Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

info_girl, USA — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 03:01:14 GMT

I thought that at one of the funerals it was said that Phil did not have any children. But, his wife tells the twins in the SUV to say, "Bye, bye, to Poppy"??

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Dave Lawson — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 03:03:47 GMT

I think a lot of people are reading too much into the final scene. After all, what did everyone expect all week? That's right, some type of showdown between Tony and Phil. Well, Phil got whacked, so Tony emerges victorious. But his victory is a hollow one, which is part of the viewer's ominous sense of dissatisfaction. What is Tony's reward but more of the same. Survival means continuing doing what he does, because there is no "happily ever after" in his business. So there he sits eating onion rings with his three codependent enabling family members, and they go on surrounded by the destruction of others, much like Tom and Daisy Buchanan in "The Great Gatsby." Tony doesn't die at the end, but the foreboding sense of doom and paranoid anxiety the viewers experienced in the last scene is what Tony has to endure for the rest of his life. Every day he survives means nothing more than that he hasn't been whacked YET. The ending suggests that Tony's continued existence, while momentarily triumphant, is simply a postponement of the inevitable (which we all face). This is the life he's chosen, and it's the reward he reaps.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Ann WI — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 03:10:30 GMT

The "theories" while many, are surely ANNOYING! Let's talk about what it was... a simple ending to an amazing show! Why does everything have to "go out with a bang?!" No, it wasn't cut and dry... I think most of us could agree that we don't need to be coddled and force fed mindless plot lines. Isn't this why we enjoyed the Sopranos in the first place? It's unbelievable that people get so upset over the show, claiming this ended their respect or whatever for Chase and blah, blah, blah... Get over yourselves! Just because it didn't turn out the way you wanted it to end, doesn't mean the whole show stunk! Since when does everything need a black and white answer? I never thought there were such idiots out there who would attempt to dismantle such a great show because the ending didn't go as they had wanted it to. Isn't this one of the first things we learn as children? Things aren't always going to go your way? I hope there is NEVER a movie on the Sopranos! After the last 24 hours of too many whining over the ending, it seems it wouldn't be appreciated anyhow.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Tom Liberman, Saint Louis, MO — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 03:16:03 GMT

It seems that the main complaint here is lack of closure. I disagree. The show was always about, from the beginning, a man afraid of losing his family. The show ended with a man who understands and keeps his family together. Carmela has her house business and is now included in discussions of the other family business Meadow is a woman who knows what she wants and will keep at until she gets it right (parallel parking as a symbol) AJ is aimless but Tony understands and can deal with him. That is CLOSURE!

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Julia, Modesto, California — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 03:19:11 GMT

I loved the ending...it was as it should be...as it could only be. Watching it a second time just makes me laugh even more than I did the first time. Perfect.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Russell Heim — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 03:23:11 GMT

The Sopranos ending reminds of the end of side one of Abbey Road. The show stopped the same way the song "I Want You (She's So Heavy) does, without warning. I found the ending appropriate for the series. One thing that kept me interested and watching all these years was that the show wasn't formulaic like so much other television. Just like life, there are often no clear-cut endings, neatly wrapped in a package. We were allowed to look in the windows and see the life of this fictional family for eight years before they realized the curtain was open. Now the curtain is closed and we can watch something else or leave the television off for a while.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Lorenzo Sonobuono — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 03:25:45 GMT

Tony is alive. I don't care if Republicans stay in the White House and regain congress. Tony is alive and all is well. I can sleep safely.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Tim Fishback, Palm Springs, California — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 03:43:06 GMT

The scene in the diner, with the family eating onion rings, was concisely symbolic. Tony commented, following the rings being set upon the table, "I ordered for the table." This remark reminds that he has succeeded in fostering Carmela and the kids' surrender to the illicit pleasures afforded by the mob business. Carmela pops the whole ring into her mouth with the look of complacent and superior pleasure on her face, dutifully captured by the camera as if there were plenty of time remaining until the finale (?) massacre. AJ also pops the whole ring into his mouth, albeit with a look of inexperienced and slightly reckless indulgence. Tony pops the whole onion ring into his mouth with a look of jaded satiety. The fact that they each inhaled an entire onion ring in one motion symbolized the gluttony of being a Soprano.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Onyx Blackman, Flatpoint HS — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 03:51:14 GMT

Chase pooped on our heads and calls it a hat. The audacity, and by that I mean hubris, overweening pride.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Carrie Fernandez, San Juan PR — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 03:52:49 GMT

Feeling manipulated during the last scene at the restaurant, I turned off the TV not caring what ending David Chase decided upon. When I replayed it the next day, I wasn't surprised that David Chase hadn't given the show's fans anything.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Mike Martin, Miami, FL — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 03:58:10 GMT

the guy in the USA trucker cap stirring sugar in his coffee looked like the guy who owned the sporting goods store and lost all the money in the card games...also got on the wrong side of Richie Aprile...he then had to suffer having Tony come and take stuff out of the store...and the worst cut...having to give Tony his son's car while the son was starring with Meadow in the school play...

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Tony, NY,NY — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 04:21:12 GMT

am i dead?

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Lois in Jefferson, Texas — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 04:27:17 GMT

Don't you get it...it was the PERFECT ending for those of us who didn't want it to end! Now, we can envision Tony and family continuing their lives and don't have to mourn them. I can assure you that all the money that can be made off the Sopranos is not dried up and when have you ever known Hollywood to throw away a chance to make MORE money. Enjoy the onion rings, Tony!! Looking forward to seeing you and the crew in a few years...whether it's on the big screen or the small screen, who cares!

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Guillermo, Santa Fe, NM — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 04:32:37 GMT

Why no analysis of Chase's use of Bob Dylan's "It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)" in the finale episode? Surely, the complex lyric of this song can keep people busy for weeks (nay, months) figuring out the foreshadowing -- far longer than the Journey's tune ever could.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Maren Trips, Stamford, Connecticut — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 04:35:44 GMT

I wanted to comment on the Godfather theme in the Sopranos Finale that EVERYONE has missed. Marlon Brando is shot while picking out oranges and eventually dies while chasing his grandson with an orange in his mouth. It is clear that oranges foreshadow death. We know David Chase used this theme in season one. Tony buys a bottle of orange juice just before being shot, like Vito Corleone. In an early scene in the finale, Tony eats an orange while talking to Carmela. I noticed it right away because the orange foreshadows Tony's death.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Anna Cassidy, Hoffman Estates — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 04:47:10 GMT

Dissecting Sopranos: David Chase is a genius in that he very well is a gifted story teller and is my role model for screenwriting technique. He knows the rules to effectively breaks them and that this the hallmark of a talented artist. I personally would like to be of the few who continues to carry the torch toward solid story telling in screenwriting. If granted such a opportunity, I will not disappoint as I have several waiting to offer to lovers of great story telling. Having soap boxed that; Chase is very clever in that he already figured that many of us would have believed him to "tick us off" as the viewer. I really believed that Chase was doing this immediately after watching the last episode. I literally turned to my loved one and said the exact same thing that Chase figured many of us would say. Either he is cognitive of typical audience behavior (perhaps my own discovery of simple-mindedness---which is why I believe that with out a doubt, Chase has the Gods of the Arts in his corner. The simple fact of it all is that it boils down to entertainment and that very common sense will aspire me to become not only a good writer, but a great one as the twenty-first century true to the wool spin writers such as Haggis, Amiel, Chase, Imperioli are of the very few outstanding writers are my teachers in the art of entertainment. So ,in honor of entertainment: of course, Chase does not want us to "forgetaboutit" HE really would like us to ponder as only a sincere writer would. If any of us claim to "love" films. Here is what I believe. Chase has a "Tarrantino" flavor to his work, although Chase is more sophisticated in his story development and in the quality of his authentic dialogue process. In the film "Pulp Fiction", the beginning of the scene indicates a male/female robber (so unlikely of a pair to what would take place after a casual conversation of self-important rambling---which is also brilliant as everyone tends to do. Even, I will admit to this.) Anyway, the British character explains to his British girlfriend that the best time to rob an establishment is when someone has a mouthful of food. Anyway, the point is that finally, the Soprano family is about to enjoy a meal as they await a frustrated Meadow (here again, we have the element of fate as she has difficultly in parking the car.) Now, we have multiple elements occurring at once as well as this scene itself leaving us in a restaurant. Well, In the Godfather and many Mafioso films and in true life events, most of these murders occur during a time of being caught off guard. Chase enjoys the entertainment of also catching us off guard as an audience as well as for his characters. Chase is also known (in his pattern of writing) to flow in the direction of realism. So lets add some things together here. The Sopranos are killed and the surprise or fate is that Meadow, perhaps, misses death by inches of just entering the restaurant. This may all be way off course, but this is entertainment respectively and I hope that my comment lends to the flavor of enjoying this very rich and exciting sort of saga entertainment. A real fan will pay attention to Chase's typicality of what truly occurs in life versus what Hollywood prefers. Chase also eludes to karmic repercussions. We have Anthony Jr. who is depressed and ready to fight for his country (he is ready to die), Tony Soprano knows his karmic eventuality and perhaps in his strange line of thinking, deliberately places his family in the line of fire hoping that they would all die together as certainly Carmella could not continue on with her life applying for food stamps without Tony (if he were killed). Tony, would never succumb to a witness protection deal and of course poor Meadow would be a bystander of being born to a crime family, another possible "Chase Reality Moment", of an untimely death due to being we cannot choose our parents. Tony may have deliberately set himself up to die with his family (as in the beginning of the very first episode with the ducks in his yard flying away---family is important to him). Another interesting angle as well is that both Anthony Jr. and Meadow were having an "issue" with their cars. It's a long shot, however, to me, worth noting as a foreshadowing of synergistic events. In addition, I believe that when AJ was in the SUV with his new lady friend, that Tony was trying to protect AJ "psychologically" in that the SUV was set up for a Soprano to die. I mean, the explanation of the leaves and a brand new SUV blowing up in the middle of nowhere? Tony had to have known that this was a botched hit in the way the SUV incinerated the way it had. Tony has had too many brushes with death and has been too clever to allow himself to be killed "off guard". In a way, I believe that the final restaurant scene was Tony's bizarre way of a "suicide" knowing that his henchmen are being blown away and pairing down to only Paulie and the other "Phil" are the only two standing. As for the two African-Americans, I will conjecture that their presence may have an ironic twist in that they "appeared" to be dangerous as Tony’s own prejudice will be his downfall and that the irony would be that he was not aware that one of his own , a “Members’ Only” entering the bathroom possibly to: A) Set the signal for a hit or, B) to come out blazing after Meadow enters the restaurant (as in many mafia films where the bathroom is the place for storing guns and coming out in a blaze of glory. I really do not believe that the two African-Americans had any intention of doing anything at all, except, that they may have been undercover agents trying to protect Tony. If at all else, remember, Chase often uses Roman and Greek Tragedies as a trademark in any Sopranos episode. So, ponder on the most possible tragedy he would use and keep guessing. All in All, The Sopranos was a great run of an excellent series and I truly hope to look forward towards more of Chase’s future work and that the best of the best will continue. I enjoy reading articles and blogs like yours. Thank you for being the first one to appear worth reading regarding how others felt of the ending of this program. Brightest Blessings. Anna “Ironbound” Cassidy (Pen name #2 coming to a theater near you someday). I like the idea that all of this may be one of Tony's strange dreams as well because he hasn't had one in a while.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Kory Morgan, Dousman, WI — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 04:56:36 GMT

Intersting about the dream as that was my immediate thought when he walked in and the camera quickly showed him at the table with his coat off. I didnt catch the shirt difference but I did sense the dream considering that whole scene had an eerie Ronnie Spector feel to it!!

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Jim Smolev, Baltimore, MD — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 04:56:51 GMT

I think that Tony did get whacked- and the sudden blank screen is what a dead person might experience and he's dying

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Auburn Hills, MI — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 05:01:54 GMT

I'm glad at least one other person seems to have gotten the whole thing. Dave Lawson summed it up perfectly. David Chase went out of his way to make sure these characters weren't seen as heros. He made sure to show that the life they chose was not glamorous. So why would we see a glamorous ending. What we saw was that what Tony felt was important meant nothing (being the boss of the family, as shown by Uncle Junior) and even when everything seemed to be going well (AJ seeming to come out of his funk and Meadow going into a lucrative private practice), his life is never going to be peaceful (the upcoming indictment and a routine family dinner could end in death.) I could have never predicted it, but after seeing it, it was the perfect ending.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

The Walrus Was Paulie — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 05:07:50 GMT

At first, I thought the ending was absurd. Then its meaninglessness made sense. Chase was paying homage to Samuel Beckett. It was THE absurd. Do Gogo and Didi hang themselves or not? Does Godot ever come? Who knows for sure, just like with the unanswered questions in the Sopranos finale. Chase could have played with viewers' minds even more by calling the finale, "Waiting for Tony to Go."

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Christopher — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 05:13:02 GMT

Ok i'm commenting: I avoided all the gossip about the final episode, until i saw it[@10pm 06.11]. I even turned the news off because they warned they were about to spoil the ending which was VERY controversial with Sopranos fans. Watching this final episode: I loved seeing AJ finally getting off his ass and DOING something with a positive outlook[as positive as we can expect from AJ]. Meadow with nice fella becoming a woman. Carmella getting her business together. The Sopranos Crew getting smaller and smaller, we see Paulie's love for Tony. Phil getting what he deserves, leaving no doubt(haha) that he's dead-dead-dead. And Tony, having dinner with his family... I loved the director's[Chase's]emphasis on everyone in the restaurant. What could give a better picture of the atmosphere? It was a real moment we could share with this family whom we've followed through six seasons! I felt I was with them, waiting for Meadow to show up, so we could order. The fan-based-analyzation: I think it's absolutely awesome how everyone cares SO MUCH about the Sopranos to come together and discuss it. [myself: I NEVER comment on public boards like this. I think you're all awesome. I love how you guys get into each and every aspect. Tony would tell laugh to himself and tell us to go f*** ourselves]

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Josh, Los Angeles, CA — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 05:14:02 GMT

As frustrating as the ending was at first, I have to credit Chase for remaining true to his vision up to the final breathtaking moment. The entire finale, in fact, was satisfying precisely for its "normalcy"; events unfold in a typical Sopranos-like fashion, without the climax everyone was anticipating. Which was precisely the purpose of the finale: Tony and his family were periously separated as of the penultimate episode, and it is up to Tony to bring his family back together piece by piece. The diner scene, however, represents Tony's ultimate punishment. No matter how hard he tries to keep his family together, he must always look over their shoulder, at every dinner, and with every sudden opening of a door. The accusatory assumptions that we the audience derive with every suspect assassin -- the trucker, the African Americans -- is a subtle, brilliant commentary by Chase on our own quickness to judge based on race and class, two themes that have run throughout the series. Who can honestly say that even for a moment we thought that the African Americans were there to shoot Tony? And that is precisely the message that the finale -- and the show -- meant to convey.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Lisa — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 05:22:15 GMT

I thought Tony got wacked at the end by a mysterious man ( AKA A man in members only jacket). But, I rewind to see the very last seen many time and noticed Tony was wearing close when he enter the dinner and when he sat down the booth. When he entered, he was wearing gray T-shirt, but he sat down, he is wearing a strip shirt which he was wearing when he was shot by Uncle Jr. and dreaming at the hospital. So, I think the ending was just his dream.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Paul Shrug — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 05:45:55 GMT

The ending left me with a lot of mixed feelings, but not necessarily about The Sopranos as a show... Personally I did not feel cheated. I felt enough had been done with the characters over the previous hour to lead me to a satisfactory conclusion. Indictments were coming down, the immediate threat to Tony's family had been abated, scenes of closure with Janice, Sil and Junior had taken place, and Phil was eliminated. The arc was done... By the time they'd gotten to the ice cream shop there was really no reason to think anything more *needed* to happen -- just the looming sense of fear that those final five minutes provoked and then cut off. So in a literary sense I'm fine with the ending. But am I happy with what it said about David Chase? As an artist he's entitled to whatever he wants to do, and I have to take him at his word that he wasn't trying to screw with the audience that's enabled him to hide out in France. But it's hard... the man has expressed such contempt for the people who've watched this show, not to mention television in general, that you'd think we've been waterboarding the dude for a decade. It's hard for me *not* to think the sudden cut-off was Chase's middle finger to his adoring fans and the medium. Even Larry David has gone out of his way to express generosity to his admirers, but it just seems to peeve Chase to no end. And that's the only reason the final shot bugged me -- not because it was a literary cheat. It wasn't. But man, I hope Chase finds the peace of mind he's after, because I really feel terrible about hurting him with my viewership and attendant speculation for these last eight and a half years. But thanks for the brilliant show, Dave.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

mojo — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 05:46:53 GMT

re: "Losing his shirt?": When he is with Junior, he is wearing a button-down type shirt with a collar that matches the shirt front, and khaki pants. At the door of Holstens his pants are black and the shirt is an open-neck type with a contrasting collar, the same one he's wearing moments later at the table. He leaves Jr. in daylight & arrives at the restaurant in the dark - he probably went home & changed inbetween the two. I personally think most of the 'hidden meaning' theories are fun but kinda silly. The orange one is valid though. I'm wondering if they did film Tony getting whacked in the diner, but Chase decided in the end to cut it short, leaving all of us to our own imaginations and hopes. If so, I think he created much more buzz than if we had seen the deed and had no opportunity to create different endings.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

woody sydney australia — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 06:43:07 GMT

someone should put a contract out on chase!!!

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Matt Mitchell — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 06:58:51 GMT

Before you read please know I have been a Sopranos loyal watcher since day one, have 4 seasons on DVD and have to say I couldn't be more disappointed in the finale. I'll make a comparison to the greatest basketball player (No argument here): Michael Jordan. We all love him, he's the greatest...Sopranos already established its legacy as the greatest tv drama of all times...but...not just the last episode, but the last two plus season have absolutely sucked. I'll go back to the Seinfeld finale as well, it wasnt the greatest episode ever, but it ended right before it went on the downslope. Larry David is brilliant, David Chase is more cold blooded than Livia Soprano. The heart of the series died with Adrianna in the woods at Carm's spec house. People are overanalyzing this to death, I'll simplify, the show should have ended with Ade's death, I can't recall one really "great" episode after that. Back to the Jordan point, a superstar who played way past their prime, took too much time off between seasons and couldn't end it on top. We as an audience didn't need plot lines to be wrapped up and "spoon fed" to us, I don't care about the Russian in the woods, I know he's dead. I knew the end was going to be a letdown, but the sharp cut to black was a freakin joke. Many of the seasons end with the family eating together, fine, but have a fade to black, not a snap cut...the tension that was built up with the final minutes, and then nothing...that isn't brilliant, its a writer too lazy to do the series right. If there is a movie I hope it sweep the Razzies...

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Jon, CT — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 06:59:29 GMT

To me the ending seems clear. Many times in the series we have been inside Tony's head: when he was in the coma or when he was dreaming. So looked at from that perspective, one minute he is enjoying eating with his family, then suddenly without any warning the "lights go out". I presume that it cut the way it did for a reason and what is a better reason that? It took the glamor and sympathy out of his death, the sadness and drama in death is experienced by those left behind, the dead feel nothing. Earlier in the episode Phil was enjoying time with his family at the gas station, then he is snuffed out. He never knew anything about it, so why should Tony know anything about it? It also means that the heads of both the families have been taken out, honor is even on both sides and everyone in the families can get on with their lives, injuring everyone else rather than each other.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Roddy Rod, high point nc — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 07:25:49 GMT

Thanks Mr. Chase, This show ended the same way it began. With the world wondering; what is going to happen next? and we got the same answer we got every week, and that was what was going to happen next? Not enough has been said about that darn cat. I thought Paulie said that he drowned it?

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

RSG West Michigan — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 07:39:55 GMT

I feel the ending was consistent with the story line over the past eight seasons. Each episode and season has left the viewer anxiously awaiting the next. The only difference here there is no next. The final scene in the diner is nothing short of brillant writing and the type of creativity that has marked this series. Tony makes small talk ( " The best onion rings in Jersey " ) yet everytime the bell rings he and you the viewer, because you know what has transpired and you have seen his life , share the anxiety of who is going to walk in that diner. The people around you/Tony they are enjoying their meal they do not have to look up each time that bell rings . As Tony sees the living death of Junior , Sil's vegetative state and Bobby's funeral the writers allusion to John Dunne's poem is complete ; " For whom does the bell toll it tolls for thee" .

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Joe G — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 07:40:58 GMT

Russell Heim wrote that the ending was "Abbey Road" like. - Funny - at the moment the screen went blank, I said to my wife "jeeez he did an Abbey Road" - That was the first thing that popped into my head. The ending was superb. Chase handed us all an easle and a pallete. Paint your own endings everbody! We can come up with a myriad of scenarios - that way, if one desires, the Sopranos can live forever. The whole series was brilliant. My hat's off the Chase and company. JG JG

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Rob Voreck, Peoria, Arizona — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 07:54:45 GMT

The songs that were listed in the article had one glaring omission: "Any Way You Want It" by Journey was right underneath Tony's selection. I saw this as Chase's way to tell the audience to go ahead and imagine your own ending for the series...because it will always be infinitely better than what Chase could come up with. Apparently, Chase was right, considering the reaction!

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Rock — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 08:45:31 GMT

It was just generally a brilliant ending (with a great song to boot). In a moment of mobster hubris they are out and about thinking everything is okay (and why?) and they all get whacked. And you didn't really see it. It was just brilliant. Why can't everyone get that? That's what you wanted? Right? You just didn't see it.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Rock — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 08:59:48 GMT

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Steve,Seattle,Wash. — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 09:22:40 GMT

I read most of the comments and didn't see this observation. In the final scene, YOU are Tony Soprano. Every stranger is a potential death sentance, only the members of your family are safe. It's all about family. Even the crew was in almost\total? tatters. The world is unforgiving and brutal. If you live a life that death is an occupational hazzard, so be it. But this show was always about family, and holding it together. All of them meeting was the point. Wether Meadow walked in or Tony was shot is up to you.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

JD, Tampa, FL — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 10:00:15 GMT

For the guy proposing "meadowpark" become a new "TV culture lexicon", I propose a good hard slap across the face.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Alex B. NYC, BY — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 10:00:18 GMT

The ending was definitely a Lady or the Tiger ending, but all the omnious signs were there. I believe Tony and his entire family was killed. Phil's main beef with Tony stemmed from the fact that Tony never answered for killing members of his family/crew (remember it was three people he listed in the previous episode at the sit down with Tony). Phil asserted in the previous episode that the NJ mafia had no respect for the rules (and what a better way to pay Tony back?). It's also important to remember that no one outside of the crew could find Tony, so the fact that the potential assasins in the final scene came in right when the family members did - perhaps that's how they finally tracked Tony down - using his family whom he thought would be safe. Also remember, no one could find Phil, so even though his underbosses made peace with Tony, things were already set in motion by Phil at the time of his death. These signs compounded by the omen of the cat who had a thing for gazing at Christopher's picture, Paulie seeing the Virgin Mary in the strip club before turning down a job from Tony (remember that Tony had the same religious/spiritual sentiment to change when he first got out of the hospital - but at that moment it's clear whatever spiritual insight he gained was gone). Why do I believe it was a family massacre? Beyond the orange omen of the Godfather, and the man going to the bathroom like Michael Corleone - it's ironic the show ends in a dinner we've never seen before (so Tony "feels safe" - remember that lingo from GF?) Unlike the Godfather, the entire family that will be killed. The assassins were waiting on the entire family. Tony's daughter parallel parking problem was the only thing that prolonged his life by a couple of minutes. All in all, a brilliant piece of writing. Best series I've ever seen.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Nicky Legs, LA, CA — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 10:17:53 GMT

A song that Tony passed up on the jukebox in the final scene was Any Way You Want It, also by Journey...This title explains the ending David Chase implied more accurately. He wanted to leave us all chirping away with our own opinions...guessing, digging for clues and speculating...or did he? A few major theories: ONE: The mystery man in the diner comes out of the bathroom and shoots Tony as he is in a moment of peace with his family glancing up at Meadow walking through the door. In death, Tony "holds on to that feeling" like the song says. Note that in the previous episode, the flashback to Bobby's "don't hear it when it happens" quote is at the around the same time in the hour when the blackout occurs. David Chase didn't pull the trigger though. He didn't want it to stop... TWO: I believe even though Chase kept us on the edge of our seats with red herrings, the essence of the saga was capturing the authenticity of normal day-to-day family life through the eyes of a mobster and recognizing the dichotomy of his emotions. Love and fear. Taking it at simple face value, Tony lives and continues a life where every stranger can potentially be his ending. The price he must pay for his immediate survival and lifestyle. Both of his families are salvaged and for now the lovable anti-hero has won. He faces a probable long trial and maybe has dementia and old age to look forward to. (Note how he forgot the advice he had given AJ about "remembering the good times" just like Uncle Junior forgot he "ran North Jersey"...both answer "I did?") But for now he has succeeded in his hardest personal job of keeping his family happily together and raising two children into adulthood. So "the movie never ends, it goes on and on and on and on." THREE: While the dream theory is unlikely...I'd like to touch on a couple oddities I noticed. AJ mentions onion rings as he sits down, Tony says something about the steak and then the onion rings arrive later (without Tony ever ordering them or the drinks / even though the songs continuity should have kept it in real-time with no lapses). I also happen to look at the Holsten's menu and was surprised to see that they neither serve onion rings nor steak. For such and authentic show, that is kind of strange. As were all the familiar, yet only familiar, looking faces in the diner. I did a little rewind and took a look at whole Tony-shirt conspiracy and I can without a doubt confirm he did in fact have a khaki-color shirt when visiting Uncle Junior and when standing in the diner doorway. Then it cuts to him sitting at the booth with a striped shirt / black collar. The song playing when he walks in is "All that you Dream"... Who knows...maybe another season / movie? We'll see... I was satisfied.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

JER, Lansing, MI — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 10:22:25 GMT

We may never know, but: Ten to a dollar that, all across America yesterday, the orders for onion rings were higher than normal.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Brenda, Cherry Hill, NJ — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 11:03:34 GMT

The cat is something. Didn't Vito Corleone have a cat in the Godfather? He was petting it when he was talking to everyone in the beginning during the wedding. I felt that cat was Aidrianna or Chris; but was "theater of the absurd" somehow. (Ala Godfather I, the Members Only guy in the bathroom forshadowed a possible Godfather II ending, and Meadow at the end forshadowed a Godfather III ending). The screen going black was just his way of "wacking" the audience. We got whacked and thrown out of Tony Soprano's world

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Darrell Wichita Kansas — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 11:23:46 GMT

Funny......the Sopranos were eating Onion Rings at Holsteins and their menu does NOT even list Onion Rings!!!

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

sue Eichelberger — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 11:49:47 GMT

Brilliant ending..take use to the water, but don't let us drink..great..ended the way it should have..

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Andy, Parkland, Florida — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 12:07:40 GMT

If you watch the last few seconds of the finale in slow motion, it appears as if Tony is reaching for a gun with his left hand. He reaches down and then appears to attempt to bring his hand back up again, as if drawing a weapon. The look on his face is hard to read, but it does not appear to be the look Tony would have on his face while watching Meadow enter the diner. It could be fear, or maybe not. Having said that, it does not seem that anyone would want to whack Tony at this point in the show. His crew is relatively loyal, NY has agreed to back off, and the terrorists have left town. Then again, there are plenty of people Tony has wronged in the past, so I guess you can never rule out Tony getting whacked for sure.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Adrian Fratoni (Hamilton, Ontario) — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 12:17:30 GMT

After going to the matresses a week or two earlier; the chances of a mob boss(Tony) going out too dinner with his family and NO MUSCLE around him are slim and none; and slim has already left town. And he would have taken a seat at the back with back too wall. Chase has slipped in the past once in a while-like Tony going along on the Belavaqua hit with Pussy(who Makesian had fingered as a rat a year earlier)-NOT REALISTIC. In all, I say Tony lives and Chase cashes in HUGE going to the big screen.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Pete, Merritt Island Florida — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 12:32:46 GMT

Think whatever you want, but Tony is DEAD!! Forgetting for a moment that this is just a tv show and not real life, go back and think about how these gangsters act...if they screw up, someone makes them pay a hefty $$$ sum. They pay this money to "keep the peace", in this episode you saw the sitdown with the guys from Phil's crew and Tony told them that taking Bobby out was going to cost them as he was Tony's sister, the guy said, "ok, we'll come up with an amount", but you could see the wheels turning. If Tony got Phil, then there'd be no reason to pay Tony as you really wanted to finish getting him out of the way anyways. Plus, it could be justified to the other families because Tony whacked Phil. The reason for the abrupt "fade to black" is the point the show's creators have made all along, you never know when you're going to get it. All BS to the contrary about movie deals, etc. face it, it isn't going to happen, and besides why would you want a 2+ hour movie...these folks are not the Corleones. I say let the Sopranos rest in peace. Chase did a good job, even if he won't admit that Tony got killed.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Mike, Boston — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 12:41:32 GMT

Tony turned away from redemption in rejecting the Virgin Mary. Indeed he wanted to profit from the Virgin Mary sighting. Tony looked up at the sky in the backyard and stared directly into the warm light of the sun. This is what one would ordinarily see in a near death experience: a warm, loving welcoming light. Carmella comes to the backyard and pulls him back into this world. He looked longingly at, but turned away from the white tunnel. Just like anyone preparding for death, he made peace with all those around him. He then went to the "die"ner for the last supper. His seing himself elsewhere is the trnasition that is often described in moving to the other side. Seeing representations of others who he had killed or were involved in killing is again a manisfestation from the other side. Ordinarily, these manifestations are from loved ones. These are not loved ones, but others in a dark place. There is a bell for all those who enter the "die"ner. For thousands of years bells have been symbolic with warding off evil influences, and the announcement of good will. They are used in Feng Shui to symbolize the dispersal of malignant Chi` energy (Sha). The bell is the last thing you hear before Tony dies. Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee. After 8 years, you have become so connected to Tony and this series, and you now feel the pain of loss and separation. Don't stop believing. In the Tibetan Book of the Dead, a key element of transition to the other world is successful belief in transition to that other world. Tony is trying hard to believe. The last words are "dont stop". We dont hear believing. Tony does not go into a tunnel of warm loving light, but into what is known as the void: No light, no sound, no movment, no smell, no touch. Nothing. You feel "the void" for 10 seconds. Imagine an eternity. This, my viewers, is hell.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

John Willinger, Petersburg, Virginia — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 12:48:48 GMT

A couple of episodes back when Tony and Carmella went to Bobby & Janice's place up in the mountains there was a scene where Tony and Bobby where in the boat talking. They were talking about when Junior shot Tony, didnt Tony tell Bobby when you get shot eyerything goes black. I thought it was something like that, if so wouldnt the ending lead you to believe he got shot?

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Brian, Levittown, PA — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 12:53:19 GMT

I can't believe that you skipped "Multi-Link Monday" for this much coverage of a show that was effectively over three seasons ago. What was once a compelling and original mob drama had become a maudlin and dull soap opera in which I lost all ineterest. And from all that I have heard, the series finale was as tedious as any other recent episode. Yawn...

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Nicky Legs — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 12:53:19 GMT

Some of the songs that Tony passed up on the jukebox in the epic final scene were "Only The Strong Survive" and "I'm Alive". The title that explains the ending most is another he looked over, "Any Way You Want It" (also by Journey). David Chase wanted to leave us all chirping away with our own opinions...guessing, digging for clues and speculating. The Lady or the Tiger ending... People think the mystery man in the diner comes out of the bathroom and shoots Tony as he is in a moment of peace with his family glancing up at Meadow walking through the door. In death, Tony "holds on to that feeling" like the song says. People point that in the previous episode, the flashback to Bobby's quote about not "hearing (death) when it happens" is at the around the same time in the hour when the blackout occurs. None of the extras in the diner were in any previous episode of The Sopranos though...so there is no real motive. David Chase didn't pull the trigger. He didn't want it to stop...TONY IS NOT DEAD. While the dream theory is unlikely...I'd like to touch on a couple oddities I noticed. AJ mentions onion rings as he sits down, Tony says something about the steak and then the onion rings arrive later (without Tony ever ordering them or the drinks / even though the song's continuity should have kept it in real-time with no lapses). I also happened to take a look at the menu online for Holsten's and was surprised to see that Holsten's doesn't serve onion rings or steak. For such an authentic show, that is kind of strange...don't ya think? As were all the vaguely familiar looking faces in the diner. I did a little rewind and took a look at whole Tony-shirt conspiracy, and I can without a doubt confirm he did in fact have a khaki-color shirt when visiting Uncle Junior and when standing in Holsten's doorway. Then it cuts to him sitting at the booth with a striped shirt / black collar. Also the song playing when he walks in is, "All that you Dream"...I don't think it could have been a dream/memory, but just an interesting possibilty. I believe Chase purposely kept us on the edge of our seats with all the red herrings, the diners, and parallel parking, but the essence of the saga was simply capturing the authenticity of normal day-to-day family life through the eyes of a mobster and recognizing the dichotomy of his emotions. Love and fear. Taking it at simple face value, Tony lives on and continues a life where every stranger can potentially be his ending. The price he must pay for his immediate survival and lifestyle. Both of his families are salvaged, and for now, the lovable anti-hero has won. He faces a probable long trial and come to think of it, those men in the diner may actually be the FBI finally coming to take him in. Maybe this was "the last supper". Even so, for now, before he gets indicted or shot ot whatever you think, Tony has succeeded in his hardest and most important job of keeping his family happily together and raising two children into adulthood. So "the movie never ends, it goes on and on and on and on." So whats next...do we ever have closure? Movie? Who knows...maybe another season? I doubt it. I was satisfied though. It wasn't a neat ending, it was REAL. It reflected the entire life of the series and its characters with a moment ambiguity and uncertainty.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

nd — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 12:55:41 GMT

Actually I think everyone is making too much of the different shirts, we're not sure of the time frame and/or they are possibly a mistake in editing (if you pay attention thinks like that happen all the time)

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Vaughn Abbott, Newburyport, MA — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 12:59:33 GMT

The whole family getting whacked by the Russian that Christopher and Paulie let escape in Season Three (or was it Two?) would have the perfect ending to a show that left more dangling plot threads than an old checkered table cloth. Artsy Schmartsy my ass! It was pure commerce to keep the Sops' alive, Hollywood is sequel city and Chase wasn't about to kill his cash-cow. For me, The Sopranos died when Tony's Mom-from-Hell died. The show NEVER recovered after that and all the talking fish heads in the world won't convince me otherwise.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Jeff, Seattle, WA — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 13:04:28 GMT

They all ate the onion rings whole -- a sort of communion.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Tony Jundt — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 13:12:52 GMT

Did you notice that when the third bell rings, Tony's shifted to the right of the screen. This indicates that he was blowing a fart.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

John Barbanti, Dover Plains, NY — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 13:13:33 GMT

OK, I watched the last episode again yesterday and I have warmed up to the conclusion and I will explain why: First, the way I see it, Tony did not get wacked. When meadow crosses the street to go into the restaraunt, no one is going in ahead of here. There is no one else in the scene anywhere. In addition, as far as the discussion with Tony and Bobby about not seeing the end coming, it all goes black, When the screen goeas blank, we, the viewers are looking at Tony as he sees Meadow come through the door. In order for it to "go black" fo Tony, we would have to be seeing everything through Tony's eyes. He didn't get wacked, but someone else did! As viewers, we were brought into the world on the Sopranos, with all the goings on, the loose ends, the killings, etc. We became so involved that we felt as part of the story itself, as if we were in the world depicted and the lives portrayed like friends we routinely visit. We have become emotionally involved with the story and with the characters. We felt the range of emotions as some of our friends were killed and when there were close calls for our "Family", whether bodily harm, legally or emotionally. That being said, The one being wacked at the end of the show was you and I, the viewer. We lived the mob life and at the end we were "taken out", like so many of the characters before. We watched Tony and his family getting ready for dinner, and even though it was the last show, we didn't see ourselves getting wacked. We were sure it would be someone else and sat in our "Comfort Zone" in our recliners, couches, etc. We didn't see the end coming, and it just suddenly went black for us. So they go on as always, but we have been wacked and will no longer be part of the story, just as some of the main characters that are also no longer part of the story! As far as the loose ends, just as in real life, and just as the other wacked charatcers, we don't live to see any loose ends tied up or resolved. We didn't see it coming and now it is nothing but black for us.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Jo Miller, Stillwater, OK — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 13:13:38 GMT

Not really anything to do with the ending, but just adding to the final episode mysteries. Regarding Janice's visit with Junior, i thought she said something to the effect of ...it's Janice, your daughter... Am I making this up, or what?

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Cyndi, Pittsburgh, PA — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 13:14:16 GMT

I just shake my head at all of the conspiracy theorists, it's a television show after all. Or maybe I'm missing something that I can't pick up on the minutae while trying to enjoy the whole of the show. I thought the ending was brilliant, well done David Chase!!

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Craig Rauch — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 13:15:30 GMT

Who cares? I'm sick of all the Sopranos coverage. It's over, done and finished. Let's move on.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

britney, grants new mexico — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 13:18:14 GMT

the kids in the suv were not phils children they were his grandchildren

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Paul Amato Land O" Lakes FL — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 13:19:00 GMT

Everytime someone walked into the restaurant the camera was first on Tony and then on whoever was entering through the door. One man was shown to walk off to the bathroom and would either be on the side or behind Tony's line of site. When Meadow finally walks through the door the camera shows Tony look up and we, the viewer, just hear the door chime.The next angle is not of the door like the previous camera sequence but goes black almost indicating Tony got shot and this camera view, in the first person, goes black indicating what someone might see as they got shot.So just as he looks up at Meadow he gets capped.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Steve Kusheloff, Sunbury, PA — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 13:27:02 GMT

"The Sopranos" ended with Tony and his family eating onion rings in a local diner - nothing more, nothing less. The best comment here is "Tony doesn't die at the end, but the foreboding sense of doom and paranoid anxiety the viewers experienced in the last scene is what Tony has to endure for the rest of his life. Every day he survives means nothing more than that he hasn't been whacked YET." The stupidest comment is "Feeling manipulated during the last scene at the restaurant, I turned off the TV..."

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Bruce Kaplan Port Washington NY — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 13:38:50 GMT

Is it possible that AJ's statement "Remember the good times..." was a reference to the good episodes - unlike this season? The Russians in the snow, the end of Ralphie, Pussy, Ade?

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Guy Arseneau, New York City — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 13:40:08 GMT

I have a feeling that David Chase set the stage perfectly for a movie version of the Soporanos. After all, the character of Tony Soporano was left intact so anything could happen.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Theresa, Schenectady, NY — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 13:47:25 GMT

I think fans are looking into the last scene a little bit too much. Analyzing every suspicous character in the diner. I think that Chase was just trying to prove that no matter where the Soprano family goes together or individually that they always have to have eyes on the back of there head. That's just the way these type of "people" have to live there lives.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Kevin Craig, Omaha, NE — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 13:56:21 GMT

It was a perfect ending to a terrific series. While Tony is, fundamentally, a very bad person, he was the hero of the series. For that reason I was satisfied that he was not clipped. Leotardo was eliminated: that was enought closure for me. I've watched all the episodes of the series multiple times, and the final one meshes consistently with the way Chase has threaded the entire series. If he had chosen to end it any other way, he would have violated the authenticity of the show. Life is not black and white and there are few cut and dried resolutions to anything. Stuff happens, and life goes on.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

PilotPMX, Bronx, NY — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 14:02:46 GMT

The ending was brilliant. I'm the one that got whacked. I'm the one that experienced exactly what was described in earlier episodes. I had no warning, no sound, everything just went blank. Tony's face was on the screen when it happened. I was looking at Tony. I was the intruder, I knew too much... I didn't have to even be in the restaurant. Chase found me and took care of me. Blair Witch Project ended in a simular fashion, but in the end you were looking from the perspective of the victim. The last split second I was looking at Tony when the lights went out. In essence, Chase did to us what we have been fascinated by for so long. He let us be a part of their world... It wasn't personal, it was only business...

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Barbara Morton, Johnstown, NY — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 14:10:37 GMT

The final scene was perfect. David Chase built the tension to the point where it was almost unbearable then nothing but black screen. GOTCHA. Everyone is left to draw their own ending. I hate to say it but Tony is dead. "You don't hear it coming everything goes black" Tony let his guard down and that's when they(what was left of the NY mob) got him. The last thing he saw was Meadow, the one he loved the best. I don't want to see a movie because the story is over there is nothing else to say. Thanks Mr. Chase for a wonderful ride and a good laugh. You GOT us all and left us with some great memories. To those who need a neat little package to tie everything up let it go. Let your imgination soar come up with your version of an ending and be happy with it. It is only a TV show. although one of the best ever, it is still a TV show. BYE Tony, Carmella, A.J. and Meadow. It's benn great. Barb from Johnstown.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Carol, North Brunswick, NJ — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 14:31:56 GMT

I loved the show and watched every episode. The finale took everyone by surprise but I think it was great. I think it accomplished its purpose and that is what these blogs are all about. We keep talking about these people we love and hate and I really enjoy reading everyone's ideas and conclusions about what may or may not have happened. Hoping we see the Soprano's again..either a movie or a another series. I'll miss them all and I thank Mr. Chase and the entire cast for entertaining us for all these years. It was a great ride and God Bless You All!

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

wolfie, philadelphia, PA — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 14:43:58 GMT

ok everyone, please stop the madness. Is everyone truly analyzing the lack of steak or onion rings on the menu, and how it not textbook Soprano's that the menu isnt true to form??? Do you think the "Bada Bing" is called the Bada Bing? Monk's Cafe in Seinfeld is Tom's Restaurant -- WHO CARES?? Symbolism, Dream Sequences, Good v. Evil, Feng Shui, Red Herrings, ONION RINGS FOR GOD'S SAKE!?!?!??! It's a TV show series finale that ended the way David Chase wanted it to end. I mean, seriously, he wrote it, directed it, everyone's SAID that there's no reason to read into anything. All the relationship questions/concerns/issues have seemingly been tied up, however, with LIFE GOING ON. That's IT. Think: "Henry Hill at the end of Goodfellas". Did you LOVE that ending??? I gaurantee you'll kiss that movie's @ss upon request though. You people (which must include ME to a degree since i'm at least reading and writing about it) want so much more, but why? IT'S TELEVISION FICTION PEOPLE!! But i do think that cat was Christopher reincarnated, don't you? I can't believe I spent 7 minutes writing this. Take care.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Bo, Raleigh, NC — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 14:44:27 GMT

Onion rings as a key point. Sorry. Re-watched the show last night and Tony clearly tells AJ he had already ordered some when they arrive. He knows his kids and wife. Chase has made it possible for everyone to write their own ending. He used Hitchcock-ian scenes to build tension in the viewer toward an event that might -- or might not -- occur. The juxtopositioning of songs, TV shows, comments from Little Italy tour guides all added subtle underlying meaning to the show. Even the FBI agent. Cheating on his wife and playing his own angle (like Tony) to get his goal of justice (Phil's death) by any means. The lines of good and evil blend together. And what was with that scene with the female FBI agent. Did Harris need some Viagra or did she not like giving out info on Phil's location?

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

chazz, aberdeen, scotland — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 14:47:50 GMT

I think Dave Lawson and Steve from seattle have it right. the last scene is the best imagery of BEING Tony Soprano that Chase has yet put to film. I have always enjoyed the Sopranos and especially the music. Having Tony and family leave on my favorite Journey song makes the ending an everlasting memory.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Matt, NYC, NY — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 14:50:35 GMT

in the final scene, the song before "Dont Stop Believing" Starts with the lyrics "All, All that you dream..." Tony shows up, then is watching himself at the table. Janice walks in. Meadow is delayed walking in, just in time to see Tony shot, just like Janice did with her father. But, is it all a dream.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

WRS Albany, NY — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 15:04:57 GMT

Wonderful ending. Here's how i see it. Chase may be setting up the most vanilla character of them all (Meadow) as the focal point of a movie (if he chooses) All year and especially in the last episode Carmella and Tony lament the fact that Meadow is going to be a lawyer, not a Dr. It's clear that the feds have Tony. Movie opens w/Meadow entering the diner followed by the Feds doing exactly what Meadow said pushed her in to being a lawyer. The Feds roust Tony in a very unflattering way. The problem w/making a movie is that virtually all of the great characters are dead. Chris, Phil, Johnny Sac, Richie, Ralphie, Sil and Junior (basically) The way to get them back into a movie is thru flashback. Now fast forward a few yrs from the diner scene and here is Meadow becoming a world class defense att'y and she is defending Tony. The conflict (and Chase loves conflict) is that Meadow who turned a blind eye for so long with regard to her dad's doings now faces them as gov't evidence. She is tormented between doing her job and defending her dad and what she really is finding out about her. Sets up some wonderful scenes between Tony/Meadow and Carmella/Meadow. But by reenacting some scenes 9as evidence) Chase can bring back the "old crew" which will satisfy the masses.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Jeff, Mpls, Minn — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 15:07:32 GMT

The Soprano family after all these years dining at upscale restuarants finally had a family dinner at average joe's restuarant. That seemed pretty interesting in the final scene.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Margo Goodman — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 15:09:49 GMT

It is strange to me noone has considered the possibility of the Soprano family going into a witness protection program. There is so much meeting with the FBI at the end. In fact the peace they seem to show in the diner suggests they know this is where their life will begin again without the fear they've always known. The show is so much about family. And we all related to so much in their life through the years. Why not imagine the possibility of their actually leading a mundane family life somewhere else and of course continuing to have all of the same problems and intrigues we all have minus the bizarre mayhem of the Soprano mob life. This could open all sorts of possibilities for the creative Mr. Chase, but also leave us wondering endlessly about the much more interesting possibilities continuing life offers as opposed to complete anihilation. All those shadowy figures could have been FBI in disguise to guard and help them safely out. They were also in disguise for the audience to imagine the other more obvious endings. Tony had tons of juicy info for the program to be motivated to complete this scenario. Why not??? Huh????? Isn't this really what we loved about this show, not the constant blood but the survival and trials of this family amidst the blood.??????

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Tom, Baldwinsville, NY — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 15:14:44 GMT

I keep going back to the previous episode where Tony meets the N.Y. Jets headcoach in his favorite resturant (why?) and then the blackout scene at the end of the last one. It reminded me of the "Heidi" incident in 1968, where NBC pull the plug on the Jets/Raiders game in the final minutes, a black screen for a few seconds and then the Heidi movie started. NBC had the whole eastern seaboard wondering who won the game while the west coast (Hollywood) didn't have that problem. Just a thought, but I wonder if Chase is a Jets season ticketholder?

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Mark, College Station, TX — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 15:51:32 GMT

Mike from Boston: "Indeed he wanted to profit from the Virgin Mary sighting." Tony was joking man! He was giving Paulie a hard time for the completely ridiculous idea that Paulie saw the Virgin mary at a strip club. People are reading way too much into this stuff. Get off the peyote guy. It ended...the viewers got whacked. Tony will go on and on and on.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Chris, New York — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 15:55:48 GMT

The genius of the ending is that WE (the viewer) gets whacked. If we go back to Tony and Bobby's conversation in the boat (where when you're shot you don't hear it coming and it just goes black) then it makes sense. Out of nowhere, it ends. The series is over, the viewer gets whacked!

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Chris, New York — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 15:57:21 GMT

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Brad, New York — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 16:05:42 GMT

Not that I buy into the dream sequence theory, but I believe the song playing at the start of the Holsten's scene was "All That You Dream" by Little Feat

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Mary Spera — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 16:06:18 GMT

I'm going to miss Paulie -- you can't help but love the guy. He was my FAVORITE wiseguy!! Will miss Janice too.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Alan, Boston, MA — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 16:29:31 GMT

I've heard this explaination before, but it kind of makes sense. In real terms the viewers got whacked...out of Tony's world. His life goes on if only in his fictional universe which we no longer have access to. The end comes when you don't expect it, and just like that it's over.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Reg, New York, NY — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 16:45:39 GMT

Would love to know in the upcoming weeks how many people cancel their HBO??

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

William Ash, San Diego, Ca — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 16:48:03 GMT

I thought the ending was the worst written ending I've seen in a series. I'm very disappointed.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Joe, Hamden Connecticut — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 17:00:51 GMT

A friend points out that the whole show was about an end of an era. The tour bus notes that Little Italy used to be 40 blocks, now a fraction of that. Phil's lieutenant, walking through Little Italy, finds himself at the end of the conversation in Chinatown, lost. Tony decides NOT to play Tony Bennett, chooses Journey instead. Uncle Junior's only response to "this thing of ours" is, "that's nice." The title, "Made in America," suggests not just a "made" guy, but that it's not the original any more. And instead of having manicotti for dinner, as Carmela promised, the Sopranos go to a cheeseburger joint.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Tom Chicago — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 17:17:36 GMT

Hey, didn’t “Gilmore Girls” also have its series finale end in a diner a few weeks ago? Maybe, this is how all series should end. Picture everyone who doesn’t get killed on "Lost" ending the series sitting around a diner!

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Nan Peterson, Newport News, Va. — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 17:20:05 GMT

we can all speculate...but, did anybody just LOVE that cat? Now that is what the Soprano's does best...the extra's. i thought paulie was a scream...poor OCD soul that he is. Things wrapped up nicely....Janice, the scariest mommy in the world...Junior really gone this time...the shrink finally flipping out....the enabling family..how ironic that paulie is left alone sunning himself...remember the 1st season when their were 5 others sitting there with him? i miss them already!!!!

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Stugots — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 17:22:30 GMT

1. I loved the ending and for me, the Sopranos live on. All of them. 2. I was so glad to see that shmuck Phil go down!! 3. AJ is SUCH a baby. I had enough of his depression act. 4. So long to the best show ever made!

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

bcj — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 17:22:52 GMT

David Chase whacked the audience. In the end, he didn't make the characters go away. He made you go away instead. Cut to black, you're done. Rubbed out. Get it?

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Mark Elder, New York, NY — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 17:33:35 GMT

I never believed that Tony was about to get "hit" in Holstens. The only people who knew he was eating there were Carmela, Meadow and A.J. Which one of them was going to order up a couple of African-American hitmen? The ending was intended to show that their rotten, superficial, endlessly dangerous lives would continue...until they didn't.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Bill Glover, Kipton, Ohio — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 17:46:05 GMT

David Chase has just given arguably the best TV show ever more reason to be talked about. Why put closure on something so great and so revered? Leaving it open-ended has just solidified its greatness and leaves every Sopranos fan and more begging to see one more episode.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Dan, Des Moines IA — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 18:01:21 GMT

The beauty of The Soprano's is that we all loved and hated Tony at the same time. We watched every episode wanting something to happen to him yet hoping he'd prevail at the same time. That conflict made the series. The ending left us with that same conflict - it couldn't have been more perfect.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Dave, FL — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 18:04:42 GMT

It's just a TV show. Outrage? Don't have to mourn Tony's death? Are you serious? IT'S JUST A TV SHOW.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Attlantic City Lou — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 18:15:58 GMT

For all of the reasons expressed by prior bloggers I concur that, as difficult as it is for us Tonyophiles to accept, Tony was whacked in the diner. To these I add the following: Tony was in the process of being indicted for crimes that could send him either to John Gotti's fate or even to the death chamber. As we know from prior episodes, Tony had never in his life done any appreciable prison time (unlike stand up guys such as Tony Blundetto, Richie Aprile and Phil Leotardo). I'm sure the NY families had the ability to learn of the impending indictment and they would have to be insane to roll the bones on Tony's not flipping and hope that he would do his time without cooperating. I'm guessing that Phil's successors correctly concluded that Tony would not (or could not) do time. As for Carmella and the kids, my guess is that the only other casualty in the diner was AJ, the NY families being fearful that the son would attempt to avenge the father (a la AJ's attempt on Uncle Junior and the young Vito Corleone (GF2).

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Steve, Chicago, IL — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 18:17:37 GMT

My incredibly worthwhile contribution to this existential discussion of the whole Soprano's finale issue... >> Holsten's has onion rings: http://offthebroiler.wordpress.com/2007/06/11/nj-dining-holstens/

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

J Galdes, Chicago, IL — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 18:20:07 GMT

Has any commented on the obvious use of red in the final scene? Carmela's red coat? Red is known to symbolize death in film (and they were seated on a red banquette)which gives credence to the theory that Tony was killed and that's why the scene went to black. Even the use of the ketchup in the earlier scene.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

John Doe — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 18:32:24 GMT

He was killed.... in fact, the ending was genius if you've paid attention to the show or are just a fan of well developed well thought out plots that all tie together and have the memory of a champ to remember it all the ending was simple, he got killed, but let me tell yall why and explain in detail... There was 3 people in the room total who had a reason to kill tony..... the two black guys, they were paid before to kill tony but he was only shot in the ear, this was in one of the earlier seasons, also in the earlier seasons, the trucker who was sitting at the bar stool, who the camera kept focusing in on, is Nikki leotardo, Phil Leotardos nephew, he was in one of the early season episodes where Phil and Tony have a sit down.... heres where the genius comes in.... When tonys walking in the diner,you see the camera focus on him, then it switches to his perspective, and you see him looking @ the booth hes gonna sit at... then the camera switches back to tonys face, then it once again switches to his perspective, and it shows him looking @ the door and looking @ the people come in..... Everytime the door opens the Chimes sound....... Carmela walks in, Chimes, AJ walks in Chimes, this when Meadows parallel parking, still trying to get inside the restaurant.... at this point the camera switches back to the trucker who goes in the bathroom...... Then it goes to a scene where meadow finally parks and starts running in the diner.... the doors about to open, Tony looks up.... and No Chimes...................... No Music............ Everything just goes black............... In one of the early episodes of the sopranos, tonys talking with bobby about what it must feel like to die.. Bobby says "at the end, you probably dont hear anything, everything just goes black" part of that was revisited in the second to last episode during the last seconds of it, when tonys about to go to sleep and he flashes back to the memory of him and bobby on the boat... "You probably dont hear anything everything just goes black" so in the end, the Journey song was playing, the chimes on the door sounded but when meadow came in, the guy in the trucker hat came out and killed tony... its the reason you aint hear, or see shit when he died.... it was from his perspective.... and everything went black, then the credits rolled.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Ryan Bolzer — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 18:36:29 GMT

The ending was better than expected. However, in the previous episode they did cut (out of nowhere) to Tony and Bobby in the boat talking about what it's like to be killed and Bobby says something like "everything just goes black, you probably don't hear nothing, feal nothing or see nothing." I feel better now that I know that all those people in the restaurant weren't in previous episodes as people have said. Perfect ending and I hope in a few years they come back with one more season. Someone needs to tell Tony (James) that it's not about putting out a bad image, but more importantly the best ensamble of actors ever on a series. Granted he is in virtually every scene an it probably drains more on him than anyone else, so he should call the shots. Hopefully he changes he mind and this ending would allow him to do so....

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Wanna be Tony's Goomada — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 18:38:57 GMT

Didn't someone once say, "You always leave them wanting more!" That's what here did but we will never know now will we. . .

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Meadow Soprano, NJ — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 18:39:05 GMT

I finally parked the car.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Palia, Pa — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 18:45:55 GMT

Listen to what is said on the tv sets playing during the finale and you will laugh at what is being said.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Pixel Man, San Jose, CA — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 18:59:00 GMT

I am surprised that with all the analysis of the music played in the diner, nobody has mentioned the song in the background when Tony first arrives. It continues to play while he peruses the jukebox choices. The song is by Little Feat and is titled "All That You Dream". To me it says way more than the Journey song does. Here is a link to the lyrics: http://www.lyricsdownload.com/little-feat-all-that-you-dream-lyrics.html

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Linda Alvey, Richmond, Va. — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 19:05:15 GMT

I have not been a fan of Sopranos, but my 20 something children have. I watch with them occasionally. I do agree somewhat with one of the comments that the ending belies Tony's life in an existential way. However, from the standpoint of perspective, not withstanding all the details that, as a non-fan, I don't recognize; It seems the last shot was from the daughter's eyes. Tony smiled as if he were looking at her. Maybe the guy who went to the restroom shot her- dream or no dream.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Lou, Fremont, MI — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 19:05:47 GMT

Uncle Junior was behind it. His M.O was to hire African American males to make hits. Junior is only pretending to be sick in order to stay out of prision.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Robert — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 19:22:15 GMT

The Sopranos ending was like before the guitar solo to Stairway to Heavn Jimmy Page saying I'll leave it to your imagination. A true genius shows us what can be done and doesn't say I'll leave it to your imagination as an excuse!!

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Tristan Yates — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 19:50:03 GMT

Okay, fine, my theory is that Meadow tripped over the camera cord. We would have to have all these stupid theories if the writers had just done their job and provided us a decent ending. It the least you can ask for when you watch a serial drama for 7+ years.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Mark, College Station, TX — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 19:58:31 GMT

Ryan Bolzer, It wasn't out of nowhere that he had that flashback. It was when Bobby got killed and Tony was thinking about him and the conversation they had. Not really out of place. It was kind of like he was wondering if Bobby went out without knowing it was coming.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Berkshireblue, Williamstown, MA — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 20:20:00 GMT

I am a fairly new fan and liked te ending mostly for being so thought provoking. I like the "audience whacked theory" BUT... I watched the last scene several times last night per a work discussion. At Holstens Tony apparoaches, walks in wearing the same clothes as he had on at the Junior visit-he looks at the people in the restaurant-we see it from his perspective-nothing odd-then it cuts back to us seeing Tony and then he/we look at the restaurant again-he's now in the booth with the other shirt on-from then on it focuses on him in the booth. I can hardly believe this was some "accident" about the clothes and perspective but I have no clue what it means-someone told me the shirt he has on is one he was wearing when he was Kevin Finnerty while he was in a coma (didn't watch back then). I listened again to the conversation to see if he was Kevin Finnerty now but, no, he still discusses his lawyer and chance of being indicted-so he's still Tony-I just don't get the change of clothes and him looking at himself sitting in the restaurant-looking for theories.....

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Angela, Scranton, PA — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 20:57:16 GMT

http://imdb.com/title/tt0141842/fullcredits#cast This lists all actors, big and small, who were on the Sopranos. I do not see a Niki Leotardo anywhere. (If he was indeed, in a previous ep) http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/1... This is the dude who was the "Members only man"-- Never in previous episodes.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

L.S., Bowie, MD — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 21:26:36 GMT

I was disappointed in what I felt was a letdown of an ending initially although I did appreciate the intense sense of foreboding. I've reconsidered it though and now perceive it to be maybe the greatest double entendre in TV history! When Bobby says he wonders if you don't see the end coming to Tony on the lake, he foreshadows the future. We, the audience, were waiting for Tony to get whacked but in the end "we" didn't see the end coming!! In essence, the audience got whacked... BRILLIANT!!! I love it

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

DC in NY — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 21:31:27 GMT

Finally, a rationale that works. Thank you Lester Mainwaring from yesterday's blog. Here is his quote: "Tony's father...was killed in an IDENTICAL scenario. Familiar restaurant, surrounded by family, and Johnny Boy didn't see it coming. But young Tony did: he was seated near his father and saw the hit man coming in(but he froze). At Holstein's, AJ was seated EXACTLY where he needed to be in order to see the hit man coming from the restroom." Tony is dead and gone. Killed in front of his family just as Phil was killed in front of his. Probably by NY who thought he was a liability due to the impending federal case. And the Feds had him, not just for guns, not just for dumping asbestos, not just for bid rigging, but likely for Phil's murder. Good night Tony. Fade to black.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

JOEL L. ADAMS — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 21:38:15 GMT

can someone tell me who is carlo the person who had flipped.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Colin, Charleston, SC — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 21:40:04 GMT

Tony was killed .... .... in fact, the ending was quite ingenius if you've paid attention to the show or are just a fan of well developed, well thought-out plots that all tie together and have the memory of a champ to remember it all. The ending was simple ... Tony was killed ... but let me tell you why and explain in detail ... there were 3 people in the diner total who had reason to kill Tony. The two black guys, they were paid before to kill Tony but he was only shot in the ear ... this was in one of the earlier seasons. Also in earlier seasons, the trucker who was sitting at the bar stool, whom the camera kept focusing on, is Nikki Leotardo, Phil Leotardos nephew, he was in one of the early season episodes where Phil and Tony have a sit down. Here is where the genius comes in .... When Tony is walking into the diner, you see the camera focus on him, then it switches to his perspective and you see him looking @ the booth he is gonna sit in. Then the camera switches back to Tony's face, and once again switches to his perspective. It shows him looking @ the door and looking @ the people come in ..... everytime the door opens, it chimes .... ....... Carmela walks in - it chimes, AJ walks in - it chimes. This is also when Meadow is parallel parking and trying to get into the restaurant .... .... at this point the camera switches back to the trucker who goes in the bathroom. Then it goes to a scene where meadow finally parks and starts running towards the diner .... The door is about to open, Tony looks up .... ..... no chimes ...................... ..... no music ............ ..... everything just goes black ............... In one of the early episodes of the Sopranos, Tony is talking with Bobby about what it must feel like to die. Bobby says "At the end, you probably dont hear anything, everything just goes black." Part of that was revisited in the second to last episode during the last seconds of it, when Tony is about to go to sleep and he flashes back to the memory of he and Bobby on the boat ... "You probably dont hear anything everything just goes black." So in the end, the Journey song was playing, the chimes on the door sounded but when Meadow came in, the guy in the trucker hat came out of the bathroom and killed Tony ... Its the reason you don't hear or see anything when he died .... it was from his perspective .... and everything went black, then the credits rolled.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Jonathan Kleier, New York, NY — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 22:08:21 GMT

OK, I guess a lot of these theories are well thought out. Cut to black and Tony's dead. But I just don't think that's what happened. The Sopranos has been using a lot of cinematic editing tricks lately, and I think that's all this scene was: some bizarre editing. Actually very bizarre... In the last scene, Tony walks into the diner, wearing a dark colored jacket, and a shirt. The camera is on Tony, he looks around the diner where the camera shows Tony Soprano sitting at a table, in a slightly different outfit.(I see this was mentioned in the post). In other words, Tony walks into diner, surveys the area, and Tony "sees" Tony sitting at a table in the diner. I put "sees" like that because Tony doesn't necessarily see himself. But we do. This isn't novel in any way. It's standard shot-reverse-shot editing that viewers are "trained" to understand from the thousands of films we've watched. Chase subverts the tradition, and he edits to confuse, manipulate and play with the audience. How 'bout that? Were there actually two Tony's? An alternate universe as has been mentioned in this final season? Was Kevin Finnerty Tony Soprano's coma dream, or some meta-physical other world? It seems obvious those are ridiculous thoughts, and I think they are. Yet in the Sopranos universe they play with that idea, occasionally. Here it was with clever editing. Back to the shady truck driver and the two black guys. I think there's nothing to it, they are nobodies, and Chase edits his shots to seem like they might be someones. So the shots of the guy going to the bathroom, the 2 black guys, sure, anything is possible. But they edit like this often, comparing and contrasting, etc. and many times it is a manipulation to increase tension, and nothing else. Other times, 1 of the black guy's guns might all of a sudden be edited into the back of Tony's head. But that was not going to happen here. Then again, they also concluded the show with an edit that, to my knowledge has never ever been used like that. They seem to like using editing to add meaning. To create tension that really wouldn't exist if edited differently, to mess with our thoughts, and they've done that for the whole series. Only the final cut to black was beyond what anyone could have ever expected or understood, maybe never will it be made clear what Chase meant. The end.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Ron, Westerly Rhode Island — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 22:10:06 GMT

I just want to thank David Chase and the cast and crew for a terrific eight years. I do not recall any series which has captured my imagination in the manner that this show did. The acting was superb. You know that you are watching a great actor when you hate a character so much (Ralph, Phil, Paulie)that you can't wait to see him get whacked, and in doing so, you have to remind yourself that this is only an actor and the whole thing is fiction. Very few actors or actress's have the ability to make the viewer forget that this is all make believe. When you watch James Gandolfini in his other roles, he can make you completely forget that he is Tony Soprano (Last Castle, Get Shorty, Crimson Tide...). There will never again be a TV character quite like Tony Soprano. Thank you all again for a wonderful show. I will miss you.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Brian — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 22:23:29 GMT

Best Explaination I've heard so far:TONY IS DEAD Body: Tony Soprano was killed.... In fact, the ending was genius if you've paid attention to the show or are just a fan of well developed well thought out plots that all tie together and have the memory of a champ to remember it all the ending was simple, he got killed, but let me tell y'all why and explain in detail... When Tony walks into the Holston's, you see the camera focus on him, then it switches to his perspective, and you see him looking @ the booth hes gonna sit at... Then the camera switches back to Tony's face, then it once again switches to his perspective, and it shows him looking @ the door and looking @ the people come in..... Everytime the door opens the chimes sound....... Carmela walks in, Chimes. AJ walks in, Chimes. This all happens while Meadow is parallel parking, still trying to get inside the restaurant.... At this point the camera switches back Nikki Leotardo who goes in the bathroom... Then it goes to a scene where Meadow finally parks and starts running into the diner... The door is about to open, Tony looks up... and No Chimes... No Music... Everything just goes black... In one of the early episodes of the Sopranos, Tonys is talking with Bobby about what it must feel like to die. Bobby says, "at the end, you probably dont hear anything, everything just goes black!" This idea was revisited in the second to last episode during the last seconds of it, when Tony is about to go to sleep and he flashes back to the memory of him and Bobby on the boat... "You probably dont hear anything everything just goes black" So in the end, the Journey song was playing, the chimes on the door sounded but when Meadow came in, someone killed Tony. This is the reason you didn't hear or see sh!t when he died.... it was from his perspective... and everything went black, then the credits. bada bing!!

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Ki m , LIvonia, MIchigan — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 22:48:33 GMT

I loved the final show, Chase is making his point everyone's talking about it. My theory: we got whacked (the viewers). The significance of the cat showing up is about Tony's 9 lives. Also, I think the cat could be a reincarnated Adrianna, the cat was purring at Christopher's picture and that freaked Paulie out too. Loved the show going sadly miss it... Kim~~

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Kimberly, San Diego — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 23:18:00 GMT

There are some great and very deep theories here. And I like most of them all. It gives me a good feeling to actually wonder about the diner scene and try to imagine what happened next. That in itself must be great television, for I am wondering about something that is purely fiction, giving it a lot of time and pondering what really happened! Crazy good. I loved it all. Even the A & E version is great to watch. The music, the cat, Paulie, crazy Uncle Junior and onion rings. Oh yeah, it's all perfect the way it is. (Fiction or no fiction, I am still saying a little prayer for Silvio~)

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

David Chase, North Caldwell, NJ — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 23:25:34 GMT

For all of you who will not stop talking about the ending..... The finale ended with Tony having dinner with his family, no death, no conspiracy, no murderer in the Ice Cream Parlor. There will be an HBO two hour moving as long as the cast signs on within the next three years which will wrap up the show. Please stop calling and writing and bombarding HBO with your comments and questions on the ending. It is what it is, just a family having dinner, you the viewer is the paranoid one, not Tony.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Kimberly, San Diego — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 23:26:31 GMT

John Doe, you win. You said it best. Right on; a perfect summation.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

tnsmoke — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 23:34:29 GMT

David Chase said today (from France) that's he's not going to pick apart the finale, said basically "watch the episode, all the answers are there.". I think too many fans are not letting the show end, and still expounding on more unrealistic theories, like the patrons in the diner being hitmen etc. Tony stopped the gang war with a sit down with Butch and the NY guys. Tony's not on any hit list. Even if he was, he did just what he should do "change old habits". He did't go eat at Artie's restaurant, he went to a diner her rarely goes to, and on the spur of the momemnt. He looked up at everyone coming in and out of the diner because the bell at the door makes you look up....plus, Tony was bored basically. From day one he and Carmella and Aj have had nothing to talk about, each in their own world. Small talk is all they know, with long periods of silence. Tony was bored, eating his onion rings and scanning the customters just like we all do when we eat out in small diners. The fade to black was just a "life goes on" ending. I appreciate it, and figure if this is Chase's ending, it's fine with me. Since the series is over, we need no more conspiracy theories. I think those who are cancelling their HBO would have done it anyway once the show ended, as those are the ones who only got HBO to see the Sopranos. Liking or not liking the ending has nothing to do with it. Me, I'm enjoying season 2 of Big Love and plan on watching old seasons of The Sopranos on On Demand again (have the 1st 3 on vhs)...

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Mike, Omaha Ne. — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 23:45:35 GMT

I couldn't eat or sleep all weak in anticipation that Tony was going to get whacked in the final episode. My heart was pounding so hard that I had to take an asprin. I think the two guys in Holstein were planted there by the feds.If the producers don't make another movie that's fine with me.Going to miss this show greatly.Long live Tony Soprano.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Paulie Walnuts — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 00:28:17 GMT

Silly question: why didn't the daughter of such a well-off organized crime figure have a Lexus that can actually park itself? They make those now...

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

alan t — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 00:46:52 GMT

go back and watch bobby getting shot, syl getting shot...do you really think that they just went blank?....and as for not wanting to pay off janice, NY already had, by giving her Johny's house! No one was there to kill Tony. Now, the argument could be made that the entire final episode was a dream, that tony got wacked in the "safe house" without ever waking up, but I don't buy that. As for the shirt, the shirt was the same on looking into the restaurant and when he was sitting there, just without the coat, HOWEVER, the music in the background never changed.... a mistake or a clue, who knows? Chase left us to end it on our own, but we didn't get whacked, Tony and his family didn't get whacked, but the show got whacked.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Paula, Playa del Rey, CA — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 00:59:15 GMT

Answer to question above: When Janice was talking with Uncle Jun, she didn't say she was his (i.e. "your") daughter, she said she was "her" daughter, meaning Livia. Uncle Jun thought Janice was Livia. And he wasn't far off...

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Looking for some answers, Phila — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 01:41:59 GMT

The real issue with the last show is, and I'm surprised nobody else seems to be reacting to it, the fact that the guys in the NY mob turned on Phil with no explanation. It just happened and it didin't fit. It's a plot hole you could drive a truck through. Last episode they couldn't wait to put a bullet in Tony's head. This episode they sit with him and talk about Phil "changing". It was too easy and convenient and sent The Sopranos into the realm of every other network show that ties up loose ends to neatly. That being said, the last few minutes, and the ending were excellent.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Nick Mancinelli mountainside, NJ — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 02:32:07 GMT

Disgusting ending. If you think that was creative, kill yourself.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Jackson Silva, San Diego, Ca. — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 02:49:19 GMT

The man going into the restroom brought back memories of Michael Corleone heading to the men's restroom to retrieve the gun for an eventual "whack". Based on that, in my opinion I am going to assume Tony was also "whaked". Also, I recently attended the Soprono Site Tour in New York . If I remember correctly the director of the tour (a small character part in the early episodes) stated that "Four different finale shows were filmed. NOBODY from the cast knows which one will finally be shown". It would be nice if the alternate endings would become available.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Jon — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 03:00:13 GMT

Anna Cassidy..and everyone else who keeps bringing up this "gun hidden in the bathroom" thing. It's been done once in a movie, in the Godfather...and why was it used..because Michael knew he would be checked for a weapon upon arriving at a meeting. Could someone who expouses this theory please explain two things A. How this "hitman" would know Tony would be there B. More importantly, why the hell he would hide a weapon where it might be found as opposed to just coming in with it in a jacket pocket?

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

JOHN G, Queens NY — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 03:28:59 GMT

david chase let us get a long look at the two titles, don't stop believing,any way you want it. That says it all. Make your own ending and don't stop beliving it. The little feet song , potentially keeps the character alive. you be the judge.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

still a fan, fl — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 03:37:15 GMT

Thought the ending was great. We shouldn't always be spoonfed - use your imagination. And I loved the "we're gonna win this thing" statement by Agent Harris after finding out about Phil (which he had a part in). Just like the DeVecchio/Scarpa thing in 92.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

John Wareing, Tucson, Arizona — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 03:58:14 GMT

During that ten-second blackout: The Members Only guy comes out of the bathroom and whacks Tony. The two black guys shoot the Members Only guy, Carmella and AJ. The guy in the USA hat shoots the two black guys. Meadow, who finally makes it into the diner, pulls a gun out of her purse and shoots the guy in the USA hat. The Russian, who disappeared into the woods some time back, reappears and throws a Molotov Cocktail into the diner, killing everyone. Roll credits.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Matt, Austin, TX — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 04:00:35 GMT

Losing his shirt? Watch closely - as he opens the door, his jacket opens up and you can see the white stripe.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

William Miller — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 04:04:44 GMT

A couple of things no one has mentioned: Didn't it seem that Phil's underlings in the NY family agreed awfully quickly to betray their boss, the only reason given that he had "changed" and was too obsessed with personal revenge against Tony? Could have been a setup to get Tony to let down his guard. Notice that they refused to finger Phil for Tony, and they couldn't have known that the FBI agent would provide the key tip about the gas station pay phone. Even if Tony was killed in the diner, these theories about the whole family getting whacked are crazy. One reason mobsters don't hit families is that the cops, prosecutors and newspapers wouldn't overlook that. For political reasons they'd go after the mob hard, that that's bad for business. Maybe AJ to keep him from seeking revenge, but then AJ is a flake and a screwup and everybody knows it. I doubt NY would see him as a threat. Speaking of AJ, I think it's great that all it took to knock him off his moral high-horse about Afghanistan and such is to dangle a movie production job and a trendy nightclub in his face. Just like that he's back on the couch laughing at cartoons with his girlfriend. Tony played him like a violin. Finally, Chase's manipulation of our need for closure: We've all grown up on cinematic conventions and visual shorthands that have remained consistent since silent films. When the camera shows us something we automatically assume it's important. Why else would they show it to us? So it's natural for us to assume that Meadow taking half an hour to parallel park and a mysterious guy in a Member's Only jacket will somehow impact the scene. We are not jumping to conclusions, David Chase is feeding them to us. Furthermore, years of viewing has conditioned us to expect resolution, if not closure, and given that we all have clocks in our living rooms and knew that the episode had to be ending very soon, we kept expecting that resolution with every camera cut. Dragging it out created unbearable tension. I think the one and only purpose of creating so much tension was for us to feel what it's like to constantly have to look over one's shoulder, as Tony will have to do for the rest of his life. The cut to black may or may not have been his getting whacked, but either way it's a bit of a cheat on Chase's part to refuse to explain. I personally think it's a cop out to say that the ending should be whatever each viewer thinks it should be. No, David. I'm paying YOU to make up the story. If I wanted to make it up myself I could do it for free.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Jonny — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 04:33:18 GMT

If you didn't like the ending; you didn't get it. Chase is pure genious. If you wanted closure, things to be "tied up" -- stick to Friends and Cheers type shows...please...

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

David Andrews, Pittsburgh, PA — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 04:53:49 GMT

The two African-American guys who enter the diner = the "two black guys" who are always to blame whenever anyone on the Sopranos needs a cover story. (As when Tony missed being arrested with Tony Blundetto because "two black guys" jumped him, though TS actually had a panic attack. There are numerous other "two black guys" references over the seasons.) Are they minions of Uncle Junior? I don't think Junior is as far gone as he let on in the last episode.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Ben Feldman — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 07:43:57 GMT

I've looked all over and can't find anyone commenting on an episode earlier in the season where Silvio witnesses a murder in the restaurant. He (and we) never hear the gunshot. In fact, the audio goes off completely for several seconds. Silvio later tells Tony he didn't even hear the shot. This, together with what Bobby told Tony in the boat make me believe that Chase is hinting to us that in fact Tony did get shot in the end and he (like us) never hear it coming. benfeldmancomedy.com

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Larry, Los Angeles, CA — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 08:14:15 GMT

Technically speaking, if we were viewing from Tony's perspective, and the cut to black meant he was killed, wouldn't the logical final shot be of Meadow entering the diner (the last thing he would have seen after glancing up) and then cutting to black? It was us, the viewers, who got wacked.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Danny Wilson — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 08:57:42 GMT

What it is....as in what Chase is saying...Tony Carmela and AJ are losers...they have each sold out their souls when confronted with morality versus personal gain...while Meadow hasn't and is left to watch the train wreck...metaphors:the onion rings are both symbolic of the body of christ and; zeros; which is what they are....zeros...losers; in search of faith but unable to find it within themselves...Meadow isn't able to "parallel" park because she's not in synch with this...even Paulie has a small moment of redemption, albeit fear of death, when he turns down personal gain for both that and a vision of the virgin mary.....the danger that surrounds them in the end is of their own doing and will always be there until or unless they see the light...it doesn't matter who lives or dies...what Chase is portraying is basically..."it is what it is with these characters"....and he did it perfectly.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Danny Wilson, Secuacus, NJ — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 09:10:33 GMT

A little more backup to my previous comment. Tony's perception of "good luck" in gambling after killing Christopher. Carmela's ability to turn a blind eye to Tony's infedelity to build her "spec" house. As well as her role in bribing AJ out of his moral sense of purpose. AJ's sudden turn from concern about all the world's troubles to getting into the movie business and maybe even getting his own "club" out of it. It's all there folks...all you have to do is see it.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

John, Detroit, Michigan — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 10:30:10 GMT

The guy who said the trucker was the guy who owned the sporting goods store and lost a lot of money in the card game is SO totally wrong. They look NOTHING alike. It was funny because he seemed so sure of it when that guy is obviously not the sporting goods store guy. Anyway, I agree with the guy who said that all the tension in the final scene is what Tony has to live with the rest of his life. Knowing eventually his life will end violently.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

R. Ewaska — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 11:54:31 GMT

Great Ending. The show begins with Tony in bed in a middle America house to an alarm clock going off. When has Tony ever woken to an alarm clock? There are also sheets and blankets on the bed which were not there in the prior weeks ending segment. Also, when they are sitting at the table after Bobby's funeral doesn't AJ say something like "you are all living in a dream"? I believe the whole series has been based on dreams. Meadow represents what everyone wants, a good child with some moral values who is pretty, popular, gets accepted and attends an "Ivy League" school, becomes either a doctor or a lawyer and marries very well. AJ is the polar opposite, possibly representing real life issues (maybe Tony when he was younger). Also, at the sit-down doesn't someone say "this has gone too far" and "this has got to end" (something like that)? Maybe the new house that Carmella bought was Tony's real house, free of all the trappings of wealth to which he 'dreamed' of, just real life stuff. Anyway, I just if Mr. Chase had plotted out the final end to this series years ago it might have been that the entire scenario was just a dream and in the end Tony wakes up.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Tania Clatsoff Brookshaw — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 13:03:31 GMT

Here is my comment - Did anyone else notice the symbolism of three in the final scene? Three boy scouts, three creamers by the one guys coffee, three drinks on a table, Meadow attempts to park three times and the car in front of her parking spot has the number 3 as the first digit in the lis. plate? Three has been known to represent the trinity, the father, the son and the holy spirit, and the life cycle of birth, life and death. Plus, when he was in the Adrondacks with Bobby and they discussed what it was like to get whacked Tony said, 'It all goes black.' So I am thinking that Tony is whacked until the right movie deal comes along.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Mike, San Antonio, TX — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 13:47:20 GMT

So I have it all figured out. Chase said “Anybody who wants to watch it, it’s all there.” The mysterious guy at the bar was wearing the Members Only jacket. The first episode of the 6th season was called Members Only. What happened in that episode? Tony got shot and went into a coma. Those that say the whole show revolves around Tony’s perspective and that the screen went black because he was killed are completely wrong. If that was the case…why did the story lines in the outside world continue while T was in the coma? Us as the viewers were allowed access to everything including Tony’s coma/dream world. The reason why the screen went black at the end…our pass was revoked and we were whacked. Just like Tony in Vegas…now “I get it!” -And if the guy in the Members Only jacket was the “hitter”, he is a poor excuse for one. Why would he go past Tony in to the bathroom which is farther into the restaurant? Why would he put more obstacles between himself and the door? It makes no sense.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Josh Chicago, IL — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 15:17:21 GMT

I noticed a little bit further back that somebody had mentioned Phil and the children in the car. Those aren't his children they are his grandchildren. That isn't Phil's wife it's either his daughter or his daughter in law.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Ron Legro, Milwaukee, WI — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 15:24:33 GMT

When the Sopranos eat the onion rings, none bite down; they place the entire ring in their mouths, over their tongues, and their lips close, engulfing the food. They are taking communion.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Cindy Goedel, Ramsey, MN — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 15:33:08 GMT

I heard that in the episode where Bobby and Tony were in the boat on the lake that Tony asks "when do you know you're dead" and Bobby replies "When the lights go out and the music stops." I don't have that episode TiVo'd anymore, but if that's true, it would be fitting that Tony dies in the end.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Pepperbird, Texas — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 16:21:45 GMT

I thought I saw AJ's girlfriend sitting there watching TV with him when Carmela said family dinner is at the diner tonight because she had "meetings with carpenters". So perhaps the girlfriend knew that the whole family would be together there. If so, she could have betrayed them, or someone could have tricked her into revealing it. I think Tony was killed in front of his family. New York was already seeing a power and money vacuum and was taking advantage--an opportunity to grab it all. Asking for money for Janice's loss sealed Tony's fate. And finally, this isn't the typical American family whose lives merrily go on with bright futures. Tony was a cold-blooded murderer, and an argument can be made that these people had been living off blood money for years as codependent vampires.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Keith, Albuquerque, NM — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 16:40:34 GMT

I say Tony choked on the onion rings. Meadow regrets dropping out of med school. She coulda saved him.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Dave J, Baltimore, MD — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 16:42:32 GMT

Sorry I just see this as the self-indulgent artiste. In an analogy to olymic skating. He hit all the compulsories of the sport and added a number of supplemental difficult moves - like you expect from a pro. But he lost it on artistic interpretation because he couldn't commit to the work.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Matt, Pittsburgh, PA — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 18:41:56 GMT

The whole "leave it up to the viewer's interpretation" is such a cop out. I don't hang blank canvases on my walls to imagine what pictures could be there and I don't watch tv to imagine my own endings. I watch to be entertained by Chase's and others imagination. And now this ending has become the emperor's new clothes... nothing was there but fans of the show want to act like they get it so they make up ways to say how perfect or artistic the ending was. Admit it, while the show started out great the past few seasons have been a little slow and it ended with a fizzle not a bang.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Bill Worthy Anchorage Alaska — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 19:08:50 GMT

I assumed that the construction worker and the guy at the counter were feds. If they were wise guys there to take Tony out, they would have just walked up and shot him, no disguises. The fact that they kept looking at their watches also made me think that they were all going to move in at a certain time. The ending sucked.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

BW Duluth,MN — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 19:59:28 GMT

Tony bought the farm, for sure. The NY Mob would have seen him as a threat with his likely indictment and also they would see him as vulnerable with his drastically downsized crew and they would want to avoid paying him anything. The thing about T is that I think a lot of people identify with his ambiguous nature. He is the depressed patriarch father figure but he is also a little less restrained about doing exactly what he wants than the average person. Thats why we love the guy as a character because he has more outlaw in him than us yet at the same time he could be our dad. I think Tony finally lost it at the diner because New York or many possible grudge holders from his past finally caught him. "Don't Stop" the dirt nap.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

PJC Boston, Ma — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 20:17:08 GMT

hated it at first, now think it was brilliant, Hitchcock would be proud the ending I would have wrote goes like this: the hit man comes out of the bathroom, pulls out a gun at Tony's head AJ pulls a gun out from under his shirt and blows the hit man away and the last thing we see is Tony's face as he comes to realize with his worst fear, AJ is now in the business just like in the Godfather, last thing Don Vito wanted was Michael in the business fade to black???

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Chris,Philly — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 22:02:38 GMT

My first reaction was anger. I thought my cable went out I was saying to myself I know I paid the bill WTF. I'm still up in the air about the finale. I figured we would have some type of definate ending. I believe he was being followed by the feds. A mob hit is never like the last scene shows. A mobster will walk up and shoot or wait to do it in the streets. Feds on the other hand will watch you and sometimes make it known as they did. The kids and black guys were fillers thats it they meant nothing. I'm gonna say Tony does 90 days for a gun charge all other charges dropped. Comes out of jail and the soprano's keep living. If i'm wrong at least I didn't see tony get killed that would have ruined it. Oh yea I was hoping AJ went to the military it would straighten his crying sissy ass right up. Meadow is going to be a success just like everybody thinks. What a great series I thought OZ was good sopranos beat that hopefully something comes along that will be better than this... NAY! What am I going to do on sundays now no football or soprano's I might have to learn to knit or something haha..

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

John Ormsby Naperville, Ill — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 23:16:53 GMT

Great episode! Life goes on. Things in life don't get wrapped up with a cute bow. More questions than answers. AJ's focus got changed, Meadow's impending nuptuals, FBI Agent Harris' dalliance, Phil's guys wanting to get back to business, the looming indictment & Carlo's betrayal, the realization that at any minute someone could walk thru the door to get you (a fact that has existed in Tony's life ever since he first got involved in "this thing" but did not become evident to the viewer how all consuming it could be until this last episode)........

Leaves the opportunity (although everyone says "No") for a great HBO movie or three.....

Did not see any cameo credit in the actor credits, but the guy who walked into the restaurant, sat at the counter, looked over at Tony, then went to the men's room had a striking resemblance to Steve Perry of Journey (as they played that God awful "Don't Stop Believing" ad nauseam). Might not have been him but sure looked like him - - - would have made sense since they played the song for about 1.5 minutes.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Denise, Decatur, Alabama — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 00:48:53 GMT

The ending was great. Life goes on. Everything in the mob world does not end with a violent death. They are among us. They still shake down people. They still prosper. This is the world Chase grew up with, he knows these people. To think that everything would end with a nice pat ending is unreal. P.S. Glad they played my song.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

dave,max,nd — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 00:55:03 GMT

in reference to the scene of the godfather with the oranges,"wrong", it was an apple.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Spencer, San Francico CA — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 00:55:23 GMT

Either way, dream, wacked, whatever - I think the ending is great. For me it was a triumph. I've not been that worked up - nervous, heart pounding - watching a TV show for a long time. Awesome. The main thing though, is that the feelings that the ending created in the viewers - anxiety, questioning, wondering what happens next - these are very much like what Tony must feel like very often. It has been stated in this forum already - we feel like Tony does. And that is the ultimate triumph, because The Sopranos has always been about entertaining us, and letting us live vicariously through Tony and the crew. We experienced the stress of running the family, the pleasures of power and lawlessness, the worrying about the future, etc.... but never so viscerally until the ending. The ending took the whole show to the next level, exactly where it needed to go. Bravo!

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

C.B. Parkrat — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 01:22:45 GMT

What's the last thing you saw? Tony's face? Then black? Tony had US whacked. Perfect ending.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Alvin, Wallynford, CT — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 01:28:04 GMT

Right before Phil got whacked the scene reminded me of a Ford commercial for the Silver Ford Expedition he was riding in, it was payed very close attention to. Later on as Meadow was crossing the street, the very same Silver Ford Expedtion drives by. That very well could have been the getaway vehicle for the hitman. Also, at the very end Tony appears to be reaching into his left pocket either for more change for the jukebox or his gun, hmm...

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Garry DeLucia,Las Vegas,NV. — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 02:02:42 GMT

just another day in the life of a gangster.tony,nor his family is dead.he's starting to get his life back where he wanted it.a.j.,getting healthy(mentally)meadow,soon to be a legitamite succsess for the soprano name.carm selling homes making her own money and being kinda happy with her marriage,and tony felling he has his family back ala the ducks.he still needs to be careful(checking the door when the bell rings,trust me he is always on guard.(members only guy).and why cant inner city teens eat onion rings too?long live tony soprano,as we've seen in the last 8 years,nobody gets the better of him.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Mike Nave Arcola, IL — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 02:13:09 GMT

As Tony said about those he had once loved but who no longer meant anything to him: "The Sopranos"? They're dead to me.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Angela, Maryland — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 02:30:30 GMT

As to several of the forgoing comments: 1) The witness protection program was suggested last week before the finale 2) Rhiannon, A.J.'s little girlfriend from the nut house knew they were going to be eating at Hostens. Carmella said it in front of her to A.J. as they were watching t.v. 3) The actor that everyone keeps saying is "Nikki Leotardo" and was in an earlier episode has never appeared on the Sopranos.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Danny Wilson — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 03:21:40 GMT

OK....Onion rings. Hollow: As in shallow faith. Holes: As in the holes in their hearts and souls. Now for the ending some of you would have preferred.....As Meadow reaches the door and Tony looks up...the hitman exits the restroom and fires point blank at Tony's head..slowmotion "CSI" style...the bullet goes right through his big fat face...Carmela turns her head towards Tony and the bullet goes right between her eyes into her forehead...regular speed...Tony falls to the side and Carmela, after a pause, looks at AJ and her head violently falls face first into a bowl of spaghetti causing the sauce to splatter into AJ's face...AJ starts screaming like a little girl....the hitman then sticks the gun into AJ's mouth and fires...AJ's brains splatter the jukebox over "Don't Stop Believing"...silence...then..a whisper "Meadow"...Meadow, in horror at the door, turns to see Patsy with a saw-offed shotgun pointed at her..he grins and fires and her head completely explodes...her headless torso falls abrubtly to the pavement...the hitman and Patsy...quickly exit dumping their weapons into a nearby dumpster and getting in a car and driving off....the jukebox starts to play "Anyway You Want It"....roll credits. The End. LOL.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Danny Wilson — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 03:36:15 GMT

Oh yeah...also...the hitman is the russian...:)

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Denise, Decatur, Alabama — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 06:55:40 GMT

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

C-lo, Wash DC — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:56:38 GMT

A good TV show will make you root for a Hero, only a great show like The Sopranos will make you sympathize, identify, and cheer for a murderer. Perfect show...perfect ending. respect!

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Brandie.. North Branch, MN — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:58:01 GMT

To Dave Lawson:

Faboulous summary of the final scene! Very well put and exactly what my husband and I were thinking (though not as eloquently as you put it..I think we just summed it up as "and business continues as usual...." followed by "great ending in our opinion but there's gonna be a lot of angry people out there." ;-) ) Anyhow, I very much enjoyed your insightful summary. :)

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Jimmy, St. James. NY — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 16:42:28 GMT

Schrödinger's cat ?

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Joe Zumpano, Glen Mills, PA — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 17:16:18 GMT

Questions: Why would a hit man conspicuously look at his target before going to the men's room to presumably get a weapon which never needed to be hidden in the first place? Why eat at a diner with a "consensus" decision (after A.J. said he thought mom was making manicotti) where we have never seen the family eat before, with Carmella asking, "What looks good tonight?" as if they were regular customers. Why did Tony pause when entering the diner with a very serious, angst-filled expression on his face (right before the quick cut to him sitting at the table)? Comments: Neither Bobby nor Tony said, "Everything just goes black," in the season opener (I just checked it out). The fact that we're thinking about all this, 4 days later, still suspending our disbelief, is evidence in support of the creative genius of David Chase. I think those of us who thought the show with Tony hospitalized and dreaming about his life as a salesman was absolutely BRILLIANT, probably loved the finale. If David Chase did have a specific ending in mind, we, the audience getting "whacked" seems like the most probable to me. Then again, it might just be Chase's statement on existentialism (recall A.J.'s attempt to understand Nietzsche and grandma's famous response: "What makes you think you're so special? It's all a big nothing!").

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Gary Rosenthal, Olney, Maryland — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 17:39:53 GMT

Ladies and gentlemen wake up... you've been scammed to believe that the Sopranos are a real flesh and blood family. They exist only in the minds of David Chase and some other writers. Lets get real. Iraq, Barry Bonds, Paris Hilton, those are the things we should be discussing. Not a bunch of made up hoods.

Geez.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Joel Halter, Melbourne, IA — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 18:17:31 GMT

I don't think Tony was reaching for a gun under the table. He was looking at the jukebox and I think he was digging for change to play another song. This was probably the greatest TV show of all time.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Jeff W, Wilmngton, NC — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 19:54:00 GMT

Okay. I have never seen the show, nor even the finale. I just came across this posting and thought it was interesting because I had heard that the series was ending. Anyway. Here is a theory. Perhaps "who got whacked" was the audience. Perhaps the point is that the viewer who has been a part of their lives for so long .... watching from a distance... got shot and died.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Bob Laird, Salt Lake City, Utah — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 19:59:12 GMT

Interesting that Gary Rosenthal feels that we should be discussing Paris Hilton. Isn't she also a fictional character?

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Shawn, Austin, TX — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 20:18:01 GMT

This just came to me. The cat in the last episode that kept looking at Chris's picture on the wall was actually Chris reincarnated. I know it sounds corny, but hear me out.
1. Paulie didn't like the cat and he didn't like Chris. There had always been friction between them, just like Paulie and the cat, and both were a big disagreement between him and Tony. He was about to "whack" the cat with the broom until Tony walked in and he went back to sweeping the floor. Something he had always wanted to do to Chris and never had the chance because of Tony's intervention.
2. Tony tells Paulie that it's a good cat, that he's caught a rat (or something of the sort) in the basement for them. Chris is the one that gave Adriana up to Tony. She had been the one that was ratting them out to the Feds.
3. Cats are notoriously crazy about catnip and Chris had his problem with substance abuse! (OK, this one is a stretch and is meant in humor...don't let it discredit what was written above).

I've not read of anyone posting this, only that they thought the cat was Adriana. Why (and his isn't much of a stretch) would she be purring at Chris's picture? He's the one that gave her up. Thus I felt compelled to post my thoughts.

Anyone else think the same thing I do?

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Ed Driskill, Houston TX — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 20:21:01 GMT

I like Dave's analogy of Tony to Gatsby... like living life in a haze, waiting for whatever is about to happen next. I liked the ending. It gives us all something to think (gripe) about.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Distantfan, Boynton Beach, FL — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 21:07:42 GMT

The ending was fitting for this reason only: Carmela and Ro Aprile had a conversation when they went to Paris that concluded with one of them saying that after we go home life in Paris will continue on just the same without them being there in Paris. After all of the viewers turn off their TVs, the life of the Sopranos goes on, we (the viewers) are just not there to see it.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Angela, Maryland — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 23:01:44 GMT

Someone please tell me.....who was Carlo? I'm not linking a face and name.......

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

still a fan, fl — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 02:12:12 GMT

If I'm not mistaken, didn't Tony actually kill one of the black guys that tried to kill him? I thought it was ironic that Agent Harris turned out to be so much like Tony. He cheats on his wife, fights with her because he has work-related meetings and isn't home for supper, and he plays a part in someone getting "whacked", then shows no remorse. As for we should be discussing Barry Bonds and Paris Hilton....what? Anyway, let's be honest - people were going to be outraged no matter how it all concluded.
Angela, I believe Carlo and his wife were shown at the funeral (at the food tables) briefly. Older guy who looks a little like a short Carmine Sr.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Steve, Montclair, NJ — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 02:29:24 GMT

We have all been conditioned to expect tidy little endings, which is why this was so brilliant. That said, there is NO DOUBT that Tony is dead. He is the one for whom the bell has tolled -- literally. Goodbye Tony, you dirtbag.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Jim F., Tacoma — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 03:08:58 GMT

You're right, Gary Rosenthal. Let's not continue discussing "made up" things like a silly TV show and spend time talking about REAL things like 1. Iraq (the worst "scam" ever pulled by the American government) 2. Barry Bonds (who certainly never put any fake substances in his body) and Paris Hilton (the fakest faux-celebrity who's done nothing to earn attention other than having a famous last name and acting like a spoiled brat).

While we're at it, let's start talking about all the other real things in the world like Enron and Kenny Rogers' face.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Joe Zumpano — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 12:20:12 GMT

Schrödinger's cat? I hadn't thought of that (thanks, Jimmy). For those not familiar with quantum mechanics, this would basically be an interpretation that says all of the possible outcomes simultaneously exist, since a single outcome hasn't been observed. That is, Tony is both dead AND alive AND dying in a state called superposition. Since the show ended without observing the outcome, there is literally no single outcome (a singularity) that is "real" (at least within the context of our suspended disbelief!). So, everybody's correct and everybody's incorrect at the same time! On a more realistic note, part of David Chase's message is certainly in line with Gary R.'s comment, as was demonstrated by A.J.'s temporary flirtation with unselfishness and concern with the state of the world instead of escapism through television, etc. That is, at least until he got his new “job” and BMW(23 mpg highway, not so bad!) and was soon back watching TV laughing at the embarrassingly ridiculous dance moves of Carl Rove and G.W. I will miss this show! Intelligent entertainment shouldn't be an oxymoron.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Ann, KC MO — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 15:36:13 GMT

All I can say about this five-year worthless waste of celluloid is, WGAF? Oh, and I'm so very pleased it's over, and ended exactly as stupildy and pointlessly as "Seinfeld", another worthless waste of celluloid obsessed over by worthless wastes of DNA...

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

TJ Sturbridge ma. — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:51:00 GMT

You don't need to hide a gun in the bathroom....when you walk into a diner/ice cream parlor. Please... people think about why the guns in other flicks were in the bathroom.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Tom T, New Jersey — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 17:00:24 GMT

I would like to focus on the shirt. In the interview Chase did with the New Jersey Star Ledger he submitted a picture of the final scene with Tony in an entirely different shirt when he was sitting at the table with Carmela. Does this give credence to the dream theory?

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Scott, Stamford, CT — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 17:35:10 GMT

The "dream" song and the sudden ending are Chase's way of telling you that this family that you have fretted over for 8 years is just a fantasy he created ... a dream. [Like in a dream, every little action in the diner seems to us as fraught with symbolism.]
We viewers want to believe it is real, thus "Don't Stop Believing".
But mere belief is not enough to make this fiction real. The screen goes dark. The play is over. If you want, call it the audience being wacked.
Time to wake up.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Hiram Henriquez, Miami, Florida — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 17:42:38 GMT

One problem I have with the idea that Tony was whacked on the season finale is this: In the last scene, the last shot we see is Tony looking up, and then the scene goes black. If indeed Tony got whacked and everything went black because of that, wouldn't the final shot be Meadow coming in the door, sort of like we were looking at life through Tony's eyes? That way, artistically and cinematographically, the director would put us in Tony's spot, and then when everything goes black it would mean that he (we) got shot.
Does that make sense? So I think he didn't get whacked...but us viewers sure did with that lame ending. I am glad I only invested in the last 3 seasons of the show and not from the beginning like most.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Gimme Shelter Before I Fade Away — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 17:43:20 GMT

IF Tony got whacked, wouldn't it have been interesting to see his life pass before his eyes? Would it have been mob family oriented, nuclear and extended family oriented, psychotherapy oriented, infidelity oriented, or a combination? This would assume he "saw it coming", as many posters claim was not the case. Nevertheless, that would give the viewer some perspective on how Tony saw his life.
We really would be inside his head, just barely beating the bullet.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Glen Janney — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 17:46:10 GMT

The ending was lousy, and now HBO and David Chase are trying to save face just a little bit by encouraging people to speculate that because the screen went blank, Tony is dead, thus a "real" ending. But Meadow was seen in close-up at the last second, barely at the restaurant's front door and far from Tony's point of view, so if Tony has never-before-disclosed telescopic vision, then yes he could be dead. Otherwise, too lame and too desperate to make any sense.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Steve Perry — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:21:52 GMT

"Working hard to get my Phil"

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Greg, Eden Prairie, MN — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:44:34 GMT

Everyone is missing the obvious ending...

Screen goes black. You hear Tony's voice saying "I've had the strangest dream...I dreamt I was the head of a Mob Family in New Jersey. There were the strangest characters."

Lights come on and Tony's in bed with Suzanne Pleshette.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Honeybee Lee, North Riverside, IL — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 19:15:01 GMT

It's blatantly obvious - the hitter merely waited until T could be whacked in full view of his ENTIRE family - thereby one-upping the hit on Leotardo. Fade to Black, indeed!

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Robby, Jacksonville Beach, FL — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 20:11:36 GMT

Carlo was the guy that told Tony they were going to visit Sil at the hospital and asked him if he wanted to go. He declined because said had something concerning his daughter to do. As far as the ending I'm not 100% on what went down. There are some great interpretations listed above, many of them gave me insight to what Chase may have been getting at. However I don't think it's very fitting to leave such a popular series on a question mark like that. Theres just no grit to it. If he wanted Tony dead then he should have shown it. If he felt that Tony should live on despite his sordid existence (as I did), then show that. Seems like he couldn't decide for himself, so he tried to please everyone. So rather than predict, I'm going to hope - for a movie. Come on, Chase. Finish it.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Robert Coppola — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 20:39:28 GMT

Why are you critisizing the finale, nothing would have made you happy, no one wanted to see Tony get whacked, and no one wanted the show to end typically, it was a great ending( tony gets whacked, BUT WE GET TO STILL HOPE FOR MORE, THAT ALL WE REALLY WANT IS MORE, PEOPE ARE JUST UPSET THAT ITS OVER!!!!!FOR NOW

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

The Doctor, Boca Raton, Florida — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 20:48:28 GMT

David Chase gave us no clear evidence that any one in the diner killed Tony when the picture went black. The man at the counter (Members Only jacket), man seated alone with the hat, and the two Afro-American patrons all of whom never appeared on the show before offered us no more evidence that one of them may be the hit man than the two chiefs flipping hamburgers in the kitchen or the boy scouts or young man seated with his giggling girlfriend. To suspect that Tony was then shot when the screen went blank begs for too much, which is not made available in the scene. The increased use of symbols and metaphor in the last two episodes were employed only to heighten the tension, and at that level it lost its literal implication. Therefore, the more tenable idea is that David Chase left us, yes, with the metaphor - black screen equals death but with death left for another time in the form of jail, physical death, or the continued emotional suffering of the Soprano family. The black screen also metaphorically tells us this is indeed the end of HBO's "The Sopranos." David Chase has reached his end with the show and that's the message.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Brian, Los Angeles — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 21:12:28 GMT

I, too, think it was "we the audience" who got whacked. The camera perspective is on Tony, not *from* Tony when the screen goes black. Thus even, though life goes on for Tony and the family for us, it is over.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Jason Latham, NY — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 21:27:36 GMT

I think the end of the episode was a dream!!! Tony kills himself in the bunker and what plays out is where is a merger of reality and fantasy. This is what people do when they kill themselves. They think of a happy thought to ease thier souls. They think its to rid people of the person they've become like thier doing the world a favor. When in fact it's the ultimate act of selfishness. Meadow didn't open the door to the diner she opened the door to the bunker. What you had was a momment where Tony's last thought ended and reality took over.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Allen, McCook, NE — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 21:42:41 GMT

You know someone has probably mentioned this by now and I haven't read it while scanning the comments, but this was the 86th show. The Soprano's has been 86ed (ended) on the 86th show. I can't stop thinking the number is significant and along with everyone else's clues to Tony's death I just have to say he was 86ed.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Josh, St. Louis MO — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 22:03:20 GMT

My only question is this: If the message we are supposed to receive at the end of this final season is that "life continues on" for the Sopranos, for better or worse, why did it take them 6 seasons to get to this point? I could have gotten that from 1 season. The great thing about "The Lady, or the Tiger?" was that it was a SHORT story!!!! If it was a 5000 page novel, it would have been panned. The only reason I watched the Sopranos was because I felt that it was going somewhere, and I didn't want to miss anything, so that I would understand the full implications at the end. I agree with the author Chekhov when he said that if you are going to show a gun hanging over the mantle in the first act, it must go off by the third. Well...I would have liked to see Tony throw at least ONE of those grenades that he has. I thought the last episode was going to be the all-out war I was waiting for, but it was a Meadowpark instead.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Rusty, Tampa, FL — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 22:27:23 GMT

The ending was great, it allowed us to take what we wanted away from the series. Just like a fine painting, who knows what the artist really meant. What's important is the meaning for each of us. I chose what I thought would be the best ending for me, Tony the family man surviving, familiy intact, victorious as always but with a price to pay.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Dro Lincoln NE — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 23:11:07 GMT

the one thing that i noticed about the series is that it has exciting and then not so exciting episodes. the last episode wasnt as exciting and or action filled so that is giving me a clue that they are thinking of doing something else. me personally i was really upset with the ending. i dont wana pick my own ending i want chase to finish it. i don't care if tony gets wacked or if he goes on living for the rest of the life. just finish the dam thing or just tell us what happened.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Ken K — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 02:55:25 GMT

What ever happened to Artie Bucco? I bet he killed Tony for eating at Holsteins!

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Chuck, San Francisco, California — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 06:41:43 GMT

While Brian's post comparing Bobby's comment; "You probably dont hear anything everything just goes black", might be evidence that Tony died in the finale, we must keep in mind that Chase is a very clever man. Clever enough, I think, to dangle that somewhat onvious "clue" in front of us, and then go in the opposite direction.

I don't think he was whacked in the final episode. The look on his face as he glanced up wasn't a questioning "who's this?" look...it was more of a "well, look who finally got here" look, a "family" look. Besides that, if he'd been looking up at some stranger with a gun, he sure wouldn't be looking at the guy's face.

Tony lives. And each member of his family now has, or is about to get, what they've wanted. Great ending! Most especially Phil's demise. No lingering questions in THAT hit. Squish!

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Carlos Santino — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 12:04:39 GMT

I have been a soprano fan since day 1. Like many other viewers I was left in the dark. True, it's a novel idea to leave anything to the imagination these days but when you watch years of a show like sopranos,closure is nice. One thing I don't know if anyone noticed was the play on 3's, meaning, the trucker had 3 creams by his coffee, there were 3 boyscouts, there were 3 possible hitman,and three onion rings downed. does this mean three more years, wishes can come true, also, the shirt is the same as the time tony enters holstens and sits down, look close it is two toned, you can't see the black sleeves with the jacket on. Mr Chase, you are brilliant,I am saddend by the end of such a series, Sundays will never be the same. In my sopranos world, tony lives and prospers.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Mike, NY — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 17:16:36 GMT

Chase should not have ended it as a puzzle.
He cheated most of us by doing so.
The ending should have been definitive.
I am also disappointed by the following turns in the story, as they lack plausibility:
1. Phil's men suddenly turn on him, and allow him to be whacked out. And then they seem to readily agree to compensate Janice with $ for what was after all, a sanctioned hit on Bobby Baccala.
2. Agent Harris divulged confidential FBI information knowing that it would result in a homicide. (Would a seasoned, veteran FBI agent really jeopardize his career and pension, and risk possibly going to jail himself just to help Tony Soprano live?
Agent Harris is not stupid. He must have known a hit on Phil was at least a possibility.)
Even if it eliminates Phil, it still violates the FBI policy- which is to arrest and successfully prosecute mob members and associates, not facilitate their murders.
Tony S had asked Agent Harris about Phil's whereabouts: "I just want to reach out and talk to him...that's all."

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

LINDA — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 03:50:26 GMT

In reference to the scene in the godfather, WRONG, IT WAS ORANGES!!!LINDA PA.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

LINDA — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 03:54:16 GMT

In reference to the scene in the godfather being apples, WRONG, IT WAS AN ORANGS. LINDA PA.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Judie Jarvis Millerstown PA — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 22:21:41 GMT

AJ could never get into the ARMY. Suicide and mental health issues and some brushes with the law would disqualify him. I'm not sure the law problems were with AJ or the guy who plays him. guess I'm going senile JJ

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Tommie Jean Valle Schertz, Tx. 78154 — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 17:29:16 GMT

David Chase had me whacked. I'm a ghost, and I have unfinished business with Chase before I can move into the light.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Mike Nave Arcola, IL — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 18:05:51 GMT

I think the following favorite lines from the show offer a humorous commentary on the controversy surrounding the finale, especially since Chase has said he's always seen the show as a comedy:
1) Angelo: "The fact is though, we pissed on a bee's nest."
2) Paulie: "Either version, you're halfway up the ass."
3) Tony: "A doctor in the house, huh? That's good because somebody usually goes down at these things."
4) Silvio: "Paulie said he wants it known. It's on him. He takes full responsibility. But that he didn't do nuthin."
5) Johnny: "What's this, the ****ing U.N. now?"
6) Dr. Vogel: "You seem to be taking it all personally."
7) Tony: "You don't need a gynecologist to know which way the wind blows."
8) Tony: "So I should be happy, lyin' here looking at my own guts?"
9) Tony B: "So what do I find at the Pork Store? A bunch of guys beating the meat."
10) Chris: "Tragedy. Like a pebble in the lake. Even the fish feel it."

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Deepshade, Milwaukee, WI — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 20:50:41 GMT

Well, David Chase says, "The clues are all in the last episode,"so here are the ones I've picked out. 1. The Feds tell Tony where Phil is making phone calls from, so he can kill him. They are obviously tapping phones. 2. Meadow says the state (read: State, as in Feds, not New Jersey as Tony jokes) can ruin your life. 3. Carmella says that Holston's can take them at 6 (reservations at a diner???) obviously having made them on the phone. 4. The lawyer tells Tony he'll be indicted but says trials are made to be won, which is true in many organized crime cases. Then add in all the clues that others have mentioned that say Tony was whacked or foreshadow his death. I say he's dead and the FBI, the only ones with anything to gain that I can see, have set it up. They've now taken out or facilitated taking out the heads of every family in this season. I must put this behind me soon.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Justin, Buffalo, NY — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 21:42:50 GMT

Just a quick comment on another comment about 1/4 of the way down the page. Marlon Brando did not get shot while eating oranges, he had a heart attack. Get your mob trivia right before comparing it to another show.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Allen Nelson Seattle, WA — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 17:20:15 GMT

I wasn't crazy about the ending. But it makes sense.
Chase wanted to show Tony is a survivor. He survived the car crash with Christopher, the gunshot by Junior, the gang war with Phil, the various attempts by the government to take him down. And he's been able
to keep his family safe and together. That's why Chase ended the show with the family together at the restaurant. It's no coincidence that Tony and not someone else rescued AJ from the pool. And--maybe--got AJ on track with a job AJ might actually like. And got Carmelia back and salvaged his marriage. And has a daughter with the prospects of a good future. And don't forget the significance of his psychiatrist finding out that therapy makes sociopaths like Tony better able to function. Or the significance of Tony visiting Junior, another gang boss who has managed to survive into old age. (Although not exactly enjoying his golden years in retirement either.) And there is significance to Tony's choosing, "Don't Stop Believing." So Chase is saying that he is not going to cop out by killing Tony--Tony's street smarts and good luck haven't run out, and he will survive to face another day. However, Chase is also saying Tony faces an uncertain future. A possible federal indictment. Always in danger of getting whacked. The guy who went to the restroom was probably just a guy going to the restroom. But the point is, this is something Tony always has to watch out for. He can't just relax and enjoy his meal like the other diners in the restaurant. He always has to be on guard. So Chase is tipping his hat to Tony and saying, "Congratulations, Tony. You've beaten the odds and made it this far. But don't think you're not out of the woods yet either. Because for someone like you, like the Doors said, "the future's uncertain and the end is always near." So the ambiguous way that Chase
ended the show reflects the ambiguity of Tony's future. What happens next is anybody's guess.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Jack D., Hoboken, NJ — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 19:28:07 GMT

Word is out that the Sopranos will come back as a Broadway musical. Rumor has it that Mel Brooks will co-direct. Sounds like a smash in the making.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

R Jones Michigan — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 19:54:21 GMT

ok...here's my take on the final episode...first, meadow's friend the med-student, hunter, what were they talking about? final scene carmella says to tony, meadow's going to be late, dr visit, she has to change birth control...change birth control? what happens when birth control doesnt work? meadow having problems parking...why? was she anxious? nervous? scared? worried? excited?!!! she just got back from the doctors and these are all feelings we get when we find out we're pregnant for the first time. when she finally parked the car, she ran to the restaurant..she wasnt that late, for dinner anyway. all the 3's in the final scene, too many to mention, could it be a symbolic marking of tony's third generation in his family? lastly, last scene, the camera was ON tony, him looking up...very key here, when tony first goes into the restaurant he looks in and then we see him sitting there from meadow's vantage point. she pulls open the door, and with a rush of emotion..she passes out, cut to black...very plausible..pregnant women can faint. Tony lives, they all live..there will be a soprano's the movie...for we all await to meet the newest addition to the soprano clan....hence the name of the episode....MADE IN AMERICA.....

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Angela, Lake Arrowhead, CA — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 15:06:01 GMT

Bobby's quote has been miss-quoted throughout discussions of the ending. Watching the first episode when it is said again, he says "you probably don't hear a thing." He never says anything about "it just goes to black." Not that this matters at all - the ending is still brilliant in my book. But for those looking for clues to a definite ending, just wanted to set things straight.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Jimmy California — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 00:30:11 GMT

I'm constantly amused by these dunces who say the ending was "crap! I didn't get it...." Especially the guy that said "like the last 3 seasons, it sucked." (sic). The last 3 seasons had been nothing short of miraculous screenwriting (what was that guy watching, anyway???) and some people just don't have an active imagination, I guess, or they don't know the obvious reasons for leaving the show open-ended. Hey! It's called "create your own ending, Stoopid." In my personal ending, Tony, Carmela, A.J. and Meadow had a great dinner, bonded a little more, went home, got a good night's sleep and the sun came up again tomorrow for the Sopranos. David Chase is getting death threats over this - talk about moronic! He always said that he wanted to end it by shutting off the cameras. He did just that - and it worked, beautifully!

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Paul C. Sacramento, CA — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 18:50:00 GMT

As if we need one more comment, but here goes . . .
I haven't seen any suggestion that all the "mysterious people" in the diner could have been . . .

FBI agents . . .

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Heather Gonzales, Willits, CA — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 22:48:18 GMT

Personally, I think Janice had Tony whacked. Maybe somebody like Patsy was involved. Janice was after Uncle Jr.'s money, Tony won't let that happen, he wants to keep it, Janice has no husband to support her now her brother is standing in the way of her and money she felt Bobby had coming, not necessarily his kids. Also, those "hit men" looked local U.S. like Janice would hire, not the "zips" from Italy that did all the other sneak hits. A Members Only jacket on a 40-something Italiano sounds more like Jersey/New York to me. I wouldn't be "Soprano offended" or surprised if she had something to do with it. She has killed before and a female Soprano was who Uncle Jr. went to to make a hit decision on Chrissy and his friend earlier on. Janice would be a ruthless mob boss, no? She's as greedy as Tony and certainly as impulsive. Plus she's a lot younger than Paulie, and with Tony gone and Patsy in the family he would kinda also be the head of the family, because Paulie didn't want it anyway. He said he was there to serve Tony and with Tony gone, it won't be the Sopranos without a Soprano running the family.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Brad, Vilano Beach, FL — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 16:55:22 GMT

If you notice at the end of "the blue comet" episode, Tony goes to sleep after having a flashback of him and Bobby B. talking about what "it" might be like. When he lays down with the gun Bobby gave him strapped to his chest 1) the bed is not made, no sheets, pillow-cases or anything 2) he's wearing his clothes from that day. When he "awakens", the bed is totally made and he's wearing pj's. I think the hole final episode was a dream. When he walks in to Holstens and pauses to reflect, he's wearing different clothing than when we see him sitting at the booth. That along with the attention to random detail in the diner makes me think it was all a dream. I mean dreams are often like that right? They might make no sense at all but for the sake of your dream it all clicks and your able to go with it. The cut to black could be Tony dying, but maybe in his sleep. Maybe his crew dimed him out to New York after he went to bed and they sent somebody to off him in his slumber. Either way there needs to be some type of continuation. A movie or a like final final episode, something. That or Chase needs to say what he meant it all to portray because it's a lame ending as is, and I'm not just hating on his creativity. It sucks. If it wasn't all a dream and the cut to black was him getting his face blown off we can handle seeing it. We've been through hell and back with Tony Soprano. What? We can't watch him die now? Movie. Movie movie movie. Anybody agree or disagree on this take? Post it up.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Stones, Burke, VA — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 00:39:56 GMT

More info on the Nikki Leotardo hoax can be found here. Some fan created it all...

http://overthetop.beloblog.com/archives/2007/06/on_the_trail_of.html#more

www.gonzorangers.com

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

LA, New York — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 10:14:23 GMT

The flashback where Tony recalls Bobby's thoughts about death foreshadows a brilliant stroke of pure genius on Chase's part. The "black" at the end of the finale and silence as the credits roll is David Chase "whacking" the show itself, not any of the characters. If there were any hints at all, they all ultimately point to that. Period!

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

ejd — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 03:07:32 GMT

The men in the diner were the FBI getting ready to take Tony down.

It's that simple. Wait and see!

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Dermot Sweeney,Dublin,Ireland — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 09:22:53 GMT

The final scene is pretty straightforward.Tony is whacked by the "guy in members only jacket".The first episode of series 6 is called "Members only".In it we see a hit man (Eugene but that's irrelevant) enter a diner,wearing a "Memebers only" jacket and put a bullet in some guys head-and that's exactly what happens here folks!Except this time it's Tony who gets it.In the same episode we see Bobbys' death foreshadowed as well.The cut to black at the end is from our,the viewers point of view and not Tonys'.With Tony dead the show is over folks.If the cut to black represented death the last thing we would see is Meadow entering the diner-what Tony saw.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Greg How, Philippines — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 07:37:20 GMT

Most of us make relatively honest livings, and the show shows us how similar and different our lives can be compared to a mob boss' life. The last scene shows us how something as ordinary as sitting at a restaurant and eating onion rings can be so different for someone like Tony. I was eating at a restaurant with my family last night but I wasn't the least bit concerned that the man sitting at the other table would pull out a gun and shoot my face. When it's Tony eating his rings, everyone expects the mysterious guy who came in after AJ to blow his brains out. That didn't happen and yet too many people still insist Tony's dead.

I agree with those that say that the last scene shows us how much tension and fear will fill the rest of Tony's life. We were witnesses to Tony's life for several years, and with that last scene, Chase tells us that that's it. That's all we're going to see. It doesn't matter to me that I won't see the rest of Tony's life. All I know is that I sure enjoyed the countless hours I spent watching every single episode of the series.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Linda, Redmond, WA — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 19:47:58 GMT

Hi -- just caught the finale for the first time on re-run and am interested in everyone's thoughts about it. Without totally understanding it, I found the episode deeply satisfying. I must correct the one poster who said that Carmela, AJ and Tony eating their onion ring in one bite showed the greediness of being a Soprano -- to me, it suggested the act of taking the wafer during Communion...

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Nic, Queensland, Australia — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 12:59:47 GMT

I saw the ending - someone dies and it isn't Tony. Whose perspective did the last camera shot have? Tony was the last thing that person saw. That's who dies - not Tony.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Gavin, Glasgow — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 11:54:36 GMT

Tony Soprano died in the restaurant.
There is absolutely no doubt. The screen went black and the sound cut exactly like death was described in earlier episodes. The shifty characters in the restaurant, the man going to the toilet to the left of Tony - it leaves no doubt that Tony got whacked.
It was the perfect ending, the Sopranos was about Tony, it ended with his death in the same manner that he lived.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Louis Hood, London — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 22:46:58 GMT

as many peole have already said, the screeen goes black when tony's whacked. Yes its ambiguous, but look at the omens. a prominent one is when you see tony talking to carmella at the safe house, eating an orange. im sure your already aware this symbolism origionally featured in the godfather trilogy when several high profile characters were whacked. That could be over reaching, but honestly, how often do you see T eatin fruit?!

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Nick Australia — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 13:19:48 GMT

The trucker was the man that lost a lot of money in Tony's card game that owned the outdoor store. He then gave his sons car to Tony. Slow it down, freeze it definatly him.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Mark Edwards, London — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 10:55:19 GMT

On the possibility that it is a dream sequence (and we have plenty of previous examples of this in The Sopranos) - I want to draw notice to the music being played - just as Tony enters the restaurant. It is "All that you dream" by Little Feat.

Is that the biggest clue of all?

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Kevin, St. Louis, MO — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 16:21:34 GMT

If you frame by frame it...he hears the bell ring, looks up at meadow..and blank...it really COULD be anything...he could have seen the gunners shadow in the window like when the two black guys tried to whack him, whacked the other guy first..He could have been shot in the head like most of the others including Phil and the "everything goes to black" scenario comes into play. And one BIG thing is that it could all be one of Tony's wacked out dreams...and it could just go on forever..You know they will bring it back too...it makes too much money..

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

jaap — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 12:16:21 GMT

Two extra notes:
- The shirt Tony is wearing in final scene is the same he was wearing when Junior shot him...it should have a hole..., or he had 2 of these shirts...
- When Tony and Carmella visit Bobby and Janis at the water (where also the conversation about getting dark etc. is), there is a shot which seems to have no real purpose: it's the empty boat tight to the deck, with waves, and wind makes a bell ting several times, exactly same sound as in final scene. My interpretation: the boat that brings you to the afterlife etc. when the bell tolls etc.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Ian, Worcester, UK — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 20:38:35 GMT

One thought I had (and potentially related to the fact that the cat featured so heavily in this episode) is that the ending was pure "Schroedingers' cat" in that Tony now exists in a state of quantum flux and is both dead and alive and we the viewer are unable to open the box to find out exactly what the truth is!

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Bob Bobovic. — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 00:07:16 GMT

There are two ways to look at the ending. One being that medow just entered the diner and that was it one happy family everything was back to how it was before. but the interesting second is that Tony got hit. In eariler episode tony said that he believes if he gets shot thats it no sound no nothing its over, also in previous seasons Furio said (I think he was talkin to tony) that Tony will gett hit eating onion rings in a diner with his family because of the way he treats his wife. All in all excelent ending..

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Gordon H, Montreal, Quebec — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 11:38:25 GMT

About the shirts . . . I don't think it was Tony having a dream. But the cut did strike me as a little odd: Tony's face (hard cut) to a wide shot of Tony sitting (as if it were his POV). I think it was just a playful cut, to begin some tension. I only saw Season Six part 2 this November (avoided hearing spoilers). I knew about the Journey song and there being debate about whether Tony had died or not. I was guessing he was back in the coma state and was back at the mansion in the earlier episode with Steve Buscemi - but this time was inside at a jukebox. My heart was thumping as I was watching the final scene. I was a little "huh?" when it ended. Now I really like the ending. I'm glad we did not see violence in the last scene. It felt like a dash of David Lynch - which I found cool.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Rob, Denver, Colorado — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 09:09:29 GMT

My first reaction was to the series finale was the following. The tension built up, and then I was surprised that that was it. Then I realized the episode had ended with the words "Don't stop", which, in my own opinion, was like the song was telling us that it all keeps going even if we don't see it (Tony doesn't necessarily die). Moreover, the show could keep going, in theory, and there are many "lose" ends. But there is an end to everything, and not every single detail has to be resolved. In my opinion, The Sopranos could have very well ended with Season 6, part 1. There were lose ends, but, like I said, not everything has to be resolved. Season 6, part 1's ending was more final, less surpising. Season 6, Part 2 added a lot of important events, deaths, etc. to the show, and has a much more open ending. So, as I said before, it's like the show could keep going and going ("don't stop"), but unfortunatly it has to end at some point.
Could it have ended differently, with more closure, fewer lose ends? Of course. But that is just not The Soprano's style in general. The writers of the show like to keep us wondering about what's next. Some episodes have ended abruptly, while others have ended with nothing important happening (like Tony eating while Carmela reads the mail at the table).

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Daniel Rose, Tel Aviv, Israel — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 23:30:22 GMT

I loved the final scene of the sopranos in Holstons and I interpreted the ending fairly clearly in my own mind, although it is only my interpretation, and who knows if this is what David Chase was feeling.
The thing that struck me most was that normally wherever Tony is (outside his house or when he is not at Dr Melfis) he is generally very paranoid, always looking around for people that may be somewhere to mess with him. In fact he is even extremely paranoid at home in the last season, particularly refusing to go and pick up his newspaper from the front of his house.

In the diner though he seems finally almost inevevitably at ease with himself, i noticed that he is far less self concious in this scene, as if he realises that and knows that right there he maybe killed any moment , he looked like he almost half expected it and thought well if it is my last moments here, then i am gonna enjoy them with my family. He seems more humble, more clear and almost satisfied. Interestingly as we see all the suspicious characters sitting and entering the diner, The trucker, the two black guys who enter before Aj Tony is NOT looking around and seeming worried he is concentrating on Carmella and Aj .

In one of the final scenes where Tony finally has a sitdown with Leotardos underboss, although it seems they have sorted everything out and despite Phil being clipped you are never really sure whether Tony is still going to sacrificed, as Leotardos underboss seems even more slippery than Carmine Lupretazzi Senior (former NY Boss). For this reason Tonys feeling that he maybe about to be clipped would be a totally rational feeling for him to have.
And his reaction to this, in my view is to almost block it out and relax more than he ever did in the rest of the show.

I think he realises at this point that things maybe finally out of his control and so he has to go with it. The song Chase uses at the end "dont stop believin" is a superp song and perfect i think.

In an interview Chase said that he picked the song to end the series with NOT the scene and the scene was worked around the song in typical Chase style.
One more thing I would like to remember what i feel is perhaps the funniest scene in the sopranos series (all of them) when Junior organises as game of Poker at the mental home, two ill guys are in a hand , with all their chips in the middle, the dealer asks what they have, one guy says a flush, but has nothing! The other guy is asked to show his hand and he shows the dealer his "Hands" LOL.

Also the scene with Leotardo explaining the meaning of his last name to the children was brilliant especially when one of the kids tells him Leotards are used in modern dancing not ballett!

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Nick Santucci, The Bronx NY — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 16:01:02 GMT

ok here it is. he didnt die and he didnt live. there was no story written. if chase wanted you to know he was alive they would have made it more clear, same with death. chase ended the story as is, and as much as every1 wants to know the answer. there is none. and as much as it dissapoints me, i stil think it was brilliant at the same time. so there no1 will ever know if he died or survived because chase himself never even decided, therefore he doesent know either

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Paulie G., New Joisey — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 08:21:55 GMT

All i'm certain of is this... that cat is Adriana and needs to be shot again!

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Basil Theofanides — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 00:38:38 GMT

I have just finished watching season's 1-6 and of course the "final episodes". In the final scene, Chase build up a crescendo of emotion/anxiety in the viewer. Tony walks into the diner, sits down seemingly relaxed and pleased with himself as he awaits his family to join him. In the back of your mind you get the sense that this diner is leading to something sinister. As we see the various "suspicious characters" entering the diner progressively as each of the Soprano family members arrive, you get the feeling that the poers that be is waiting until the wole family is there before annihilating them. Watching Meadow trying to park her car you get the feeling that perhaps she will survive as the Soprano Family massacre goes ahead. Then finally as Meadow walks in and the familiar looking 'diner guy' walks to bathroom, you thing... This is it! (shades of Michael Corelone coming out of the toilet in Godfather one. The sudden fade-to-black and silence? Well as Nicky Legs said in her commentary about Bobby Baccala's dialogue to Tony from Ep 1 of the Final Episodes, " You probably don't even hear it when it happens right?", the ned scene sums it up. Very clever ending, open to conjecture. Great show.. glad I have all episodes.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Tim Gadd, Hobart, Tasmania — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 12:53:54 GMT

I loved the last scene, and I don't think it meant anything. I think it conjured a lot of suspicions and possibilities, none of which are ever confirmed. If there is one thing which keeps beaating at my mind it's the suspense created by Meadow's repeated, failed attempts to park the car, banging into the kerb over and over and so forth, and then it ends when she opens the door. Now, if there's anything there, to me, it's that - but it could just as easily be Chase creating tension for no real reason than for its own sake.

To me, having just watched it for the first time (I'm halfway to Antarctica, and we're a bit behind you), the ep. just signified that everything kept going. There was no finale; no closure; nothing. Which is about the most radical thing you could do, while at the same time being the most obvious.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Heather! — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 04:59:38 GMT

Ultimately, what was the show all about? America (an Italian word, btw). Our hopes, our dreams, our desire to get by any way we can...our big appetites. Life goes on. How many times during the course of this epic series were we hanging on the edge of our seats, waiting for something to happen that never did. It's a story of life...and it goes on, in our dreams, like it did so often (and wonderfully) in Tony's.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Darren Brannan Osaka,Japan — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:17:50 GMT

I think Tony got clipped..I think it is a reference to the conversation he always has with Paulie about 'Will I hear it coming when it happens?'.This pops up in a few episodes and I think this is the cryptic answer.Also the scene where the mobster is shot next to Sil and Sil says he didn't know it had happened until he was covered in blood...everything in slo-mo.Still...it is a very open-ended finale which gives me hope that the series will be picked up again in time.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

sd, princeton — Wed, 07 May 2008 18:31:15 GMT

-Tony turns informer to FBI (starting with the arabs).
That's how he survives and gets phil.
-Stage a killing to start a new life somewhere else.
Normally they eat at vesuvio's. In The last episode they eat at the Holstens.

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

Leotardo — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 23:32:24 GMT

When tony looks up to the entrance of holstens when the 'mystery man' walks in you can see a painting of 2 ducks by a lake. But tony doesn't notice it, at the end of the scene Tony probably notices it and gets his final panic attack

Dissecting 'Sopranos' final scene: Questions abound

PaulG. Detroit — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 02:07:58 GMT

The last episode of The Soprano's was the biggest cop-out ever foisted on fans of a great series. It meant NOTHING. A third grader could have figured this out 1 second after it was over. You losers are trying to put some meaning into something that has NO MEANING. The producers of this show are laughing all the way to the bank. You got bitch-slapped by HBO. Deal with it.