The Sopranos revolutionized trendy tv. Created by David Case, this iconic collection focuses on anti-hero Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), as he juggles his suburban household life and his position because the boss of the New Jersey Mafia. The Sopranos grew to become must-watch tv for thousands and thousands of viewers because of its colourful characters, exceptional performances, and distinctive writing — though the writing wasn’t at all times distinctive.
The Sopranos was infamous for its many unfastened ends, failing to offer resolutions for sure characters and storylines. The collection would introduce alluring plot factors or particulars, after which we might wait, very patiently, for these plot factors and particulars to resurface. However most of the time, they might by no means be addressed once more, seemingly dropped like a bunch of unhealthy habits. It has been practically 20 years since The Sopranos ended, and we’re nonetheless caught with unresolved mysteries and burning questions. A few of these mysteries dabble within the supernatural. Others are extra easy and will’ve simply been addressed earlier than the present’s conclusion.
Listed below are 10 mysteries that The Sopranos left us hanging with and, at this level, we’ll in all probability by no means get a solution to.
10
What Occurred to Livia’s Fortune?
Tony’s mom, Livia (Nancy Marchand), had been a widow lengthy earlier than The Sopranos began. At one level, Uncle Junior (Dominic Chianese) mentions that his brother and Livia’s late husband, Johnny Soprano, left her a big bundle “sufficiently big to choke an elephant,” suggesting a considerable inheritance.
Livia additionally taunts her daughter, Janice (Aida Turturro), by hinting at a big fortune that she’d hidden. Satisfied of its existence, Janice scours the home searching for it. However the cash isn’t discovered — and it is also by no means talked about once more. Was Livia simply manipulating Janice, or was she actually sitting on an enormous fortune? If she was, then what occurred to all that cash?
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9
Who Was “the Man on the Stairs”?
There is a good probability that you don’t have any concept who we’re speaking about once we say “the Man on the Stairs.” However for some Sopranos followers, this is without doubt one of the present’s most alluring mysteries. Throughout Livia’s memorial service at Tony’s home — in season 3, episode 2 — the digicam focuses on Tony. For those who pay shut consideration to the background, you may see an out-of-focus, older gentleman descending the staircase of Tony’s home. Most individuals do not discover him, however people who do are struck by the eerie nature of his look. This unclear particular person pauses on the stairwell, reconsiders his subsequent steps, after which does an about-face, climbing again up the steps. It is like he sensed the strain within the room, mentioned, “Screw this,” and retreated again upstairs. Or perhaps he simply wasn’t a fan of the music that Janice was enjoying throughout the memorial.
Livia did not have many buddies, and practically everybody in Tony’s home is a recognizable character we have seen earlier than. Who is that this stranger in Tony’s home? Why is he lurking upstairs, and what made him return up? Is he nothing greater than an additional within the background of the shot? Or is that this character’s objective extra intentional? Though it is grounded in actuality, The Sopranos is understood for dabbling within the supernatural. Some followers have theorized that “the Man on the Stairs” is Dying itself or some form of foreboding omen lingering round Tony.
8
Did Ralphie Actually Kill Pie-O-My?
Ralphie Cifaretto (Joe Pantoliano) did quite a lot of issues that pissed off Tony and virtually acquired him killed. However what lastly pushed Tony over the sting was the sudden dying of their beloved horse, Pie-O-My. When the horse dies in an sudden fireplace, Tony accuses Ralphie of killing Pie-O-My for the insurance coverage cash.
Ralphie denies murdering Pie-O-My, although he does say at one level, “However so what if I did?! My child’s within the hospital!” Issues escalate dramatically when Tony finally ends up murdering Ralphie for the crime. However then once more, did Ralphie actually kill Pie-O-My? The present by no means gives a definitive reply, leaving us with solely Tony and Ralphie’s argument as proof.
7
What Was Paulie’s Imaginative and prescient of the Virgin Mary All About?
Within the ninth episode of season 6, “The Journey,” Paulie Walnuts (Tony Sirico) is strolling via the empty Bada Bing strip membership when he, and eagle-eyed viewers, catch an uncommon reflection within the mirrors. He stops, turns, and there — hovering in midair, beside a pole the place a younger girl is often stripping off her garments — is the Virgin Mary.
The apparition lasts for just a few seconds, gone within the blink of an eye fixed. Years later, within the collection finale, Paulie brings up his imaginative and prescient and shares the expertise with Tony. However that is it. The present by no means clarifies whether or not Paulie actually did see the Virgin Mary or what this apparition is meant to imply.
6
Did Tony Have Psychic Skills?
Paulie is not the one with eerie visions. There are a number of situations in The Sopranos the place Tony appears to exhibit psychic skills. Within the season 2 finale, “Funhouse”, Tony experiences fever desires hinting that his shut pal and affiliate, Large Pussy (Vincent Pastore), is an FBI informant, despite the fact that there’s been little or no proof to recommend it.
And naturally, Tony’s prophetic imaginative and prescient seems to be proper. In a while, Tony sees Pussy’s ghost mirrored in a mirror, which nobody else round him appears to note. Does Tony actually have psychic powers? Or did the writers simply take pleasure in teasing us, sprinkling supernatural parts all through the present and leaving us to interpret their that means?
5
What Did Mikey Imply by 3:00?
After Christopher (Michael Imperioli) is shot and severely wounded in season 2, he tells Tony and Paulie that he crossed over into the afterlife and caught a glimpse of Hell. He claims that they are all going to finish up in Hell, a spot the place it is St. Patrick’s Day each single day. Oh, the horror! However essentially the most attention-grabbing a part of Christopher’s supposed near-death expertise is the message from Mikey Palmice (Al Sapienza), a gangster that every one three characters performed a job in murdering again in season 1. Christopher relays Mikey’s cryptic message: “He mentioned, ‘Inform Tony and Paulie — 3:00.'” That is it, that is the entire message.
Tony casually dismisses the warning. However Paulie, in addition to the viewers, turns into satisfied that one thing monumental will happen at 3:00, that Mikey’s message is a nasty omen. Paulie anxiously stares on the clock, watching the minutes tick away. 3:00 comes and goes — not simply on this episode however in all the present. Nothing ever comes from Mikey’s foreboding message. Some die-hard followers, nonetheless, declare that 3:00 performs into the present’s collection finale and refers back to the place of Tony’s supposed killer (extra on that later).
4
Does Silvio Ever Get Out of His Coma?
The Sopranos’ finale leaves a number of characters’ fates open-ended. One among them is Silvio Dante (Steven Van Zandt), Tony’s consigliere and right-hand man. In some methods, Silvio was the present’s comedian aid. However the laughter stopped when he was shot and left for lifeless within the closing season of The Sopranos.
Within the collection finale, it is revealed that Silvio remains to be alive however, like Tony within the earlier season, he is in a coma. Like Tony, is Silvio additionally experiencing an alternate actuality the place he is an insurance coverage salesman with an peculiar life? Possibly. However the larger unanswered query that The Sopranos leaves audiences with is that this: Does Silvio ever get up from his coma? Or will he eternally be in a catatonic state?
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3
What Occurred To Furio?
Furio Guinta (Federico Castelluccio) is considered one of Tony’s most trusted enforcers, a gangster from the motherland. One of many present’s main plot factors was the romantic curiosity and forbidden relationship between Furio and Tony’s spouse, Carmela (Edie Falco). Furio promptly returns to Italy when he realizes that his emotions for Carmela are a harmful battle of curiosity, with out a lot as a goodbye to Tony or Carmela — or to us.
When Tony learns about Carmela’s emotions for Furio, he allegedly tells the Zucca Household, a criminal offense household in Naples, to homicide Furio if he ever exhibits his face. The place did Furio run off to? Did the Zucca Household ever kill him, or did they ignore Tony’s request? Like Carmela, we’re all caught questioning what ever grew to become of Furio.
2
What Occurred to the Russian?
The eleventh episode of season 3, “Pine Barrens”, is arguably the best episode of The Sopranos. Paulie (Tony Sirico) and Christopher (Michael Imperioli) take a Russian gangster named Valery (Vitali Baganov) into the snow-covered woods, the New Jersey Pine Barrens, to get rid of his corpse, solely to seek out out that he is nonetheless alive. Valery — or as he is higher recognized amongst followers, the Russian — manages to flee, stranding Paulie and Christopher within the woods.
The episode ends on a grim observe, with Tony warning Paulie and Christopher that ought to he ever resurface, Valery and the Russian mob will turn out to be their downside. Not Tony’s. For the following three seasons, audiences waited for the Russian to reemerge. However for no matter purpose, the writers by no means introduced the character again, leaving his whereabouts as one of many largest and most notorious unsolved mysteries on The Sopranos.
1
What Occurred to Tony?
There is no such thing as a larger unsolved thriller — not simply in The Sopranos however in all of tv — than the destiny of Tony Soprano. Again in 2007, nobody knew how issues would finish for Tony. Would he die? Would he stay? The previous couple of minutes of the collection finale appear to play out for an eternity. Tony waits for his household to hitch him at a restaurant, whereas Journey’s “Do not Cease Believin'” blasts within the background. We discover ourselves on the sting of our seats, biting our nails each time a brand new character enters the body. Tony appears to be like up simply as his daughter, Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler), enters the restaurant. After which — minimize to black. The episode, and in addition The Sopranos, is abruptly over.
So what occurred? Did Tony die? Viewers have been considering this query for practically 20 years. Die-hard followers have analyzed each little element and clue of this closing scene to find out what actually occurred. Was Tony killed? If not, then what occurs to him? Does he go to jail? Does he simply go on residing life? Who turns into the boss after Tony? Hate it or adore it, the finale of The Sopranos has turn out to be one of the crucial iconic endings on TV. Tony’s ambiguous destiny continues to be a hotly debated thriller to at the present time, practically 20 years after the episode aired.