Support NeoGAF

[CrankyJay]

It was stupid. Just watching it again reminded me how stupid it was. There was a lot of cryptic crap in there you were meant to interpret as the death of the whole family. Half of the diner was filled with people Tony screwed over at one point or another, I believe including a few agents. The belief is that they were all there to ambush and kill him.

Others say it's just a throwback to Tony's past, a reminder of sorts. I say, it's bullshit and a cop out.

What are the odds of all those people being in the diner at the same time to ambush Tony? Anyone who thought this is a moron. I believe the scene was metaphor for Tony always needing to look over his shoulder as he'll be surrounded by people who mean to harm him and his family.

 

[Snuggles]

The scene is formulaic in the sense that you see a shot of Tony and it is followed by a new angle—his vantage. Each time we hear the door open, see Tony looking, and see what he sees. The last shot (pitch black) is what Tony is seeing. He's dead. Likely the dude from the bathroom.

Maybe it's in that article, but it's also speculated that Meadow was arriving late and not whacked along with the rest of the family because she was the only one who deserved to live. Tony was a horrible human being, Carmella lived a life of luxury off of the blood Tony spilled, AJ was a whiny little prick who would probably end up like Tony...Meadow was the only one who didn't deserve it. *

*Also, she was so hot.

I don't really have any theories, though. I enjoy discussing it but I feel like Chase doesn't have a real answer so you can only really imagine what the ending could be, there is no mystery to solve.

 

[dead souls]

Am I the only one that feels like The Sopranos was uneven in quality at times?

Not at all. It had fallen off pretty badly by the end, which is why the finale didn't bother me at all.

 

[KingGondo]

Chase said that "if you look at the final episode really carefully, it's all there." It's not a "make up your own ending," unless you miss the clues.

The biggest single clue is the fact that the entire final scene is a series of shots of Tony, followed by shots of whatever he's looking at. The final "Tony establishing shot" is followed by 10 seconds of black (it's also very telling that Chase wanted there to be 30 seconds of black but HBO wouldn't allow it).

The perfect ending--those who enjoyed Tony's horrible antics over 6 seasons don't get the gratification of seeing him face-down in his food, and those who got a sense of superiority by watching him and feeling better about themselves realize the true meaningless of Tony's nihilistic lifestyle--destruction for destruction's sake.

 

[CrankyJay]

Man, read that article...it's pretty compelling that Tony did indeed die.

 

[Snuggles]

Not at all. It had fallen off pretty badly by the end, which is why the finale didn't bother me at all.

Meh, I think the only notable decline in quality happened during season 6 part 1 and the first half of part 2. Everything in the first 5 season was GOLD and the final 1/2 season was intense as hell.

 

[KingGondo]

Meh, I think the only notable decline in quality happened during season 6 part 1 and the first half of part 2. Everything in the first 5 season was GOLD and the final 1/2 season was intense as hell.

Agreed. Watching everybody finally reap what they sow is utterly spellbinding. So many memorable scenes, too. Christopher's death especially.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

The real answer is that it was all a dream.

(Tony used to read WordUp magazine)

 

[Snuggles]

Agreed. Watching everybody finally reap what they sow is utterly spellbinding. So many memorable scenes, too. Christopher's death especially.

The Blue Comet is still the most suspenseful episode of any television show that I've ever seen.
In fact, it's still hard for me to watch it - the Bobby scene is tragic and Mr. Dante was always my favorite character. Cheers to Chase for having the guts to take out his characters in such a brutal way, though.

 

[CrankyJay]

The real answer is that it was all a dream.

(Tony used to read WordUp magazine)

:lol :lol :lol

 

[KingGondo]

The real answer is that it was all a dream.

(Tony used to read WordUp magazine)

That makes no sense, Anthony Jr. has an N64, and it's clearly stated he couldn't picture Super Nintendo OR Sega Genesis.

 

[xbhaskarx]

Not only was it a great ending, it was also a hell of a lot better than the Lost finale.

 

[Mr. Sam]

I dunno, I just can't help but think how different the series would have been if Tony's mother had survived.

I wonder if they'll ever do that movie that was rumoured.

 

[Madman]

The real answer is that it was all a dream.

(Tony used to read WordUp magazine)

Reading about this around the net, this theory actually seems right assuming everything I read is accurate. I'll double check it one day.

 

[KingGondo]

I dunno, I just can't help but think how different the series would have been if Tony's mother had survived.

One of the greatest villains in TV history. That subtle grin under the oxygen mask as she's being wheeled away in Season 1 still gives me chills.

That said, I'm glad they killed her off and explored other aspects of Tony's psyche.

 

[Patrick Bateman]

Spoiler

I disagree, I believe they wanted to viewer to assume that at first but really when looking at the scene, past events in the series, and "Don't Stop Believing" playing and the screen going black right when it says "Don't Stop".

I believe that Tony is not killed in the diner but that his paranoia will not stop and he goes on everyday of his life in paranoia for the hit that never comes. This indeed will continue his mental health problems, and cause more emotional stress on his entire family.

I admit the guy in the bathroom is very classic mob hit style, gun being hidden in a stall but it is put their to show that the viewer is as paranoid as Tony himself.

That's a great describtion which makes sense.

I don't think that gets killed. I mean the writers of the series wanna make you believe that. Thus making you paranoid as Tony.

I have the complete DVD collection sitting on my shelf. But I just can't rewatch it after I first saw all episodes. I never watched an episode more than once, despite I think it's one of the greatest shows ever.

 

[SCULLIBUNDO]

Was a brilliant finale. And yes, Sopranos now owns Journey's song.

 

[Mr. Sam]

One of the greatest villains in TV history. That subtle grin under the oxygen mask as she's being wheeled away in Season 1 still gives me chills.

That said, I'm glad they killed her off and explored other aspects of Tony's psyche.

Of course, they only killed her off because the actress died.

Spoiler

Or so I read - I wasn't watching the show at the time. Her final scene is very clearly cobbled together out of previous material though.

 

[satriales]

I loved it. My interpretation is that it is a reference to The Godfather and the guy at the counter goes into the the toilets to get a gun and then kills Tony.

 

[JGS]

With Lost coming to an end tonight and 24 ending tomorrow night, now seems like a good time to discuss one of the most talked-about series finales ever.

The final scene.

The uproar surrounding the finale was unprecedented. Even non-Sopranos fans were talking about it the next day.

To call it polarizing would be an understatement. Many thought it was a work of art and the perfect ending to Chase's masterpiece. Others thought it was cheap and overly cryptic.

What are your thoughts on it? What does it mean? What happened after the scene cut to black?

Loved the finale, not the final scene.

I thought it would be neat to simply end with them eating dinner together at the diner which would have contrasted wioth Tony's paranoia. Unless it was going to be continued, saw no reason for it to fade to black.

 

[YoungHav]

I didn't start watching Sopranos until after the series ended. I finally saw the finale about 3 months after it aired. It sounds crazy but I actually avoided the ending spoiler. I avoided all Soprano's threads, did not look at newspaper or magazine covers, flipped the channel whenever I even heard the sound 'Sopr-', covered my ears around any crowds of people discussing it, lol and actually lasted.

I don't know what the uproar was about, it is obvious that Tony Soprano is dead. The conversation with Bobby Bacalao pretty much foretold it "the lights just go out". Anyone complaining probably needs to be spoonfed in all aspects of life.

Many people who think Tony dies point to a comment Bobby made from an earlier episode in Season 6.

"At the end, you probably don't hear anything, everything just goes black."

Is it a legitimate clue, or are people reading too much into it?

There's no reading too much into it. Chase blatantly spelled it out; Tony is dead. All that "open to interpretation" or Tony will always be anxious talk is wishful thinking.

 

[Madman]

I don't know what the uproar was about, it is obvious that Tony Soprano is dead.

It was just a flat ending to me. If Tony did die, it would have been interesting to see how that would all conclude (FBI reaction, Mafia reaction, etc.). Instead of this great, all-encompassing conclusion, the series instead ended in awkward silence.

And the fact that a movie has been discussed doesn't help anything considering that could imply Tony is alive.

 

[Rabid Wolverine]

Finale was good but the ending sucked.

 

[bobs...onGaf]

For what it implies, I think it's a great ending. Some people are upset the way it just cuts off, but I think tha

:lol Nice


I didnt really watch the Sopranos, but I guess the ending works in a artistic way - I wouldnt exactly like it if I was a long term viewer, but as an outsider I appreciate it. After all it would be like reading a 500 page book, and JUST as your about to find out if the main character has a happy or sad ending the screen cuts out. :lol That would just tota

 

[Foliorum Viridum]

It wasn't the amazing ending I wanted, but I've had so many shows disappoint me horribly with the finale (Lost is going to in a few short hours, I'm sure) that I was happy with it. I think Tony got hit, but I like hearing other interpretations.

I haven't watched a single second of Sopranos since, either. Three years, really? Fuck - that's it, I'm re-watching it over the summer.

 

[NJ Shlice]

Love and miss the show.

I don't think that Tony dies at the end.

With all the murders going on, if someone still wanted Tony dead I don't think they'd be all sneaky about it, sit at the counter, go to the bathroom, then hit Tony. They'd walk in the front door and blow his brains out. The hits on the other bosses and captains wasn't exactly suttle and well planned.

 

[Greg]

Loved it - probably my 2nd favorite ending of a series next to The Shield.

 

[JayDub]

The way I interpreted it is that "life goes on" for the Sopranos. Really, that ending wasn't even an ending at all. It shows the family dining out at their favorite place, Meadow being late because of her crap driving..etc.

 

[Blackace]

I was a little let down by the entire sixth season.. Still better than most of the stuff that comes out but the sixth season lacked a lot of direction for being the final season.

However, at first I felt a little cheated by the ending... not that I wanted Tony dead or in jail but for the lack of closure...

Still my number 1 show followed closely by the wire and then Dexter.

 

[PhoenixDark]

I've only watched like one episode of The Sopranos, but I must bitch here: every single show I watched after the finale, even sports and news shows, spoiled the ending for me. I remember watching NBA on TNT and Charles Barkey gave the blackout ending away, people openly complained about "nothing" happened, etc.

I'm sure I'll watch the show eventually got it's annoying knowing the finale was apparently so controversial that it became impossible to avoid spoilers

 

[Ninja Scooter]

The way I interpreted it is that "life goes on" for the Sopranos. Really, that ending wasn't even an ending at all. It shows the family dining out at their favorite place, Meadow being late because of her crap driving..etc.

this is how I initially interpreted it. Despite the show ending, Bobby and Chris being killed, ect... shit is just going to go on. Tony is going to have to watch his back. Anthony is still gonna be a fuck up. Tony and Carmella are gonna have their ups and downs, ect..

 

[deadbeef]

The way I interpreted it is that "life goes on" for the Sopranos. Really, that ending wasn't even an ending at all. It shows the family dining out at their favorite place, Meadow being late because of her crap driving..etc.

But weren't they in the middle of a shit-storm family war? Or did that get settled? Awesome song though.

 

[thefro]

Love and miss the show.

I don't think that Tony dies at the end.

With all the murders going on, if someone still wanted Tony dead I don't think they'd be all sneaky about it, sit at the counter, go to the bathroom, then hit Tony. They'd walk in the front door and blow his brains out. The hits on the other bosses and captains wasn't exactly suttle and well planned.

Yeah, that's a pretty big contradiction... no point in halfway sneaking around if you're willing to shoot someone in a public restaurant from a restroom with no easy exit out.

The other concern is that it'd be hard to take AJ out too from that angle, and you'd have to be worried about him packing some heat at this point in the series.

 

[ToxicAdam]

Not a big fan. Outside of that last scene, does anyone remember anything else that went on? I don't and I was a huge fan. That seems to imply the finale sucked with a memorable gimmick at the end.

 

[Blackace]

Not a big fan. Outside of that last scene, does anyone remember anything else that went on? I don't and I was a huge fan. That seems to imply the finale sucked with a memorable gimmick at the end.

Scene with Phil at the gas station was the best scene of season 6.. :lol

 

[MMaRsu]

Scene with Phil at the gas station was the best scene of season 6.. :lol

Anybody still have that gif of those dudes reacting to his head getting ran over?

 

[ToxicAdam]

Scene with Phil at the gas station was the best scene of season 6.. :lol

:lol

Okay .. I do remember that one.

 

[Jake.]

I say, it's bullshit and a cop out.

.

 

[Toby]

I created my own ending with Meadow strolling through the door and abruptly looking to the left at the bathroom door. After bringing her hands to her mouth to cover a silent scream, the screen goes black.
I think something like that would have been better. It was a long ass show, and after devoting so much time to it I really wanted a definite conclusion.

 

[DeSo]

Brilliant ending. As Chase said, everything you need is in that scene.

Spoiler

He definitely died and his family had to live with seeing that for the rest of their lives.

 

[goldenticket]

i hated it then and always will

 

[tino]

I shouldn't be bothered with the last two seasons. So lame.

In fact, I didn't like any of the episodes that came after Adriana's dead.

 

[Marvie_3]

Fuckin loved the ending. There's arguments on both sides of the dead/not dead debate that make sense. I just enjoy it for what it was.

 

[starsky]

Phil's scene at the gas station <3

I don't mind the open ended ending. It's better than The Wire's ending for me. The end is the beginning is the end ftl.

 

[YoungHav]

Tony snuffing Chris was one of the most shocking things on TV for me, along w/Lost's S5 finale reveal.

 

[DjangoReinhardt]

I thought it was fine. The series had a reasonable amount of closure and it was definitely time to end.

 

[lordoftherink]

Anybody still have that gif of those dudes reacting to his head getting ran over?

Fuckin loved the ending. There's arguments on both sides of the dead/not dead debate that make sense. I just enjoy it for what it was.

That's pretty much how I felt.

Those worried about knowing the ending beforehand, this isn't a show you watch for the shocking spoiler-worthy moments. The way the last two episodes play out before that 'moment' are far more intriguing and worth seeing.

 

[tsurugi no mai]

I can't listen to Don't Stop Believing without thinking of The Sopranos now. :lol

Same here.

As for the ending, I hated it. You can't leave the viewers in the dark like that.

 

[JoeBoy101]

Ending sucked. Sometime after Season 4, David Chase got more interested in fucking with the audience than telling a solid, well-thought out story. The ending

Spoiler

, which is definitely with Tony dead,

is just the culmination of that.

 

[Manics]

All I remember from that night was my wife yelling at me cause she thought I pressed the power button on the remote by accident. Can't believe it's been 3 years already.