The Sopranos has one of the most debated endings in TV history, so it’s no surprise that some Redditors feel there are other ways it could have ended.
News of The Walking Dead’s ending being changed prior to the series finale has elicited memories of The Sopranos, where creator David Chase admitted to having had different endings in mind before opting to go with the one where the screen fades to black. Given how often the ending gets discussed, there is no doubt that Chase made the right call.
As good as the ending is, some fans feel that the show’s final moments would have been even more memorable if different choices had been made. On Reddit, several alternate ending ideas have been laid out and among them, a few stand out as more plausible and intriguing enough to leave fans satisfied or shocked.
Tony Soprano Becomes An FBI Informant
What if the show ended with the boss making a deal? Leotardo242 thinks “it would have been fitting for him to flip at the very end and offer the FBI everything.”
The idea isn’t far-fetched since there were many FBI informants in The Sopranos. And given how hedonistic Tony is, spending time behind bars would be unappealing to him. When pushed into a corner, he’d have probably gotten into a scratch-my-back arrangement to ensure he kept living lavishly. There’s also the fact that Tony was friends with Special Agent Dwight Harris and had shown willingness to work with the lawman by providing information about terrorist cells. It’s thus likely that Tony would have accepted a sweet deal from Harris.
Carmela Learns About The Evil Things Tony Did
How would Carmela feel about Tony if she eventually discovered how evil he was? TisRepliedAuntHelga feels a perfect ending would be one where “Carmela unwittingly comes across proof positive that Tony killed Chris… or had Ade killed.”
Carmela is one of the most likable mob wives in The Sopranos because of her loyalty, but that has to do with the lack of information. She loves Tony because he is a good husband who doesn’t mix his criminal life with family life but what if she really knew he had a hand in the deaths of people she cared about? After all the hurdles the two had to overcome as a couple throughout the series, it would have been interesting to see Tony and Carmela part ways in the finale because of his cardinal sins. Perhaps, she could have even turned him in.
New York & New Jersey Sign A Peace Treaty
The war between New York’s Lupertazzi crime family and New Jersey’s DiMeo crime family is presumed to have ended when Butch “The Little Guy” DeConcini takes over from Phil Leotardo. In line with these circumstances. MwaiBoy loves an ending where the New York and New Jersey crime families come together and “a Commission is formed.”
The Lupertazzi vs DiMeo war does end up being very bloody, but after Butch’s meeting with Tony, it’s assumed that there will be an everlasting ceasefire. It would thus be sensible for the two families to take measures to ensure such a thing doesn’t happen again in the future. And the best way to do that is by forming a Commission where bosses respect each other and agree to do business together. Such a thing not only happened in many of the great gangster movies, but also in real life, where Charles “Lucky” Luciano formed a Mafia governing body following the Castellammarese War. In that regard, a final scene where the mobsters toast to peace could be golden.
Meadow Notices Something Unusual At The Diner
Another Reddit user would keep events as they are. However, they would conclude the proceedings with a scene where Meadow “let’s out a blood-curdling scream that cuts to black immediately after.”
There are many clues that prove Tony Soprano died, but none would be more obvious than Meadow screaming without a killer being seen or a gunshot being heard. After all, Meadow is the observant and intelligent one in the Soprano family hence she’d be more likely to notice a threat before anyone else. In such an ending, the only question that would remain is: who was the shooter?
A.J. Soprano Becomes A Mobster
The issue of inheriting the throne pops up in another thread. There, Batman354DC imagines a scenario where “AJ follows in dad’s footsteps” after something bad happens to the New Jersey mob boss.
Such a move would be straight out of the pages of The Godfather where Michael Corleone, who initially had no plans of joining the mob, decides to participate after his father gets shot. A.J. has no plans of joining the mob either, but he loves his father deeply, something he proves by trying to hurt his uncle, Junior, for accidentally shooting Tony. If Tony does get killed, as it’s hinted in the final scene, the impulsive A.J. would definitely want revenge.
Tony & Dr. Melfi Get Married
VesuvioLover sees nothing wrong with an alternate ending where “Tony marries Dr. Melfi.” After all, no one understands the mob boss better than the therapist.
Throughout their therapy sessions, there are always hints that Tony and Dr. Melfi might have an affair. He doesn’t hide his feelings for her, but she remains professional, even when he is completely inappropriate. A romance never happens, but if the show were to end in a marriage between the two, it might please a few fans.
Tony Goes To Prison
Regarding the DiMeo crime family Don, Redditor Jklopp prefers an ending where “he goes to prison.” That’s after a solid RICO case is tied to him.
Many real-life mob bosses get killed or end up in jail. It’s something even Tony acknowledges during a conversation with Bobby Bacala. For that reason, it would make sense for him to go to jail for all the crimes he has committed. Most recently, Better Call Saul proved that such an ending can be just as good if done right.
Meadow Gets Killed
One Reddit user pictures an ending where “a person out of nowhere shoots Tony but misses and kills Meadow instead.” As expected, Tony loses his mind.
It’s yet another idea that’s borrowed from The Godfather trilogy where Michael Corleone’s daughter gets killed by an assassin who was aiming for him. This would be seen as more of homage and pastiche since The Godfather is referenced a couple of times in The Sopranos. Tony holding his bleeding daughter before the credits starts to roll would definitely be counted as one of the most emotional moments in TV history.
Tony’s Death Gets Shown
GoldenBoy24 feels the conclusion would be much better if “we actually see Tony get killed.” To them, that’s better than leaving it to the imagination.
If handled in a creative manner, such an ending would be just as appealing. And all the proof lies in Walter White. Tony’s bullet-riddled body would mirror the fate of real-life Dons, such as Paul Castellano and Albert Anastasia, whose gruesome murders have always intrigued the makers of Cosa Nostra documentaries.
A Failed Assassination Attempt
What if someone tried to kill Tony and failed? Hughkalailee’s imagination is still limited to the diner scene but takes them to a situation where “a whirlwind brawl occurs and the Lupertazzi crew is decimated.”
Having Tony’s crew save him from a planned whacking by the DiMeo crime family would indeed make for great viewing. No one would be shocked either if Tony foiled an assassination attempt by himself. It’s something he does brilliantly in season 1 when Junior sends two gangsters after him.
