Another Version

So with three episodes left in the history of the HBO series The Sopranos, I'm thinking maybe Tony doesn't die. After last night's episode, it looks like he's already in a living hell, only he was actually enjoying it.

Here comes some conjecture. If you don't even like thinking about what might happen in fear that you'll think up your own spoiler, skip out here.

Spoiler space.















Okay, here's some of the possibilities people bandy about:

- Tony gets killed. Maybe by A.J.

- A.J. tries to kill Tony, screws up like he did with Uncle Junior, Tony is forced to kill him.

- Tony goes state's witness. Helped out with some terrorists, gets a big break. Maybe takes down Phil that way.

- Some body gets tied to Tony, or the Canadian one from the start of this partial season gets tied to Bobby.

- Carmella finds out Tony killed Adriana and kills him.

- Tony decides he has to kill Dr. Melfi, she knows too much. Since the show premise was originally a mobster in therapy, it might provide closure. And, by default, end the therapy.

- Everything kind of ends up staying the same.

One reader writes:

Tony has to be punished & the worst punishment is that he has to live his life.

My guess is that Paulie & Sil get bumped off in the impending gang war, AJ kills himself or gets caught doing something & sent to prison, and Tony's left all by himself in the pile of shit which is his life.

So here's one I came up with today:

- Tony wins.

He gets into the mob war with Phil and the New York gang, and actually ends up winning. Because, as of last night's episode, he has rid himself of his last scruples. Because, in that world they live in, the world of organized crime, that's who you have to be to be boss.

It's Tony's coming of age. Kind of a Godfather II message, but sinister in a different way, because that way everyone can go on lying to themselves.

The main thing is that David Chase reveals a plan, one that's been in play since his original conception. Is that comeuppance or a more cynical conclusion? With Aida Turturro reportedly gabbing on some talk show about how she hopes there's a movie, it seems unlikely that Tony dies, although she could just be creating a diversion. Wouldn't she be violating some non-disclosure clause in the actors' contracts?

Maybe Tony wins the mob war but ends up killing A.J. And follows it with Melfi. And maybe then Carmella kills him.

Or maybe Chase has that one unexpected better idea.

Three more weeks.