The final diner scene in The Sopranos has a special meaning (which sets it apart from other TV endings)

The critically acclaimed crime drama series The Sopranos by HBO aired its final episode on June 10, 2007, concluding the series after an 8-year run. The series was created by David Chase and consisted of six seasons with a total of 86 episodes. The story followed the life of New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano as he tackled his personal life, mental health, and the responsibilities of being the head of a crime family.

The final episode, titled Made in America, concluded the series with an ambiguous ending that has left the fans in a debate for years. The episode has often been featured in the list of top episodes from The Sopranos by various critics, and according to Nielsen ratings, an average of 11.9 million viewers watched it on its United States premiere. 

In the final moments, as Meadow heads towards the diner, the camera shows Tony looking up towards the door as the bell rings, hoping it is her. The scene cuts to a black screen for a few seconds before the credits start rolling. The ambiguity of the final scene has been debated for years among the fans of the show, as they often ask the question of whether Tony was killed in the final scene or not.

Creator David Chase confirmed in an interview with Esquire in 2021 that the black scene was never meant to cause so much confusion. His intention was to give the show a spiritual ending that life goes on, whether Tony is alive or not. He wished for people to continue believing in life, which was supported by his choice to use the song Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey.

“I thought the ending would be somewhat jarring, sure. But not to the extent it was, and not a subject of such discussion. I really had no idea about that. I never considered the black a shot. I just thought what we see is black. The ceiling I was going for at that point, the biggest feeling I was going for, honestly, was don't stop believing. It was very simple and much more on the nose than people think,” said David Chase.

What happened in the final episode, Made in America?

In the final moments of the episode, Tony receives a call from his lawyer, Neil Mink, informing him that the gun charge is not going away and that the feds are taking things to trial. Tony decides to meet up with his family and inform them about the indictment that is about to follow. He invites his family for a dinner at a diner in New York, where he arrives first. After Anthony Jr. and Carmela arrive, they all look to order something as they await Meadow, who is parking her car.

The camera also highlights various unknown figures in the diner, such as a gang, an individual in a coat who heads to the washroom, and another man at the bar. Meadow finally parks her car and heads towards the diner to meet up with the rest. As she is about to enter, the scene shows Tony looking up after the doorbell rings. The scene immediately cuts to a black screen for a few seconds before the credits start rolling.

Did David Chase ever confirm the final fate of Tony Soprano in The Sopranos?

The final scene never confirms whether Tony is alive or not. After the hit on Phil, the pending indictment, and the murder of his top members, everything was seemingly heading towards an end for Tony, but whether he lived or died will always be debated. David Chase followed up on his previous comments in a September 2024 interview at the close of the 2-part Max feature Wise Guy: David Chase and the Sopranos. 

Chase said,

“I think what I was thinking about was, the universe goes on and on. You may not go on and on but the universe is going to go on and on. The movie’s going to keep going.” He added, "There was that scene between Meadow and AJ [where AJ says] ‘I thought black meant death!’.”

To continue the debate around the ending, the interview finishes in a similar manner to the show, as before he can finish the statement, the clip gets to a black screen.

 He added,

"There was that scene between Meadow and AJ [where AJ says] ‘I thought black meant death!’.” [Meadow was helping AJ think about the Robert Frost poem "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening," and Meadow asks, 'What does snow symbolize?’ AJ answers ‘Christmas?’ Meadow responds ‘Hello! Cold? Endless white? Endless nothing? Death!’, to which AJ replies “I thought black was death!’]. “So that was in my head also. See now people will say, see he admitted it, Tony died. The truth is…”, and the interview cuts to black.

The crime drama series The Sopranos consists of six seasons and is available for the audience on HBO and the MAX app.