The final scenes of The Godfather have gone down in history as one of the best moments in cinema history, and it's because of the seven characters Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) killed. The ending of The Godfather saw Michael execute all the Corleone family's enemies at once, on the day of his nephew's baptism. The scene moves incredibly quickly both within the film and in real-life, and it can be somewhat difficult to keep track of exactly who died and why Michael had them killed. That scene, however, is a big reason The Godfather is one of the best movies of all time, so understanding it is imperative.

Almost all the living characters in The Godfather were involved in the massive attack, and it completely changed New York's underworld in a single day. With a few bullets, Michael Corleone usurped the former "Don of Dons," eliminated several traitors within the Corleone family,...