War breaks out on 'The Sopranos'
-
- June
- 4
All hell broke loose last night on “The Sopranos,� as the war between New York and New Jersey wiped out two capos in Tony’s crew and left the mob boss himself sleeping with an AK-47.
(Spoilers ahead, if you haven’t watched this episode yet!)
The series’ penultimate episode was one of the bloodiest in a vicious round of major deaths this season: After all, Christopher only died two weeks ago!
And it looks like the big question of next week’s big finale is this: Who’ll be the last man standing?
Tony?
Or Phil?
Last night even kicked off with a whacking — though it was of a minor character.
Silvio, who rarely does wet work, garroted one of their own guys—who was supposedly double-dealing with New York behind their backs. He took matters into his own hands because he didn’t want to trouble Tony, given his recent problems with A.J.
Then the trouble really started. Phil gave orders to completely wipe out the top Sopranos: Tony, Silvio and Bobby Bacala. Tony gets wind of the plot, and makes his own plans to take Phil out.
And you know what? Turns out that compared to Jersey, NY organized crime is a lot more organized.
Seeing the series through the Sopranos’ eyes, it’s always seemed that Tony’s gang was pretty efficient — a few minor mishaps aside. But this time — when the stakes have never been higher — Big T and his goombahs looked like a bunch of chuckleheads.
A pair of hired guns is brought over from Italy — never a good idea — and they mess up the job to off Phil. A Ukrainian man with an uncanny resemblance to Phil is whacked by mistake, along with his daughter.
(There was a brilliant use of black humor used in the multiple phone calls up the Soprano food chain to tell Tony — wrongly — that the job had been done. Everyone kept wondering why Phil would know Ukrainian, or why his daughter would be at his girlfriend’s. But as one character kept saying, “Whatever.� Hilarious.)
Phil’s battle plan is much more precise. He disappears himself. Then he hits the Sopranos hard — as he said, within 24 hours — and at the places these guys call home.
Bobby is murdered at his favorite hobby shop, as he’s mooning over some of his beloved model trains.
Phil’s not fooling around: His own guys come in, during broad daylight, emptying their guns into Bobby as kids and their parents cower in fear.
This scene was beautifully written and filmed. Bobby poignantly leaves his cell phone in the car, missing the phone call warning him to watch his back. The bullets entering his body are juxtaposed with a toy train’s derailment. An amazing feat.
And Phil’s not done yet. His men nail Silvio in the parking lot of the Bada-Bing: At Soprano headquarters, for goodness sake!
Patsy gets away, but Silvio bites it — for all intents and purposes anyway, since we later learn that he’s not ever expected to regain consciousness.
At least Silvio met his end with perfectly buffed white shoes.
That sets Tony off and running. He’s had a hard time of it already, with Dr. Melfi finally dumping him as a patient in a harsh manner that many of us wish she’d taken with Tony long before now.
Anyway, Tony rushes home to tell Carmela that she’s got to take the kids and go into hiding. He breaks the news to A.J., but his son breaks down, complaining that Uncle Bobby’s death is a setback to his depression.
And Tony snaps. He grabs his son, brutally yanks him out of bed, throws him into his closet and hisses, “Pack a bag.� Don’t you think he’s been itching to do that for ages? This gave him a good excuse.
Carmela asks Tony where he’s going to go, and in a perfect full circle, the episode closes with T and his men at Uncle Junior’s house. It’s been closed up since Jun shot Tony and went to the mental hospital. Early in the show, Janice asked Tony for help so Uncle Jun won’t have to go to a state facility — because he’s out of money.
Tony nastily refuses, and now, he’s using the home of the man who tried to kill him — twice actually — as a safe haven from rival mobsters.
The final scene was perfect, too: Tony stretched out on Uncle Jun’s unmade bed, fully clothed, clutching a semi-automatic as he stared at the closed bedroom door.
Now if that doesn’t set up a rip-roaring series finale for next week, I don’t know what does.
Tony’s life hangs in the balance, as do most of the show’s characters; Tony tells Carmela that mob wars never include family members, but will that be true in this case?
We’ve been asking this since “The Sopranos� began, but it’s never seemed quite so urgent: HOW’S IT ALL GOING TO END?
(All photos from HBO.)
This entry was posted
on Monday, June 4th, 2007 at 9:49 am by Heather Salerno.
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Are you sure that was junior’s house?
The Star Ledger reports (http://blog.nj.com/alltv/2007/06/sopranos_rewind_the_blue_comet.html)
that one of the writers said it definitely wasn’t junior’s house.
Anyways, that was the best episode since the first season.
D. Chase usually puts more action in the second-to-last episode than the last episode itself.
But there are just so many possibilities regarding what may happen next week .. i can honestly say I have no idea what will happen.
And that is a good thing
I didn't recognize it as Uncle Jun's house. Looked totally different to me.
I hated the way they ended it with Dr.Malfi. It was like they couldn't find a way to end that relationship. Cheesy.
It was sad to see the Tony's boys killed off . . .
every year until this one. this year it will seem to end benignly and paulie will wack tony as the final karmic payback for tony's narcissistic lack of respect for everyone around him. he has dumped on paulie forever and there has to be a reason phil said not to kill paulie.
I think AJ will do something to defend Carmela and Janice that will foreshadow his descent into his father's line of work. Interesting theory, Dennis, about Paulie doing in Tony himself. Although I think Paulie is too old-school and loyal to completely turn on his boss. Can't wait until next week to find out though!!
Thanks to all of you who are far more sharp-eyed than I am! (Special thanks to Jeff for the Star Ledger link.)
I totally thought Tony and the boys were holed up at Uncle Jun's, and I'm not the only one. Check out Entertainment Weekly's online recap:
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20040769_20040772_20041259,00.html
And FOX News seems to think that Tony is at his mom's old house. Help me out here, folks: Didn't Tony and Janice sell that house awhile back?
I'm thinking it's too bad that Tony isn't at Uncle Jun's though. It would have been nice irony: Uncle Jun tried to kill him twice, yet he's using his place as a safe house.
But I'm sure this is just one of many topics we'll debate as the series ends. Keep those comment coming!
I too, don't think that's Junior's house. I read a review saying it was his Mother's house, but don't believe that either. I think it's a totally unknown house (perhaps a relative of Ton'y driver)? I'm just sayin… Tony knows better than to go to a house where his enemies would know to look for him. There is a reason that Tony has been buddying up FBI agent Harris. I think Meadow gets whacked and Tony figures what the heck, I've lost everything. I think he turns on the Mob and goes to Florida in the witness protection program. That's my opinion, I could be wrong.
It appears from the HBO site that it's simply a "safe house":
http://www.hbo.com/sopranos/episode/season6/episode85.shtml
We thought it was Junior's house at first, too, but then recognized the layout was completely different. Tony and Janice did indeed sell their mom's house quite some time ago, so it's definitely not that one, either.
I think it's as simple as HBO states — a safe house.
that's not an AK-47 that Tony slept with. everything scary looking is an AK-47 now? just call it a "Big-A Rifle" if you don't know what it is. thanks.
WHAT'S UP WITH THE WHITE SHOES….????
ANYONE GOT ANY IDEAS…THE SHOES COME UP A LOT IN THIS YEARS EPISODES…
PAULIE, SIL, A LOT OF REFERENCES TO WHITE SHOES… MORE THAN A COINCIDENCE, I THINK.
Paulie wacking Tony really sounds intriguing, though there's been really no backstory to suggest Paulie is in cahoots with Phil. Johnny Sack maybe, but I don't see a connection yet with Phil. I can honestly say that was the best episode since Paulie and Chris went insane in the Pine Barrens back in Season 3. I keep praying Furio will return, but I guess that's a bit much to hope for. I hope Tony survives only because the path it would take for that to happen would be so treacherous and bloody it would make for some incredible TV. Just, whatever you do Chase, stay away from dream sequences, though I think that's somewhat unavoidable at the point. Maybe all the people Tony wacked in his life will come back as ghosts and drive Tony to madness so he takes his own life. ...
As for the "big gun" Tony is clutching at the end of the episode, that's an M-16 Bobby gave him for his birthday.
The rifle is the one that Bobby gave him when they were on vacation. Before the fight.
I think Dennis is right, there's got to be a reason why Phil didn't want Paulie whacked.
Once again, you've all got sharp eyes!
That IS the gun Bobby gave Tony for his birthday, which further explains the flashback Tony had of Bobby at the lake house.
And for those sticklers for details: The HBO.com summary of the episode says that the gun is an AR-10…
Tony mentioned an estate house that Carmela had bought. Maybe that's where they are.
Unlike the rest of the followers of the show, it is my humble opinion that this episode didn't flow. The Crew wound up looking like keystone cops, what's up with that. Their business is whacking people, the order went out and you would think that their spider sense would be working overtime until the ripple effect from the whack on Phil settled down. Definately out of character for Bobby to blow off what's currently going on (the big hit)to go shopping for toy trains. I know having a passion for something sometimes fills your whole mind but not when it affects your bread and butter business. Business always comes first, always first with these people, not toy trains.
The Silvio hit was more believeable after the daylight hit on Bobby but come on, when have they done something like that with that many witnesses looking on… this scene also pegged my 'unbelieveably wierd' meter. Excuse me for expecting more from the writers. This threw the show into the category of shows where the character has total disregard for law enforcements ability to have 1 witness able to finger the hit men. From the beginning the point was not being able to be fingered and now the writers said, to hell with that, lets just ignore that rule.. what's the point of being the man on top if you've left a trail of bodies right to your doorstep… doesn't flow..
Doubting Thomas, you must not watch the show that much. If you recall there was distinct scene when tyon needed work done and bobby was dressed up in his conductor's outfit playing with trains when tony came to his house. Also, those hit jobs coming in the middle of the day came from phil leotardo. His back story has shown he's not ideally suited to be the boss and his way of dealing with things would be inefficient.
At any rate, I'm excited to see what happens, I think ultimately it's the "crime never pays" story.
i had some typing dyslexia, obviously I meant tony instead of tyon and an "a" should have been in front of distinct.
When Tony caught Bobby in his train suit he hadn't ascended to his current position of authority and responsibility, he was still a card carrying member of the SFC (silly fu…. club). Lately he'd 'become', stepped up as they say and murder is serious business, he didn't just wake up that morning in the mob and the consequences for being lax… I've watched it plenty, it's the ONLY reason I have HBO…
I STILL THINK THE WHITE SHOES ARE SIGNIFICANT…EITHER THEY ARE GONNA BE A REASON TONY AVOIDS BEING WACKED OR THE OPPISITE…HE MAY GET WHACKED BY PAULI …MAYBE..
Oh yeah, don't kid yourself, crime does pay and it pays plenty. You just have to be willing to live with the consequences should you slip up or have someone dedicated to righting the particular wrong you're doing. It's a business like any other, the point all these shows have made is that it's no different than being a congressman or any elected official that gets rich as a side effect of the position they hold all the while holding their position up as a shield protecting them while they do their stealing…
I love this show, gets my blood pumping. There isn't an alpha male in the country that doesn't see some of Tony Soprano in themselves… Bada Bing!
It is most definately Uncle Juniors old house
watch the scene again …the table in the kitchen -Tony stares at it for a moment -pauses. The bedroom..again…for sure its Uncle Juniors house. The Paulie killing Tony theory does make sense for sure but it will not be the case. The episode titles always were of major significance. The finale is called MADE IN AMERICA. Think -all the refs to Godfather , goodfellas, once upon a time in amercia, etc….its the thread they use to weave the stories together . CHASE had concluded with Tony in bed as we saw yesterday-while filming he decided to write one more episode…MADE IN AMERICA. We also know there is a scene with Tony , AJ and Carm in a new jersey ice cream parlour. Shows me Tony makes it thru the night in Uncle Juniors house, that Paulie doesnt whack anyone…and that FBI play a final role in the whole deal. FBI meet point/ FBI secret local ….ice cream parlour. Tony says …goodbye to his family …to save his family….Tony will finally do what his mother , sister , etc never would…sacrifice himself for his family ….made in america…Tony is not going to wait in that house until Phil's guys attack.Tony is going to lead his remaining guys to find and eliminate Phil.Tony will be badly wounded but survives and joins up with the guy in Miami to continue the Thing.AJ joins the Peace Corps and Carmella sells real eastate . Paulie semi retires to Vegas where he is a floor manager in a casino.Meadow interns at the FBI office in Manhatten.Janice moves to California to care for Uncle Junior.
Ian, your response is lucid and well thought out, it sounds like just the ticket but the name Made in America also opens the door to another ending(if there's time). To summarize quickly, Tony does get whacked and Tony junior makes his bones on Phil thus stepping up and maybe clearing up the current bout of depression answering the question of "what's it all for"... the only answer is Family. He steps up "Made in America" and self actualizes at the same time.
To comment on the white shoes….
In the episode 2 weeks ago, Meadow and AJ were talking in his room. He was reading the poem, and she was helping him to understand it. He says something about black symbolizing death, and she says, "So does white" as she is walking away. The white shoes last night were on people who got shot. The guy in the beginning died, and Silvio is in the hospital and may die. Just a theory…..
I can't wait until Sunday night for the final episode… This whole week the country is going to be Sopranos-crazy. Anyway, that was the craziest/best episode in a LONG time. I honeslty do not know what to expect whatsoever for the final episode, I don't know anyone knows what to expect. Anything can happen. I don't think America has been this pumped up for a Series Finale in a long long time.
Anyway, predictions? For some reason, I don't see Tony dying, but I do see at least one member of his family dying. A few weeks back, when they were showing AJ with some violent tendencies (him and his friends beating up that kid and such), I thought that might lead somewhere where Tony gets killed and AJ takes over the family, but they have just shown AJ to be so damn weak the past couple weeks, that I don't think that will happen.
Like I said, I think at least one of the Soprano's will die – Carmela, Meadow, AJ, who knows.
I think the final scene is that they are going to show Tony as an old man sitting on a porch, overlooking a meadow, a lake, who knows, but its somewhere in the country and its 30 years into the future, imagining playing his grandkids at Christmas or something, but playing with his grandkids is all a glimpse…its what could of been his life if his family wasnt killed… and he'll be thinking, was it all worth it to live a life like that, because in the end, it got the people he was closest to killed, and Tony is forced to live out the rest of his days alone, with no family…
Heather – just a note – Silvio isn't dead yet – he's in the hospital in a coma…
AND DON'T FORGET THE WHITE SHOES JOHNNNY SACHS WIFE CLEANED FOR HIM BEFOR HE PASSED AWAY IN THE CAN…
BUT I'M HUNG UP ON THE WHITE SHOES PAULIE PACKED WHEN HE AND TONY WENT TO MIAMI…HE HAD SEVERAL PAIRS OF THE SAME STYLE IN HIS CLOSET…AND TOOK LIKE 4 PAIRS WITH HIM..PAULIE HASN'T GOT IT YET..
Seneca —
The "work" that Tony needed Bobby B. to do that day when Bobby was all dressed up as a train conductor was to visit Junior. That's the day that Junior shot Tony.
Diamond—Don't know about all the shoes he packed for Miami. Maybe that just kind of symbolized the beginning of a lot of death. Whether it's happened yet, or not. If he's playing both sides (which some people think) it may symbolize the death he's involved with. Doubt that, though. Who knows? I do think there's definitely some significance there with the shoes, though! Wish we didn't have to wait a week to find out!
Tony was wearing bright white sneakers when he was cleaning the pool.
TONY DEFINATELY WAS WEARING WHITE SHOES WHILE CLEANING THE POOL..THAT WAS REAL OBVIOUS TO ME..HE NEVER WEARS WHITE SHOES…CHRISTOPHER WORE THEM ALOT…BUT PAULIE IS THE WHITE SHOES KING…HMMM…HE'S A PAIN IN THE ASS ABOUT KEEPING THEM CLEAN…DIDN'T HE WHACK SOMEONE ONCE FOR GETTING HIS SHOES DIRTY…HE'S THE MOST PHYSCOTIC ONE…HE LOVES MONEY MORE THAN ANYONE AND IS ALWAYS COMPLAINING AND HE KILLED THAT OLD LADY AT HIS MOM'S NURSING HOME.CRAZY BASTARD IS CAPABLE OF ANYTHING..
LET'S NOT FORGET THAT PAULIE'S NAME WASN'T MENTIONED BY PHILL WHEN HE TOLD HIS CREW WHO TO WHACK…HE ALSO GOT IN BACALA'S FACE WHEN SIL TOLD HIM TO DO THE JOB ON PHIL…MAYBE HE SCREWED THAT HIT UP ON PURPOSE…HMMM
I think the house looked like his mother's house, the one Janice and her husband (Aprile} lived in.
Tony in an orange jumper in prison. Melfi comes to visit. Show ends.
Or …
Furio shows up, whacks Tony and then gets in a monster SUV with Paulie and Phil. Show ends.
Or …
Tony sings like a true Soprano to save his ass an his family's.
Show ends.
But don't listen to me. I have no idea …
UNCLE JUNIOR….HE'S THE WILD CARD….JANICE IS GONNA GET HIM FROM THE FACILITY HE IS IN AND TAKE HIM BACK TO HIS HOUSE…REMEMBER HE IS OUT OF CASH AND SHE IS TOO, WITH BACALA GETTING BANGED OUT..BOTH ARE DESPARATE…
ANYONE THINK THAT IS A POSSIBILITY ???
maybe NOTHING apocalyptic will happen—it'll end in tatters, no resolution, no moral no answwers only more & murkier questions
Here's what I predict: AJ is going try to redeem himself in Tony's eyes and he is going to end up trying to join Tony at Uncle Junior's house. AJ is going to arrive as the bloodbath begins (maybe even cause it by accidentally revealing where Tony's at) and is going to somehow get caught in the crossfire in such a way that Paulie is going to have to come to his rescue. And then AJ is going to do something else stupid that directly causes Paulie's death (I'm guessing that AJ gets a hold of the machine gun and started firing and accidentally hits Paulie). Tony is going to see AJ screwing up, is probably even going to be running toward him, yelling at him to stop and get out of the way. When AJ doesn't listen, and Tony sees Paulie go down, he's going to go ballistic and kill AJ. When the bloodbath is over, Tony will be the only man standing. It'll be then that he realizes that he can't ever go back to Carmella and Meadow, and simultaneously that anyone who could kill his own son is a monster; someone whose own mother couldn't even love. He's gonna kill himself in the spot where he passed out after Uncle Junior shot him and he's going to use Uncle Junior's gun.