I love how either way you interpret this scene it works. Either Tony got whacked in front of his family, or he didn’t and this scene makes us experience the paranoia and anxiety Tony will always feel until he dies.
I've always thought this was the point. The show gave the external view of Tony for 6 seasons, then 5 minutes at the end of unbearable internal dread and anxiety of what he lived every day, and then it stopped, leaving the ambiguity, but to continue that way would be unbearable for the viewers. Also they had told the story they wanted, and this is fiction. So yes it does just end. I've always liked it.
Tony was shot dead at the restaurant. I saw the episode the first time around and had outraged viewers bothered to watch the end credits, It stated "The Sopranos: RIP". A fantastic ending to an iconic series.
Paranoia is what Tony lacks in this scene, and the lack gets him killed. One of the threads in the scene is that he is in an idealized American place rather than an immigrant-Italian place. There are numerous examples in the show of Tony trying to have one foot in both worlds from his McMansion, to going to a shrink, to trying to have non-mob friends and golfing buddies, etc.. Tony going to the diner renders him comfortable after coming down from the hyper-vigilance of going to the mattresses. Ultimately, the tension of trying to live in two worlds is resolved as he is whacked while putting his focus on the wrong world.
I remember when this first came out people were livid at how abrut it ended. My uncle at the time mention that it was a fantastic ending because that moment when it all goes black is Tony being killed and it emphasizes how when you go, it doesn’t matter if you’re in the middle of talking, ordering, eating or expecting someone - it all goes black when you die and just as Tony is left with that feeling of missing out on an “ending” we the viewers experience that along with him.
@@mr.giggles6265 he’s talking about what the cut to black is symbolizing in the show. He wasn’t making a statement about his own views on death and the afterlife. You saw his interpretation of a scene in a TV show and immediately jumped to “wow so you assume there’s no life after death? Nihilist!” Such a huge reach and projection dude lmaoo. You’re clearly insecure if you feel the need to insert your views into an irrelevant youtube comment thread.
@John G Bold talk for the internet. Notice you didn't contend my assertion that you also lack faith. Prove me wrong. Or will you admit my claim was correct? This will be interesting. But, you'll probably avoid the question.
This is the most perfect ending to an incredible series. I like how when Tony enters the restaurant, it immediately cuts to seeing him seated at the booth from the point of view standing at the door. This is what Meadow would have seen when she entered. Possibly seeing her father murdered immediately upon walking in.
Watch his eyes, scanning everyone who walks in. The point is that constant insecurity is Tony's real punishment. After all the shit he's pulled, he can never really relax.
@@troyf.9050 Thing is the only Wap in that restauraunt that came in otha than his family was the dude that clipped him, Tony didn’t even see those 2 black guys come-in he got involved with conversation. the more he got involved in conversation the more he let his guard down, and then as the dialogue went quiet again he was able to get his radar goin, and notices this guy whose clearly an italiano wearin’ a Members Only Jacket go to the bathroom. So he may have noted this but even the jukebox playin dont stop believen didn’t allow him to hear movement and he was into his menu, then heard the ring, Saw meadow and whenever he sees meadow his attention is always 100% her. He was a sitting duck. He didn’t have any panick attacks to warn him something was awry with the dealings with NY somethin didnt feel right, nor with Patsy (If you believe he was involved some ppl do but I totally disagree), The hit was done infront of his fam to send a message, He did the same to phil Infront of his wife and grankids. butchie may not have liked the way it was done among other things, and we Know Phillys Wife is very catholic and vengeful-She was the one who pressed phil that something needs to be done about Vito He needs to punished for his sins or skmething along those lines but She was the one who pressed his buttons, to do something about it. She may have wept to butchie in the same way sayin how phil was murdered right infront of her eyes gruesomely And infront of the twins so blatantly scarring them forever and she may have guilt tripped butchie pressed on it, and she may have been privy to who Phil was going to war with New Jersey. She gets the information from other soldiers in the new york family and boom Tony Soprano comes up. And she may have had family in the mob since she was so comfortable with philly being in the mob. and what does she do she gets her own connections to assassins to orchestrate a hit on Tony Soprano but she wants him to be murdered infront of his family the same horrofic experience she was exposed to she wants him to reap what he sows.
A lot of people talking about Tony's dialogue with Bobby about getting whacked. But the first time I saw this scene, I recalled Goodfellas, in that one scene where Henry got busted and said: "For a second I thought I was dead. But, when I heard all the noise, I knew they were cops. Only cops talk that way. If they'd been wiseguys, I wouldn't have heard a thing. I would've been dead."
Anybody think about how it went down after it went black? The family screaming, the gunmen walking out, meadow losing her shit as she just walked in. Other restaurant patrons panicking….. This has happened many many times in real life
Then what was the point of have Carlo flip and the fbi listening in to tony when he set up meeting with butch these events had meaning but not if tony got killed and unlike Phil who had to be hit wherever he could because they didn't want him to disappear tony was out in the open could have been killed in a more private setting
This is haunting! Gives me chills. Members only guy definitely whacked him. He literally walked in with AJ, but put himself in front of AJ to make it appear like he wasn’t following him. And AJ’s girlfriend was for sure an informant. Remember Tony was like “Who’s she gonna tell?” Regarding their whereabouts that same evening. Tony was so busy watching the door, he didn’t see who was coming out of the bathroom at 3 o’clock. And Meadow, who called him back from the brink of death, the one female in his life that he loved the most amongst all his troubled relationships with women, was the last person he saw. There’s also this level of acceptance between him, Carmela, AJ and Meadow about the lifestyle….and then it’s lights out. You won’t even hear the gun shot. This scene was brilliant.
That's great insight! Really improves my understanding of the scene. 4:16 we see Tony, Carmela and AJ popping an onion ring in their mouth. It suggests taking communion. The reference may indicate the 'last supper' of the Sopranos before they get whacked.
Its pretty funny that after all those times of blaming black people.. That he was actually letting his guard down around them is unbelievable 🤦♂️😂if he did get killed, those black guys are taking the blame forsure!New York staying away from this 1
The saddest part is that he was looking up to see meadow walking through the door so that means she saw him die right in front of him. This scene is so heartbreaking
Meddow was a little bitch cunt and the little bitch cunt saw dad pass away and there are now no ill gotten funds to pay for her irrelevant college school endeavor and the rest of dimeo crew is unalive. Still the millions of people who live in New Jersey are alive including Royal Tannennbaum
If you analyze 4:32 closely you can see the exact moment where Paulie causes a power outage at HBO. Shit got too real for Tony and he couldn't risk having his crimes broadcast for the entire world to see anymore. One of the millions of viewers could rat him out at any time.
I watched this show in it’s entirety for the first time recently. All while recovering from a harsh surgery. A month later and this ending still makes my emotions flow. I miss this show and I wish I could watch it for the first time all over again. I felt so connected with the cast. They were my outlet while I was bed ridden for over a month
@@TraumaER the creator of the show has said he's alive. He's also said if you think Tony got whacked then that's what happened. Basically he's said however you interpret the ending is what happened. It's up to all of us to decide for ourselves. Me, I think his alive.
If you notice, almost every time Tony comes close to death or danger, Meadow is there to save him. She's almost inadvertently Tony's guardian angel. On the college trip, her getting drunk and having her father take care of her luckily struck a heartstring of the rat trying to kill him. When she took the FBI lamp from the basement, she blocked the FBI's chance of hearing any incriminating conversations through the mic built into it. In Tony's coma dream, her voice is what ultimately stops him from venturing into the afterlife. You BARELY catch outside voices or forces from outside the coma, but her voice rings crystal clear when the moment is most dire. Which is why, I believe Tony did in fact get clipped in the finale. As the guy with the 'Members Only' jacket goes into the bathroom, which is perpendicular with where Tony is sitting in the restaurant, Meadow struggles to parallel park. She would've been sitting next to Tony (assuming he'd let her sit on the outside) so she'd be in between Tony and the Members Only guy, obstructing his clear shot. I also catch that the number of times Meadow has to readjust her parking is Three, which is the number of times she's kept her father from danger. 3 strikes and he was out... The sound of that door opening always sends chillds down my spine. Meadow probably ran into the restaurant just in the knack of time to see her father get shot in the head from the side.
Also, remember in the episode "Chasing it?" He bets on a horse named "Meadow Gold" who nearly wins, but loses by just a little bit. Meadow was a "cunt hair" away from saving Tony's life if she got there earlier.
So when he first comes in he’s seeing himself about to be killed. Christopher’s near death experience tells us that. That’s why he looked so disappointed when he walked in, he new he had to relive that moment again and again. Love the writing and everything else about this show.
@@darrenk7163h I see you’re one of those morons. I feel sorry for you if you really think he lived. There are so many freaking clues pointing to his death that you’d have to be a complete dullard to think otherwise, like you do sir.
@@sasquatch7234 that’s a great point actually. I wonder if it’s just the scene or the whole thing over and over again. One of the best shows ever created.
This is such a good scene. Even the placement at the table has deeper sense since nobody sat next to Tony so he was open for a clear shot from the side. If Meadow came in sooner, since she only cold've been seated onTony's right he would't have been whacked. That's why that painfully mundane parking attempt was included.
If it's a head shot you definitely don't hear it. Bullets travel faster than sound. Watch the A10 in Afghanistan videos. You see the Taliban guys disappear in a hail of bullets long before you hear the distinctive brrrrrrrrrrrrrt of the gun.
@@bobdylan7120 An A-10s cannon shoots its rounds at Mach 3. Most 9mm and .45 handgun rounds are subsonic. You would hear it. Whether your brain would process and notice it before being splattered is another question.
@@atlantis5001 He looks up right as she walks in, it's safe to assume he saw her for a split second but I don't know who OP is referring to as "the one he loved the most" I assume he means Meadow but some people would say Carm or AJ. idk.
So every time the bell sounds, our perspective shifts to first person from Tony’s POV, which is why at the first bell you see Tony walk in and it immediately shifts to the table where he’ll be sitting at, because that’s what he’s looking at; that’s his perspective. Going forward, he’s facing the door so every-time the bell rings, we’re shown him look up followed by a quick camera shift where you see the door from his eyes (1st person instead of 3rd). It doesn’t fade to black, it cuts to black right as Meadow walked in because that was the point where the bullet entered his brain. He never did see his daughter. And yes, it was most certainly a reference to The Godfather (“two shots a piece to the head”) where Michael retrieved the Snub-Nose revolver from the toilet to execute Sollozzo.
Even if Tony didn’t die, he now spends the rest of his life looking over his shoulder. No longer will be free, and no longer able to feel safe. This is where This Thing leads, pure blackness.
I’ve pondered this scene a million times. Almost every time I see him getting whacked by the ZIP who goes into the washroom. AJ walks in right after him so Tony doesn’t notice him. Guy identifies Tony twice while sitting at bar goes into washroom that is exactly in front of Tony’s table. If meadow had come in earlier and sat next to Tony it would have diverted the plan, hence the parallel parking cut scenes. Tony had Phil whacked in front of his family, who knows how that sat with the other NY bosses. This particular scene had the typical causal setting that the director used when whacking main characters especially with the random cut scenes.
Or... he was looking at Tony's direction because that's where the restrooms were located. You hear what sounded like a door closing as that individual is walking towards there. The restroom is finally empty for the guy to use.
@@liamwright2510 what? The show is full of public whackings. The first members only guy that killed himself shoots a guy in a restaurant. Sil’s buddy is shot I front of him in a crowded restaurant I could go on
@@liamwright2510 Thats the point in killing a mob boss. They make it public so everyone knows who is in charge now that Tony is dead. The guy probably went to the rest room to grab a gun that was stashed. The guy who walked in before AJ was symbolism of Death or the Mafia. And Tony put business before family as can be seen many times. The lyrics of the song also might tie into this.
When I first saw this episode, I wanted to believe that Tony lived, but deep down I knew that just couldn't be true. There's no way Tony lives. I agree with what many on these comments have said - he gets smoked by the guy in the Members Only jacket, right as he's watching Meadow come in, and she along with rest of the family sees it. Had to be that way.
Isn’t it strange? By the end, Tony had become a far greater blight than ever, best shown by our last view of Satriale’s: cold, bleak, muted and barren, I’d even liken it to a corpse. Yet, that said, I still find myself wanting Tony to live, perhaps I admire that he had come to terms with his true nature and the absurdity of all things in Vegas, or maybe it’s just a testament to the excellence of this show. Either way, what a damn ride.
In "The irishman" Robert deniro pretty much outlines this setup for the joe gallo hit. Pick a public place, make sure their family sees it. also it's a good idea to go to the bathroom beforehand, to check if anyone is in there. Plus, you don't want to be uncomfortable.
@@borris3768 Really? Nothing at all alike? A mob boss going to a restaurant with his family gets shot dead in public full view of the family? Really? Are you that dense?
Just watched this scene for the first time last night. I thought my laptop was dead, I was so confused and scared then I realized what happened. Absolutely amazing finale, great end for the GOAT Tony Soprano.
The ending is on the level of inception. This was before inception but because the ending is abrupt, the sopranos have the most unforgettable ending in TV history...
Fans were pretty pissed off by this ending at first, but it certainly has grown on them. And yes, it DEFINITELY got people talking and it still is over a decade later.
@@grungefreak10 The first time you see it, it leaves you wondering what happened, but once you see it many times and understand it, your perspective changes and you begin to appreciate even more the type of series that The Sopranos was. The truth is that for me this ending is much better and more consequential than an ending where Tony became a better person or watch him die right there in the restaurant.
Meadow takes three attempts to park successfully, the third time is the charm. Tony survived two hit attempts, the third time here was also the charm. This is always be one of my all time favorite television shows and I me in my top 3 of all time.
00:12 - the painting in the background depicts a mansion identical to the one in Tony's "Kevin Finnerty" hallucination, where he was 1 inch away from death. Notice the two varsity athletes on each side of the painting. 01:10 - 3 identical kids 01:40 - 3 lights on the wall. 3 paintings too 01:54 - 3 packets of milk next to the coffee cup 04:07 - 3rd attempt to park the car is successful Uncle Junior - "They come in threes" Chrissy - "He had a message for you and Paulie. 3 o'clock." It can't just be a coincidence.
@@dannybodros5180 Might be pushing it with this one but, 3 red lights at the beginning in the window. Also a really good one, it says, "Mori" which is death in latin in the reflection.
The only thing that could have possibly improved this ending is if Tony gave a little smile at seeing Meadow before it cut to black. Just so he could go in that happy moment.
it’s to leave the interpretation that he is in hell and seeing himself enter as the cycle continues just as Chrissie was telling him about his coma dream
This is the most uncomfortable scene in the whole show. I don't know whether it's because you know it's the end but you can feel in the air that there is something very wrong from the start of the scene. Tony looking at himself made me think of The Shining.
It's funny you should mention the shining. David Chase said that this ending was inspired by the finale to 2001: a space Odyssey, which was also a Stanley Kubrick film
you know the saying “ life flashed before his eyes” well, i think this is the perfect ending, he dies the same way all of his counterparts did, it’s almost like a karmic burden/ inevitability, and the fact that when you get whacked in the head, it’s lights out and this scene ends to black giving me the impression that Tony indeed got shot in the head due to how every victim at the hands of tony never saw it coming.
@@cads4737 Tony probably had just enough time to register it was Tony; Tony definitely had enough time to see his daughter one last time. Better end than he deserved, IMO, but still brutal for his family.
Great ending! Just how I wanted it to end. Now everyone can have their own thoughts knowing that Tony continued to be the Mob boss he was. Absolutely perfect ending......
What’s crazy is that this scene directly reminded me of Bobby and Tony’s conversation when they’re fishing I think in episode 1 of season 6, Bobby talks about hearing about what it would be like to get shot in the head, how it just “goes dark and you don’t hear nothing or feel pain”. Which in my opinion, reflects really well in this ending. And I think it’s why they went with this abrupt ending.
I do think David Chase vision was that Tony died in the end. Because as he said “I wanted to show in the end crime doesn’t pay” but like any artists he paints a picture and leaves it for the viewer to decide the meaning.
@@spartanracer chase said "but we didnt do that" referring to a death scene he was talking about, and said "fuck you guys" because they were annoying him about the finale
How can you not be romantic about the end of The Sopranos? Everything is perfection, imo. Numerous callbacks and references to the show's history (focus on the good times, right everybody?). Meadow not having the makings of a varsity parallel parker. Even choosing Don't Stop Believin' as the song to play in the background is perfection. It evokes all the right emotions. And then, as if to read the audience's mind, the song blares "DON'T STOP" as the screen cuts black. Amazing to me that anyone was ever upset by it.
There's another hint indicating Tony is going to be killed. Right at the beginning of the scene, there's a close up on his face in which he's looking at the tables. Then, there's a cut on his point of view, and, strangely, we see him already seated at the tables. It's an ellipse, of course, but for a second it gives us the impression that he's looking at his doppelgänger. In classic literature, when the doppelgänger of a character appears, it usually means death is around the corner.
also when Christopher was in a coma he told Paulie that in hell Dickie sees himself get whacked every night which could be what tony is seeing right here since he is most likely in hell he is probably watching himself get whacked.
This is the show that launched good TV. We saw nothing like it before on TV. Movies yes but a show on TV no. You still had to not miss it every week! Before on demand streaming. The last show me and the wife watched together. I miss that. I remember she jumped up like wtf at the end. She thought the power went off ! Good memories watching with my wife.
True. I consider it the dawn of the golden era of scripted drama on TV. Shows like Six Feet Under, Boardwalk Empire, Spartacus, Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, etc all came after. Before all the "great shows" were network formula like West Wing, LA Law, NYPD Blue, St Elsewhere...good but not great.
I hope in those moments of sadness, a bit of warmth is able to seep through, as you remember the love you and your wife shared along what made her so special to you. 🫂
100% wrong. M*A*S*H* did it first and way better back in the late 70's and early 80's. with strong storytelling, amazingly well written characters that we all can see ourselves in and very strong and flexible acting all within the confines of a wartime situation. humor, comedy, faith etc all within a 'situation comedy'. i liked the sopranos but way too many people confuse 'tough guy, do or die..fake loyalty to 'family' and senseless violence as being 'hard' and noble.
This is my theory as well. It was all in his imagination. People say "he was killed" and often recall how everytime he listens the bell, the camera changes to his POV. In the last instance the POV is black, which is why people assume he dies. But if you pay close attention, the camera shift after every bell ring doesn't start once he is seated, but before, when he enters the place for the first time and the bell rings. This is the actual first instance in which the camera shifts to his POV. But something odd has happened: he is already seated! How can he see himself from the door already seated? Because he has started to imagine what would happen to him if he enters, and this daydream ends with his death. Which makes sense because in the end Tony Soprano is actually free, and nobody that we know of is coming for him. But all the bad actions he has commited have finally convinced him that he actually deserves to die or at least be in danger. That is Tony Soprano's real curse. To never feel safe because he knows he doesn't deserve it. I know the original writer of The Sopranos because confirmed the "he died" theory. But listening to him and how he hated to be continually asked about the ending, I think he just confirmed the wrong theory to misled us.
Yeah he was already dead when he wakes in if you notice the look on his face is one of dispare and if you look he’s wearing a different shirt when he walks in
He didn’t see himself sitting at the table. We see the patrons, then Tony’s face, then the patrons again. Except Tony is in the empty table the second time. He wasn’t looking at himself..
@@xxnativexx-ttv- same shirt. You can see the shirt has a black collar too, near his leather jacket collar. You can't see the rest of the shirt colors when he walks in, because they're hidden under the leather. Same shirt.
A lot of people missed the fact that had Meadow parked the car on her first attempt and been sat next to Tony - where the only spare seat was, the hit would probably have been called off as she would have blocked a clear shot. Her delay (and terrible parking) clearly allowed the hit to go ahead as the gunman had a clear shot at Tony when exiting the bathroom. I don’t believe for a second they would have tried to shoot at Tony with Meadow sat next to him and ‘family’s don’t get touched, you know that’.
Fans hated this finale when it first aired, but in the years since, they really have warmed up to it. It has certainly kept people talking even years later, and that was the genius of it. That's certainly more memorable than having the nameless man storm out of the bathroom with a TEC-9 and put four slugs in Tony's back.
This isn’t a hot take but a bad ending was Game of thrones. This was a clever ending from the start that made more sense the more you rewatched the series.
I think at the time there wasn’t nothing like the sopranos so people weren’t expecting it like back then everything hard to ether have a satisfying ending or a massive shoot out . Know there’s show like breaking bad, better call Saul, peaky blinders, ozark, sons of anarchy and game of thrones people aren’t so single minded about endings
The guy who went to the bathroom, shot TONY while tony was looking at his daughter for the last time as she walks in...probably with shock on her face cuz of the dude pointing the gun, They really left this on a cliff hanger.
To be Honest, we all can agree that Patsy ordered the hit. He always wanted revenge for his brother and he finally reached a moment where Tony was vulnerable and no longer had anyone to back him up.
I kind of like the theory that Eugene’s wife ordered it, with the guy in the Members Only jacket. She had all that inheritance money. Could have collaborated with Patsy, I suppose.
Patsy was under Chris, and was a soilder, he had no weight to order the hit on a boss. For me the ending is what we saw in the episode, a slow decay of the Soprano mob, Pauli is tanning with NO ONE left. The main crew is gone, the Sopranos are very weakened, and most likely with Carlo flipping everyone goes down. In my world Carlo flips, Tony, Pauli, and most of the top guys go to jail. The Soprano mob dies there... The whole last season was the tribe going down bit by bit.
The awkwardness and mundanity of the bad parking attempts juxtaposed with the emotional music really highlight how even stupid meaningless things can make such a difference. Much like how Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s car stalled in front of the building his killer happened to emerge from, Meadow’s minutes-long delay left Tony’s right side exposed to the bathroom his killer would emerge from.
Great TV series, and an ending that left many speculating for years as to what really happened. For me, it's hard to imagine any amount of power or money being worth the cost of having to spend your life with your head on a swivel 24/7. Never knowing who you can trust, and never knowing when you're going to end up in the trunk of a car, buried in the Meadowlands, splattered all over some restaurant seat, or spending years in jail. These guys were doing all that, and were doing it for not that much bling really. It's not like many of them were really wealthy. Vast majority seemed to have rather middle-class homes and lifestyles. In spite for all the risk and trouble they went through to steal, cheat, assault, and kill, just not to be “average” guys, at the end of the day they weren't any better off than the “average” guy.
and even if they did it for all the bling in the world, in the end none of it ever mattered. That is why Scripture asks us to examine ourselves, "For what benefit is it to gain the whole world and finally loose our soul" Thank you for this deep comment.
@@jeffrey1261 : True. I have heard that scripture many times. My mother took me to church every Sunday growing up. For many of those who are people of religious belief, their wealth in mortal life is of very little importance, when compared to the bigger picture of the wealth of one’s eternal soul.
it's a part of the life. you get used to living that way and soon there just isn't any other way you can live, it just feels impossible sometimes. in The Wire, Cutty gets out of prison and almost falls back into gang life because it's all he knew, all he was made out for. He tries to work a regular job and can't do it because he knows he can make "more than this".
Сегодня досмотрел последнею серию данного сериала. Каждый вечер я приходил с работы и смотрел по 2-3 серии из сезона, складывалось такое ощущение, что я сам стал членом семьи сопрано, как бы и парадоксально это не звучало. И тут ты понимаешь в концовке, что будто твоего члена семьи убили, потому что ты так к ним привык за 6 сезонов, что это не может не вызывать шока. Я не представляю, что было на душе у тех людей, кто смотрел сопрано на протяжении 7 лет. В конце концов сопрано заплатил высокую цену за такую форму существования.
just imagining his funeral is crazy... virtually nobody would be there. all the guys he attended funerals and events with (christopher, sil, bobby, uncle junior, johnny, etc) are all dead. the only people left are paulie, patsy, carmela, AJ, meadow, and janice. dr melfi might attend but given how disgusted she was with him by the end, i doubt she would. this is why i never understood how people say the sopranos glorifies the mafia; it actually does the contrary. it shows just how destructive, evil, and miserable the mafia is. this scene shows just how paranoid tony is because he KNOWS he has dozens of skeletons in his closet. he's just waiting for one to come for him. he allowed all the evil inside of him to fester and grow and he's left with absolutely no good qualities by the end. he's killed his own family members and friends, destroyed his marriage with carm, made his own damn therapist repulsed by him... he's nothing but a shell of a man just waiting to die (either here in this diner, or in prison) with nobody by his side. tony was always doomed just by being part of that life. so no, i would say the sopranos doesn't romanticize the mafia at all. anyway, 4 dollars a pound.
I believe this is also Chase’s homage to The Godfather as the man in the members only jacket goes to the bathroom in very much the same way Michael Corleone went to the bathroom at Louie’s.
It was actually Sil in his hospital gown comming out of the bathroom saying his legendary line ......... “just when I thought I was out... they pull me back in”. Fin.
I remember watching this finale when it first aired. I was so confused at first, and then as the credits rolled it hit me. Tony had been whacked right in front of his family. Then I started connecting the dots. A brilliant show, all the way to the end. I loved how it ended on such a note, leaving the interpretation open to the audience. Rest in peace, Big Guy.
This episode was incredible. Tony finally kills Phil Leotardo but at the Cost of nearly his whole crew. The last half he is trying to make amends or make things seem like theyre back to normal. He goes to see paulie, then janice, then uncle junior, then his family and his death. I think the episode was really about things never being the same. They could never go back to how things were. Tony made his bed and now he has to lay in it
For me the ending is what we saw in the episode, a slow decay of the Soprano mob, Pauli is tanning with NO ONE left. The main crew is gone, the Sopranos are very weakened, and most likely with Carlo flipping everyone goes down. In my world Carlo flips, Tony, Pauli, and most of the top guys go to jail. The Soprano mob dies there... The whole last season was the tribe going down bit by bit.
I could never take being a mafia member, having that constant anxiety of having to look over your shoulder for the rest of your days on this earth and having to cope with all the bad stuff you’ve done over the years.
@@SexyFace Lmao, yes, keep sulking, that’s all you can do when the facts hit you across the face. This is actually quite entertaining, like seeing a monkey dancing.
@@SexyFace Imagine being so salty about losing an argument with me in another comment section, about a different topic at hand, that you’re at the point of straight up going to another comment section and try to provoke me. Lmao, how sad is your life kid? Am I really living in your head rent-free? Lmao.
So thankful for all of u in the comment section that have amazing theories when it comes to the sopranos.U all make me love this show even more.. Thank you🤘🏼
Tony is in purgatory seeing his death over and over “and it’s painful like Christopher said” and once he’s done he’s headed to Hell(the big White House behind him).
@@TraumaER 3 o’clock is your immediate right from wherever you’re facing. Shady dude goes in bathroom to Tony’s 3 o’clock, where the gat is probably stashed, Godfather style
Chris said the "message" was for BOTH Paulie and Tony. So I'm not buying the directional explanation. The 3-o-clock reference is classic David Chase...mysteriously, opaque, unknowable....like the fate of the Russian in Pine Barrens.
AJ finally learned... "focus on the good times", implying there's some hope for his depression. Last thing Tony sees is his angel, Meadow. Even the black guys they've spent the show blaming for everything make an appearance. Bathroom, a la The Godfather. Members only. 3 o clock. Tony's dead. Never sees it coming. Perfect.
AJ had him killed. I watched a episode(s) keeps foreshadowing what was going to happen to Tony. AJ references Godfather which makes the scene more disturbing.
Best ending to anything ever, a class job, loyal to the lore, the style and to everything the Soprano's stood for as a work of art. Went over the head of so many people, which oddly only adds to its beauty. Before there was "Bravo Vince" we used to say "Bravo David".
Tactically Tony almost got it correct. Able to see front entrance but not having his back to all ; Meadow "distracting" him was convenient but would have still happened.
First time started this series few months back and It ended today and I have no words to describe my emotions. All i know is that I have seen greatest tv show of all the time. All i want is to erase my memory and watch the sopranos for the first time (again) . Tony became real sociopath in 12B but still i am happy i couldn't actually seen him being dead ...
We saw characters die throughout the series. David Chase puts the audience in Tony's shoes and we see what it is to die suddenly. The audience really was the last one to get "whacked".
My theory: Butch did turn back on his promise of backing off from The Soprano/DiMeo family on the order of Little Carmine and Paulie knew about it, leaving Paulie the head of who was left in Jersey and merging his crew with the Lupertazzi family. Three times Butch was the one who brought up whacking Tony and specific members but Paulie always being left out and in one episode is even said to "not be a target". Through the series basically every meeting Paulie attended with Tony, Paulie never shook the second parties hand, except once. He shook Butch's hand after Tony walks off during the warehouse meeting when they talk about clipping Phil and then Paulie walks off alone and to me that symbolized something. At this point in the series Paulie was the only one left besides Parisi and let's face it, nobody in Jersey really cared much for Parisi. Silvio was fighting to stay alive in his coma and never recovered from it, he most likely died from the injuries as they did say he might not make it. Bobby got clipped by New York and we all know the stories of Pussy and Jimmy. There was literally nobody left but Paulie and he knew that it was time for the DiMeo/Soprano family to be defunct. Also, I feel Tony knew his time was up after Johnny Sack died, Johnny Sack was the mediator between the two families which stopped a lot of problems and helped to try and keep the money evenly spread. We will never really know, but things like that have happened in real life with certain families so it isn't a far fetched theory.
I think you're pretty much spot on. The original plan was "decapitate, do business with whatever's left" and while Butchie no longer trusted Phil, that overall plan was still in play. They just placated Tony long enough for him to let his guard down.
That’s because Paulie wasn’t underboss in 2007, Bobby was, which is why he’s described as “number 3”. Paulie became underboss again after Bobby’s death, however. Paulie hated New York and Phil, and since Butch kissed Phil’s ass 24/7, he probably disliked him as well. The theory that the DiMeo family is eventually incorporated into the Lupertazzi family isn’t that far fetched, but for it to happen the war would have to continue. Paulie is very hot headed and isn’t going to lay down for a snake like Butchie. Also, side note, while Paulie would’ve probably become boss because of his elevated position, he was not the last one left, there was also Alley Boy, who probably took over the Barese crew again, and Tony Black, who probably became captain of Bobby’s crew
That does make a lot of sense for Butch, seeing as how much he gained from Phil's campaign against Tony. He might have decided to give Tony a pass, then changed his mind when he heard about Carlo. Tony having such a selfish personality, it isn't hard to imagine him ratting everyone out to the Feds if he was facing years in prison.
David chase did this masterfully with the suspense, the music and volume of. Meadows driving then black. I thought my tv went out lol. He left us to wonder and debate the end for years until he finally spoke about it.
Seeing what a poor driver Meadow is is the hardest and most anxiety-inducing part of this video.
To be fair, it looks like she never really drove in the series due to her being in new york for school and work
I got to this comment right as a i watched that part. I felt so weird watching her fail
Sum up meadow’s parking skills
2:49
@@Stutterstun I parallel parked perfectly my first time and every time since. Stop it!
@@TailorK9 Well if you're experience parallels with the rest of the world, the world would be pretty boring wouldn't it?
I love how either way you interpret this scene it works. Either Tony got whacked in front of his family, or he didn’t and this scene makes us experience the paranoia and anxiety Tony will always feel until he dies.
I've always thought this was the point. The show gave the external view of Tony for 6 seasons, then 5 minutes at the end of unbearable internal dread and anxiety of what he lived every day, and then it stopped, leaving the ambiguity, but to continue that way would be unbearable for the viewers. Also they had told the story they wanted, and this is fiction. So yes it does just end. I've always liked it.
Tony was shot dead at the restaurant. I saw the episode the first time around and had outraged viewers bothered to watch the end credits, It stated "The Sopranos: RIP".
A fantastic ending to an iconic series.
I like to think he choked on an onion ring
Nah he alive. Does youtube nowadays
Paranoia is what Tony lacks in this scene, and the lack gets him killed. One of the threads in the scene is that he is in an idealized American place rather than an immigrant-Italian place. There are numerous examples in the show of Tony trying to have one foot in both worlds from his McMansion, to going to a shrink, to trying to have non-mob friends and golfing buddies, etc.. Tony going to the diner renders him comfortable after coming down from the hyper-vigilance of going to the mattresses. Ultimately, the tension of trying to live in two worlds is resolved as he is whacked while putting his focus on the wrong world.
I remember when this first came out people were livid at how abrut it ended. My uncle at the time mention that it was a fantastic ending because that moment when it all goes black is Tony being killed and it emphasizes how when you go, it doesn’t matter if you’re in the middle of talking, ordering, eating or expecting someone - it all goes black when you die and just as Tony is left with that feeling of missing out on an “ending” we the viewers experience that along with him.
Whoa...
Mind blown...
I like it.
All based on the a prioi assumption that there isn't life after death. Personally, I disagree. Happy Good Friday! God loves you.
@@mr.giggles6265lmao nice projection
@@mr.giggles6265 he’s talking about what the cut to black is symbolizing in the show. He wasn’t making a statement about his own views on death and the afterlife. You saw his interpretation of a scene in a TV show and immediately jumped to “wow so you assume there’s no life after death? Nihilist!” Such a huge reach and projection dude lmaoo. You’re clearly insecure if you feel the need to insert your views into an irrelevant youtube comment thread.
@John G Bold talk for the internet. Notice you didn't contend my assertion that you also lack faith. Prove me wrong. Or will you admit my claim was correct? This will be interesting. But, you'll probably avoid the question.
This is the most perfect ending to an incredible series.
I like how when Tony enters the restaurant, it immediately cuts to seeing him seated at the booth from the point of view standing at the door. This is what Meadow would have seen when she entered. Possibly seeing her father murdered immediately upon walking in.
Poor girl.
@@Dylonely42 Best as possible! Leaves us to our own opinions, this why it is rated as the best T.V. Show of all time
@@Dylonely42i agree this last episode was horrible
@@keno2285🤣🤣what do u think happens to those mob guys 99% of the time. They made this show as real as possible
@@hextonia8835 not rlly
Watch his eyes, scanning everyone who walks in. The point is that constant insecurity is Tony's real punishment. After all the shit he's pulled, he can never really relax.
You would think he would avoid public places lol
And the scanning didn't even work since Meadow was the last thing he actually saw.b
@@troyf.9050 Thing is the only Wap in that restauraunt that came in otha than his family was the dude that clipped him,
Tony didn’t even see those 2 black guys come-in he got involved with conversation. the more he got involved in conversation the more he let his guard down, and then as the dialogue went quiet again he was able to get his radar goin, and notices this guy whose clearly an italiano wearin’ a Members Only Jacket go to the bathroom. So he may have noted this but even the jukebox playin dont stop believen didn’t allow him to hear movement and he was into his menu, then heard the ring, Saw meadow and whenever he sees meadow his attention is always 100% her. He was a sitting duck. He didn’t have any panick attacks to warn him something was awry with the dealings with NY somethin didnt feel right, nor with Patsy (If you believe he was involved some ppl do but I totally disagree), The hit was done infront of his fam to send a message, He did the same to phil Infront of his wife and grankids. butchie may not have liked the way it was done among other things, and we Know Phillys Wife is very catholic and vengeful-She was the one who pressed phil that something needs to be done about Vito He needs to punished for his sins or skmething along those lines but She was the one who pressed his buttons, to do something about it. She may have wept to butchie in the same way sayin how phil was murdered right infront of her eyes gruesomely And infront of the twins so blatantly scarring them forever and she may have guilt tripped butchie pressed on it, and she may have been privy to who Phil was going to war with New Jersey. She gets the information from other soldiers in the new york family and boom Tony Soprano comes up. And she may have had family in the mob since she was so comfortable with philly being in the mob. and what does she do she gets her own connections to assassins to orchestrate a hit on Tony Soprano but she wants him to be murdered infront of his family the same horrofic experience she was exposed to she wants him to reap what he sows.
Yeah if Tony never died from a gun shot he definitely did from hypertension or cardiac arrest.
@@effortlessawareness8778 Phil's wife calling the hit on Tony's a stretch. Butchie probably ordered it.
A lot of people talking about Tony's dialogue with Bobby about getting whacked. But the first time I saw this scene, I recalled Goodfellas, in that one scene where Henry got busted and said: "For a second I thought I was dead. But, when I heard all the noise, I knew they were cops. Only cops talk that way. If they'd been wiseguys, I wouldn't have heard a thing. I would've been dead."
I thought of that same line, too.
Awesome reference
I prefer that
This scene makes me think of the restaurant scene in the godfather 1...when the suspicious guy in the Grey jacket heads to the bathroom...
@@divashangovindasamy132 😂 Al Pacino . Chase left everything on the viewers to decide debate ponder over his content. Damn
Anybody think about how it went down after it went black? The family screaming, the gunmen walking out, meadow losing her shit as she just walked in. Other restaurant patrons panicking…..
This has happened many many times in real life
AJ would have had blood splattered on him, he’d probably just sit there in silent shock and then throw up
Really wish they filmed it would’ve been wild
Tony didn't get shot the major clues are there
@@darrenk7163 Yes he did. The creator himself even admitted it. He got whacked
Then what was the point of have Carlo flip and the fbi listening in to tony when he set up meeting with butch these events had meaning but not if tony got killed and unlike Phil who had to be hit wherever he could because they didn't want him to disappear tony was out in the open could have been killed in a more private setting
This is haunting! Gives me chills. Members only guy definitely whacked him. He literally walked in with AJ, but put himself in front of AJ to make it appear like he wasn’t following him. And AJ’s girlfriend was for sure an informant. Remember Tony was like “Who’s she gonna tell?” Regarding their whereabouts that same evening. Tony was so busy watching the door, he didn’t see who was coming out of the bathroom at 3 o’clock. And Meadow, who called him back from the brink of death, the one female in his life that he loved the most amongst all his troubled relationships with women, was the last person he saw. There’s also this level of acceptance between him, Carmela, AJ and Meadow about the lifestyle….and then it’s lights out. You won’t even hear the gun shot. This scene was brilliant.
That's great insight! Really improves my understanding of the scene.
4:16 we see Tony, Carmela and AJ popping an onion ring in their mouth. It suggests taking communion. The reference may indicate the 'last supper' of the Sopranos before they get whacked.
@@johnellizz even down to the way all three place it on their tongue like a communion wafer!
@@gabagool_ovahere I was thinking the same thing this time around watching the ending
Also AJ being a huge F up the entire show, of course he comes in with the hitman.
He did not die
Glad that the longtime beloved characters “2 Black Guys” got their moment in the finale
The one that accidentally shot his man ? Lmaoooo yeah that’s funny
The "two black guys" are like oranges in the Godfather Series-anytime they show up, someone gets whacked.
What happened?
Its pretty funny that after all those times of blaming black people.. That he was actually letting his guard down around them is unbelievable 🤦♂️😂if he did get killed, those black guys are taking the blame forsure!New York staying away from this 1
Oh yeah....those 2 guys
In an earlier episode, AJ asked Tony what it was like to die. Tony said, "everything just goes dark." That's what happened.
Johnny MF Bravo so tony is in hell
@@spiderboy-db5us No. Tony is no more...
Wasn't that with Bobby baccala on the first episode of this season?
ua-cam.com/video/_RHvYRU2Aow/v-deo.html
@@Umbra-qk6ut he’s in hell
The saddest part is that he was looking up to see meadow walking through the door so that means she saw him die right in front of him. This scene is so heartbreaking
He got what he deserved
Nah bro...that was long overdue
Nothing happened
Meddow was a little bitch cunt and the little bitch cunt saw dad pass away and there are now no ill gotten funds to pay for her irrelevant college school endeavor and the rest of dimeo crew is unalive. Still the millions of people who live in New Jersey are alive including Royal Tannennbaum
The only sad part is that his family had to witness that or worse they ended up as collateral.
*"It won't be cinematic...."*
*-**_Patsy Parisi_** -*
Bruh...
It’s a shame this man died in real life he’s truly missed
He died young. 51. Yes, he is very much missed. Be resting in eternal peace, James Gandolfini☝🏼🙏🏻🙏🏻...aka, Tony Soprano!
@@JohnnyCage333 he didn’t die he got whacked
@@AZB2000 cmon man. separate real life from the show
@@Joe-cj2jr They found Soprano dead in his bathroom, no question about it, he tried to go into the witness protection program
HE DIED? Oh god no
Meadow never did have the makings of a varsity driver.
small hands
Hahahaha
@BarbarossaBMW88ϟϟ are you special needs? you obviously don’t get it 🤦🏼♀️
What did I say?
Neither did A.J.
If you analyze 4:32 closely you can see the exact moment where Paulie causes a power outage at HBO. Shit got too real for Tony and he couldn't risk having his crimes broadcast for the entire world to see anymore. One of the millions of viewers could rat him out at any time.
Paulie was a real one
I watched this show in it’s entirety for the first time recently. All while recovering from a harsh surgery. A month later and this ending still makes my emotions flow. I miss this show and I wish I could watch it for the first time all over again. I felt so connected with the cast. They were my outlet while I was bed ridden for over a month
The series began because Tony was suffering blackouts. For the show's finale, he blacked out forever.
very allegorical.
Damn that’s deep. I always assumed the screen went black because they wanted to do a clever finale ending. I didn’t know it meant he died.
@@deathrager2404 Im reminded of King Louis’ Finance minister, “The” something. He built a large home, even outshone Versailles!
@@TraumaER the creator of the show has said he's alive. He's also said if you think Tony got whacked then that's what happened. Basically he's said however you interpret the ending is what happened. It's up to all of us to decide for ourselves. Me, I think his alive.
@@stephencronin1080 read the whole interview. He went on to clarify and even said people will take it out of context and say Tony is dead. Lol
All these years later, and my heart still races every single time I watch this scene.
I always wondered what they were going to order. Tony looked at the menu for like 5 minutes straight. That's not normal
@@maxazzopardi7446 Kinda normal my dad does it
U need to get that checked out bud
why?
@@maxazzopardi7446 It's pretty damn normal. Especially when you're hungry
If you notice, almost every time Tony comes close to death or danger, Meadow is there to save him. She's almost inadvertently Tony's guardian angel.
On the college trip, her getting drunk and having her father take care of her luckily struck a heartstring of the rat trying to kill him.
When she took the FBI lamp from the basement, she blocked the FBI's chance of hearing any incriminating conversations through the mic built into it.
In Tony's coma dream, her voice is what ultimately stops him from venturing into the afterlife. You BARELY catch outside voices or forces from outside the coma, but her voice rings crystal clear when the moment is most dire.
Which is why, I believe Tony did in fact get clipped in the finale. As the guy with the 'Members Only' jacket goes into the bathroom, which is perpendicular with where Tony is sitting in the restaurant, Meadow struggles to parallel park. She would've been sitting next to Tony (assuming he'd let her sit on the outside) so she'd be in between Tony and the Members Only guy, obstructing his clear shot. I also catch that the number of times Meadow has to readjust her parking is Three, which is the number of times she's kept her father from danger. 3 strikes and he was out... The sound of that door opening always sends chillds down my spine. Meadow probably ran into the restaurant just in the knack of time to see her father get shot in the head from the side.
He didn't even hear it coming
Just focus on the good times.
This 100% makes sense, honestly an amazing ending for such a show.
I watched this for the first time last night.Your explanation is very reasonable now that I rewatch this scene
Also, remember in the episode "Chasing it?" He bets on a horse named "Meadow Gold" who nearly wins, but loses by just a little bit. Meadow was a "cunt hair" away from saving Tony's life if she got there earlier.
So when he first comes in he’s seeing himself about to be killed. Christopher’s near death experience tells us that. That’s why he looked so disappointed when he walked in, he new he had to relive that moment again and again. Love the writing and everything else about this show.
Tony lived
@@darrenk7163h I see you’re one of those morons. I feel sorry for you if you really think he lived. There are so many freaking clues pointing to his death that you’d have to be a complete dullard to think otherwise, like you do sir.
@@darrenk7163😂
@@darrenk7163 he didn't
It’s also a reference to the end of the movie 2001 where Dave can see himself at the final stage of his life
Tony is already dead, he keeps reliving the moment of his death, like Christopher told him.
That would explain the David Bowman "watching yourself die" camera angles from 2001 Space Odessy being used here!
He sees himself sitting there. Look closely. :12
Different clothes. He is in hell in the story.
@@sasquatch7234 that’s a great point actually. I wonder if it’s just the scene or the whole thing over and over again. One of the best shows ever created.
@@BLAK3SAMA wow I can't believe this isn't something more people notice. so obvious and key.
@@BLAK3SAMA idk about the different clothes because you can see the jacket next to him later on. Very interesting take though
This is such a good scene. Even the placement at the table has deeper sense since nobody sat next to Tony so he was open for a clear shot from the side. If Meadow came in sooner, since she only cold've been seated onTony's right he would't have been whacked. That's why that painfully mundane parking attempt was included.
They'd have shot thru her
All well and good but what if Tony had sat anywhere else in the restaurant?
@@pnut3844able they would not, the mob is not like that, at least as cinematographic depictions are concerned.
@@benjames9883 that can be arranged with the bartender or manager. i doubt one would do such a high profile hit and not prepare for all circumstances.
He's dead didn't get out of there alive.
The way he got bodied in front of his family was brutal. Very charismatic character.
just like they did Phil
They shot the whole family so they did not suffer for long
“I went ahead and ordered something for the table.” - famous last words by Tony Soprano
“You probably don’t even hear it when it happens”
hence the word probably
Chills
ua-cam.com/video/SgeOaJSmYx4/v-deo.html
If it's a head shot you definitely don't hear it. Bullets travel faster than sound.
Watch the A10 in Afghanistan videos. You see the Taliban guys disappear in a hail of bullets long before you hear the distinctive brrrrrrrrrrrrrt of the gun.
@@bobdylan7120 An A-10s cannon shoots its rounds at Mach 3. Most 9mm and .45 handgun rounds are subsonic. You would hear it. Whether your brain would process and notice it before being splattered is another question.
Meadow walking in right as her dad gets killed, damn
Long life trauma right there.
@@lilmonkeboi Of course he’s the guy. He was the only other Member in the room besides Tony.
@@joefelice5062 what's a Member?
@@Angelfish-wr1pp it's the name of the jacket he's wearing.
More bucks for Melfi
and now we know it was Volodymyr Zelensky who did Tony in
I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING
Tony was a putinoid
The invasion with ukraine, whatever happened there
🤣🤣🤣
Voldemort Zelensky
Tony's hell is to relive and watch his death over and over again.
Last person he saw was the one he loved the most, and who also broke his heart the deepest. A good way to go: happy and sad, and loving every minute.
Sure they felt the same as his skull and cerebellum dripped off their faces...
He didn't get to see her
@@atlantis5001 eh?
@@Matt_McGlone 😆
@@atlantis5001 He looks up right as she walks in, it's safe to assume he saw her for a split second but I don't know who OP is referring to as "the one he loved the most" I assume he means Meadow but some people would say Carm or AJ. idk.
Everyone puts there money on "Tony Got Shot", but honestly... I think it was the onion rings that did it.
I don’t watch the show, can you explain to me why people say Tony gets shot?
@@ka-boom2083 Because he never had the makings of a varsity athlete
@@RougeCurry hahahah
His diet probably killed him
Bruh I was thinking heart attack
Im glad TonySoprano uploaded this so we know he's alive
So every time the bell sounds, our perspective shifts to first person from Tony’s POV, which is why at the first bell you see Tony walk in and it immediately shifts to the table where he’ll be sitting at, because that’s what he’s looking at; that’s his perspective.
Going forward, he’s facing the door so every-time the bell rings, we’re shown him look up followed by a quick camera shift where you see the door from his eyes (1st person instead of 3rd).
It doesn’t fade to black, it cuts to black right as Meadow walked in because that was the point where the bullet entered his brain. He never did see his daughter.
And yes, it was most certainly a reference to The Godfather (“two shots a piece to the head”) where Michael retrieved the Snub-Nose revolver from the toilet to execute Sollozzo.
Even if Tony didn’t die, he now spends the rest of his life looking over his shoulder. No longer will be free, and no longer able to feel safe. This is where This Thing leads, pure blackness.
Carlo said he was gonna testify.....so yea If tony didn't die...more than likely hes gonna rot in jail for the rest of his life.
Confirmed by the writer/producer. Google it. He was shot.
@@kellyasp52 the mastermind davey chase never confirmed that
he died
@@kellyasp52 no
I’ve pondered this scene a million times. Almost every time I see him getting whacked by the ZIP who goes into the washroom. AJ walks in right after him so Tony doesn’t notice him. Guy identifies Tony twice while sitting at bar goes into washroom that is exactly in front of Tony’s table. If meadow had come in earlier and sat next to Tony it would have diverted the plan, hence the parallel parking cut scenes. Tony had Phil whacked in front of his family, who knows how that sat with the other NY bosses. This particular scene had the typical causal setting that the director used when whacking main characters especially with the random cut scenes.
Or... he was looking at Tony's direction because that's where the restrooms were located. You hear what sounded like a door closing as that individual is walking towards there.
The restroom is finally empty for the guy to use.
To public though, so many witnesses
@@liamwright2510 what? The show is full of public whackings. The first members only guy that killed himself shoots a guy in a restaurant. Sil’s buddy is shot I front of him in a crowded restaurant I could go on
@@liamwright2510 Thats the point in killing a mob boss. They make it public so everyone knows who is in charge now that Tony is dead. The guy probably went to the rest room to grab a gun that was stashed. The guy who walked in before AJ was symbolism of Death or the Mafia. And Tony put business before family as can be seen many times. The lyrics of the song also might tie into this.
I can tell you’re Canadian.
After letting this ending marinate over the years it’s truly one of the best death scenes ever.
When I first saw this episode, I wanted to believe that Tony lived, but deep down I knew that just couldn't be true. There's no way Tony lives. I agree with what many on these comments have said - he gets smoked by the guy in the Members Only jacket, right as he's watching Meadow come in, and she along with rest of the family sees it. Had to be that way.
Simply this. You wouldn't even hear the shot if you you were the one getting one in the head.
Yes. The bullet travels faster than sound anyway!
YOU YOU HUH?
I never thought of that. Perfect ending then!
@Raffy Raffy ha ha thats funny
And it showed what the shooter coming out of the men's room would see right before doing it.
“At least it didn’t end like The Sopranos where it cut to black mid sce -
- Stewie Griffin
“Mid sce “
I don’t know what “sce” means
@@the-potato-warrior The quote refers to a sudden stop in action unexpectedly. A lot like t-
*sen-
@George Browning stewie was saying "sentence"
@@__darealdurtyydann Jimmy Olsen over he-
I love that Chase finally admitted that Tony was killed here.
Isn’t it strange? By the end, Tony had become a far greater blight than ever, best shown by our last view of Satriale’s: cold, bleak, muted and barren, I’d even liken it to a corpse. Yet, that said, I still find myself wanting Tony to live, perhaps I admire that he had come to terms with his true nature and the absurdity of all things in Vegas, or maybe it’s just a testament to the excellence of this show. Either way, what a damn ride.
In "The irishman" Robert deniro pretty much outlines this setup for the joe gallo hit. Pick a public place, make sure their family sees it. also it's a good idea to go to the bathroom beforehand, to check if anyone is in there. Plus, you don't want to be uncomfortable.
I was thinking if that lol
Shut up this is nothing alike lmfao.
@@borris3768
Really? Nothing at all alike? A mob boss going to a restaurant with his family gets shot dead in public full view of the family? Really? Are you that dense?
@@GigaChadh976 not as dense as your mums walls
@@borris3768 Literally exactly alike
I hated this when it first aired. But now I understand it and it's more true life than anything else on the show.
When you die, is it just blackness?
@@TraumaER - What's scary is it's not even that. As a conscious being we can't even imagine true nothingness. We wouldn't even see black.
I wanted closure very angry that night
ua-cam.com/video/SgeOaJSmYx4/v-deo.html
@@itsmeleyla706 man I'm sad.
Just watched this scene for the first time last night. I thought my laptop was dead, I was so confused and scared then I realized what happened. Absolutely amazing finale, great end for the GOAT Tony Soprano.
That song was a perfect fit for the finale to one of the greatest shows in TV history, it's such a sad yet at the same time beautiful song.
The ending is on the level of inception. This was before inception but because the ending is abrupt, the sopranos have the most unforgettable ending in TV history...
Fans were pretty pissed off by this ending at first, but it certainly has grown on them. And yes, it DEFINITELY got people talking and it still is over a decade later.
@@grungefreak10 The first time you see it, it leaves you wondering what happened, but once you see it many times and understand it, your perspective changes and you begin to appreciate even more the type of series that The Sopranos was. The truth is that for me this ending is much better and more consequential than an ending where Tony became a better person or watch him die right there in the restaurant.
True....
As well how I see it....who cares, it's just a show.
Firefly.
Trash lazy ending
Meadow takes three attempts to park successfully, the third time is the charm. Tony survived two hit attempts, the third time here was also the charm. This is always be one of my all time favorite television shows and I me in my top 3 of all time.
What’s the second one? Junior shouldn’t count because he had dementia, so was it when he was at war with Phil?
@@archivesoffantasy5560 CAZZATA MALANGA
At 3:57 the camera follows members only into the bathroom. That shot tells it all
How did anyone watch this and not think that Tony was killed? That shady dude is made so obvious by the camera shots
Exactly. I just wish we could've gotten to see the 30 seconds following.
00:12 - the painting in the background depicts a mansion identical to the one in Tony's "Kevin Finnerty" hallucination, where he was 1 inch away from death. Notice the two varsity athletes on each side of the painting.
01:10 - 3 identical kids
01:40 - 3 lights on the wall. 3 paintings too
01:54 - 3 packets of milk next to the coffee cup
04:07 - 3rd attempt to park the car is successful
Uncle Junior - "They come in threes"
Chrissy - "He had a message for you and Paulie. 3 o'clock."
It can't just be a coincidence.
The 3rd time the killer looks at him, he shoots tony.
@@Crusade11722 You're right, I've never noticed that!
@@dannybodros5180 Might be pushing it with this one but, 3 red lights at the beginning in the window. Also a really good one, it says, "Mori" which is death in latin in the reflection.
@@Crusade11722 Ha! Good catch!
Tony’s also shot from his three o’clock position.
Imagine this airing for the first time during our era of social media. The memes, the reaction videos, all the breakdowns that came with this lol
i could do without all that
Matpat makes 50+ videos on it.
Thank the fucking stars it came out before social media.
Yea thank you for that
A much better time. Social media blows
I don’t think I’ve ever over analyzed a series finale episode more than this one. It’s genius writing.
The only thing that could have possibly improved this ending is if Tony gave a little smile at seeing Meadow before it cut to black. Just so he could go in that happy moment.
Как раз он не смог из-за своих тупых решений уйти счастливым, так же он и убил филла,
it’s to leave the interpretation that he is in hell and seeing himself enter as the cycle continues just as Chrissie was telling him about his coma dream
This is the most uncomfortable scene in the whole show. I don't know whether it's because you know it's the end but you can feel in the air that there is something very wrong from the start of the scene. Tony looking at himself made me think of The Shining.
It's funny you should mention the shining. David Chase said that this ending was inspired by the finale to 2001: a space Odyssey, which was also a Stanley Kubrick film
you know the saying “ life flashed before his eyes” well, i think this is the perfect ending, he dies the same way all of his counterparts did, it’s almost like a karmic burden/ inevitability, and the fact that when you get whacked in the head, it’s lights out and this scene ends to black giving me the impression that Tony indeed got shot in the head due to how every victim at the hands of tony never saw it coming.
ua-cam.com/video/4HN96pzo2X4/v-deo.html yep, this guy argues the same
Tony kills like 4 people himself in the show and they all see it coming, quite a bit actually lmao.
@@justinjackson7688 lol gotcha!
@@cads4737 Tony probably had just enough time to register it was Tony; Tony definitely had enough time to see his daughter one last time. Better end than he deserved, IMO, but still brutal for his family.
I'm pretty sure Ralphie saw it
Great ending! Just how I wanted it to end. Now everyone can have their own thoughts knowing that Tony continued to be the Mob boss he was. Absolutely perfect ending......
Why they get Zelensky to wake Tony? They went all out. Brought in an ex-spetsnaz GRU.
What’s crazy is that this scene directly reminded me of Bobby and Tony’s conversation when they’re fishing I think in episode 1 of season 6, Bobby talks about hearing about what it would be like to get shot in the head, how it just “goes dark and you don’t hear nothing or feel pain”. Which in my opinion, reflects really well in this ending. And I think it’s why they went with this abrupt ending.
I do think David Chase vision was that Tony died in the end. Because as he said “I wanted to show in the end crime doesn’t pay” but like any artists he paints a picture and leaves it for the viewer to decide the meaning.
Nah. It was him saying ok stop watching stop being obsessed with Tony. You no longer have a window into this world
@@GummyKermit Nah.
@Delawanna yes he did
thewest.com.au/entertainment/tv/tony-soprano-did-die-at-the-end-of-the-sopranos-reveals-creator-david-chas-ng-b881576235z
@Delawanna nope
@@spartanracer chase said "but we didnt do that" referring to a death scene he was talking about, and said "fuck you guys" because they were annoying him about the finale
How can you not be romantic about the end of The Sopranos? Everything is perfection, imo. Numerous callbacks and references to the show's history (focus on the good times, right everybody?). Meadow not having the makings of a varsity parallel parker. Even choosing Don't Stop Believin' as the song to play in the background is perfection. It evokes all the right emotions. And then, as if to read the audience's mind, the song blares "DON'T STOP" as the screen cuts black. Amazing to me that anyone was ever upset by it.
varsity parallel parker💀
And the 2 blacks guys make one final appearance
@@porsche928s4LMAOOO
People were upset because they wanted to see the two black guys, not a cut to black.
everything about this ending is perfect EXCEPT the song.. I can't stand this song, I would've used something else.
There's another hint indicating Tony is going to be killed. Right at the beginning of the scene, there's a close up on his face in which he's looking at the tables. Then, there's a cut on his point of view, and, strangely, we see him already seated at the tables. It's an ellipse, of course, but for a second it gives us the impression that he's looking at his doppelgänger. In classic literature, when the doppelgänger of a character appears, it usually means death is around the corner.
also when Christopher was in a coma he told Paulie that in hell Dickie sees himself get whacked every night which could be what tony is seeing right here since he is most likely in hell he is probably watching himself get whacked.
This is the show that launched good TV. We saw nothing like it before on TV. Movies yes but a show on TV no. You still had to not miss it every week! Before on demand streaming. The last show me and the wife watched together. I miss that. I remember she jumped up like wtf at the end. She thought the power went off ! Good memories watching with my wife.
True. I consider it the dawn of the golden era of scripted drama on TV. Shows like Six Feet Under, Boardwalk Empire, Spartacus, Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, etc all came after. Before all the "great shows" were network formula like West Wing, LA Law, NYPD Blue, St Elsewhere...good but not great.
I hope in those moments of sadness, a bit of warmth is able to seep through, as you remember the love you and your wife shared along what made her so special to you. 🫂
100% wrong. M*A*S*H* did it first and way better back in the late 70's and early 80's. with strong storytelling, amazingly well written characters that we all can see ourselves in and very strong and flexible acting all within the confines of a wartime situation. humor, comedy, faith etc all within a 'situation comedy'. i liked the sopranos but way too many people confuse 'tough guy, do or die..fake loyalty to 'family' and senseless violence as being 'hard' and noble.
It feels like tony was making progress with his family and as father , in that moment realizing he is grateful for his family
Wow what a great guy Tony was?
@@MRIDDLE72 Aaahhh stfu
@@AJ-is5ut why? Butt hurt over the reality that Tony was a POS?
@@MRIDDLE72 butt hurt over a fictional TV show? Hahahahaha i bet a billion dollars you bet democratic. Lollol
@@AJ-is5ut ah i see now, you’re a paid troll bot. Makes sense!
I forgive you troll :)
Every night, he gets to see himself get whacked. That's what Hell is. This is why Tony sees himself sitting at the table when he walks in.
This is my theory as well. It was all in his imagination. People say "he was killed" and often recall how everytime he listens the bell, the camera changes to his POV. In the last instance the POV is black, which is why people assume he dies.
But if you pay close attention, the camera shift after every bell ring doesn't start once he is seated, but before, when he enters the place for the first time and the bell rings. This is the actual first instance in which the camera shifts to his POV. But something odd has happened: he is already seated! How can he see himself from the door already seated? Because he has started to imagine what would happen to him if he enters, and this daydream ends with his death. Which makes sense because in the end Tony Soprano is actually free, and nobody that we know of is coming for him. But all the bad actions he has commited have finally convinced him that he actually deserves to die or at least be in danger. That is Tony Soprano's real curse. To never feel safe because he knows he doesn't deserve it.
I know the original writer of The Sopranos because confirmed the "he died" theory. But listening to him and how he hated to be continually asked about the ending, I think he just confirmed the wrong theory to misled us.
ua-cam.com/video/SgeOaJSmYx4/v-deo.html
Yeah he was already dead when he wakes in if you notice the look on his face is one of dispare and if you look he’s wearing a different shirt when he walks in
He didn’t see himself sitting at the table. We see the patrons, then Tony’s face, then the patrons again. Except Tony is in the empty table the second time. He wasn’t looking at himself..
@@xxnativexx-ttv- same shirt. You can see the shirt has a black collar too, near his leather jacket collar. You can't see the rest of the shirt colors when he walks in, because they're hidden under the leather. Same shirt.
Huge actor huge character and one hell of a human being by all who knew him
A lot of people missed the fact that had Meadow parked the car on her first attempt and been sat next to Tony - where the only spare seat was, the hit would probably have been called off as she would have blocked a clear shot. Her delay (and terrible parking) clearly allowed the hit to go ahead as the gunman had a clear shot at Tony when exiting the bathroom. I don’t believe for a second they would have tried to shoot at Tony with Meadow sat next to him and ‘family’s don’t get touched, you know that’.
I miss when diners had personal jukeboxes on the table.
Some places still have that
I find this offensive..this is triggering me
@@bluecomet1109 sneed
@@dolphinerofachero3159 jerk
Mel's Diner chain in CA still has them.
Fans hated this finale when it first aired, but in the years since, they really have warmed up to it. It has certainly kept people talking even years later, and that was the genius of it. That's certainly more memorable than having the nameless man storm out of the bathroom with a TEC-9 and put four slugs in Tony's back.
Couldn’t said it any better I agree 👍
i fuckin love this ending
@Fiendish Memory If you’re a made man they do
This isn’t a hot take but a bad ending was Game of thrones. This was a clever ending from the start that made more sense the more you rewatched the series.
I think at the time there wasn’t nothing like the sopranos so people weren’t expecting it like back then everything hard to ether have a satisfying ending or a massive shoot out . Know there’s show like breaking bad, better call Saul, peaky blinders, ozark, sons of anarchy and game of thrones people aren’t so single minded about endings
Aj remembering the thing Tony told him in the first episode makes me want to cry every time
The guy who went to the bathroom, shot TONY while tony was looking at his daughter for the last time as she walks in...probably with shock on her face cuz of the dude pointing the gun, They really left this on a cliff hanger.
The curb was a made man and Meadow's car wasn't. There was nothing we could do.
Real greaseball shit
To be Honest, we all can agree that Patsy ordered the hit. He always wanted revenge for his brother and he finally reached a moment where Tony was vulnerable and no longer had anyone to back him up.
Makes perfect sense. Plus, that look he gives him, at Tony's house after he hands him the drink. Really is, a genius fuckin ending 💯
Him and possibly Paulie.
@@diegobareno5820chris cat smelled a rat
I kind of like the theory that Eugene’s wife ordered it, with the guy in the Members Only jacket. She had all that inheritance money. Could have collaborated with Patsy, I suppose.
Patsy was under Chris, and was a soilder, he had no weight to order the hit on a boss. For me the ending is what we saw in the episode, a slow decay of the Soprano mob, Pauli is tanning with NO ONE left. The main crew is gone, the Sopranos are very weakened, and most likely with Carlo flipping everyone goes down. In my world Carlo flips, Tony, Pauli, and most of the top guys go to jail. The Soprano mob dies there... The whole last season was the tribe going down bit by bit.
I just finished watching the sopranos. What an absolutely great show! 👏🏼 👏🏼 👏🏼
God bless the full cast and crew.
The awkwardness and mundanity of the bad parking attempts juxtaposed with the emotional music really highlight how even stupid meaningless things can make such a difference. Much like how Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s car stalled in front of the building his killer happened to emerge from, Meadow’s minutes-long delay left Tony’s right side exposed to the bathroom his killer would emerge from.
4:31 the moment Tony finally accepted that he never had the makings of a varsity Athlete...
Great TV series, and an ending that left many speculating for years as to what really happened. For me, it's hard to imagine any amount of power or money being worth the cost of having to spend your life with your head on a swivel 24/7. Never knowing who you can trust, and never knowing when you're going to end up in the trunk of a car, buried in the Meadowlands, splattered all over some restaurant seat, or spending years in jail. These guys were doing all that, and were doing it for not that much bling really. It's not like many of them were really wealthy. Vast majority seemed to have rather middle-class homes and lifestyles. In spite for all the risk and trouble they went through to steal, cheat, assault, and kill, just not to be “average” guys, at the end of the day they weren't any better off than the “average” guy.
and even if they did it for all the bling in the world, in the end none of it ever mattered.
That is why Scripture asks us to examine ourselves,
"For what benefit is it to gain the whole world and finally loose our soul"
Thank you for this deep comment.
@@jeffrey1261 I appreciate your comment
@@jeffrey1261 : True. I have heard that scripture many times. My mother took me to church every Sunday growing up. For many of those who are people of religious belief, their wealth in mortal life is of very little importance, when compared to the bigger picture of the wealth of one’s eternal soul.
@@Chad_Max lol, when you put it that way
it's a part of the life. you get used to living that way and soon there just isn't any other way you can live, it just feels impossible sometimes. in The Wire, Cutty gets out of prison and almost falls back into gang life because it's all he knew, all he was made out for. He tries to work a regular job and can't do it because he knows he can make "more than this".
Сегодня досмотрел последнею серию данного сериала. Каждый вечер я приходил с работы и смотрел по 2-3 серии из сезона, складывалось такое ощущение, что я сам стал членом семьи сопрано, как бы и парадоксально это не звучало. И тут ты понимаешь в концовке, что будто твоего члена семьи убили, потому что ты так к ним привык за 6 сезонов, что это не может не вызывать шока. Я не представляю, что было на душе у тех людей, кто смотрел сопрано на протяжении 7 лет. В конце концов сопрано заплатил высокую цену за такую форму существования.
This guy's speaking cs:go
@@Justin-qv9hw ты о чем?
just imagining his funeral is crazy... virtually nobody would be there. all the guys he attended funerals and events with (christopher, sil, bobby, uncle junior, johnny, etc) are all dead. the only people left are paulie, patsy, carmela, AJ, meadow, and janice. dr melfi might attend but given how disgusted she was with him by the end, i doubt she would.
this is why i never understood how people say the sopranos glorifies the mafia; it actually does the contrary. it shows just how destructive, evil, and miserable the mafia is. this scene shows just how paranoid tony is because he KNOWS he has dozens of skeletons in his closet. he's just waiting for one to come for him. he allowed all the evil inside of him to fester and grow and he's left with absolutely no good qualities by the end. he's killed his own family members and friends, destroyed his marriage with carm, made his own damn therapist repulsed by him... he's nothing but a shell of a man just waiting to die (either here in this diner, or in prison) with nobody by his side. tony was always doomed just by being part of that life. so no, i would say the sopranos doesn't romanticize the mafia at all. anyway, 4 dollars a pound.
As compared to Jackie Sr's, definitely.
I believe this is also Chase’s homage to The Godfather as the man in the members only jacket goes to the bathroom in very much the same way Michael Corleone went to the bathroom at Louie’s.
Was there an old-fashioned toilet in there?
Bingo.
Yup the show was full of Godfather references, fitting the last would be the most morbid
Tony’s also peeling an orange
It was actually Sil in his hospital gown comming out of the bathroom saying his legendary line ......... “just when I thought I was out... they pull me back in”. Fin.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
I remember watching this finale when it first aired. I was so confused at first, and then as the credits rolled it hit me. Tony had been whacked right in front of his family. Then I started connecting the dots.
A brilliant show, all the way to the end. I loved how it ended on such a note, leaving the interpretation open to the audience. Rest in peace, Big Guy.
This episode was incredible. Tony finally kills Phil Leotardo but at the
Cost of nearly his whole crew. The last half he is trying to make amends or make things seem like theyre back to normal. He goes to see paulie, then janice, then uncle junior, then his family and his death. I think the episode was really about things never being the same. They could never go back to how things were. Tony made his bed and now he has to lay in it
For me the ending is what we saw in the episode, a slow decay of the Soprano mob, Pauli is tanning with NO ONE left. The main crew is gone, the Sopranos are very weakened, and most likely with Carlo flipping everyone goes down. In my world Carlo flips, Tony, Pauli, and most of the top guys go to jail. The Soprano mob dies there... The whole last season was the tribe going down bit by bit.
I could never take being a mafia member, having that constant anxiety of having to look over your shoulder for the rest of your days on this earth and having to cope with all the bad stuff you’ve done over the years.
it could be worst go to war and fight for rich ppl for free
@@johnyguitar258 Orrrr, it could be way better, and do neither...
thanks for sharing your personal views. you didnt have to tell me, though. we already knew that youre an NPC
@@BL4CK-L1ST
@@SexyFace Lmao, yes, keep sulking, that’s all you can do when the facts hit you across the face. This is actually quite entertaining, like seeing a monkey dancing.
@@SexyFace Imagine being so salty about losing an argument with me in another comment section, about a different topic at hand, that you’re at the point of straight up going to another comment section and try to provoke me. Lmao, how sad is your life kid? Am I really living in your head rent-free? Lmao.
So thankful for all of u in the comment section that have amazing theories when it comes to the sopranos.U all make me love this show even more.. Thank you🤘🏼
This scene looks like it was shot by David Lynch, honestly. It’s so trippy and unexplainably dream-like..
i thought the exact same thing
Tony is in purgatory seeing his death over and over “and it’s painful like Christopher said” and once he’s done he’s headed to Hell(the big White House behind him).
The fact that she wasn't on his right side definetly gave the guy the chance to hit him perfectly. Maybe if she had been there sooner
Christopher told tony “3 o’clock” the gunman comes out on his 3 o’clock. This is one of the best series finale scenes in history.
Yeah, but he says it to Tony and Paulie. If Paulie was to later be killed in a similar fashion, then okay but we will never know, huh?
Before Sil wacked Adriana, Barracuda by Heart was playing. While Tony was flipping through the jukebox, Magic Man by Heart is visible.
"I went ahead and ordered some for the table." - Tony Soprano's last words. Poetic.
The most powerful depiction of death I've ever seen. Chris did tell him to watch out for 3:00...
Did this occur at 3am?
@@TraumaER probably positioning? a little to the front-right of tony seems like a possible spot where the gunman comes out and fires
"Mikey Palmice said 3 o'clock"
Guy that was in the bar and enter the bathroom to Tony's right
@@TraumaER 3 o’clock is your immediate right from wherever you’re facing. Shady dude goes in bathroom to Tony’s 3 o’clock, where the gat is probably stashed, Godfather style
Chris said the "message" was for BOTH Paulie and Tony. So I'm not buying the directional explanation. The 3-o-clock reference is classic David Chase...mysteriously, opaque, unknowable....like the fate of the Russian in Pine Barrens.
AJ finally learned... "focus on the good times", implying there's some hope for his depression. Last thing Tony sees is his angel, Meadow. Even the black guys they've spent the show blaming for everything make an appearance. Bathroom, a la The Godfather. Members only. 3 o clock. Tony's dead. Never sees it coming. Perfect.
AJ had him killed. I watched a episode(s) keeps foreshadowing what was going to happen to Tony. AJ references Godfather which makes the scene more disturbing.
@@jobejacobs62 why would AJ have him killed....
Nah the black guys killed him.
I'm not ignoring crime stat's to make you happy.
Nah the black guys got him.
I'm not ignoring published statistics to make you happy.
"don't stop believin". Tony is alive. schrodinger cat
The show ends when Tony ends. Genius.
Best ending to anything ever, a class job, loyal to the lore, the style and to everything the Soprano's stood for as a work of art.
Went over the head of so many people, which oddly only adds to its beauty.
Before there was "Bravo Vince" we used to say "Bravo David".
It was Noah, the Hasidic homeboy. He kept his promise of punching Tony’s lights out.
Best comment I’ve seen in a minute 😹
Worst character ever.
Tactically Tony almost got it correct. Able to see front entrance but not having his back to all ; Meadow "distracting" him was convenient but would have still happened.
First time started this series few months back and It ended today and I have no words to describe my emotions.
All i know is that I have seen greatest tv show of all the time.
All i want is to erase my memory and watch the sopranos for the first time (again) .
Tony became real sociopath in 12B but still i am happy i couldn't actually seen him being dead ...
Really hits the feels for sure, it was one helluva ride, one of the best series I’ve ever watched.
We saw characters die throughout the series. David Chase puts the audience in Tony's shoes and we see what it is to die suddenly. The audience really was the last one to get "whacked".
My theory:
Butch did turn back on his promise of backing off from The Soprano/DiMeo family on the order of Little Carmine and Paulie knew about it, leaving Paulie the head of who was left in Jersey and merging his crew with the Lupertazzi family. Three times Butch was the one who brought up whacking Tony and specific members but Paulie always being left out and in one episode is even said to "not be a target". Through the series basically every meeting Paulie attended with Tony, Paulie never shook the second parties hand, except once. He shook Butch's hand after Tony walks off during the warehouse meeting when they talk about clipping Phil and then Paulie walks off alone and to me that symbolized something. At this point in the series Paulie was the only one left besides Parisi and let's face it, nobody in Jersey really cared much for Parisi. Silvio was fighting to stay alive in his coma and never recovered from it, he most likely died from the injuries as they did say he might not make it. Bobby got clipped by New York and we all know the stories of Pussy and Jimmy. There was literally nobody left but Paulie and he knew that it was time for the DiMeo/Soprano family to be defunct. Also, I feel Tony knew his time was up after Johnny Sack died, Johnny Sack was the mediator between the two families which stopped a lot of problems and helped to try and keep the money evenly spread.
We will never really know, but things like that have happened in real life with certain families so it isn't a far fetched theory.
I think you're pretty much spot on. The original plan was "decapitate, do business with whatever's left" and while Butchie no longer trusted Phil, that overall plan was still in play. They just placated Tony long enough for him to let his guard down.
That’s because Paulie wasn’t underboss in 2007, Bobby was, which is why he’s described as “number 3”. Paulie became underboss again after Bobby’s death, however.
Paulie hated New York and Phil, and since Butch kissed Phil’s ass 24/7, he probably disliked him as well. The theory that the DiMeo family is eventually incorporated into the Lupertazzi family isn’t that far fetched, but for it to happen the war would have to continue. Paulie is very hot headed and isn’t going to lay down for a snake like Butchie.
Also, side note, while Paulie would’ve probably become boss because of his elevated position, he was not the last one left, there was also Alley Boy, who probably took over the Barese crew again, and Tony Black, who probably became captain of Bobby’s crew
That does make a lot of sense for Butch, seeing as how much he gained from Phil's campaign against Tony. He might have decided to give Tony a pass, then changed his mind when he heard about Carlo. Tony having such a selfish personality, it isn't hard to imagine him ratting everyone out to the Feds if he was facing years in prison.
@@Chatrep30 if you are Butchie, dumb Pauli is exactly what you want to bring the DiMeo family into the fold
Watching this scene once you have the context and know what happens is gut wrenching
context
Context?
@@gamingchair1 ua-cam.com/video/Vy7tMx6ix8g/v-deo.html
Context
@@pigbenis5295he died in front of his family
Legends say Meadow is still trying to parallel park to this day.
David chase did this masterfully with the suspense, the music and volume of. Meadows driving then black.
I thought my tv went out lol. He left us to wonder and debate the end for years until he finally spoke about it.