The Sopranos: Final Scene Analysis

This video contains original scene analysis on the final four and half minutes from The Sopranos series finale, "Made in America". Contrary to a wide swath of public opinion, the ending is not ambiguous. The information required to understand what happens can be found in the final scene itself. The theory proposed here is that Tony is assassinated and that Carmella and Anthony Jr. are killed in the process. Meadow alone survives.

[@scenicmedia8624]

See source video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z6mcinR5maeIqLc

[@SumTimezTheyHaveClipUs]

Hey maybe you can look thru Mamy Saints of Newark I'm sure there are alot of stuff in that.

[@TheToneytone]

who put out the hit and for what reason,

[@scenicmedia8624]

@@TheToneytone I have not had the chance to vet this out yet. But I'm inclined to think that lower ranking members in New Jersey and New York made arrangements to each have the other take out their own top leadership. In other words, each said, 'if you kill ours, we'll kill yours." In this way, from the outside looking in, there is the appearance of a war while from the inside looking out there are two insurgencies taking place in parallel. I think Paulie, Patsy were the conspirators on the NJ side while Butch ran things on the NY side. Carmine was also aware of what was set to happen. There is actually an usual clue that Chase took directly from Scorsese to prove that Carmine was in the loop. In any event, taking this approach provides a clear benefit to the conspirators. It creates the impression that a natural transfer of power has taken place within each family.

[@captaindeadpool2655]

The jukebox has "A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,J,K" There should be an "I" between "J" and "K" but there isn't because Jukeboxes don't use I for some reason. The reason is I and 1 get confused. That's the actual reason of them leaving I off it. I , 1 = won "I won"??? "I is gone" meaning Tony is gone?

[@robertlee4172]

Sorry I gotta do it this way but...The ringing of the bell, symbolizes the sacrament of the holy Eucharist in the Catholic church. "Thanksgiving" for the body of Christ. Each time the bell rings, our attention is called to the front of the alter, where the ritual takes place. The sacred and the propane.(by Mircea Eliade) The congregation has gathered for the 'last supper'. Moreover, in popular culture, "Ask not for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”

[@juanramirez-wk8ty]

Whether this analysis actually corresponds to what the makers of the show intended or not I must say this is an outstanding interpretation, a prime example of how the best art can transcend even the conscious intentions of the artist.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Thank you very much, Juan!

[@juanramirez-wk8ty]

@@scenicmedia8624 Your welcome, THANK YOU for a great well done video. Keep up the good work!

[@3hooks781]

As it should be! Great point,

[@ripley_hicks_newt_86]

One of the Sopranos writers once said, that nothing in the show is by accident. So, I think that this analysis is pretty close to what David Chase had in mind.

[@dionysusyphus]

if unconsciously via the artist, one could imagine Carl Jung would be smirking in his grave;) hahah

[@calwalker8861]

I have 3 favorite things about this scene that the show mentions in the previous episodes. First, tony walks in and sees himself sitting in the booth. This is him watching his death play out over and over, as it is mentioned that he thinks purgatory is just watching yourself die over and over again. Second, the shooter comes out of the bathroom at Tony’s 3 o’clock. When Christopher got shot, and either went to hell briefly, or purgatory, he warned tony that someone dead was warning him about 3 o’clock. Then we thought it meant time, but it meant direction. And third, when Tony and Bobby are on the boat, at the lake house, they talk about how you probably don’t even here it when it happens, and boom, sudden cut to black, with no sound. Tony never heard the gunshot. This show was absolutely amazing and couldn’t have had a better final scene. Love the video, some fantastic breakdowns that I haven’t heard before.

[@mgonzo3881]

The ending was awful and lazy. But your explanation of what happens is the best I have read or heard. Thank you. You have finally brought me closure after all these years!

[@danielplainview2584]

Yep, you're absolutely right. 0:19 and the edits there are what give it away.

[@negritoojosclaros]

Nice review

[@OmniBedlam]

@@mgonzo3881 No, you just didn't understand it. Big difference.

[@mgonzo3881]

@@OmniBedlam No, I understood it. It wasn't a layered ending, just poor writing.

[@terrortorn]

When you like the Sopranos so much you just can't let it go.

[@judywright4241]

I’m watching it even as I’m listening this analysis! Except it’s Meadow and Jackie Jr romance.

[@ThruThaRoofComedy]

Don't stop!

[@Thedines019]

Just when I thought I was out…

[@showtime6667]

They pull me back in!!

[@maxkurtz6119]

i think carmela and aj could also represent the two criminals crucified alongside jesus, with aj being the repentent one and carmela being the sinful one

[@scenicmedia8624]

Thank you for your feedback, Max. Interesting idea. I'll respond more. Wonder if the configuration might be different. Anthony Jr. is the Christ figure, Tony is Dismas (repentant), and Carmella, Gestas (unrepentant). Not for nothing, but Tony greets Anthony Jr. warmly upon his arrival while Carmella does not acknowledge him.

[@joeyvoidz]

Wow wonderful analysis

[@slurmzzzm2459]

@@scenicmedia8624holy moly!! You are good!!!

[@scenicmedia8624]

@@slurmzzzm2459 Hey, right on. Thank you so much, Slurmzzm! Very kind of you.

[@scenicmedia8624]

@@joeyvoidz So kind of you. Thank you, Joey!

[@lwrunnels]

When Tony walks into the diner from outside two red lights briefly appear on him (one at his temple, one on his chest). There's no source for these red lights and they don't appear again when everyone else walks into the diner. I believe Chase is letting the audience know that not only will Tony die in this diner but he will get one bullet in the temple (with his guardian angel Meadow not there sitting on his right to protect him - that's why her inability to parallel park the car gets so much attention) and one in the chest. As Chase has said, what happens to Tony is all there in the scene.

[@tetarra2529]

I know it's theatrical, but those red lights don't align yo with his head it chest, remember Tony wouldn't let Eugene retire and the members only jacket and Eugene wife told him to kill Tony and with 2 million you can get anybody wacked, I know the creator of the show send you in different directions but think about it, that's the closest theory that can be true or carmine daughter that had an eating disorder and AJ had that girl at their house and she overheard them saying where they'll be eating at and made a face, Tony was gonna kill carmine sr, but he died before they could do the hit

[@soulbitten]

The source is actually a reflection of a van's brake lights. you can see it partially at 0:01 and superimposed over Tony at 0:02. Not disagreeing with your interpretation, just noting that there is indeed a source for the lights.

[@laurenlane9564]

Loren! Great catch!! I went through slowly and took a pic of the exact moment. Brilliant!!

[@CollDott]

❤😂🎉 even deeeeeeeper!!😮

[@AC-130....]

U say this shit on so many videos

[@phillyfan4lifeEAGLES]

The background with the football players has 1973 state championship banner. 1973 would mean Tony was 14, thus in his freshman year of high school. If tony was a varsity athlete he would have been apart of that team. Cool piece of symbolism.

[@soul_Link12]

You have 14 likes.

[@cliffarroyo9554]

But the thing is.... Tony never had the makings of a varsity athlete.....

[@BoredLikeHelI]

Do high school state championship teams usually have freshmen in them? I don't know shit but I would assume that unless you were an absolute freak of nature you would not be on that team at that age?

[@spandexonjailers]

i would say often times (especially nowadays) that most freshmen play on the JV team unless they are power 5 conference good generally, but this is also 1973 were talking about, so its a completely different sport basically.@@BoredLikeHelI

[@gregsgoogle2947]

Also supporting the 2 shooter hypothesis is that it mimics the JFK assassination. One obvious shooter & one shooter in the shadows. Chase made MANY references about the Kennedy’s throughout the series. Almost too many. This may be one more & his most clever of all.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Hi Greg. That's very interesting. I had not made the connection. Thank you for the insight!

[@seancondon146]

Possibly the mob working with the cia 😊

[@matthiasheartman1342]

I prefer a 3 shooter hypothesis

[@jazzyprince3335]

Where do you think the third one is?

[@eddiekaspbrak4624]

@@matthiasheartman1342Who would the 3rd be though

[@alecrichards8574]

First time I saw it I thought of it as how Tony is always going to be looking over his shoulder in paranoia, even during a nice family dinner. Or that maybe he's about to die. Then I saw a video or two about how the Members Only guy killed him, fade to black. I was convinced. As many other comments here state, this is the best analysis I've seen, all the little details included. The posters on the wall, the lights, the calendar, the communion, everything mentioned here was clear and makes total sense. Two shooters one from both side, all the details are there. Brilliant. Great video!

[@scenicmedia8624]

Right on. Very kind. Thank you, Alec!

[@richyrich561]

Good points you made, about this video, but throughout the series it was emphasized that family members are not harmed, so although the opinion was entertaining I can not agree with it. There was nothing to gain by making it a tripe murder. It would have pushed much more heat from law enforcement toward the murderers than necessary AND with no up side.

[@alecrichards8574]

@@richyrich561 Fair point. I still think if they are taking out Big Dog Tony, anything goes, and the family would be witnesses, and potential threats. At the very least Tony died for sure, maybe they spared A.J. and Carmela though.

[@yevettebamber4273]

@@richyrich561 Thank you for saying so. I do like his thinking. But as someone who grew up in this kind of world NO WAY did they kill the family, and I do think Tony died but again it confuses me because they would not kill him in front of his family. So I'm not sure what the ending was trying to say. These guys know if there is a contract on them they try to keep the wife and kids close, buying them time.

[@hedwardrodriguez2538]

It’s definitely so in my opinion that Tony dies. It’s a possibility Carmela and AJ get it also as collateral damage. But, yea, the signs are all there that it was a triple homicide.

[@jvvreckz3009]

This is definitely the most sound and solid analysis from anyone on KZbin. Everyone gets so caught up and who did it and why. But no one wants to take a step back and see the timeless art Chase and the writers were aiming for. They want their work to live forever. Just like the classics that are always so unapologetically alluded to throughout the whole show. I love this take of yours.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Very kind of you. Thank you, jvvreckz!

[@oldmanyemiyamtvg491]

Yes I certainly agree!! THIS is the best on KZbin!! 💯

[@elpato598]

I never had any doubt that Tony was killed, but i never considered Anthony Jr and Carmela were killed too. The three white lights look like fixtures you might see in a funeral home. Nothing in this series was done carelessly and I believe there are Easter eggs everywhere throughout the series. This was enjoyable.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Nice one. Thank you so much, Karl!

[@JohnHansknecht]

But the mob doesn't kill family members of the victim. It is against their code of honor and they all know that what goes around, comes around.

[@scenicmedia8624]

@@JohnHansknecht Thanks, John. I'll respond in more detail to your main comment. Here I will just point out that Carmella and Anthony Jr. are collateral damage. They are not targeted. If you are willing to accept that an assassination plot unfolds inside a diner, then you cannot but concede that collateral damage is possible. Thanks again.

[@scenicmedia8624]

@@JohnHansknecht I thought you might find this interesting. Here is Henry Hill commenting on the "code of honor": kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXPZlYWKZrVpmbM

[@Nanobot1989]

They weren’t killed. Only Tony. Not sure how this guy got there when we’re specifically told “families don’t get touched”

[@paulacurrie3992]

Great analysis. I also think that the painting directly behind Tony (between the 2 football players) is a deliberate reference to, and reminder of, the mansion dream sequence, (when Tony is in a coma). Meadow 'saves' him on that occasion, but is unable to do so here. I have always maintained that this is Tony's death scene. I love the 'cut to black'. Such an elegant and courageous way to convey Tony's death. Total genius.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Thank you, Paula! As I understand it, the photograph on the wall over the two-top to Tony's right features the actual house from the dream sequence. In any event, I think you're on the right track. It's the same idea. The large, institutional-looking structure in each case calls to mind the great expanse of the afterlife. Thanks again!

[@nicolasperez8352]

​8 T la

[@charlesdemers2542]

Lots of novel insights here; really compelling stuff. I also think there is an echo of Uncle Junior’s “I was involved with that?” from earlier in the episode in Tony’s “I did?” when AJ has to remind him what he said; Junior has forgotten the place he once had in the crime family, Tony has forgotten the place he once had in the kindred family.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Very kind. Thank you, Charles! I think Junior lives in a kind of hell on earth. No past. No future. He has been cast into oblivion. I think this is an extreme metaphor for the position Tony finds himself in. Tony no longer has a past. All of his friends have been killed. Tony no longer has a future. Those who remain in his organization have betrayed him (even if he does not know that yet). Melfi has turned her back on him. The FBI no longer considers him a priority (recall that Tony was made to wait for a meeting with his contact. In other words, his days of being able to command an audience with the agency are over). Even his own lawyer intuitively understands that Tony no longer has any power. Recall that his lawyer is watching the strippers backstage on closed circuit television and eating a hamburger while feeding Tony cliches about going to trial. Everything is already gone by the time Tony meets with Junior. His death at the diner will be, in a sense, a formality. So I do think you're correct to draw a correlation between Junior and Tony. I think they are both finished and neither one of them has the ability to grasp that fact.

[@kiddjl9336]

This may have been the best video I’ve seen yet on the ending.

[@lambros3652]

Agreed

[@scenicmedia8624]

Thank you, Kidd JL!

[@ishakali8634]

@@scenicmedia8624 You should do one for The Shining.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Thanks for the tip. There is a guy named Rob Ager who does excellent film analysis. He operates under the banner "Collative Learning". He has done quite a lot of exceptional work on The Shining among many other films. See: tinyurl.com/4745nvvu

[@scenicmedia8624]

@@ishakali8634 New video for Goodfellas: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZmKkcp9snd54ba8

[@brentcarl6621]

If you also remember Tony’s favorite scene in “The Godfather” is when Michael goes to the restroom and returns with a gun and shoots the other two at his table. Ironic that the same thing could have happened to him.

[@bigvinnie3]

@@Apoll0Spade you can't say that definitively. Do I think he did yes. But that's just it its art and up to individual interpretation.

[@k45207]

@@bigvinnie3 exactly that’s why it’s so brilliant. Another example would be inception at the end with the spinning top. it’s ambiguous

[@xBassCoversx]

It’s just a movie

[@miekgg]

my guy you're sitll using that expression in 2024... how old are you man@@xBassCoversx

[@miekgg]

nothing nowadyas is just a "movie" or "just a show" - there's always a deeper meaning where you actually learn something @@xBassCoversx

[@nmolina5]

There are 3’s all over this scene, 3 Boy Scouts, 3 creams next to the guys coffee, Meadow takes 3 tries to parallel park, the cook is flipping 3 pancakes and 3 sausage patties, the song is the 3rd page and 3rd one down, I’m sure there are plenty more…also earlier in the series Paulie wakes up at 3am and hears wind chimes like the one on the diner door

[@tristensherman9548]

The 3 Cub scouts are bears, which is the 3rd rank of Cub Scouts (at the time)

[@fulldropz]

It's literal magic. You'll find the use of 3 all throughout the entertainment industry

[@jool7793]

If you look hard enough

[@nicolaiboensch6643]

​@jool7793 you posted this response 3 days ago... 😬

[@joemieszczur9735]

im sure a lot of people had this happen too: when i first seen the ending i saw meadow's face at the door before the cut to black. i was rewatching the episode much later when i realized i didnt actually see her but my mind showed me that. i had to go look it up online to see if i made it up or if there was a different version. turns out that was the intention, and many people had the same thing when it first aired and caused some debates like the mandala effect around the water cooler.

[@scenicmedia8624]

The ending had that effect on me. I formed a picture of her coming through the door and believed that what I had imagined had been shown to me. It's a stunning piece of psychological manipulation. The simulacra - the copy without an original. On a related note. One of several unverifiable origin stories for the term Mafia involves the 13th century French occupation of Sicily during which a soldier raped a young girl. Her mother cried out ‘mia figlia, mia figlia’ (my daughter, my daughter) which in a Sicilian dialect sounds like ‘Ma fia, Ma fia’. Accordingly, the term Mafia became a kind of rallying against occupation and later devolved into a term for organized crime. I thought it was at least possible that this origin story for 'Mafia' might represent a kind of cruel irony here. When Tony looks up to see 'my daughter', he instead sees 'Mafia'. It might also inform why Meadow constitutes our final thought in the finale. In any event, thank you for pointing out the phenomenon. I had forgotten about it and it really is a strange and remarkable attribute of the finale.

[@eddiekaspbrak4624]

Wait what was the mandala effect about the water cooler?

[@laurenlane9564]

I’ve sent this analysis to several friends who loved the show as much as I, and the consensus is unanimous, you have created a brilliant video essay!! It opened my eyes to so many elegant storytelling details. I’m grateful for your hard work creating this and your generosity in sharing it!! More content please!!

[@scenicmedia8624]

That is very kind of you, Lauren! I'm really happy to hear that you enjoyed the work. Thank you so much! I'm writing the script for the next video now. I'll share with you when it's posted. I think it's going to be interesting. Thank you again, Lauren!

[@samuelminzey6471]

Wow, extremely well made and great analysis. It's funny how the show is able to make you wish Tony survived even after everything he did. He mentioned that he couldn't eat onions anymore after his surgery, maybe he just passed out after eating the onion rings 😂

[@scenicmedia8624]

Too kind. Thank you, Samuel!

[@gregsgoogle2947]

Ok that’s seriously funny 😆

[@gman21xx]

It was the onions! 😂 ... That's what I'm going with from now on.

[@gman21xx]

Love this video... But I'm loving this comment even more 😂

[@kempokiai]

As someone who was gutted by the ending but has seen the light thanks to your video and hard work, I turn everyone I can to your video to who also feels like the ending was bad. Well done

[@scenicmedia8624]

So kind of you. Thank you, Bahnzai!

[@RussellFlowers]

The 2nd gunman does fit in... Members Only guy calls back to the title of the season's first episode. The other guy wears a "USA" cap, referring to "Made in America".

[@scenicmedia8624]

Nice catch. Thanks, Russell!

[@1Funds]

@russellflowers Genius.

[@davew1647]

"Tony ordered something for the table." -Man, that gives me chills.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Awesome. Thank you, Dave!

[@ljboutabag4884]

It’s crazy because it was said that most mob related killings suspects would enter the bathrooms before killing their targeted victim in restaurants. This shows how well directors put The Sopranos story aligned with real life events, one of the greatest shows ever❤️

[@nirvanajunkie19]

Some KZbinrs would actually have you believe that dinosaurs and people never lived together.

[@scenicmedia8624]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKHYnJyBf5p3gMUsi=LdR3-d5ZIkcuouUF&t=10

[@ramirobenavidez1975]

We must also remember back in season 2 Christopher's near death experience where he tells Tony "Mike told me to tell you 3:00". This means dave chase already had this ending in mind since than and actually did it seven year's later. It goes to show why the Sopranos was the greatest show ever made.

[@abdoundao8806]

The statement could be a hint that Paulie did the hit, it links to Tony’s death but the fact that Paulie never resolved his tie to the statement might imply he is involved in the hit.

[@Ms.Doomer]

@@abdoundao8806🤯🤯🤯🤯

[@Gump327]

Maybe i should give an enema to my teletubbies

[@valentinabrown8939]

I also like the idea of Tony looking through the jukebox of many great "hits." Tony choosing "Don't Stop Believing" which is one of the biggest hits of all time...symbolizing Tony's "hit" as one of the biggest, as well.

[@bigb2650]

Oh wow I didn’t catch that myself that makes perfect sense! Also, “A Hit Is A Hit”

[@nondrip107]

I don't think that this has ever been pointed out, but the shot showing Tony flipping through the list of songs shows the previous page before he finds "Don't Stop Believing", the song directly behind it is "This Magic Moment". This song plays in "Soprano Home Movies", after Bobby comes home to his family after completing his first hit. For Bobby, the magic moment symbolized the line he crossed with becoming a murder, and perhaps the magic moment for Tony is leaving the mortal realm.

[@yeadogthazmyboi]

@@nondrip107t’s not this magic moment it’s “Magic Man” @2:05

[@nondrip107]

@@yeadogthazmyboi It's on the previous page of the jukebox. You gotta watch the full clip in motion, it shows Tony flipping through the pages and the song behind it is this magic moment. Different band but still a neat touch

[@martrowe]

The level of work put into this analysis rivals the scene's original. I, like many, thought I'd figured it all out, but your excellent video has brought so much more detail and insight. Congratulations on what will become a fantastic reference piece for future seekers of an explanation.

[@scenicmedia8624]

That's very kind of you, Martin. I'm glad you liked it. Thank you so much!

[@martrowe]

@@scenicmedia8624 did you ever get any feedback from anyone involved with the show? I'd love to know how close to the mark you are.

[@scenicmedia8624]

@@martrowe Hi, Martin. No, I've never heard from anyone from the show. I'd love to talk to Michael Imperioli at some point. As an aside, close to releasing an analysis on "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood". Thank you for checking in!

[@goofedman]

never seen anyone accuse the outdoorsman as a shooter until now. All the theories about whether it was Patsy, Carlo, New York or even Eugene's wife family member who hired members only to carry out the hit. Also if you remember that super bowl commercial this year, I wonder if by canon AJ is still alive as well. Excellent video

[@scenicmedia8624]

Thank you for your feedback, Goofed. Finishing up an analysis on the commercial now. Should have a video posted in the next few days. Will update. Thanks again!

[@joshpointoh]

If AJ were to still be alive, how would that happen? He could get shot up, and pull through, I guess. Or is it more likely that he comes up small, like he almost always did.

[@scenicmedia8624]

@@joshpointoh I posted a follow-up video analysis on the 2022 Super Bowl car commercial. It may sound weird, but Anthony Jr. appears in the commercial as a ghost. There is a lot of evidence to support that. It was surprising to me how much the commercial supports the theory that all three family members were killed. If you care to check it out, it's here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYi3ZoWarpuAp68

[@scenicmedia8624]

Quick follow-up. I published a video on The Sopranos 2022 Super Bowl car commercial. Surprising to me how much the commercial confirms the argument that all three family members were murdered, including Anthony Jr. He appears to his sister in the commercial as a ghost or an expression of wish fulfillment. If you care to check out the video, is here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYi3ZoWarpuAp68

[@smellsuperb1]

As David Chase has stated repeatedly, "nothing in this show is coincidence".

[@scenicmedia8624]

This final scene really is a master work. It is so densely constructed it's kind of staggering. I did almost 30 minutes and definitely did not cover everything that's going on.

[@YannChe]

Just stumbled upon this examination of the ending and I have to say you changed my mind on how I felt about it. At first I didn’t feel like the ending was a good fit for such a great show but your video made me realize I might have overlooked a lot of details that condensed a lot of meaning. Thank you for taking the time to make this for those of us who didn’t quite get it the first time!

[@scenicmedia8624]

Very kind of you. Thank you so much, Yann!

[@nikousenpai]

Never seen someone dissect the ending so deeply. Wether one believes this theory or not, I gotta say, kudos, you've elaborated your theory pretty well!

[@scenicmedia8624]

Thank you, Nikousenπ!

[@billyb6001]

@@scenicmedia8624 ya dude. im kinda mentally exhausted after that . not sure if you read to much into it or Im missing so much symbolism in life.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Hey @@billyb6001 - it's all there, my man. Thank you so much for checking it out!

[@flawedpeacock]

A long time ago I came across this video, and I'm glad I was able to come across it again as my buddy is about to finish the series. Seriously one of the best videos I've seen on the subject and is what inspired me to make videos myself. I've returned to thank you, Scenic!

[@scenicmedia8624]

Thank you so much, Flaw! That is very kind of you. I just started to watch your analysis on "Suspiria". Nice work! Thank you again!

[@dietdrpepper15]

I appreciate that the finale had to grow on people. At first it’s so jarring for viewers that of course they got in a rage. But the more time passes(and how other shows fumble their endings) the more this ending is seen for the masterpiece that it is.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Agreed. Thank you, Doctor!

[@HOTD108_]

​@@scenicmedia8624That's diet Doctor to you!

[@ParadigmShifted]

You have mentioned so many different things that i have never heard referenced before….and it’s provided me a “fresh view” of this final scene. You really dug deep into this….like really deep. I’ve listened to hundreds of podcasts, participated in dozens of round tables with other fans, and picked through many websites with everything written out and broken down into pieces….a LOT of what you mention in here has NEVER been referenced to, or brought up to be thought/debated about…. Seriously this is fvcking impressive.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Very kind of you. Thank you so much, Paradigm Shift!

[@ParadigmShifted]

@@scenicmedia8624 you’re very welcome:)

[@nativesun7661]

I agree with your analysis of his analysis. 100 percent. Truly great, great work Scenic!

[@schaffer5653]

Wife and I just finished watching the series for the first time and immediately went to the internet in search of meaning as we were both so disappointed by the ending. This analysis completely changed our perspective...Brilliant analysis, brilliant ending. Thanks!

[@scenicmedia8624]

Excellent. That's great to hear. Thank you very much, Schaffer!

[@NicholasBennettC]

Brilliant and refreshing. You presented your case and peaced out without being for bell notifications or subs. I'm now subscribed.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Right on. Very kind. Thank you, Nicholas!

[@lakota_himself]

Damn. Brilliant video mate, and a very fresh take on things. Salud!

[@scenicmedia8624]

Thank you, Lakota!

[@RandomPerson-ml4wh]

Chrissy says “tell Paulie and Tony 3o’clock” after getting shot and being clinically dead. Just like how members only enters at Tony’s 3o’clock.

[@brenthenshaw3585]

Three O'Clock and the Rule of Three permeate throughout the series. It takes Meadow three times to park the car right, which prevents the Guardian Angel from blocking the shot to Tony's Three O'Clock. And it is also the third attempt on Tony's life.

[@smellsuperb1]

@@aj99080 yup, 3 lights extinguished 💯

[@BuffaloveBills]

Paulie put the gun in the bathroom, fate put Tony at 3 o’clock

[@meg2231]

Rly though wtf was Paulie up to at the end

[@mmaallday118]

The direction of the death bullet from where Tony is sitting is also e o clock

[@joshpointoh]

The reason I don't see them all dying, or if they did, it was accidental: Most obvious, it's against the mom's usual rules to involve family. Doing it in front of family is different but shooting them would be really extreme, to say the least. They don't wait for Meadow, meaning it clearly wasn't an essential part of the plan. There's no real indication, due to the black out happening when it does. If it wasn't planned, AJ could jump up and try to stop the main shooter, causing him to get shot as well, and somehow Carmella would be caught in a crossfire. Definitely plausible but just a lot of assumptions required.

[@JohnHansknecht]

Correct. The mob has a code of honor regarding family because they know what goes around, comes around.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Thank you for chcking out the video JK! Thank you for your feedback as well. My apologies for responding to you so late. To start, I consider Carmella and Anthony Jr. collateral damage. There would have been no reason to target them. However, given the symbolism throughout the finale, it appears they are ultimately killed in the process. I think if you're willing to accept that a murder plot takes place inside a busy diner, then you cannot but accept that collateral damage is possible. If it were important to the mob to protect his family from harm, then another time and place would have been selected. The same is true in real life. Look at what happened with the Joe Gallo murder in 1972. I think that is the closest comparison to be made. Colombo shooters opened fire on Joe while he sat with his family at Umberto's in Little Italy. His sister, his wife, and her ten-year-old daughter were all caught up in the crossfire. None were harmed but they could have been very easily. It certainly was not the case that primary shooter Carmine DiBiase decided to wait until he could be sure no one else might get hurt. In terms of the finale, I tend to think that once the family steps into the diner, they're stepping into a kind of divine space where their deaths are preordained. Carmella and Anthony Jr. are destined to die along with Tony and the killers are instruments of fate. Thank you again for checking out the video and for your feedback, JK. Regarding the mob "code of honor" this response from Henry Hill has a ring of truth to it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXPZlYWKZrVpmbM

[@scenicmedia8624]

@@JohnHansknecht - Suspect you're right to point out that the 'code of honor' is a practical calculation at its core. I suspect that it started as a top-down mandate imposed to maintain order in the ranks. The mandate was packaged as a "code of honor". Best way to encourage a subordinate to internalize a prohibition is to make it honorable.

[@christopherconnelly4477]

@@scenicmedia8624 Fantastic job on the analysis. My only hang up was the supposition that the hit included Carmela and AJ. However, I've reconsidered this and I think this could be a nod to Godfather 2 wherein Don Ciccio orders the murder of young Vito Corleone (and his mother) so that they cannot get their revenge. Great job!

[@septclues]

Pretty amazing analysis. Thanks for the video!

[@scenicmedia8624]

Thank you so much, septclues!

[@juniorsoprano7013]

Outstanding analysis. Nice work!

[@scenicmedia8624]

Very kind, Junior. Thank you so much!

[@videosolutions1683]

That was deep. I always knew Tony was going to be killed but I never thought the family. Very interesting

[@scenicmedia8624]

Very kind of you, Video. I'm glad you liked it. Thank you so much!

[@papi-sauce]

they good as dead anyways. i m sure they all got enemies.

[@GLING17]

Very interesting analysis of that final Sopranos scene. It's such a good show, one of the best I've seen. Rest in peace, Tony, Carmella and Anthony Jr.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Very kind of you, Gling. Thank you so much!

[@juansantiagoyv]

This is one of the best video analysis I’ve seen in many many years. The complete understanding you have of symbolism and that great directors don’t rely on coincidences makes everything seem so simple. The scene is a microcosmos of the whole show but it is all leading to the tragic ending of the Soprano family, the kindred and the crime family.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Right on, man. Very kind. Thank you, Juan!

[@dannigro8794]

This is a very nice analysis and a lot of things I didn’t even think of. We don’t know what’s real and what’s not but all these breakdowns really make you think. Thanks for the video.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Very kind of you. Thank you, Dan!

[@BiteYourBicep]

Extremely impressive analysis, you've got a bright future.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Too kind. Thank you, Bite!

[@cptkangaroo]

Bravo!! I’ve seen many analytical videos concerning this final scene over the years ….but this one tops them all. Especially well done re. the light symbolism as well as the waitress’s repeated eclipsing of all 3 table occupants. I’d never heard of either of these insights before. Well done!

[@scenicmedia8624]

That is great to hear. Very kind. Thank you so much, Sunny Joe White!

[@gravyfish4684]

Brilliant. Eager for your next upload.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Thank you, Gravy Fish! Very kind. New upload on "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" soon. Finishing script now. Thank you again!

[@emanuele20x]

Best analysis I've seen on YT for all mob related movies or tv. well done!

[@scenicmedia8624]

Very kind of you, Emanuele. Great to hear that you found it interesting. Thank you so much!

[@indicatoker420]

The series has a strong stench of Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky. It was obvious to me after just a few episodes. Tony is like a grown up Raskalnikov that has a family. And in modern society, is seeking psychiatry. The number 3 has a lot of significance in the novel, and this is Tony's 3rd time in danger like that. It came to him in the end or maybe it was a dream. Nobody got to know who by if so. So, 'don't stop, believin...' the song plays all the way through the scene. I think that gives it away that it is all down to however you perceive/believe it to be.

[@Dgusting]

The other Journey track with that is also Any Way You Want It which makes sense to that point as well

[@aaronalonso4267]

Man, this is the best of analysis I've ever had

[@scenicmedia8624]

Right on. Very kind of you. Thank you, Aaron!

[@corey338]

Well done. Quality cinematic analysis. Watching this part of the series right now.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Very kind of you, Sensei. Thank you so much!

[@zachstagg99925]

Very insightful analysis, well done.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Right on. Very kind. Thank you so much, Zach!

[@JM-ql7mh]

Subbed. What a rollercoaster of a watch. Keep it up.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Will do. Thank you very much, JM!

[@DougHatcher]

I wasn’t expecting all that, incredible video

[@scenicmedia8624]

Nice one. Thank you very much, Doug!

[@shesking821]

Wow wow wow! Thanks for your insight. Beautiful video.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Thank you so much, King!

[@marco9962]

This is such a brilliant analysis, and such a well-crafted video. Thank you! I watched it yesterday and I haven't stopped thinking about it. You know, just the taking of the three onion rings, just that, for me, proves your premise. Seeing those three moments, in sequence, and then side-by-side, sent chills down my spine. There it was right there! I'll add one thing not mentioned in the video, but surely observed by others previously: when you referred to shooter one as "members only" I realized that the scene where Gene, in his members only, shoots the guy in the pizza joint in Boston, directly foreshadows this hit on Tony. My God - the episode - the first of the final season - was called "Members Only"!

[@scenicmedia8624]

Very kind of you, Mark. Thank you so much! I went back to watch the murder scene with Gene in the roadside eatery. I think you're totally right; there is foreshadowing here. Not least because the killer steps through the door and rings a chime. For anyone who may read this thread, I'll include a link to the scene here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHbCdXioos2Xj9Usi=W7pekBkeZzfxSEaL There is another scene that foreshadows the finale that you might find interesting. There is a kind of miniature dress rehearsal featuring Carmella and Tony at the reception for Bobby's funeral. You'll see the couple for a brief moment. Carmella sits facing the camera with a plate on her lap. Tony stands off to the side and faces away from the camera; he contemplates a large painting of Mt. Vesuvius viewed from the Gulf of Naples. All of the basic elements from the finale are here. The two are dining together. There is a large mural on the back wall. There are mounted light fixtures. Consistent with the symbolism in the finale, we see two light fixtures portending death for Carmella and Tony respectively. As an aside, it is interesting to note that the position of the light fixtures facing out from either wall mirrors the character blocking. Next, there is a shadowy figure of a man who temporarily blots out our view as he passes before the camera; this happens throughout the finale. Finally, the funeral reception itself provides the atmosphere of death that otherwise lingers in the finale. Here is the link to the scene if you care to check it out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ep_coWuvlpWMbrcsi=eAkFlSn0DWEFSPWz&t=38

[@marco9962]

​@@scenicmedia8624 Thank you for taking the time to reply. Last night I watched the full episode, and the final scene was especially thrilling for me, having been thinking about your analysis all day, and paying close attention to all the details in the setting, the direction, and the symbolism. Stunning! And I had noticed that tableau during the funeral dinner, with Carmela and Tony, when I felt a dreadful foreboding of what lay ahead. The craftsmanship of your video is exceed only by the craftsmanship of the episode itself. Thank you for producing it and for sharing it. I don't know which explanation would be more impressive: that you created a convincing narrative from a bunch of unrelated unintentional details, or that you were able to unpack the deliberate and intentional meaning and design of the scene!

[@scenicmedia8624]

​@@marco9962 Too kind. Too kind. Thank you, Mark! Working on an analysis of the The Sopranos opening credits now. Will be curious to hear what you think. Thank you again!

[@nickduke3349]

Brilliant video. Well done.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Thank you, Nick!

[@pedrofsilva256]

Thank you. Amazing job

[@scenicmedia8624]

Very kind of you. Thank you, Pedro!

[@lambrosk3790]

Awesome video! By far the best finale breakdown. Another interesting thing is how in season 4 Carmela was wearing an inverted type outfit; red pants with a leopard print top (though, it looks to be black and white) when she says “I can tell you this or you can watch the news, everything comes to an end!”

[@scenicmedia8624]

Thank you, Lambros!

[@bobby.m136]

I've seen a lot of analysis on this and this probably is the most in depth yet. There's a lot you point out that is supportive evidence but I do hope that all three of them didn't get killed lol. Thank you for a well thought out video, this one is to be taken seriously.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Very cool. Thank you, Bobby!

[@jayfreeman3004]

The people who created this masterpiece series sure knew how to end it .What a great finish.

[@rafaelcampuwork]

Great analysis!

[@scenicmedia8624]

Thank you, Pimp Daddy!

[@TheMooper27]

Nice analysis, very well thought out.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Very kind. Thank you, Mooper!

[@Rick_Riff]

Very well done and interesting, very thorough and complex. It's hard to do original material on the most scrutinized scene in history but your analysis and writing skills have pulled it off beautifully. Now of course there are many stretches but that's called being philosophical. More creative than Spielberg

[@scenicmedia8624]

Very kind of you. Thank you, Riffy Rick!

[@tommyhemlock7915]

Hard to see if this scenario would have worked in real life. Killing a mob boss in front of his family is nothing to the Mafia, but killing his family as well would be the quickest way to start a mob war, especially if the hit was ordered by the head of a rival family (which I think it was in this case). And having witnessed her parents and younger brother being killed as she walked through the door, wouldn’t Meadow’s likely reaction have alerted the assassins as to her identity, thereby possibly ensuring she didn’t survive? I believed from the outset that the ending meant Tony was killed, but that it was he alone, and not his family.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Thanks for checking out the video, Tommy. Thanks also for your feedback. To be clear, I don’t think Carmella & Anthony Jr. were targeted. I mean to present them as collateral damage. The basic argument is that if we’re willing to accept that the murder plot unfolded in the restaurant then we cannot but concede that collateral damage is possible. If we accept that the family was not killed on purpose, then Meadow would remain unharmed based on where she was physically at the moment the screen cuts to black. There would be no impulse on the part of the killers to murder her on their way out the door. The fact that Carmella & Anthony Jr. are collateral damage is also how we address the fact that organized crime observes a code of conduct that forbids families from targeted violence. Lastly, I’m not inclined to think that the deaths of Carmella and Anthony Jr. would spark a mob war in this case. The original game plan stated by “New York” was to kill off all of the "New Jersey" leadership and “do business with whatever is left”. Following Tony’s murder, there would not be much of an organization left to retaliate. In any event, my sense is that the deaths of Tony, Carmella, and Anthony Jr. are preordained. Once they step into that diner, all of the mobster machinations, rules, and codes become irrelevant. The family is taken over by a kind of divine inevitability. They are fated to die and Meadow is fated to carry on.

[@BagelKaren]

They could've been killed as fallout from Tony protecting Tony B for being family. And meadow was dating Patsy son and Patsy was probably behind the sanctioning of the hit.

[@detectiveMM]

@@scenicmedia8624 I really liked your video, but why would they be collateral damage? As soon as the shooters start shooting, they’ll likely just freeze up and it will take the shooters less than two seconds to get the job done.

[@scenicmedia8624]

@@detectiveMM - Thanks, Detective. You can hypothesize one outcome. I can hypothesize another. You can also claim "best odds" for your outcome. I would even agree with you. But, ultimately, we don't how it happened. The only way to attempt to discover how things net out is to look at the symbolic evidence. Three family members take Holy Communion while one family member is conspicuously and crucially absent from the ritual. This tends to bind the three family members together in a common fate. Three lights persist throughout the scene and individual lights are consistently associated with each character throughout the scene. Light is a common and uncontroversial symbol for spirit. All of this indicates that violence touches all three family members. I would go one step further here. The finale that takes place inside the diner has an atmosphere of the divine. To mean, everything that is slated to happen seems to be preordained. In the end, Tony and Carmella must confront a moral universe. Anthony Jr., who is still a boy, is sacrificed as both their punishment and their redemption. The ending is a kind of metaphor for Christ on the cross alongside Dismas, and Gestas. Anthony Jr. is the Christ figure. Tony is the 'Good Thief' and Carmella, contrary to her religiosity throughout the series, is the 'Unrepentant Thief'. The point is that by the time we get to the finale, there is only so much to be said about what would happen in the real world. The death of the lead characters have moral implications that are also being addressed. Below see a few real world example of collateral damage: Joseph Peraino Sr. Attempted Murder 1982 Two shooters opened fire with shotguns on a primary target and his son in 1982. Son was murdered. Nun was killed by stray buckshot. www.nytimes.com/1982/01/05/nyregion/two-slain-and-one-hurt-in-a-mob-style-shooting.html Carmine Galante Murder 1979 Three shooters with pistols and a shotgun respectively entered The Joe and Mary Italian‐American Restaurant and murdered Galante, 70, and his bodyguard, 90. The restaurant owner was collateral damage while a teenage boy was critically wounded. www.nytimes.com/1979/07/13/archives/galante-and-2-shot-to-death-in-a-brooklyn-restaurant-son-of.html Colombo Leadership Murder 1972 Contract killer working for the Gallo family mistakenly killed two civilians and wounds two civilians when attempting to murder senior Colombo leadership at the Neapolitan Noodle restaurant in Manhattan. www.nytimes.com/1972/08/16/archives/hunt-for-gunman-pressed-by-police-scores-in-mafia-families.html

[@nativesun7661]

@@detectiveMMdisagree. AJ’s the same person who took an effing KNIFE into a State-run mental institution to try and kill his uncle to avenge his father. The shooter would literally have been standing RIGHT NEXT to where AJ was sitting when he walked up to the table and began shooting. AJ would have at the very least tried to push/knock the gun out of the shooter’s hands, try to push the shooter away or even try to physically cover his dad (all instinctive and without thinking, AJ’s not a hero or particularly brave but he DOES love his father) and Carmela would *instantly* jump up to protect AJ. Hence putting both of them in the crossfire (there were two shooters).

[@rishinarinemd]

This is amazing, thank you.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Right on. Very kind of you, Rishi. Thank you so much!

[@markaust8982]

Thanks for your work

[@scenicmedia8624]

Right on. Thank you, Mark!

[@alexthrailkill]

Liked, subbed, commenting for engagement. This is such a thoughtful video even if half of it wasn’t intended by Chase, I already loved the ending but some of these bits you’ve pointed out add a lot more to it. I never assumed AJ and Carmela died and I’m not sure if Chase did either but man does it make sense.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Nice. Thank you, Alex!

[@OaksArmorial]

I personally think this scene is THE finest display of the medium in the entire history of motion pictures (to the extent I know) and this analysis reinforces that. Absolutely brilliant job, here.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Very kind of you. Thank you so much Oaks! Agree with you, this scene is an exceptional piece of work.

[@oxygen0069]

This was just amazing! Bravo!

[@scenicmedia8624]

Thank you so much, Oxygen!

[@rustyapellido4611]

great analysis, I hope more people check out your vid!

[@scenicmedia8624]

Thank you, Rusty!

[@maxeyre2024]

I'm only half way through the video but this is a phenomenal analysis-- so many things I have not caught after years, as well as watching many other interpretation videos. Shows how amazing the series, and your content is!

[@scenicmedia8624]

That's very kind of you. Great to hear you find it interest. Thank you so much! If you're only halfway through, be prepared, the second half gets a little wobbly particularly around the explanation concerning the Rockwell painting. The basic theory is correct. But I think I could have simplified it. I still think the representation of a diary in the scene forms a connection between Meadow's worst fears for herself and her family and the events unfolding in the restaurant. I also think the diary is there to correlate that fear to her decision to update her birth control. I think the idea of substituting her mother and brother for herself and her own child is not wrong per se. But it feels a little too elaborate. I think there is more simple, compelling reading. The boy reading his sister's diary is a symbolic representation of Anthony Jr. But the image of him learning her private thoughts is a metaphor for him being killed. In other words, he will learn the worst fears contained in her diary because he will live them. We are seeing Anthony Jr. discover his fate beforehand, so to speak. That reading also helps to substantiate the notion that the Rockwell painting represents a kind of premonition of the murders. If I were going to make one change to the video that would probably be it. In any event, hope you enjoyed the rest of it. Thanks again!

[@maxeyre2024]

@@scenicmedia8624 I found what you said about the Rockwell painting also very interesting. Once again, great job!

[@barryslemmings31]

Excellent analysis. Very deep and spotted things which I had missed. B

[@scenicmedia8624]

Very nice of you, Barry. Thank you!

[@WP3636]

Amazing work.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Very kind. Thank you, WP!

[@Lacroix67]

Interesting analysis. very thought provoking

[@scenicmedia8624]

Right on. Very kind. Thank you, Chuck!

[@4chub896]

Incredibly thorough, intelligent analysis. Brings out all the meaning of the last scene. Solidifying this show as the best to ever been made.. for the longest time I pondered the death of Tony through the perspective of Carmella and AJ and Meadow, how horrible that must of been and how could they have continued life after? now I have to think about this all over again. Meadow, the " Guardian angel" is the only perspective left.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Very kind of you, 4 Chub! Thank you so much. I think the 2022 car commercial works as a legitimate epilogue to the series. In particular, it indicates what has become of Meadow. Thank you again!

[@meadowdrive5]

I will say this, I believed he was dead, as was everyone else at the table. This just explains to me what my brain couldn’t see. Bravo!

[@scenicmedia8624]

Hi, Rob & Tracy. Great to hear was able to elaborate on your original impression. Very kind of you. Thank you so much!

[@leesnyder5492]

Great job!

[@scenicmedia8624]

Nice one. Thank you, Lee!

[@nativesun7661]

Watching this again… Very impressive work. Very impressive.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Very kind of you. Thank you, Native Sun!

[@matthewweng8483]

Mind... Blown. 🤯

[@scenicmedia8624]

Right on. Thank you, Matthew! Very kind. Great to hear that you enjoyed it. Thank you again!

[@joshpointoh]

As weird as it sounds, the moment that screen went black, that was a moment I will never forget where I was when it happened. To think this scene will go down in my life as one of those few moments I can completely recall, up there with 9/11, really goes to show how powerful it was.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Interesting, JK. Thank you for your feedback.

[@Huly241072]

That was incredible thank you 🙏

[@scenicmedia8624]

Very kind of you. Thank you, Rahul!

[@Huly241072]

@@scenicmedia8624 just so u know your video was recommended to me by @Elusory

[@JamieKkos]

Bravo! Excellent analyzation about the ending scene. I too believe there is purpose in everything we see in that scene. Then it makes me sick how people did NOT like how the show ended. I thought it was perfect.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Thank you very much, Jamie! Agreed, the ending is genius.

[@crusoe9000]

When Tony enters Holsten's and "teleports himself" through one weird jumpcut, this is pure Kubrickian scenery. It's exactly how Dave Bowman sees himself getting old instantly, at the end of "2001, A Space Odyssey". This is a brilliant nod to Kubrick and a fastastic reuse of his metaphore. I'm sure this has been brought up before. At this very moment, Tony's expression is sadness, as he witnesses the inevitable. In other words, the "first Tony" we see might just be different than the one sitting: he's already dead, like a ghost that entered that eerie house in S06E03 where "everyone is waiting" (the house resembles the big paiting on the main wall, but maybe I'm stretching it). And then, along with the ghost, we reenact the "real" tragic act. Are there are references to purgatory in this whole final scene?

[@scenicmedia8624]

Hi, Crusoe. Thank you for the great feedback. I think you're actually the first person to make the teleport connection to "2001". I think you're absolutely right about that. As an aside, I also did an analysis on The Sopranos Super Bowl car commercial and found a "2001" reference there. I failed to make that connection here though. Very insightful of you to spot that. Nice work. I will agree with you that the version of Tony who scans the dining room is not the version Tony who looks back toward the entrance. There we have all kinds of very clear transformational symbolic elements to choose from. Generally, I think we can say that when Tony walks through the door he is a gangster and a sociopath. He stands, overwhelming the screen; he wears the leather jacket like a kind of armor; he scans the landscape for threats. On the earthly plane, he is a powerful and menacing figure. When he is "teleported" into the booth he becomes something else. He has been prepared to pass into the afterlife. Where he stood, he is now seated. Where he overwhelmed the screen, he now appears greatly diminished and vulnerable. Gone is the leather jacket. He now wears a short sleeve shirt. My personal sense is that Tony is granted a kind of final grace before his death. He is freed from the sociopathy and depression that have entirely dominated his life and he is given a moment to commune with his family on this plane before they are all taken together into the afterlife. You'll notice that he is kind throughout the scene. He chooses the music. He orders the drinks. He orders the onion rings. He looks genuinely relieved to see Carmella arrive. He looks at her lovingly as she settles into the booth. He asks about Anthony. He asks about Meadow. He is excited at the prospect she might be pregnant. He is disappointed to learn that she is not. He greets Anthony Jr. warmly upon his arrival. The two share a moment of kindness and mutual appreciation. I also think the fact that he has lost his sociopathy is why he seems slightly out of it (he cannot recall the advice that he gave Anthony Jr. about "remembering the times that were good"); this is also why he is not alert to the dangers around him. He's been made ready to go. I don't think there is anything like purgatory going on here. I think this is a kind of interdimensional space between the real world and the afterlife. I think the narrative framework is not only based on the The Eucharist but also the subsequent Crucifixion. I think Anthony Jr. is the innocent who will be killed as both punishment and redemption for the sins of his parents. Anthony Jr. is still a boy. He has not yet become a man and so he is an "innocent" in that narrow sense. In this way, his death can take on a redemptive aspect. He can redeem them. He is also their son, their prize progeny. Meadow tells us this in the final episodes. She says to Anthony Jr. something like, "We're Italian. You're their son. You'll always be more important to them than I am." In this way, his death is also their punishment. The life of the son they value so much is cut down as an immediate and direct consequence of their own selfishness, greed, and cruelty. To complete The Crucifixion model, I would argue that Tony is Dismas, "The Good Thief", and that Carmella, in spite of all her preening throughout the series, is in fact Gestas, "The Unrepentant Thief". We have one modest indication for this. Notice that Tony voluntarily and warmly greets Anthony Jr. when he arrives whereas Carmella does not acknowledge his arrival at all. In any event, I think in this religious context, there is something kind of positive about the finale. Tony and Carmella will be redeemed and Anthony Jr. will die a meaningful death and be granted everlasting life for the sacrifice he made for his parents. I know people like to refer to the depiction of purgatory that Christopher gave upon waking up in the hospital after being shot. That's not what's going on here. This is really about setting the crimes of these individuals against the backdrop of eternity and finding that there is a way to redeem them and forgive them.

[@realitylime4896]

Wow! Very well done, I enjoyed this thoroughly! Sharing with my friends and family and subbing!

[@scenicmedia8624]

Right on. Very kind of you. Thank you so much, Reality Lime!

[@michaelscarlino1590]

Great stuff, 👏

[@scenicmedia8624]

Very kind. Thank you, Michael!

[@sunsetusa6926]

Love this analysis, the show's depth is endless and even (scuse me for saying this) expanded on in many saints, the horse joke is told before his goomar's death at the seaside. Earlier scenes in the last episode; barber scissors and Paulie, his guy in new york, Min (the old lady killed by Paulie in fourth season with a pillow) her husband worked in "precision cutlery." Someday I'm gonna put all this shit together...maybe it's all ready there. Tony is certainly "on ice" and in purgatory at this point....it goes on and on...

[@scenicmedia8624]

Right on. Thank you, Sunset USA!

[@DanielJordanofficial]

This needs a million views.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Too kind. Thank you so much, Daniel!

[@cemerbay1342]

@@scenicmedia8624 Absolutely fantastic analysis ! You are very talented. Hope to see more of your work on KZbin.

[@ruliviahaze6116]

Interesting theory, excellent presentation!

[@scenicmedia8624]

Thank you so much, Rulivia!

[@sbhouston]

I don't understand how this analysis hasn't gotten more attention. Excellent work.

[@scenicmedia8624]

That's very kind of you. Thank you, Scott!

[@michaelcosta2774]

Brilliant. I always accepted it was Tonys assassination but this makes total sense (two killers, the three of them killed, the football posters, the lights, the waitress blocking, etc.) Can't wait to watch it again.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Very kind. Thank you so much, Michael!

[@Dgusting]

I also just moticed that the other track with Dont Stop Believing was Any Way You Want It which whether by design or not, speaks to what Chase has claimed about the ending. By that i mean, hes said before that the ending is whatever you (the viewer) wants it to mean.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Thank you for checking out the video, Dgusting. Thank you for your feedback as well. You are probably correct that the title of the B-side track cited on the jukebox title card doubles as a message to the audience. I think your reading of the message itself is the most natural and plausible. The message tells the audience that the ending means whatever we want it to mean. In this way, the ambiguity inherent in the cut-to-black ending allows each individual to determine the fate of the series as they see fit. It's a fill-in-the-blank finale. I wonder if the message conveyed in the song title is not ironic. Your claim is based on the following logic: Nothing is necessary, therefore anything is possible. This presents a problem, however. If there are no wrong answers, then there is no right answer. In other words, if the meaning each viewer draws from the ending can be “Any Way You Want It”, then there is no meaning to be drawn. In this way, the message cited on the jukebox title card undermines its own implied meaning. The message does not encourage the audience to draw our own conclusions; the message informs us that whatever conclusion we may draw cannot but be meaningless. To compare. You’ve probably heard generic statements like, “everything is relative” or “nothing can be known for certain.” Here we find a similar problem to the jukebox title card. Both statements cited here define an absolute category that revokes the truth of the statement. Let’s take the first one, “everything is relative”. If we want to be strictly logical, we could respond, “yes, ‘everything is relative’ except the fact that ‘everything is relative’. That is not relative. Therefore, not everything is relative”. The same holds true for the second statement, “nothing can be known for certain.” In response, we could say, “correct, ‘nothing can be known for certain’ except the fact that ‘nothing can be known for certain’. That is something we can know for certain. Therefore, some things can be known for certain”. These statements wind up in the realm of internal contradiction (which is inherently meaningless). I think something similar is going on with this B-side title card. It is not permission to choose-your-own-ending; it is a nihilistic reminder that whatever you choose is meaningless. That nihilistic inversion, to me, would be closer to the kind of thing Chase might actually try to do. For example, consider the time displayed on the clock in the SUV as Tony drives home in the opening credits. This small, fleeting piece of information changes the meaning of the entire scene. The scene mocks our conditioned impulse to believe that we see a family man come home in the evening after a hard day at work (as opposed to a gangster coming home in the morning after a night of criminality). That is Chase. He is a trickster. I’m not inclined to think he is anymore truthful or trustworthy in interviews. I suspect it's all performance. Personally, I don’t think that’s what the title of the B-side is there to communicate. I suspect you want to compare the meaning of the two songs and you want to look at the position of the two tracks on the jukebox title card itself. I think the A-side (above) is about the family accepting their grace and ascending into the afterlife. I think the B-side (below) is about life continuing down here for Meadow. You can make an argument that the lyrics support this. Here is a kind of thumbnail sketch comparing the two songs. The narrator in “Don’t Stop Believing” is a disembodied, omnipotent eye that roams over an eternal array of lost souls who search for meaning in a “movie that never ends.” Conversely, the narrator in “Any Way You Want It”, is himself but one lost soul who is delighted to have finally found meaning. He “never knew what good love could do” but now he does. Furthermore, it is arguable that the “she” cited in the song refers not to an individual woman but to “nature”. This would explain how the song can claim that the expression of a desire is tantamount to the expression of a material need (i.e. "Any way you want it, that’s the way you need it"). ‘Needs’ operate at the level of nature. In any event, I think you can argue that the A-Side describes surveying life from an omnipotent, eternal perspective while the B-Side describes the rush of life as it is lived on the ground. Interestingly, both songs encourage the listener to ‘hold on’.

[@gregsgoogle2947]

@@scenicmedia8624 Thing to realize is “Anyway You Want It” is NOT actually the b side to “Don’t Stop Believin”. Both songs were released as 2 independent A side singles, almost 2 years apart from each other & both are from separate albums too. The writers clearly added those songs together as a single just for the show. “Don’t Stop Believin” was written & recorded in 1981 & b side was a song titled “Natural Thing”. “Anyway You Want It” was written & recorded in 1979 & the b side is “When Your Alone It Ain’t Easy”. The appearance of the 2 songs as an A side & B side single is purely fictional.

[@scenicmedia8624]

@@gregsgoogle2947 Nice. Thank you for your insights, Greg! I do think the songs are thematically related. They both tell versions of the same basic story from two different perspectives; and both songs tell the listener to "hold on".

[@gregsgoogle2947]

@@scenicmedia8624 Oh I absolutely agree they are thematically linked. That was my point. The writers deliberately presented them as an A & B side single to draw our attention to both songs. Good fictional writers deviate from real life facts to draw our attention to what’s important to their story. Fictional writers aren’t documentary writers or news writers bound only to telling us what factually happened. I’m sure you know Chase’s passion for music. I promise you he could sing every good Journey tune written from memory. In fact he chose songs that actually explains and/or advances the script. The Sopranos is about 60% drama, 30% comedy & 10% a musical. All deliberate & meaningful to the story. Sorry if I sounded critical of your analysis. Quite the opposite. Was actually trying to help confirm it by noting it was a deliberate choice of the writers to present the songs as 1 single at the diner.

[@scenicmedia8624]

@@gregsgoogle2947 Hi, Greg! No, I didn't think you were being critical. I totally appreciate your response, man. Thank you! Personally, for me, I do my level best to take no account of how something comes to be present in a fictional work. It is a matter of principle to ignore any conception of authorial intent. For example, I will agree with you that Chase made the decision to put those A & B sides together to articulate a message. Conversely, let's imagine Columbia records pressed an industry-only 45 for exclusive distribution through jukebox vendors. Would that somehow make the message less meaningful? I would say "no". For the kind of analysis I'm trying to do, these would be divergent paths to the same end. How ever it is that those two songs came to be paired together, they are there. The fact that they are "there" is all that matters. I would not attribute any more value to the object (whatever it may be) because I believed or even knew for a fact that the author had gone to some effort to put that object in the scene. Authorial intent is an inherently unreliable framework for narrative analysis for many reasons. It is certainly possible to talk about the author and his or her works. But that is a different domain of discourse. Narrative analysis, for me, is about sticking to the text with the least deviation possible. For me, authorial intent means everything when the work is being created. It means nothing after the work is released. Once a finished work is out in the world, it stands or falls on its own. I realize this may sound like I am dismissing your feedback. I absolutely am not. I totally appreciate what you're pointing out to me. I know this idea of setting authorial intent aside is not exactly intuitive so I just wanted to explain the process behind the analysis. Thank you, Greg!

[@lucalamanna-vg2bz]

Amazing analysis

[@scenicmedia8624]

Very kind of you. Thank you so much, Luca!

[@ms2learner467]

Great analysis. Very allegorical!

[@shawnbrodrick8673]

The sacred and propane

[@scenicmedia8624]

Thank you, Learner!

[@ronaldlymm7248]

Or maybe they just finished their meals and left for a quiet evening 😊

[@scenicmedia8624]

Could be. Thanks, Ronald! 😃

[@ultrahighgain412]

Personally I think if you attempt to resolve the ambiguity of this finale, you have missed the point. It’s a wonderful Schrödinger’s Cat metaphor.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Thank you for watching the video, High Gain. Thank you for your feedback also. I guess I don't consider the ending ambiguous. I see it as surprisingly dense with meaning. Thanks again!

[@roderskine9573]

Nice job !

[@scenicmedia8624]

Very kind. Thank you, Rod!

[@mikedelgado5144]

WOW! Thank you. I saw the final episode but when it aired but did understand what was going on. I thought it was a "To be continued" ending. Had to wait 16 years to learn about the ending. Your video is awesome.

[@scenicmedia8624]

Thank you, Mike. Great to hear you found it interesting. Very kind. Thank you again!

[@moonsauce480]

i just finished the series and this video is like closure to me

[@scenicmedia8624]

Very kind of you, Moon Sauce. Thank you so much!