I’ve been a fan of the Sopranos for years but have only had HBO for the last three, catching up in spurts of on demand marathons. What has been one of the top rated, awarded and watched shows of the last decade has just ended with unexpected silence and darkness. I say the end went the way of the show: Brilliant. Those that were expecting a blow out grand finale, twists and turns or something more literal, need to rewatch the whole season again to pick up on the overwhelming symbolism sprayed throughout the show.
Here’s the last scene:
The end cut to black and silence is the death of Tony. Without Tony, there’s no show. There’s a lot tension in the last scene and for the first time you get to feel that tension as if you are Tony. The scene starts and you watch Tony walk in, then the scene switches perspective to Tony’s view and you see him look around to select his booth. You sit in the diner with your front to the door. Looking up everytime the entrance bell rings to see who’s coming. Tony must feel like this every day, this tense watchfulness every moment of his life…
There’s a lot of symbolism in the last episode. Let’s star with the Restaurant. A popular spot in mob social scenes and the predominant location for hits. It’s in public view and you know they always have to eat. There’s even a scene in the Godfather where Michael Corleone shoots Sollozzo and McClusky the dirty cop after getting a gun from the bathroom behind the toilet.
As the scene fills, you have several people that show up from Tony’s past. First we have the trucker coming in and shown drinking coffee. I recognized him but had to look it up: He’s the brother of the guy robbed by Christopher in Season 2 (the DVD players). Of course he has a grudge against Tony.
Then two black guys rolling in were were also symbolic of a previous episode: Junior and Livia hired two black guys to kill Tony, only they ended up clipping him in the ear.
Last you have the guy in the Members Only jacket at the counter who later goes to the bathroom. Is it coincidence that the first episode of the last season was “Members Only”? Possibly, this is the very episode where Tony gets shot twice. It’s been said that this is Nikki Leotardo, Phil Leotardos nephew whom also wants Tony dead. That’s three people that would want him dead.
Three is symbolic in several scenes in the series. In Episode 5, Season 6 Part1, “Mr. & Mrs. John Sacrimoni Request”, when Tony goes to see Dr. Jennifer Melfi he says: “My uncle tried to kill me, for the second time… Three strikes and I’m out, right?”. This is significant in the build up of the last season, when he is vulnerable to his last and final brush with death.
Then you have Meadow out trying to parallel park. She makes two failed attempts to park, and then on the third try she succeeds! There were two previous attempts and this could be the final success for a hitman after Tony.
Of course it’s because of Meadow’s incompetence that she is sparred any harm in the hit. This is apparent for her future. She’s on the way out of the “Family” and will be going legit. AJ however is turning into Christopher. He’s starting with the movie gig (like Christopher). He’s got the BMW and a young, hot, girlfriend. His life cycle is coming full circle.
Speaking of circles: The onion rings for the table are symbolic of togetherness, a whole or link. The family is together. However, the eating of these circles may also symbolize the breaking of that bond. Something is about to destroy that circle. Tony literally says that “It’s Carlo, he’s gonna testify”, and that could spell the end for him.
There’s also three cub scouts in the booth, in the back of the diner. There were cub scouts at the train station where Bobby was shot as well.
The Journey track is very significant as well but did you notice the track on the jukebox before the Journey one? “This Magic Moment” by Jay and the Americans. This is the very same song David Chase chose to play at the end of “Soprano Home Movies” episode at the end of last season. It’s also the song playing when Tony and Bobby are on the boat taking about death. Earlier in the season, Tony and Bobby were discussing getting whacked and what would happen when Bobby says “At the end, you probably dont hear anything, everything just goes black.”
The Journey song “Don’t Stop Believing” says it all:
Strangers, waiting, up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching in the night
Streetlight people, living just to find emotion
Hiding somewhere in the night
Working hard to get my fill
Everybody wants a thrill
Paying anything to roll the dice
Just one more time
Some will win, some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues
Oh the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on…
Excellent ending to an excellent show. Bravo David Chase!