Tom Hagen - The Godfather Part II

In The Godfather Part II, Hagen remains Michael's consigliere. After Michael's Nevada estate is raked with automatic gunfire, he realizes he cannot trust anyone in his inner circle and reluctantly proclaims Hagen acting Don while he tries to find out who has betrayed him. Although his role was initially greatly reduced after the move west, Tom's promotion marks his renewed influence in the family and he goes on to be instrumental in both securing the loyalty of Senator Pat Geary and defending Michael during the Senate hearings on the Mafia. The fall of Fulgencio Batista's regime in Cuba forces Michael to temporarily abandon his dream of becoming a legitimate businessman and retake his place as the Don of the Corleone family.

Near the end of the film Hagen is unable to hide his unhappiness with Michael's increasing ruthlessness and paranoia, questioning the need to kill rival Hyman Roth. In response, Michael confronts Hagen about listening to competing job offers, and obliquely threatens to inform Hagen's wife about his mistress. Challenged point blank by Michael to confirm his loyalty to the Corleone Family, Hagen responds (in Sicilian) that he will remain loyal. He dutifully fulfills his role as not just a legal adviser, but in the consigliere's traditional role as dispassionate envoy for the Family. For instance, he gives Frank Pentangeli, who had betrayed Michael, the "idea" of committing suicide so that Pentangeli's family would continue to be taken care of after his death, while wistfully agreeing with Pentangeli that the Corleone Family are no longer "like the Roman Empire".