Sopranos 6/10 -- THE END

Now that I have watched it again I agree. I think that ending was beautifully done with a lot of depth and thought.

The second time around - knowing the outcome I found my self in a very reflective state of mind. I think that is what Chase wanted us to do. As Tony flipped through the music selections I started to ask myself - where did the time go?

From the begining an underlying theme of show was Tony's quest to find himself. Sitting there at the ice cream shop in Jersey it seemed like he had finally found contentment - a simple dinner with his family around him.

What Chase gave us was the Jersey version of "city on the hill".

 

I agree.

The episode was pitch perfect for a percentage that would make Ivory envious.

And it has grown on me in the second and third viewing as well.

Only about a dozen seconds that still strike me as off kilter: Tony waking up with the funereal music, Agent Harris' cheer and the final single frame.

Pretty damned good.

As much as I despise some of Chase's methodology, his greatness in this project is inarguable.

 

I'm still not buying the Tony lives in fear all his life stuff. I don't think the ending works with the episodes before it, or even the final episode.

Tony *wasn't* living in fear, with the exception of when he went underground. After coming back in the open, he was doing his normal things and acting his normal way. The only time this season I can remember him acting scared was when AJ pulled up behind him in the driveway and Tony pulled his shotgun on him.

I didn't see a scared guy in the final scene. I saw a guy simply noticing the surroundings. The only sense of fear or dread came from outside factors working on the viewer.

 

I totally agree.

The only people fearful in that final scene were us pansies.

Still, the final scene works for me, albeit in a much different context.

Until that final flipoff from Chase.

 

Don't Stop Believing is always cheesy. I don't care what the context is. They could have played the song live during the resurrection of Christ and it'd still be cheesier than Cincinnati chili.

 

Hold on to that feeling.

 

Actually, the show began with Tony going to Melfi for therapy. The show ended with him finished with therapy. So in that way, we saw the whole story of Tony's therapy.

 

As for the "living in fear" problem, I think it's a word game that's stuck on the wrong words.

You could argue Tony wasn't so much noticeably fearful or scared or paranoid as he was simply, thoroughly and eternally vigilant to the 24/7 specter over his shoulder since he realized his destiny. You could, I imagine, if you were Tony Soprano, live your life in a constant awareness that every person around you could be the messenger of death, and after decades of living that way be comfortably numb about it and yet still sit facing the entrance, eyes constantly noticing ...

 

I may be completely misreading the final scene. But I don't see Tony's reactions to be any different than that of any customer in there. It's just dinner to him. Nothing unusual. Nothing to worry about. Everything's cool. In fact, everything's pretty damn good.

The entire mood for the final scene is set by the music and the quick cuts showing the other diners. Chase wants you, the viewer, to feel a sense of unease and a sense of dread. Something Tony's not feeling at all. It's a gimmick ending.

Kill the impending sense of doom and the cut to black and it's still a good ending. And, in that case, not a gimmicky one, IMO.

 

Except your ending wouldn't make sense with the entire rest of the season, Mustard.

 

Why not? The guy is on top of the world, for the most part:

1. War is won
2. Carmella's happy
3. Meadow in on track to a lucrative job with a law firm
4. AJ is straightened out

The only problem he's got is the indictment. And how many times has he already beaten that?

 

OK, no offense, mustard, but this is your problem. You're not really paying attention.

The war is won. If by won you mean Tony has no people in his crew left who he can trust or even likes, yeah, I guess he won. Butchie is in charge in New York, and he certainly has no love for Tony.
Carmela happy? Hah.
Meadow is marrying the son of a mobster and quasi-headed into the life, which upsets Tony to no end. He said so to Melfi.
AJ is straightened out? He tried to kill himself and then tried to join the Army until his parents had to bribe him into staying. He's still massivley incompetent, and Tony will have to spend every day for the rest of his life making sure he doesn't get himself killed.
Janice is beginning her metamorphisis into Livia, and Tony will be forced to support her for the rest of his life.
Uncle Junior is batshit crazy and living in a state-run institution.
He's indicted with an insider who's going to talk. Remember what life was like for Junior during the trial? Remember how he used to go to funerals just to get out of the house, until that nearly drove him crazy? Think Tony doesn't see that coming?

Other than that, yeah, everything turned out swell.