Is Tony dead?

I’ve gone back and forth on this one from the jump. My initial reaction was he was still alive. When the show ended with that cut to black, I will say this: I got it immediately. I didn’t think my TV was on the fritz; I got that creator David Chase wanted to leave us wondering. And at first blush, I thought the message Chase was sending was that Tony would always be looking over his shoulder for the rest of his life, that he would find no peace, that that was his punishment.

Then I flipped. Then I figured the Man in the Members Only jacket went to the bathroom, then came out and shot Tony dead in front of his family. We didn’t hear the gunshot because neither did Tony; the bullet would’ve reached him before the sound. (This was discussed by Silvio Dante in a previous episode.)

Today? I don’t know. I really don’t. I can easily argue either side of it. But if I had to bet, if it came down to my own life and death choice, I’d err on the side of Tony being shot dead.