Just like the sequences that ended the two GODFATHER films before it, a seemingly normal, happy event is shown intercut with a variety of grisly murders being carried out by the Corleone family. In this grand ending to GODFATHER III, Francis Ford Coppola delivers an incredibly well directed sequence of events. In this sequence, the Corleone family is attending the opera in which Michael's (Al Pacino's) son is performing. During the opera, several different scenes and events are intercut in. One involves the assassin in the opera house who is attempting to kill Michael Corleone. The new Don of the family, Vincent, played by Andy Garcia, has ordered several more murders of individuals trying to scam the Corleones in the Vatican / Immobiliare deal. Eventually, the opera ends and the crowd is heading for the cars. Finally, the assassin finds his chance to shoot Michael and takes it -- however, the bullet misses Michael and kills his daughter instead. In a tragic and surprising ending, Michael must now see his daughter die after all he did to try to move the family out of the ugly crime business in which he had presided over for so many years. He sees the cycle of violence come full circle, and dies a lonely and broken man. The GODFATHER series presented one of the most tragic and grand human dramas, the story of Michael Corleone, a promising young man whose life went a complete different direction and now failed as the violence came right back to him. It's a brilliantly written story all the way through all of the series, and brought to a conclusion in this very powerful and handily crafted finale.