Michael Corleone enters the family business not out of a sudden desire for power, but because he realizes that the legitimate American institutions he trusted will never protect his family. At the start of the film, Michael is a decorated Marine war hero who proudly tells Kay Adams that his family's violent methods are not him. His turning point occurs at the hospital where his father, Vito, lies unguarded after the assassination attempt. When Michael discovers that the police, led by the corrupt Captain McCluskey, have cleared out Vito's guards to leave him vulnerable to Sollozzo's hitmen, Michael's faith in the state collapses. He realizes that in his world, the law is not an impartial protector but a weapon bought by rival factions. His decision to shoot Sollozzo and McCluskey in the Italian restaurant is the ultimate crossing of the Rubicon. By committing this double murder, Michael sacrifices his personal legitimacy to ensure his family's survival. The tragic irony is that his attempt to protect his family ultimately transforms him into the cold, calculating tyrant his father never wanted him to become. Michael's descent is fueled by a sense of filial duty that morphs into a dark obsession with total control.■