The Sopranos ended with Tony Soprano sitting down to dinner with Carmela and AJ while Meadow was still on her way. As the restaurant’s entrance bell rang, Tony looked up and the screen cut to black, leaving viewers unsure whether he had survived. Series creator David Chase had once considered a different final scene that would also have left Tony’s fate unresolved.
The original idea, described by Chase in an interview, was for Tony to travel to a meeting in New York. Across the series, he regularly dealt with New York’s mob leadership to maintain peace between the two families. After the conflict with Phil Leotardo’s crew, Tony would have had reason to negotiate with whoever took Phil’s place.
That meeting would have carried risks. Phil’s death could have left members of his family seeking revenge, while Tony’s own crew was weakened. New York might also have seen an opportunity to take control of New Jersey’s criminal operations. But the families could have honored the new peace, meaning Tony might have returned alive.
Like the aired finale, Chase’s proposed ending would not have revealed what ultimately happened to Tony. Its difference was where it placed him: instead of spending his last scene with his wife and son, he would have been heading toward the criminal world he had chosen to serve, a life that had repeatedly damaged his relationships with his actual family.
The finished finale has prompted ongoing debate over whether Tony died when the screen went dark. The account points to the possibility of a hit, including a patron who went to the restroom, as well as the scene’s abrupt cut. But the series never confirms his fate, and Chase’s earlier concept would have preserved that same uncertainty.
Sources: Comic Book Resources.