So now Michael is being schooled by his father. Only thing is that times had changed since Michael left to hide in Sicily. Things were a bit different. And while Vito was schooling Michael to become the new Don, the new Godfather, the Boss of bosses, deep down inside it was not really what he wanted for Michael. Both Vito and Michael realized that once the family regained the power that they once had, they would also have to try and legitimize the family in many ways. It was something that Vito had always dreamed about. And it would now be something that Michael fooled himself into thinking that he could actually become....a legitimate business man.
So he and his father devise this plan and after about a year or so of planning, Michael goes and seeks out his first love, Kay. I believe that Michael really loved her at one time. Being that Michael now deided that he would attempt to become a legitimate business man once he regained the Corleone power, he probably figured that Kay would be the perfect wife for an 'Americanized Legitimate Businessman'. If Michael had to entertain Seantors, Congressman, Corporate moguls, etc. then having an Americanized Wasp educated woman at his side could only help his image. Having a Kay Adams type woman at his side would definitely help neutralize the Italian gangster hood image that his kind of people resonated. At least in Michael's mind.
This is why I believe that Michael HAD to go back to a woman like Kay after being with a woman like Appolonia.
Exactly. Part of the plan Michael and Vito hatched was that Michael would take out the heads of the other families, and consilidate the Corleone's power ultimately using Clemenza (after Tesio's betrayal) as his front man, going to Vegas and becoming more "legitimate." Kay would be perfect in that role, and as we saw at the communion party she relished being seen as a "legitimate" member of the community. I suspect even Vito, who did not always approve of Kay, came around to that point of view.
