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- Jan 22, 2002
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Originally posted by: preslove
I posted this in the first finalé thread:
Originally posted by: preslove
I contend that the ending is brilliant. in short, the ending spoke to the core family drama (the Sopanos is the best family drama tv show ever produced) theme that David Chase built. Essentially, there are two families that run Tony's life, one with Carmela and the kids, and the other with a bunch of murderous italian men. The latter provides the former with a lavish income and enviable opportunities, but also unsettles it with the violence and destructions that accompanies mob life. We do not know if that guy who walked into the bathroom killed Tony (of course, that is a reference to the Godfather when Michael kills Sollozzo and Captain McCluskey), but we do know that he lives in constant fear that some altercation might end up taking his life and his family's lifestyle. That is, in essence, Tony Soprano's life, not to mention the impending indictments.
I agree entirely. I don't think Tony is dead (although it is entirely possible, ambiguity is a b!tch) because a few allusions earlier in the season is really not enough to override six seasons of themes and ideas. I think half the fun of this ending is that there's not enough evidence in either direction, so people will actually reveal what they want to happen to Tony. In essence, Tony is a sociopath, and there must be a significant number of people who morally cannot get over that (which is completely acceptable, I am simply not one of them)
To the ending:
Consider all the people Tony sees in the restaurant. They all represent him in some way. A nervous guy always looking over his shoulder. A guy trying to avoid identification (with a hat). A man with his son. A man leading boys (Boy Scouts. Consider Paulie, the only remaining member of all the made men we knew previously. Has there ever been a more childish grown man?) The beauty of the Sopranos is that Tony Soprano is in almost every respect a quintessential New Jersey guy with all the normal problems that life has, making him infinitely relatable, and completely unique problems which are fascinating in their own right. He suspects every customer because he can't afford NOT to, such is the pitfall of being the boss of a family. Both of his lives interconnect through the entire series and the final scene is a perfect representation of this and the show as a whole. Consider the scene with Meadow beforehand where she reveals that Tony's frequent arrests at the hands of the FBI led her to be a lawyer. The look on Tony's face of acceptance that he can never really keep one life separate from the other is simply classic.
Edit: I just read this off nj.com:
So here is what I found out. The guy at the bar is also credited as Nikki Leotardo. The same actor played him in the first part of season 6 during a brief sit down concerning the future of Vito. That wasn't that long ago. Apparently, he is the nephew of Phil. Phil's brother Nikki Senior was killed in 1976 in a car accident. Absolutely Genius!!!! David Chase is truly rewarding the true fans who pay attention to detail.
So the point would have been that life continues and we may never know the end of the Sopranos. But if you pay attention to the history, you will find that all the answers lie in the characters in the restaurant. The trucker was the brother of the guy who was robbed by Christopher in Season 2. Remember the DVD players? The trucker had to identify the body. The boy scouts were in the train store and the brothas at the end were the ones who tried to kill Tony and only clipped him in the ear (was that season 2 or 3?).
Absolutely incredible!!!! There were three people in the restaurant who had reason to kill Tony and then it just ends. This was Chase's way of proving that he will not escape his past.
Changes things a bit. Supposedly Chase filmed 3 endings so maybe they were all involved. This just leaves me more frustrated, actually. Probably because I want Tony to live. I'll have to check the faces when I rewatch.
/end edit
"Don't Stop Believing" in the background:
Working hard to get my fill,
Everybody wants a thrill
Payin anything to roll the dice,
Just one more time
Some will win, some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues
Oh, the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on
Unfortunately, not for us.
There have been very few times in Tony's life (that we've witnessed) where he didn't have any problems at all. Ending the show in such a way would have been unrealistic. He still has Carlo to deal with, not to mention Paulie's insanity, Patsy becoming part of his family, a new (attractive female, probably Italian, although not a brunette, which is a good sign) therapist. (Notice all of Tony's comares and Melfi are brunettes like his mother was.)
In the Sopranos universe, for Tony, after those onion rings and some dinner, life goes on. The guy in the bathroom is clearly an homage and can't be assumed to be a guarantee of Tony's death. This show references The Godfather so many times (see The Test Dream for a direct reference to the "just his d!ck in his hand" line) that ending the series without one would be shameful.
Also, bonus points for Phil Leotardo's death and squishy postmortem. I'll be watching the whole episode again tomorrow.