismissed to do more menial tasks for the family.
As a Don, Michael is smart, observant and a master manipulator and savvy figure like his late father. He's also mainly able to keep a subtle tone and staying calm even when threatening someone, which makes him very unpredictable.
The only gesture of power that Vito conveys in this scene is reliant on artifice. To get his grandson's attention, Vito cuts an orange peel and fashions a pair of fangs for his mouth. In his final exertion of power before he dies, he pretends to be a big and scary monster to frighten his grandson.
Michael: He Was More Ruthless
He also ordered the killing of the heads of the other five New York crime families on the same day. To top that, he killed his brother Fredo and his brother in law Carlo despite his sister begging him not to do so.
Luca Brasi is Don Vito Corleone's personal enforcer, and the only man Vito himself fears. While slow-witted and brutish, Brasi is fiercely loyal and has a reputation as a savage and remorseless killer.
Autism? No. However, Don Vito had more of a Mustache Pete's point of view, seeing as to how he came from Sicily. He had formed his own way of thinking about the killing of family members since in the movie, his immediate family was all wiped out.
Shortly afterwards, on July 29, 1955, Vito dies of a heart attack in his garden while playing with his grandson, Michael's son Anthony. In the novel, his last words are, "Life is so beautiful."
What makes Michael Corleone so scary is that he is so smart. He strategizes so well that almost none of his enemies can get at him. And if they do get the upper hand, it's safe to expect that Don Corleone will already have an idea in mind for his revenge. He never even gets his hands that dirty.
Although Michael is the most powerful Mafia leader in the nation, he still actively works to remove the Corleone family from crime. His efforts have been largely unsuccessful, however, as his many enemies and growing obsession with revenge keep him tethered to the criminal underworld.
Barzini heads one of New York's Five Families, and is the second most powerful Mafia don in the country after Vito Corleone.
Tom. There's no doubt that Tom is the smartest character in the entire gangster series, and if it wasn't for him, the Corleone family would have burned so many bridges and wouldn't have half of the power that it does.
1. Ted Bundy. Perhaps one of the most prolific and famous sociopaths and psychopath figures in modern history.
According to Perpetua Neo, a psychologist and therapist who specializes in people with DTP traits, the answer is no. "Narcissists, psychopaths, and sociopaths do not have a sense of empathy," she told Business Insider. "They do not and will not develop a sense of empathy, so they can never really love anyone."
A sociopath can sometimes be happy when others simply can't, because they don't have feelings of remorse or guilt. These particular emotions usually don't make us feel happy right away. So in theory, the complete lack of these emotions can result in more happiness.