Who REALLY killed Tony Soprano in the last episode? (Popular Theories DEBUNKED)

[@vanovhs]

Here we will talk about who exactly killed Tony, and we're going to start with some of the craziest theories. If you want to know right away who really killed Tony Soprano and why, I suggest you use the time stamps: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:00:32 - Eugene Pontecorvo’s brother killed Tony 00:03:57 - Janice had Tony Killed 00:05:56 - Carmela orchestrated Tony’s death 00:08:43 - Davey Scatino killed Tony 00:09:34 - Junior Soprano killed Tony 00:12:08 - Did Slava have Tony killed for Valery? 00:13:05 - Did Furio kill Tony? 00:14:24 - Meadow killed Tony Soprano 00:15:53 - Carmine Jr. set the hit on Tony 00:17:41 - WHO REALLY KILLED TONY SOPRANO? ═══ JOIN & SUPPORT ═══ 🔥 Subscribe: bit.ly/VANO-VHS 👉 Donations? Over! Here!www.buymeacoffee.com/vanovhs 👉 Join the Vano VHS crew on Tiktok: www.tiktok.com/@vano.vhs 👉 Our own "Bada Bing" on Instagram: instagram.com/vano.vhs/

[@krishnar1182]

But would LCN murder one of their own in front of his wife and children? While the Paulie/Patsy theory makes the most sense, I'm not sure that Paulie, or even NY, would do it in front of the family and in such a public space.

[@vanovhsshorts]

​@krishnar1182 to answer this question, remember how Phil Leotardo was killed

[@krishnar1182]

@@vanovhsshorts Fair point.

[@vanovhsshorts]

​@@krishnar1182Anyway thanks for sharing your thoughts 👍

[@krishnar1182]

@@vanovhsshorts Thanks for making a thought provoking video. Considering Patsy and Paulie would both be considered “damaged goods” by both NY and to each other, I’m still not convinced that they would have collaborated and killed Tony. I’m not entirely convinced that even the show’s creators “know” who killed Tony. They even seem ambivalent about whether he actually died.

[@krishnar1182]

I think the whole finale needs to be understood beyond whether or not Tony dies. With Carlo testifying, the top earners all dead or incapacitated, and the likely chaos coming from the lack of leadership in NY, there wasn't a path forward to Tony living a long, happy and successful life. Essentially, it was already over for Tony whether he lived or died.

[@vanovhs]

If Tony had even survived, the RICO law would have put Soprano behind bars at a minimum anyway

[@krishnar1182]

@@vanovhs Exactly. With RICO predicates galore and Carlo flipped, nobody around that he could depend on, significantly less money coming in, and no shortage of people who wanted him dead, it was all over for him by that point in time in any case. Even if survived, and even if he avoided jail time, the life and status he had earlier in the series was over.

[@onewarriornation602]

I think the whole finale needs to be understood beyond it being the last episode. David Chase was negotiating and trying to angle for a movie deal from HBO. It wasn't meant to be the actual ending, hence why there want an ending.

[@krishnar1182]

@@onewarriornation602 That makes sense. Chase has been inconsistent about Tony’s fate as well as whether it was resolved in the last episode. With Gandolfini’s passing they were stuck.

[@jcsuperstar4646]

@@onewarriornation602 Exactly. It wasn't an ending and people need to stop with the "Tony got killed." There is nothing indicating that he got whacked in front of his family. David Chase said he would have liked to have killed him off. But he didn't get to finish it.

[@matthewtreon1398]

Paulie walnuts was the only one that was not shot or shot at in the end. He has always been playing both sides.

[@edwardsisson3580]

He let Patsy take it over....it's all there...😅

[@AntonioLopez-bc6qg]

@@edwardsisson3580then why did he react when Tony said he was going to put Patsy in charge of construction? Before he says, “ I live but to serve you my liege.”

[@jakep1979]

New York could have told Paulie if you take him out, we put you in charge.

[@archivesoffantasy5560]

@@AntonioLopez-bc6qgBecause he worried that Patsy might go back on the plan if offered a promotion by Tony. Also you can tell Paulie is not happy in that scene even after accepting Tony’s offer.

[@JoeBlow-fp5ng]

He wasn't considered to be enough of a threat to anyone in power to warrant being taken out. He didn't matter that much.

[@royjones3127]

Where's the TRUE answer????? NOAH punched Tony's lights out - it's obvious...

[@shovedhead]

😂

[@odeleon24]

Ohhhhh now there’s an image

[@mcz428]

Lol

[@JoePedo]

Imagine Stannis's terror

[@eljefemaximo5420]

I was going to say that. Tony never should have called him a charcoal briquette

[@jamesbarker9895]

Remember Butch discussing hits with his crew? First name brought up is Paulie, and Butch immediately takes his name off the table. Butch didn't want Paulie hit because they had a relationship. With Tony and Syl gone, Paulie would have immediately taken the big seat. Paulie wasn't clever like Tony, but he was tough and ruthless, a perfect puppet for the larger NY family.

[@ibrown3KC]

Paulie was definitely a traitor. We also saw Paulie bring in a box full of barbers scissors right around the time Butch and NY met in the barber shop and set the hits if Tony, Syl and Bobby in motion (which was also when Butch immediately shot down Paulie being whacked.)

[@nikkipacheco6835]

​@@ibrown3KCPaulie brought in scissors to where? And nobody picked up on it?

[@ibrown3KC]

@nikkipacheco6835 He brought in barbers scissors to the back of pork store. And it's not long after the scene where Butch and crew are sitting around in a barber shop talking about who to whack, and when Paulies name comes up Butch immediately says no about whacking Paulie. And as for no one picking up on it when Paulie brings them in, the only thing they "pick up on" is that one or two of the guys actually stand up and grab a pair of the scissors from the box.

[@nikkipacheco6835]

@@ibrown3KC I'm still addicted to the whole 6 seasons of the Sopranos!! Jr's joke's are so damn funny I know practically all of em. And Ralph really shut Tony up when he said " when I being you a fat envelope you don't give a shit where that comes from" stunned look on T's face 💯👍🏼 priceless!

[@onewarriornation602]

Remwmber that interview a month and a half ago by Savid Chase, where he yet again said Tony Soorsno didn't get wacked in the last episode? 😂

[@vanovhs]

═══ WATCH NEXT ═══ The Sopranos: The UNFORGETABLE Silvio Dante! kzbin.info/www/bejne/n4rce6evq6x6rq8 The Sopranos: Mafia Family or Just a GLORIFIED CREW? kzbin.info/www/bejne/q4XPl4mNas2Fg5o Feech La Manna's Story: Accusations & Unanswered Questions! kzbin.info/www/bejne/eXe6eoSYfbqcabc This video is 100% proof that Tony Soprano is DEAD: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o5itqqtje9F2nZo The Sopranos: Why Exactly Did Tony Kill Christopher? kzbin.info/www/bejne/oHLLmYKPeLyogrc Why Tony Soprano DESPISES Mikey kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKqToKhnjNeWZrc The Sopranos: What Drove Soprano to Take Blundetto's Life? kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJScp6hvm66SgsU The SHOCKING prognosis for the Soprano family's FATE in 2023:kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnKagp6PnJxsedE The Sopranos: Richie Aprile REALLY was a CREEP... kzbin.info/www/bejne/qpW1ia2ebc13bpo The Sopranos: The UNFORGETABLE Johnny Sack! kzbin.info/www/bejne/l37QmHefl5WDfMk

[@ghost-xi8gn]

I read somewhere that it's worth paying attention to the scene when Paulie enters the Soprano family headquarters and offers scissors to the guys. The thing is, the Lupertazzis were always meeting at the beauty parlor. Maybe there's a connection here?

[@MJAce85]

Giving scissors as a gift has huge symbolism in Italian lore

[@vincentparr3136]

Yep. plus, 30 pieces of silver was the price that Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus for. Tony is Jesus and Paulie is Judas and the scissors represent the pieces of silver

[@robertreilly8982]

Tony Sopranos never dies. It was the audience that was taken out. You'll never see it coming.

[@marklenhard6052]

David Chase killed the show. Tony Soprano was never really alive and he never really dies. Consider watching an argument between Tony and Carmela in their bedroom. How many people are there. Tony, Carmela and you the viewer. I’m still quite alive. David Chase didn’t kill the audience. He killed the show.

[@EnjoySackLunch]

@@marklenhard6052🤔

[@EduardoLuna1987]

It was the ditsoon, charcoal briquette...the mulignan

[@tonywannabee]

he punched his lights out

[@4runnercolorado422]

The Hasidic homeboy - Jamal Ginsberg

[@michelescricco2018]

It’s titsoon lol

[@EduardoLuna1987]

@@michelescricco2018 technically yes but they use both titsoon and ditsoon, look it up

[@tonywannabee]

The theory with Eugene's brother is the second dumbest after the Vipers. Does the jacket really say it all? When Sil was attacked in the series finale, one of the killers was also wearing the exact same jacket. When Sil and Chrissy come to talk about Johnny Sack's murder, one of the old men is wearing the exact same jacket. Are these all Eugene's relatives???? The fact that Eugene's wife allegedly ordered Tony's hit, I can hardly believe it. Eugene died not only because of Tony's fault: his son was a junkie and he was on the hook with the FBI. At one point he just couldn't take the pressure anymore, so he got in the noose.

[@mikeabel7577]

The Vipers orchestrating a hit on Tony is most definitely the dumbest theory of all.

[@dmartig1]

She blames Tony for them not moving to Florida and strongly suggest that Eugene should kill Tony.

[@g.d.maccaley5988]

​@@dmartig1 if everyone who wanted Tony dead wanted to kill him, then there wouldn't be enough space in the restaurant

[@vanovhs]

WE'RE WITH THE VIPERS!

[@steviealvaalbany2730]

It’s the jaccccccket 🤌

[@SweatyOracle]

I think David Chase was trying to show how it didn’t matter who pulled the trigger because Tony had become such an awful person who had such sociopathic tendencies that it could arguably be almost anyone in his life. It doesn’t matter who killed Tony because Tony had created a life where most people in it would have been justified in killing him. David Chase is also a huge fan of David Lynch and Twin Peaks. There are many homages to Twin Peaks in The Sopranos. David Lynch fought the network to not reveal who killed Laura Palme because Lynch knew a mystery is more interesting then an answer. But that network forced Lynch to reveal the killer and it instantly made the ratings of Twin Peaks plummet. David Chase wasn’t going to make the same mistake. We wouldn’t still be talking about this if we knew the answer. That’s the brilliance of it.

[@CrustyBakery]

Couldn't agree with you more! Reg Lynch ending and reference to TP in the Sopranos. Tony was a big fat fuckin monster since E1 and he only evolved down Hill.

[@russsnyder2026]

The guy is literally wearing a Members Only Jacket doing a Godfather reference. Chase could not have made it less subtle

[@Stumme-40203]

We all know Little Carmine was behind the hit. As an allegorical intellectual, he was waiting for Tony to take out Phil, so he could take out Tony and take over both Phil and Tony’s families.

[@JoaoVictor-rg5ix]

Maybe it was a member of tonys crew at the end of the day. But other than that, i think that at the exact moment that meadow crossed that door, THAT was the moment that Tony's got shot. And she saw EVERYTHING!

[@PrankSessionRadio]

Patsy had him whacked to please New York and take over it was all in the last couple episodes. Carlo also had something to do with it, he was worried about them whacking him and his son for the ecstasy arrest. Patsy didn’t mind orchestrating killing him since t ordered his bro killed in season 1.

[@stevemaxwell8550]

Aj girlfriend knew where they were going ti eat

[@nicklj2480]

Season 2.

[@obioraabiakam1604]

Whats crazy is that Patsy was/is Tony's cousin along with of course Phil.

[@jcsuperstar4646]

Stop getting high.

[@gudius]

Why did they almost kill him in the car with silvio then? Just pure dumb luck he escaped that with his life.

[@LynnE507]

Thank You for the video!

[@RFJersey]

Tony carried out an unsanctioned hit on a family boss. The commission would have ordered Tony to be whacked for that offense. Paulie knew what was coming.

[@nickm8874]

The absolute worst thing about the ending is that we are still spending so much time talking about it compared to the hundreds of tremendous moments in the series: it’s overshadowed the whole damn thing

[@tomjones5650]

Carmine"Brainless the 2nd" Lupertazzi. For having Uncle Philly kicked him off his fuckin stoop.

[@osman732]

Great work! I think you are basically correct, but also some of these theories are not mutually exclusive. Patsy/Paulie could have agreed the new balance of power with Butchie, and then tipped a seething Pontecorvo relative about Tony's whereabouts on the night. As you point out, outsourcing the hit like that is a clean way to distance the official mob hierarchy from Tony's end. The Pontecorvo involvement also works without it being a brother- could easily be a cousin or other distant relative who Tony didn't know. We know they are a large family spread across multiple cities. (Although a sibling would not necessarily be recognisable imo. If they live outside the tri-state area and aren't known faces in the neighbhorhood or on the weddings/christenings/funerals circuit. Tony conceivably met that dude for pickup games 2-3 times back when they were both teenagers: 30 years later he's a stranger) Privately, the whole Pontecorvo family knows that it was Tony's refusal to let Gene retire that tipped him over the edge (they don't know about the FBI part, just the fights he was having with Deanne). They've got life-changing money now and don't need whatever occasional slim envelopes the mobsters might drop off. Deanne already despised Tony and was urging Gene to kill him. Is she going to stop trying to recruit family members to kill Tony after he drives her husband to take his own life?

[@EricCDP]

On the episode where Carmela and Angie are in Europe, Carmela makes a comment to the effect of "it's strange how when you die the rest of the world goes on living." for whatever reason that always stuck with me and made me wonder if we, the viewers, were whacked and the Sopranos kept going. Idk how much water that holds but it always stuck with me.

[@RockdownPlus]

Sounds corny

[@tomjones5650]

Wrong. Carmela went to France with Rosalie Aprile.😊

[@bajorekjon]

That's fuckin stupid

[@jasongoldberg4474]

Right or wrong, I’d say you make a quality point.☮️🩵

[@SonnySantana2099]

What ngga 😂

[@mikeb.7183]

When Butchie green lit Phil he also gave Tony power, Buthcie had to neutralize Tony, once Tony was gone the Jersey family became just a glorified crew with no leader. Those that were left would not go to war under New York management yet still had the contacts to keep the cash flowing northward

[@D00MerJohn]

100% it was Butchie, he always hated Tony. He only greenlit Phil because he too became a problem. With Tony letting his guard down after Phil was killed, two birds one stone and Butchie is the new boss.

[@onewarriornation602]

By the last episode Tony has no more power. The DeMeo Family is already a small glorified Crew incapable of controlling NJ anymore, Tony would be looking at life in Prison and there would be a new Boss anyways. Butchie had more incentive to keep the peace until Tony goes to Prison, then step in and take over NJ. Looking at it from his perspective, anyways.

[@D00MerJohn]

​@@onewarriornation602maybe they were concerned that facing prison, being a head case that sees a shrink, Tony might flip on them facing life in prison. I still think Butchie is the most likely reason for his end.

[@ITWTK]

​@@D00MerJohnright.. and you would be right to think that whole crew knew he was fed bedding 🤔

[@TheDeplorableNeanderthal]

No one killed Tony… Meadow is looking AT Tony and HER lights go out. Tony is alive… Meadow got whacked.

[@RockdownPlus]

Ridiculous.

[@EnjoySackLunch]

Dumb

[@drewk8472]

Nobody killed Tony. He had a vision of his death - which is consistent with how he reacted when his therapy failed and he was under stress. He would have been brought back in a movie or the show rebooted in later years.

[@Djm8520]

👍👍

[@drewk8472]

They wouldn't have rebooted but they would have brought the show back.@NikephorosPhokas-pn3fg

[@Ro-nu7vv]

Could have been another panic attack, like his life a vicious cycle he’s doomed to repeat

[@freebee8221]

Ive said this before. But it was new york. Butchie wouldve lost the respect of his men if he didn't revenge phil's death. Especially since butchie was the new boss.

[@drewk8472]

@@freebee8221 That is if the final scene was real, but it wasn't. It's a dream. Tony always had dreams visions when his therapy collapsed and the pressure was on. He also was more likely to have dreams in later episodes of seasons etc.

[@tonysoprano8902]

I'M NOT DEAD. I'M ALIVE

[@mrunderhill40]

RIP.

[@brian-ld4vd]

You're a worm feast goombah!!! Lol

[@JoeBlow-fp5ng]

Yer dead.

[@nikkipacheco6835]

My most disturbing scean was why Tony told Silvio to tell Eugene that he's part of the team & can't retire then he hung himself & yet he paid Tony some of the 2 million

[@shunkadee1299]

"Very sacred and PROPANE" when discussing the idea that Carmine Jr. was behind Tony being whacked was a touch of genius. Well played! 😂😂😂

[@JuveVinny]

Janice killing Tony is the worst theory I've ever heard. Without him she is poor.

[@JuveVinny]

I take that back. The Meadow theory is the worst. Why even bother to mention such tripe?

[@jorgepelayo3217]

Feech LaMana revenge for getting set up and going back to jail.

[@vanovhs]

He got lost in the br0ads' bushes

[@jorgepelayo3217]

Yeap

[@tomjones5650]

Feech couldn't even fathom a shoulder seat belt harness.

[@ljboutabag4884]

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

[@EnjoySackLunch]

lol what

[@SleepyjoeOG]

@@EnjoySackLunchthat has got to be the most made up shi ,lying for the sake of talking

[@RestrainingHollywood]

Some of these Theories are Painful 😅 This isn't Rocket Science: Tony Died.. it was Patsy & Paulie that had it done with the Support from NY..

[@EmpanadaDeCaca]

YES! It's as simple as that. Last episode makes it pretty obvious that Paulie and Patsy were involved in the hit with NY. And maybe even with the approval of Little Carmine too. People that say that was Eugene's wife or some other crazy theories it's like they didn't even watch the episode.

[@russsnyder2026]

I think New York wanted it done and Paulie and Patsy went along with it

[@EnjoySackLunch]

@@EmpanadaDeCacarelax. Let people have their own theories. It’s a fucking tv show, don’t be smug

[@EmpanadaDeCaca]

@@EnjoySackLunch there are no theories, just pay attention when watching the show

[@JoeBlow-fp5ng]

What this video highlights is that MANY people would be happy for Tony's demise. Tony pissed off so many people that somewhere sometime he was either going to be taken out or die from his unhealthy lifestyle and high stress. So we didn't see Tony's end on screen, but it was coming relatively soon no matter what and he would never have a moment of peace again.

[@85dohboy]

Tony Soprano doesn’t get killed…David Chase is the hit man, the hit was on us the viewers….we saw nothing but black, because we were the ones killed off…the song “Don’t Stop, believing” means just cause you’re not a fly on Tony Sopranos wall anymore, don’t stop believing he’s still the mother fuckin, fuckin one that calls the shots

[@pauladkins8380]

I'm guessing Paulie/Patsy helped the big apple orchestrate Soprano's demise. Least viable theories: Furio and the vipers (hssssssss). Giunta couldn't stand the US - he wanted to go home and maybe a new TV (give me one tausant dolaz). The vipers encounter looks very outbof place - maybe Chase wanted to have another funny Sopranos scene? I don’t know. Anyway thanks Vano 🎉

[@redheadbandanna1973]

That was entertaining. Good video

[@koreanjaefish]

Everyone is asking who and not what. Given how much the show focuses on the ducks, it is clear that David Chase was planting the idea that the ducks would finally come back and Tony, his family, and the ducks celebrate with onion rings

[@coreyhall1150]

(Begins weeping) THOSE FUCKIN DUCKS....

[@MichaelWhite-yr2ei]

It's inconceivable that Tony would be taken down with family. This could have been explained had that hideous movie had any real plot. They blew that they could have had a explanation in that plot. They blew it with that movie which I don't watch anymore and hate. It could have been so great! For instance Tony supposedly robbed a Card Game, would it not have been ironic for Tony to have actually killed his Nephews father as a in family way of getting his stripes.. I don't know how they messed up so bad.

[@coreyhall1150]

@@MichaelWhite-yr2ei I like to pretend that movie doesn't exist.

[@JeffTheHokie]

Davey Scatino took the form of a flock of ducks.

[@Mr_Oggie]

I've always kind of wondered if David Chase and the writing staff for the show would even know who killed Tony... The reason I say that is: 1) It really wouldn't matter who killed Tony - it is the logical conclusion to his story as he wasn't going to go on to be one of those old timey mobsters in his 60s and 70s the way he lived his life and ran his crew. By not having an answer to this question it leaves it up to fans to talk about and speculate on who they think did it and David Chase would have been through the 70s, 80s and 90s before the internet where gossip magazines, tabloids and even regular news outlets would talk about TV cliffhangers and such for months to keep the story alive - in the case of The Sopranos thats pretty much what happened after the finale (though also a lot of news at the time was focused on how fans were upset with the ending or wondered if it was a mistake). 2) Nobody from the show has said anything. You would have to think that somebody from the writing staff to gofers to producers would know if Tony lived or died and if he was killed who did it... but even decades later nobody from the show has talked? 3) It might not have mattered because Tony might not have died, so they might not have written that much about it and gone with the fade to black ending to leave it up in the air. Back when The Sopranos was in its 4th and 5th seasons there was already talk about making movies about the show and carrying on the story that way - and not just The Sopranos but almost every show on TV was getting that treatment It was also a time when TV shows were going in to their final seasons but then at the last moment somebody would offer up a lot of money to carry on the show, either on the same network or moving it to another one. For both those points if they actually showed Tony taking one to the back of the head and chunks of brain being splattered in to the box of onion rings that would pretty much be the end of that possibility... so the "fade to black" ending gives them options: if somebody comes up with a bucket of cash to carry on the show then they can pick it up where it left off... if nobody does and talks fall through then they have a workable ending where Tony died.

[@onewarriornation602]

FINALLY someone else brings up the movie deal. HBO and David Chase both confirmed during Season 6 they were in negotiations to do a Sopranos movie. There's zero chance Tony was wacked in the diner in the last episode. It was intentionally left open ended to lead into the movie. Chase has changed his story numerous times. It went from "Tony didn't die" to "imagine your own ending" to only recently coming up with some pretentious fairytale about the ending, in an effort to move on. The reality is Soprano wasn't wacked on that night. Maybe he gets wacked later, during the movie? Possibly. Although I have my own theory. Without writing a novel: Agent Harris has been trying to flip Tony since Season 1. By Season 6 he has Tony rating out the Arabs and they are exchanging confidential information back and forth. This is how the FBI works. Tony was already a C.I. without realizing it and had already taken that step across the threshold. By the end of Season 6 the whole thing was going to be done for anyways. Silvio wasn't expected to survive, the DeMeo Family not only was crippled by the war with NY, the Lupertazzi Family acted as The DeMeo Families seat on the Commission. Tony killed a Boss without Commission approval and no longer has a representative to speak for him on the Commission. Butch could do whatever he wanted to The DeMeo's at that point. Add in the fact Carlo flipped and Tony couldn't wack him in time. This is why Tony is so calm when telling Carmella that Carlo flipped and would be testifying. See, there was no reason for Butch to wack Tony. Soon enough Tony Soprano would be off to Prison and there would be a new acting boss anyways. But as we know, once Tony wacks Phil we go to Agent Harris who is giddy and says "we are going to win this!" Go back q little further. My theory? Had the movie actually panned out, we find out the guy in the diner is an FBI Agent watching Tony. He and his Family have dinner, he explains to them what's going on and either the whole family is taken out and put into WitSec at that point or most likely from the clues Tony says his goodbyes and exits with the Agent, meeting up with Agent Harris and entering his new life as Kevin Finnerty.

[@d0nKsTaH]

The guy that came in before AJ is the one I believe that got him. They made him look like the other guy to "signal" to viewers that he was the killer using the same M.O. that was used by the other fellow. Even the same dress style. But it WAS Phil who sanctioned the hit. That was clear in an earlier episode. Butchie arranged who.... But figuring out how was what they cut away from. Behind Butchie in that very scene... Was a huge picture of a model. That model was Rhianna (the girl who met AJ in rehab after his suicide attempt). That was a deliberate meeting. They got her to go to rehab, befriend AJ to pretty much spy on Tony. It worked. She was present when they had agreed to to out to dinner at that place. So she basically did her job, returned and reported (innocently) what she had heard that day. The Assassin.... developed a plot since he now had both the location and time of where Tony would be. It is literally that simple. They pulled a "Godfather" and placed a shotgun in the restroom (hidden of course). That guy in the players jacket is literally seen getting up and going into the restroom... He comes out with the shotgun right as Meadow had come in the door. and BAM... Lights out. There was a lot of foreshadowing in this and several other episodes involving "head shots" "Shotguns" "death" "Tony appearing to be dead while funeral music played"... Lots of stuff. It was genius the way they did this.... Btw.. for those that need to know. Just because Phil died did not mean the Tab he paid for would go unserved. Even Butchie knew that the hit was still active. He did not say anything because THAT would have been a betrayal to his former boss. His boss paid the tab for the job and, delayed as it was, it was carried out. The killer also has his own code to follow and that is to carry out the order unless ordered to stop. The only person that could have ordered it stopped .... Was Phil.

[@memphisinvestor]

@d0nKsTaH YOU are 100% spot on with this theory!! The link was Rihannon (Butchie's niece) who was indeed a plant, as I stated above to get close to AJ. Also, Chase has as much as admitted/revealed this fact in a recent 2023-24 interview...

[@Steve-bg1fi]

I don't understand why people are still debating this almost 20 years later. The answers were all in the show. NY cut off the head and did business with whatever was left. Nobody questions who killed Sil or who killed Bobby. Why do we act like Tony is some big mystery?

[@desertghost6026]

Tony killed a NY boss without the Comission’s ok. He sentenced himself.

[@littlejoey6341]

It was the man with the members only jacket I know because I met him and he told me he killed Toney

[@jeffbell9391]

You know he isn't an actor ?

[@hardboiled2987]

All sopranos theorists blown tf out in one fell swoop with just one singular comment. This evidence is conclusive.

[@littlejoey6341]

@@jeffbell9391 yes

[@jeffbell9391]

@@littlejoey6341 Did he tell you how he got the job ? Was he friends with chase ?

[@littlejoey6341]

@ he said something like they seen him and asked him he wasn’t a actor it was like 3 years ago

[@dmartig1]

1) Patsy is finally in a position to climb the ranks just as Bobby did and could end up being Tony's underboss. No way he kills Tony 2) Paulie was made a fool of before by NY and was almost killed by Tony directly due to his secret NY relationship. No way does he risk it all again for NY right after the war ends.

[@sasagrcevic475]

I believe its NY in the end and not someone from his crew. NY just let the things cool down first and everyone involved relax before they made their move. Even Chase said he wanted series to end with Tony going to NY for a meeting, cause the series starts with him going to NJ from NY from a meeting. Full circle. But this time its his last trip cause the meeting is arranged by NY ofc to kill him and not work out some new deal or business. Later he changed that to killing Tony in the dinner but I don't believe he changed his reasons. So in the end probably NY did it. All this trouble with Tony just convinced them that he got to go.

[@AmIDeadYet]

What about the cop Tony had removed from his position and tried to bribe? he had enough of working in that garden place and decided to go whack Tony 😂

[@pauladkins8380]

There's a Brainless the 2nd in the comments, I really think he would believe it! But I guess he will read this theory later (right now, he's too busy stuffing himself)

[@MatthewHollins-ys3lm]

(Right now, he's too busy stuffing himself)

[@tomjones5650]

The cop was in the mental ward w/ Jr. Look at the episode when Tony visits Jr.

[@stigmajosh]

It was NY. Someone was pissed how Phil was taken out and went around orders to hit Tony the same way, in the head, in front of his family. Also, Tony got it in his 3 o'clock like Christopher warned after his near death experience.

[@TonyFromSyracuse101]

I don’t think he died. I don’t care what anyone says. When the screen cuts to black, we are looking at him. That means we got whacked. If he got whacked, he would be looking at something and we would see what he was looking at a point of view shot and then the screen would go black. Signify he got shot. I wouldn’t even believe if Chase himself said that Tony was dead because he has numerous times flip-flops on his storyline explanations such as what happened to the russian.

[@Immortalangel14]

Meadow was his guardian angel, tony meant that. Her being late to the diner means she couldn't protect him from his death.

[@williams.vincent4235]

It was quite some time after the series ended that when pushed for the umpteenth time that he finally said "Tony was killed". For the first year or two and didn't give an answer or say there was a "specific ending". So, the idea that Tony was murdered is by no means a "given". Btw, no biker gang would kill a Mob Boss - no way.

[@tonywannabee]

Chase confirmed the theory 100 times already - Tony's dead man

[@EJD339]

@@tonywannabeeit’s not hard to see that even without chase saying so. The amount of foreshadowing that was leading up to Tony’s death was crazy. That spelled it out for people. I’m baffled people don’t think Tony died. I’d understand it right after the show aired but not now.

[@tonywannabee]

@@EJD339 I'm glad you caught that. Very observant. The sacred and the propane.

[@bilalashraf1611]

11:25 when junior said,” yeah I remember you, I used to play catch with you” it made me cry so hard

[@dudeasleeponcouch]

You can see the man who kills tony pointing a gun out of a window of a brick building in one of the dream sequences in season 4. Thank you for coming to my Tony Talk

[@jasongoldberg4474]

Great rundown of the possibilities, which of course underscores the larger point, that Tony had created so many tense relationships that, whether or not he died in the series’ final moment, his life as a mobster had become fully unnerved and untenable.

[@contemposuits1983]

It was Kevin Finnerty.

[@prestonrein5500]

He drives a Lexus

[@vickperez65]

Lol he's not about that life....he was scared shitless of vito

[@bakashinji]

It was Noah the Hasidic homeboy. He walked in and knocked Tony’s fuckin lights out in front of Meadow to assert his dominance

[@coreyhall1150]

(Paulie laugh) HEHE (Pinches you on the cheek and gives u a light tap and walks away)

[@benwatts4060]

I think Furio was behind Tony’s death ☠️.

[@newmanlord4052]

Agreed 👍

[@thomasrevere7916]

I believe Patsy had Tony killed. I believe this mostly due to Patsy's line where he said to Gloria that his face would be the last that she would see and that it wouldn't be cinematic. It's such a strange thing to say to her. Well, Patsy had motive, information, and the means to make it happen. It's the only thing that makes Patsy's line make sense to me.

[@mickyzzzeee]

Take your pick 1. Noah punched his lights out 2. Dr Yankem lost it after Meadow dumped him 3. Eugene’s relatives took the inheritance and the jacccckkkkeettt 4. Paulie and Patsy ordered the hit 5. The vipers 6. Butchie got some zips to kill him 7. Carmine Jnr lost it after losing a wet tshirt contest 8. Furio

[@g.d.maccaley5988]

Do you remember?? Bert Gervasi tried to lure Silvio to his side... and whose crew was he on? That's right! along with Paulie and Patsy Parisi. I don't think they didn't know. it's a conspiracy

[@ColinoDeani]

who ever argues the meadow theory was super foolish.. she loved her daddy... she always turned into a spoiled lil girl when he was around... She needed her dad..

[@magnanimousj]

I don't Tony died in the finale. I think that frame of him looking at the door was him seeing the FBI bust in to serve the warrant. There was no reason for the hit on Tony to take place in front of so many witnesses. The war must have brought down tons of heat on both families, and neither one would benefit from another high profile, public assassination. What hitman would choose to do it like that anyway? It would have been guaranteed life in prison. The restaurant was packed. Even if the killer insisted on doing it in such a public way, he could have just waited and shot Tony between the restaurant and his car.

[@cyris8403]

It was the Members only guy. The show references The God Father many times. The members only guy walks to the bathroom and then lights out.

[@BIGGLOUPR]

This Episode Was A Very Interesting 🤔💯🧐💯Breakdown .....🔥 Spiel ....4 Sure ....No Doubt Bout It🎯🎯🎯🎯 Thanks VANO VHS Squad🤜💥🤛💯💪😎👊🇵🇷🇺🇸⚒️

[@bgko91880]

I guess Meadow is a better aim than a driver. I paralleled in front of Holsten's once, in an extended cab, and it wasn't difficult.

[@EnjoySackLunch]

Bro no one cares.

[@Cookefan59]

One theory I haven’t heard yet is that he wasn’t killed but was taken down by the FBI. That last scene where he looks up, maybe he saw those agents walking in on him and the Final Cut was just that. The Final scene in a life of crime. I realize this is not sexy or exciting or interesting. It’s just another theory in tune with how things might have happened.

[@vanovhs]

If Tony had survived, he would definitely have been busted by the feds - it's no doubt 💯

[@mcollins1401]

In the Godfather Michael went to the bathroom to retrieve a revolver to kill Sollonzo and the Police Captian. Maybe Tony was killed by the Members Only guy who went to the bathroom before he killed Tony as yet another reference to the Godfather movie...

[@llorenstorrespr4409]

No one really knows, that's what makes the show still talked about even today after all these years. Brilliant move by David Chase.

[@jodythomas4324]

As a self confessed super fan of this show since it’s initial run on HBO, I follow a lot of Sopranos fans groups on Facebook, always looking into theories just to see how fun or colorful they are, not so much how “plausible” as most of them are too far fetched. However, it’s pretty depressing I must say, seeing a lot of “fans” subscribe to the theory that Paulie had Tony taken out. I’m sorry, it’s just not there. I don’t believe Patsy had Tony taken out either, feels more plausible than the Paulie angle however but not really considering he would’ve put himself in the line of fire willingly when Silvio got shot to hell sitting right next to him? Not happening, no one is gonna trust someone to only shoot the guy who’s less than a foot away from you and not even graze you once. However, I do believe Patsy would be the one to take over the family after Tony dies, he has a Better chance than Paulie does of becoming the new Skip. Not gonna give my usual long ass rant, but it’s clear as day the guy at the bar as Holstens, the man in the “members only” jacket, the exact same jacket or kind of jacket, that we see Eugene Pontecorvo wear in the first episode of season 6, the episode is literally titled “Members Only” how this man is ultimately tied to and/or related to Eugene is never made clear but it was definitely this unnamed man who walked into the bathroom just to Tony’s right, all of 2-3 minutes before the show cuts to black. Some people don’t like this theory because they always think there’s something left to dig up. Yet, if you truly watched this show and know what this show is actually about, then it’s very easy to come to this same conclusion that it was the “members only” jacket guy. This show has taught us and given us a message that life is filled with boredom and overall banality of life, and usually the most boring, plain answer is the correct one. Like Patsy says to Gloria: “it won’t be cinematic” life hardly ever is, it’s dull, plain. It would’ve made the show some modern Greek trendy had the writers made Paulie into some Judas figure who climatically stabs Tony in the back and they have some scene where Tony thinks he’s about to have some sit down with NY, yet it’s an ambush that Paulie helped create and lure Tony to his death. That or anything close to that would’ve been terrible and totally against what The Sopranos as a show was all about.

[@tonyabbott3387]

Junior never had the makings of a varsity assassin.

[@armandogomez2677]

Aj was the leak he already had let his girlfriend know where the safe house was

[@marissac870]

In the first episode William burrroughs song... aj practically lets the killer into the diner. His girlfriend has ties to ny she s all over the parlor modeling in the pics. But aj brings nothing but distraction and errors

[@adamwadecaw122]

When Bobby where fishing whit Tony, tony ask him on about what happens when you are shot to dead and bobby responds that maybe you don't feel and hear anything at the moment and that was that happens when tony was shot the sound goes off and we hear nothing

[@tomjones5650]

The Lupertazzi Triumvirate Wacked Him. Butch did business w/what's left over. Pauly, Patsy.

[@ubahfly5409]

David Chase.

[@swampghost72]

It was Noah the hacidic homeboy..because tony called him a charcol briquet..

[@swampghost72]

Most of these theories are way off..my money is on Butchie with New York, and Paulie was in on it..So was patsy Parissi..

[@joashnegi1308]

It was definitely David Scatino. The dude is a T-1000 terminator. Its obvious.

[@RockdownPlus]

Lol.

[@breadfan262]

Members Only guy killed him on behalf of Butchie because of that guy who insulted Meadow

[@ALLBLACKEVERYTHING12]

A mafia rule is NO WIFE, NO KIDS... Killing a mob boss in front of his family would be considered low and not respected. The chance of his family getting caught in the crossfire was too great to risk. But let's say they didn't even care. Why not just kill Tony at his residence? Plenty of people know where he lives. In my opinion. Tony had a heart attack at the table. His eating was out of hand by this point he was huge. The last thing he got to see was his daughter so poetically he didn't die alone and got to see his family one last time. That ending would not be satisfying for a lot of people so they chose to leave it open ended. They say before you die your life flashes before your eyes... during the ending scene you see all kinds of people from Tony's past from all seasons ending with his family. Just my theory. Let's not forget that the guy who created Breaking Bad said there is no Walter White without Tony Soprano. What if he decided to give Walt the on screen death that Tony got off screen which was natural causes.

[@tonywannabee]

Why then Phil was killed in front of his family? Have you ever wondered??

[@ALLBLACKEVERYTHING12]

@SallyJones-xq2se valid point. However, Phil was definitely more isolated on the passenger side and outside of the vehicle. Also Phil didn't really respect rules that's why Tony took his entire family into hiding unlike Vito who went into hiding alone he knew the mafia rules protected his family but Tony and Phil were at war and no holds are barred. For NY to sit down and call a truce then go back on it would be considered spineless, and no one from Jersey would respect NY.

[@SandwedgeMon]

You took my Dave’s Scatino theory! Give me credit!

[@ncapone87]

I don't think Tony died at that moment. Things were coming to a head at the time between the major loss of income, the loss of his top guys and Carlo flipping. Butchie thought Phil was going to far as with him gone, Butchie was able to take over. The ending signifies that Tony's life will never be a peaceful one

[@karlaj.4056]

He definitely was shot dead

[@downtoearthproductions]

How was Tony shot dead when the audience never heard a gun shot🤔🤔🤔

[@adamethridge7824]

It was Noah

[@saulwalle]

It was Phil, hear me out. Phil loses faith in Butchie. He's very clearly displeased with the status of things. He decides to go with another channel, brings in another hitter and figures he'll deal with Butchie once the Tony threat is neutralized. Only Phil gets hit, this guy isn't in the know because he's sitting on Tony, following him, looking for an opportunity. He does Tony without knowing that the guy that ordered the hit is dead.

[@ITWTK]

I'm on the fence there.. very convincing..

[@Quack_attack_]

I never thought Tony was killed at the end , I always thought it was the feds finally arresting him since someone flipped and his lawyer said 80-90% chance he'd be indicted

[@chrisbgoodv2178]

David Chase has acknowledged that Soprano was killed in the final episode.

[@claydice91]

It doesn’t matter who had Tony killed. The whole point (IMO) is that is SYMBOLIZES the END of the mafia. Testifying, leadership in all the families getting popped or dying of cancer or going to prison, too guys (captains and earners) getting killed or prison or testifying, it was all coming to an end. So whether or not Tony lived or died, it was all over for him. Yeah it would be nice to know who had Tony clipped. But the whole point was to represent the end of everything. Lights out. Curtains closed.

[@itman190]

Carm ain’t gonna cash out on her cash cow for so little!!!

[@johnnyhalf6558]

That guy who wrote that book ? Is he from Cali ? That might be the way it is on the Westcoast ? But allegedly here in the Midwest things are done much different.

[@gabrielM1111]

How on earth can you leave out the Rhianna theory??

[@tonywannabee]

Rhianna and Jay-Z theory?

[@gabrielM1111]

@@tonywannabee lol no Rhiannin.. Aj's babe

[@paraguaymike5159]

It was New York. Probably cotracted some Zip who came in from Sicily, like the onescthat wacked the Mayor of Munchkin Town. After everything that happened, there was no way that Butchie was leaving Tony alive. Besides, redundant upper management bleeds off half the kick.

[@vanovhs]

The zip theory sounds pretty viable, my friend

[@JoePedo]

It was the Vipers. No one messes with them

[@LaMostraVia]

🤣🏆

[@JoeBlow-fp5ng]

Dr. Melfi killed Tony.

[@chocolateface8664]

Maybe the onion rings killed Tony. He was a heart attack waiting to happen

[@dannyriv82]

David Chase killed him

[@freddynovember5842]

i think you nailed it...

[@extraterrestrial4287]

Furio had him bumped off so that he could marry Carmilla

[@russsnyder2026]

The way they killed Phil (in front of his wife and grandkids) his head got crushed (while not intentional) it still happened. New York would have had to respond to that. I think Paulie and Patsy were approached by New York and were basically told “this is the way it’s gonna go”, with Patsy being made boss and Paulie getting the construction job.

[@ChinDulles]

I admit it: in 2007, when I was watching it week to week, like everyone else I wasn't happy when it went black, but after rewatching it, the answers obvious IT WAS BUTCH CONTI-AND ONE OF HIS 200 BUTTONS VLIPPED TONY

[@edwardsisson3580]

with Patsy & Paulies help.

[@jonathankennedy0707]

You've just earned yourself a new subscriber 🫡💯

[@persephoneszeliga]

Patsy had him killed

[@MikeBayhamRep]

Anyone consider this: Godfather 3 references are present throughout the series. Meadow arrives on the scene just as the assassin comes out and kills Mead.

[@AJ1990.]

Butchy refuses to give him the location, but "wont stand in his way." It was Butchie and the rest of NY. Carmine probably had a hand in it. Paulie too. Its written all over Paulie's face. He knew Tony almost killed him on that boat. Its all there. You just have to watch it a few times and as Vin once said, "take the blinders off."

[@Tandran]

I don't think it would be required for the killer to know where Tony was GOING to be. It's much more likely he was being followed for some time.

[@TomE.V.]

And i thought i was the only one that use the word Clandestine. Its nice to see a fellow wordsmith using such exquisite vocabulary 👌

[@moriartyvonfacesmasher3210]

Noone killed him. The reason it was so ambiguous, was so the show could come back. Unfortunately he actually did die, so he can't come back, so that's where it is.

[@Baked1ne]

Don't shame James man, He died for real, Don't kill him off the show, That's just wrong.

[@tonywannabee]

What do you mean "wrong"? Does the abrupt "cut to black" say something?