Karen Hill (Lorraine Bracco)’s Timeline and Summary

Karen accompanies her friend on a date and meets Henry. It doesn't go well.
After Henry stands her up on their second date, Karen hunts him down and chews him out in front of his friends.
Henry takes Karen to the Copacabana and impresses her with his swagger.
Karen tells Henry that her neighbor, Bruce, assaulted her. Henry pistol-whips Bruce to a pulp, and Karen agrees to hide his gun for him.
Karen and Henry get married. Karen meets his other family. You know, the mafia one.
Karen defends Henry to her disapproving mother.
At Mickey's hostess party, the other wives, and this vision of her future, sketch Karen out. Ultimately, she decides she's cool with the lifestyle, even if it means big hair and bad makeup.
Karen goes to Janice's apartment with her kids in tow and threatens her.
At home, Karen points a gun at her philandering husband's head, and they have a huge fight.
Karen visits Henry in jail, again with the kids, and tells him nobody is helping her on the outside.
Karen picks up Henry from jail, and they move into an extravagant new house financed by drugs.
Karen helps Henry sell guns to his Pittsburgh drug contacts.
As the narcs descend on her house, Karen flushes Henry's stash down the toilet. He's not happy about it; that's all they had.
After initially resisting, Karen agrees to join Henry in the Witness Protection Program after he rats out Paulie and Jimmy.