"The guy was a half a fag but I was flattered just the same."

It's obviously the Godfather.  But it also sets up the "never hear it" motif  because Chase now has the MOG hidden for a few moments before the cut to black.  The bathroom door is never shown again after MOG goes in and he is never seen again in the background shot at the counter. It's obvious that we are meant to…

The Phil-Vito relationship is obviously shoehorned in.  There is another season 5 scene where Phil comes to the construction site where Vito and the crew are hanging out.  Phil introduces the crew to Billy (probably because the writers knew Tony B would whack him an episode or so later) and Vito also appears to not…

Really?  So MOG would rather go at Tony straight up?  The same Tony who survived two attempts on his life?  Why wouldn't he do it from behind when Tony cannot see him?  It makes perfect sense and fits perfectly with the whole "never hear it" motif set up by Chase.  He also has to shoot and then turn around if he kills…

It's fun watching the Finnerty stuff and trying to find all of things Tony may "hear" or "see" in the hospital room that manifest in the dream:
(1) The heart monitor as the beacon.
(2) Paulie annoying Tony as Finnerty's noisy next door hotel guest.
(3) The Asian doctor as the Monks. I don't think Tony can see his Asian…

It's really just two full episodes that explores his gay life and relationship with Johnny Cakes.   Both "Live Free or Die" and "Johnny Cakes" deal with Vito in New Hampshire.  Vito is killed in the early part of "Cold Stones" but that episode is really about the fallout of that and how that effects the tension…

Todd,

@avclub-f6f154417c4665861583f9b9c4afafa2:disqus

I agree with most of you have to say here although I'm not exactly sure the people who insist Tony died have any more "evangelical zeal" than someone who thinks he lives.  I definitely agree it shouldn't be the only thing about the show that is discussed.  It is also your right to not care about "authorial intent."  …

@avclub-250b164d84ea39a488422da8500786e6:disqus

Yes. It was almost like Chase said "I don't give a crap about what the fans want. I'm going to do the final season MY why and with what interests ME and the fans can either get it or they won't."

I need to re-read that section again but from what I remember it was pretty logical and the writer backed it up by Chase's words regarding the terrorism theme in the final episode.  Chase said something like the Sopranos (specifically in the final episode) represents the comfort that Americans have and that they NEVER…

Agreed.  As much as some people hate the Vito stuff and that actor's performance, I really loved the scene when he talks to his son on the phone. 

Totally agree.  Love the scene with Carmela crying at Tony's bedside while "American Girl" plays in the background.  Season 6 took everything to a whole new level.

I think the mistake here is seeing the Kevin Finnerty sequence as a warning that Tony will get eternal damnation if he doesn't change.  I don't think Chase is interested in such religious and dogmatic concerns.  I think the sequence is the warning for Tony to shape up or he will meet a premature, violent end IN THIS…

The cut to black isn't meant to be a grand statement by Chase about the afterlife.  It's a practical suggestion of death set up by the POV edits and the black screen where Tony's POV should be.  I think Chase's concern was how was he going to kill off Tony without actually showing it.  He was able to figure out a…

Hercules and Lieutenant make excellent points here.  I think from a story level, Tony is dead.  That's what the back screen POV means. I think where people get mixed up is attempting to explain the black screen from a thematic or philosophical level.  I think it is fine to do that and I think Stangl does just that…

I guess we will have to agree to disagree.  We should get Stangl and Lenny Moore to battle it out here on the forums!

Well, I think the ending IS open to interpretation (Chase would probably agree with that as well) but there are good interpretations and bad ones, correct interpretations and incorrect ones.  But if Chase ever admitted HIS interpretation, I'm sure he would agree that Tony was killed that night.  What bothers me about…

Huh?  The Masterofsopranos blog does just that: "It gets to the interpreting."  Again, read Lenny Moore's posts in the Stangl piece.  Stangl never acknowledges the text of the scene or the filmic language.