***Official Sopranos Next To Last Episode Thread***

[pirateboy]

Damnit, someone beat me to it.

If Chase and Co. wanted to go the ultra-crappy-artsy way, the show could end with Kevin Finnerty waking up, realizing the entire Soprano world was a dream. This won't happen, but it's a possibility, no matter how small.

A few other things:

1. Paulie is NJ all the way. He was obviously upset when the Phil whack went wrong. He is NJ all the [censored] way.

2. I'm confused as to how any of this will have even A LITTLE RESOLUTION without feeling rushed. I know Chase doesn't give us a package in a nice bow, but in an hour, I can't see this series ending with anything, and I mean ANYTHING, closed. I wish they would have done this episode 3 weeks ago.

3. The song at the end, whatever it was, was the most haunting credits song in Sopranos history. I watched the EP twice and was frightened each time.

4. Sil's death scene reminded me of Sonny's death scene in the Godfather. Actually, the entire editing of the back to back death scenes was very Godfather-esque.

5. There is 0% chance that Carmela or Meadow get it. Zero chance. AJ is a small possibility, but very minute.

6. I reiterate - how can they get anywhere near a semblance of closure in 1 hour?

[TheDudeAbides]

Paulie doesn't forget things - he's been aching to get revenge against NY since they slighted him last season (when he thought he could flip over to the NY crew). He's been looking for payback ever since...

[Los Feliz Slim]

The more I think about it, it seems that the only possible outcomes are 1) Tony is killed, or 2) Tony flips. Therefore, I doubt that either of these things will actually happen. The final episode will either not answer these questions at all (dream episode, episode from the past, episode from the future, etc), or something like the above theories will occur (peace is somehow made, other NY families turn on Phil, etc). Chase has not shied away from deus ex machina in the past - maybe Phil gets arrested?

I am preparing myself to be totally left hanging on the major issues, but I still expect to love whatever Chase does.

[Triumph36]

tony flipping seems much more likely than him dying. tony dying has a kind of finality to it that seems repellent to david chase.

also HBO lists the music for each show - the song was 'when the music's over' by the doors, not 'the end' ('the end' has been used too often in movies anyway)

The song over the credits was 'Running Wild (extended instrumental)' by tindersticks.

EDIT - oh, another symbolic thing in the episode - did Tony always drain the pool? Seems like no, right? But he did so right after his last appointment with Dr. Melfi - is this renouncing his belief in 'something more', as represented by the ducks who lived in his pool? Or, far less likely, is it so that AJ can't repeat his suicide attempt there?

[pirateboy]

I doubt Tony flips. He's tied to la cosa nostra as much as anybody. HOWEVER, there could have been some foreshadowing when Phil talked about how nonchalantly NJ handles the Omerta and such. Maybe that mirrors how Tony sees the commitment. However, I just can't see T flipping.

[Triumph36]

by 'flip' i meant become a witness for the FBI.

Phil would never let Tony into his crew.

[pirateboy]

No, I know. He won't flip.

[Kramer.]

all you morans predicting that Paulie is some sort of rat are probably the same people that predicting Bobby's ripped shirt in the hit in the laundromat would somehow come back to haunt him. it's like you haven't even watched this show if you think Paulie is a rat

[pindawg]

Chase had an idea of how the series would end only when he started writing season 6 plot lines, so I think the Finnerty dreams may have some direct correlation with the last episode of the series.

You could interpret the dreams in a few ways; either Tony flips, changes his identity all together (but his still haunted by his past), or perhaps the dreams were a way for him to make amends with people he has sh*t on before he dies

[Triumph36]

[ QUOTE ]
all you morans predicting that Paulie is some sort of rat are probably the same people that predicting Bobby's ripped shirt in the hit in the laundromat would somehow come back to haunt him. it's like you haven't even watched this show if you think Paulie is a rat

[/ QUOTE ]

i don't think paulie is a rat, but it's notable that paulie noted surviving the 70s against the columbos by 'the skin of his nuts' - he's got nothing else in his life except this nonsense.

were johnny sac still boss of that family, i'd think it possible - but paulie hates phil. don't see it happening.