Wow. I don't quite know what to say.

Those final moments were so exhilarating and I can't even describe why. When the screen cut to black, my heart was pounding but I was confused and mistified. There is clearly so much going on in those final few minutes in the diner, and I'm sure I don't know even the half ot it. Everything is in the little details, that's for sure. It's in the music, the editing, the camera angles used, the glances....everything.

I absolutely believe Tony was killed. I'm going to read that explanation link that somebody posted.

This could well be the most interesting ending to a show ever. I'll be able to discuss more later after I've had time to digest it all.

^Glad you liked it!

I still don't know what to make of the ending. I know I really liked it, but I don't know if I buy that Tony dies. I get the theory on it n'all, but I'm just not 100% convinced.

One thing that prevents me from buying into it, is something that David Chase said...something along the lines of the series starts by "popping" into Tony's life, and ends the same way. This does indeed happen...If you go back and watch the very first episode, there is about 3 seconds of blackness, then we the viewers see Tony. The show essentially ended just like it began (however the blackness is about 7 seconds longer in the finale).

Do you not think it makes sense then that if we start the show by popping into Tony's life then we end it by literally being popped out of it? As in, he is shot and killed and that takes us completely out of it? I'm reading that David Chase wanted the black to last all the way until the HBO logo pops up, and have no credits. That would reinforce the idea that we were in Tony's POV the moment he gets shot and the very abrupt cut to black is because he is killed. The lingering on black is to drive home the jarring feeling of death.

It makes total sense, but I don't know if that means he absolutely gets killed. I lean towards he does, but I'm just not sure. It starts by popping in, then ends by popping out. Maybe it's just that simple, and life goes on....I don't know. Maybe it does mean he gets whacked, I don't know. There are a lot of good theories to support both sides.

I don't think Tony was killed. I agree with the explanation of leaving the same way they showed up with the last few minutes illustrating the stress under which Tony lives.

I see what you're saying, and it's absolutely valid. This blog I'm reading about it is fascinating. It's a testament to the genius of David Chase that there is so much going on in just under 5 minutes of footage. I feel like I need to watch it again.

I'm not sold on this idea. I think it underestimates the intelligence of the viewer. One of the basic things we know about Tony and everybody else is that they all live a life of stress and constantly having to watch their own backs. I don't think it makes sense to end the entire show with just another illustration that Tony is paranoid and lives under stress. It goes against the entire general order of the show.

I've seen the series once through as a whole, and have seen multiple episodes more than once. After reading some of this thread, I'm ready to put this back in the Netflix queue.

Here is another pretty good, "pro-life" if you will, blog:
http://coleslawblog.blogspot.com/2007/0 ... -tony.html

I borrowed the boxset off a friend who has never actually sat and watched it. He now can't wait to watch it when I return it to him because I've sung its praises so much.

Thanks for the link, I'll read it tomorrow after work. I feel this ending will consume my life for a while!

Haha, it will!

The thing that sells me on Tony dying at the end is the use of his POV, it keeps popping back to his POV to see people coming through the door, then the Members Only dude goes to the bathroom, and the camera has a slight pan to follow him, if he is not important why does the camera pan? To fuck with the audience? I dont buy that, Chase is more artistic and anal then that. Coming back to the POV, Tony keeps looking up and we are seeing from his POV, we see Carmella come in, then Members Only dude and AJ, from Tonys POV, then when we are about to see Meadow come in from Tonys POV it cuts to black, because Tony never sees it happen, the structure of the scene is set up perfectly and basically tells you he gets killed. I honestly dont think there is any doubt, nor can I understand why anyone would doubt it. Also, Baccala mentions "You think you ear it coming and Tony says to him "You never hear it coming" and they actually have a flashback of him saying it in the second last episode. Why have that flashback? Again, to fuck with the audience? I don't buy it. Tony never hears it coming.

Yeah, I don't really know how anybody could really sit down and analyze the scene and not come to the conclusion that he's dead.

No one ever seems to mention the quote from Bobby when he and Tony were fishing at the cabin in one of the final episodes. They're talking about death, and Bobby says something along the lines of "What do you think happens when you die? Does it all just cut to black?"

On the flip side though, I took the ending to mean that Tony lived, but has to live with the constant fear and suspicion that we felt while watching that final scene. I remember reading somewhere that Chase originally wrote the final scene in the 2nd-last episode - where it fades out with Tony sitting on the end of the bed, staring at the closed bedroom door with an assault rifle in his hand - intending for it to be the final scene in the series finale. That tells me David Chase meant to convey the feeling that Tony is doomed to spend the rest of his days on guard.

I can see it either way. Like I said, I lean towards his death, but I'm not 100% sold on it.

http://blog.nj.com/alltv/2007/06/david_ ... peaks.html

Like Jorge said, I'm not sure how anyone could analyze that scene - and the clues Chase planted along the way - and not conclude Tony got popped at Holsten's.

paaks nailed it perfectly. This is exactly what I believe. The death of Tony is set up from the very beginning of season 6, in "Soprano Home Movies". The whole season, and ultimately the whole show is building to one final scene in the diner. I watched it again before I went to sleep and watched it again this morning and I'm even more blown away now.

It is flawlessly executed. I still can't believe it.

but seriously, no one else expect the song to stop early?

I wasn't expecting it. The very sudden cut to black was really jarring and I was literally holding my breath and frozen to the screen.

as soon as the song started i had a feeling they would end it mid-lyric.