The only Leotardo I noticed in the credits was Patty...

He basically said to check the credits, but it appears now that it still doesn't list them.

This is the best scenario of the ending I have read and I agree.
While we were in suspense of what would happen in the last minute or so, we truly saw and felt how Tony lives each day.

Looking at every individual with suspect, never knowing where or when it may come from. The good times with the family are too few and to far between, but the struggle of trust, deception, and deceit are always present in Tony's world.

Woke up this morning got yourself a gun

Crime does not pay

Bravo Chase

Yeah, I agree. We became Tony for a few minutes. Also, I like the idea of the audience getting whacked.

This show is so amazing.

One interesting thing that I haven't heard mentioned: early yesterday, before the final episode aired, our local newsradio station (WINS) mentioned the upcoming finale and had a couple of seconds of Lorraine Bracco talking about it. She claimed she had shot a couple of scenes for the final episode but said she didn't know if Chase was going to use them or not.

Makes me wonder...

Signor V.

There definitley were alternate endings shot, I'd expect that out of Chase.

Don't get me wrong I liked the episode a lot, but that was the war I've been waiting for all this time? Geez, it just didn't seem like it was made to be the last season.

But I like that the guy from 'Band of Brothers' slipped in and killed Phil!

A few weeks ago I posted about this. Supposedly each member of the cast was given either a final script, which only included the scenes that they were in, or alternate scripts, a different one to each cast member. And the rumor at the time was that Chase shot something like 4 different endings. This was supposed to have been done so that no one, not even the cast, would know which ending was going to be the real ending. Done obviously, to stop any info from leaking out before the airing of the finale.

Whats all this about no ending? I think its pretty clear that Meadow for all her education is lousy at parallel parking.

Maybe they should have sent her to run over Phil's head!

So the black out can either mean that Tony was shot dead in front of his family or that he is Kevinfinity waking up..

Do I have THAT much right?

It can mean either of those two things or probably a hundred other things.

To me, that's the beauty of the ending. If I want to imagine Tony lying dead, face down in a bowl of onion rings, his family looking on, mouths agape, I can.

If you want to imagine him living to 80 years old with the ducks returning to his pool, then it's your right.

It was very clever.

There has been many episodes that have ended with a screen going
black ( in fact maybe every ) the big change last night was the
audio going off. If the screen went black and the song continued through credits
it would be typical

Fair enough, fair enough. A number of things could have happened. Maybe nothing happened. I guess it's up to us the viewer. But then again isn't it always up to us? Yes, it is.

No one wants to see Tony get gunned down in front of his family.

That was Frank John Hughes who played Bill Guarnere in BoB. I didn't want closure from the show but I have also been a fan of the shield which is still running very strong due to great writting. I wonder what Chase was thinking. Last week it looked like we were going to have a Scarface ending[Tony with the machine gun all alone]

You hit it right on the head, Ice.

I take this as Chase saying "it's up to you how you want it to end." And I'm grateful for that.

It is, after all, only television.

Its NOT television..... its HBO.

You're right. And as much as I DESPISED Phil, I hated that he got it in front of his wife and grandchildren.

But you know what? That's what these guys are about and that's what made the show so realistic.

Wiseass.

Tony called A.J -"Joe College"- a cpl of seasons back. I was slightly freaked out by this! Despite it ONLY being television.

There's no doubt about it that Tony Jr. would avenge his father ala Michael Corleone. Well...maybe. I dunno what the hell we're talking about anyhow.

I was watching Tucker, or one of those cable shows just now, and the interviewee said all the characters you see in the diner characters invited back who at one time or another threatened Tony's life. Did anyone notice that?

Everyone is talking about a movie, but remember, the show is only 14 episodes away from reaching 100 and being syndicated - which means a LOT more money for the network and the actors.

As for the ending, I liked it.

I think the cat could either symbolize Aide ressurected, or, since Paulie was freaked out by it, a rat stalker. That would mean either Chris or Paulie were rats.
I think AJ was happy when the car blew up because Tony told him to shape up and take care of it in the same conversation when Tony gave him the construction job. He met Blanca the next day. So, the car blowing up was AJ finally getting over Blanca.
I think Paulie is a rat. I know its in Sirico's contract that he not be a rat, but thats the thing - you dont know. Why else would he turn down a chance to make more dough? And, did anyone else see Paulie zip up his jacket after a meeting with Tony? Maybe a loose wire, no? Haha.
I loved seeing Phil get it, just not in front of his family. He was a total prick though.
I loved Agent Harris rooting for Tony!
I loved the scene with Tony and Junior!! Give them both Emmys!
I didn't like how they never touched on the Melfi situation. Looking back over the past couple of episodes, who was made to seem more evil? I'd saw definately Melfi- casting Tony off in a time of great need for selfish reasons.
Now to the vague ending- At first, I thought my damn power went out....I actually liked the ending. While I don't love it, it was fitting in my book- I have a good imagination, so I can fend for myself.
I think a cool way to end it would have been for an assassin to open fire, miss, and Tony pulls out a gun and kills him. Meadow runs in, and Tony, in a dellusion, shoots and kills Meadow.


We should start a thread and see all of our opinions on the ending!!!

Apparently the whole thing with the people in the diner was bunk...

See. Told ya!

The show is already syndicated on A&E, isn't it?

This isn't a typical show like a sitcom that ran 4 and a half seasons that ended up on the fringe of syndication. Besides, they're making an absolute fortune on the dvd sales.

I really doubt there are plans to do another 14 episodes just to get to 100.

Didn't I see this on FRIENDS?

Phoebe's mother reincarnated on as a cat?

Oh shit, I just gave myself up as a FRIENDS watcher.

About the whole possible Nicky Leotardo thing, if that guy at the counter was gonna shoot Tony, why didnt he just walk up and do it? There is only one advantage of going into the bathroom and thats that Tony would be caught off guard - but Tony wasnt paying that much attention to him anyway. On top of that, how would he be certain that Tony wouldnt leave?


Ah, its all in good fun now anyway.

Maybe the gun was taped behind the toilet. The box and, and, and the chain...

If what FS said was true, then I think it symbolizes the fact that for Tony Soprano, EVERYONE is a potential enemy and he always has to keep his eye on who gets up from a table, or walks into a restaurant, because that person might blow his brains out. Maybe it WAS Phil's nephew or the two guys who shot him.. or maybe it was done to illustrate that point; to him, everyone looks like a possible threat.

In fact, I think the entire ending symbolizes that: Tony mentioned that when you die everything goes black. The abrupt ending was meant to show that Tony never WILL know when his end is coming, because it can come from pretty much any avenue. He has to be paranoid for the rest of his life, always looking over his shoulder. He can try to be a family man, a loving husband to his wife and a loving father to his children, but everywhere he goes, he has to be wondering if he's going to get whacked and never see it coming.