To tell the truth, I find posters' explanations very compelling regarding the cut to black as indicating Tony's death. As a cinematic device, it would certainly be an appropriate way to signify death, and that ending would provide the definitive ending and closure that so many viewers would love to see. However, presently, I remain firmly unconvinced that that is what it means.
There are basically two reasons for this. First, there are far too many scenes, plots, and arcs that have occurred over the course of this series without any definitive closure to assume that Chase would end the entire series in such an obvious way. He has demonstrated time and again that it is simply not his creative style with this series. Because I have come to expect with the Sopranos that there are no simple explanations for anything in these characters' lives, I really prefer the more open-ended finale where this family all continue with their self-delusional pathetic lives, as opposed to "Tony gets whacked. The end."
Second, I would find Tony's assassination in the final scene to be dissatisfying as uncharacteristically poor storytelling. There is no motive. I've seen speculation on this board such as, "MOG is Phil's relative," or "MOG is Eugene's relative," etc. But such speculation is just that, fan fiction without any confirmation. As far as I'm concerned, MOG is a shifty-looking guy who needed to pee. Clearly, we are led to believe that either MOG or some of the other patrons may be up to no good and the tension in the scene is masterfully created and heightened; but there is actually no evidence that any of the patrons are any more than what they appear to be, nor that any of the patrons have the intent to kill Tony. There is no reason for there to be a hit out on Tony by the time of the final scene. As far as someone acting out of rage or personal vengeance, certainly Tony has made many enemies, but we, the viewers, are not made aware of any still above ground who are planning such an action. If Tony were killed in the end, I could certainly see Chase signifying the event in an unusual way such as a cut to black, but I think we the viewers would have some back story as to who is gunning for him this time and why. That is why I'm much more inclined to think that the final scene does an excellent job at demonstrating that during even the most mundane events in the lives of the Soprano family, such as having a meal out at the local diner, Tony's choices have left his and his family's futures always in peril, from both legal and illegal threats, but I don't think that the cut to black means this is the moment where it ends for Tony. Rather, this is the moment where it ends for us.
ETA:
"Would you tell everybody," he asked, "that is is possible -- in fact, very likely -- to be sitting in a restaurant in New Jersey and everything just stops?"
ITA,
ArubaForLife, that Chase is attempting sarcastic humor with that remark, but I don't agree that he is clearly alluding to actual death. Would Chase really suggest that violence is so prevalent in New Jersey that it is very likely to be shot to death in a NJ restaurant? In fact, what he didn't say, "that it's possible, in fact, very likely, to be sitting in a restaurant in New Jersey and die," is more telling to me than what he did say. I kind of take his comment as poking fun at New Jersey as in sitting in a restaurant in NJ is a sort of living death. It's the kind of joke pretentious New Yorkers or others who think of themselves as too sophisticated for Jersey would make. Harmless, but pretentious. And I could interpret it as him saying that the Soprano family continues their self-delusional morally bankrupt lives. It's also possible that I am too dense myself to see the obvious :)
This post has been edited by SD Dude: Jul 24, 2007 @ 12:56 pm.
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