David Chase‘sThe Sopranos, is recognized as one of the greatest television series of all time, which essentially redefined the formula of traditional television drama. While there are many elements of the series that set The Sopranos in a category of its own, the writing is widely celebrated as innovative storytelling full of symbolism and subtle foreshadowing, making it one of the most rewatchable shows to date.
Like most iconic shows, The Sopranos is one that has cultivated a string of fascinating and thought-provoking fan theories, such as the meaning behind Mikey Palmice’s (Al Sapienza) message about 3 o’clock, Ralph Cifaretto’s (Joe Pantoliano) true involvement in Pie-O-My’s demise, and of course, the series finale, which is surrounded in a number of different theories mainly regarding Tony’s (James Gandolfini) fate.
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Ralph Cifaretto and Pie-O-My
Season 4, Episode 9 – “Whoever Did This”
In season 4, episode 9, ‘Whoever Did This,’ Tony is distraught over the death of Pie-O-My, who was killed in what appears to be an accidental fire. Later, Tony goes to see Ralph Ciffaretto (Joe Pantoliano) to break the bad news to him, but as Tony expected, Ralphie doesn’t seem too torn up about the race horse’s death. Tony asks Ralphie if he had anything to do with the fire and, despite Ralphie insisting he didn’t, Tony isn’t convinced and ends up killing him.
It’s no secret that Ralphie is one of the most hated characters in the series, and while he’s basically a sadistic psychopath with no regard for even human life, there’s also really no legitimate proof that he started the fire. At this point, Ralphie is already on thin ice with Tony and, considering Tony’s elevated emotions, it’s possible that Lady Pie’s death and the heated confrontation was the straw that broke the camel’s back. While it’s entirely plausible that Ralphie did kill Pie, the theory that he wasn’t responsible isn’t that outlandish.
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The Cat at Satriale’s
Season 6, Episode 21 – “Made in America”
While Tony is hiding out at the safehouse, he discovers a stray cat on his doorstep and, considering there’s currently a snow storm, he brings the cat inside, where he impresses Tony by catching a mouse. Once it’s safe for Tony and the guys to come out of hiding, Tony brings the cat to Satriale’s, which bothers Paulie (Tony Sirico) and tries to convince Tony to get rid of it. Tony refuses, saying he’s a good cat and will catch the mice in the pork store, but Paulie is still bothered, especially when the cat constantly stares at Christopher’s picture on the wall.
In season 6, episode 21, ‘Made in America,’ there is one particular fan theory about the cat potentially serving as Tony’s guilt over killing Christopher (Michael Imperioli) as well as a symbol of death. In The Godfather movies, the presence of an orange symbolizes someone is going to die or that something bad is going to happen. Throughout the series, there are several references to The Godfather and, considering the cat’s color is orange and cats are considered to be guardians of the underworld in Egyptian mythology, it is possible that the feline serves as a warning to the events to come.
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Mikey Palmice’s Message About 3 O’Clock
Season 2, Episode 9 – “From Where to Eternity”
When Christopher medically dies for a moment in season 2, episode 9, ‘From Where to Eternity,’ he tells Tony and Paulie that he went to hell and that Mikey Palmice had a vague message for them; three o’clock. The numbers three and three o’clock are frequently mentioned throughout the show (“these things come in three’s”), which has led many fans to think there is some important meaning behind it.
The most popular theory involves the final scene in the series finale. At one point in the scene, a man in a Members Only jacket enters Holsten’s. Many fans believe he ends up shooting Tony at the end because when he sits down, he’s directly right in front of Tony at the direction of 3 o’clock. Out of all the theories surrounding the specific time of 3 o’clock, this is one that does make a lot of sense and adds even more mystery to Mikey’s message as well as the overall finale.
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The Russian
Season 3, Episode 11 – “Pine Barrens”
In one of the show’s best episodes, season 3, episode 11, “Pine Barrens,” Chrissy and Paulie get into a physical altercation with the Russian, Valery (Vitali Baganov), who they think they accidentally killed. When they arrive at the Pine Barrens with his body, they’re shocked to see that he’s still alive. Instead of just shooting him on the spot, Paulie makes Valery dig his own grave, which turns out to be a major mistake. As Valery makes a run for it, Chrissy and Paulie chase after him in the snow-covered forest but end up losing him.
The fate of Valery has been one of the most talked about among fans and to this day, remains a mystery. The main fan theory surrounding Valery’s fate is that he survived by hiding in a tree, waiting it out until the coast was clear, and then went back and took Paulie’s car to make his getaway. This theory is heavily supported by the fact that Valery has the means and skills to hide and survive freezing temperatures (“he killed sixteen Czechoslovakians, the guy was an interior decorator!”) Furthermore, when Tony and Bobby (Steve Schirripa) arrive to save them, Paulie’s car is nowhere to be found.
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Adriana la Cerva Is Buried Under the Spec House
Season 5, Episode 12 – “Long Term Parking”
There are a number of gut-wrenching deaths in The Sopranos, but one that hit some fans the hardest was the murder of Christopher’s girlfriend, Adriana La Cerva (Drea de Matteo). In season 5, episode 12, ‘Long Term Parking,’ Adriana comes clean to Christopher about talking to the FBI and tries to convince him to leave with her and start a new life somewhere far away. Initially, Christopher seems to be on board, but when he leaves and Adriana receives a call from Tony telling her Chrissy tried to kill himself, it was obvious that something was up.
One of the most interesting fan theories is that Adriana is buried under Carmela’s spec house, which honestly wouldn’t be outside of the show’s wheelhouse. The first potential clue is when, after Silvio Dante (Steven Van Zandt) kills Adriana, the camera pans the forest for a moment and comes up on Carmela and Tony, who are walking through the woods to look at the property where Carmela is planning to build her spec house. Another is that fans know Tony has buried bodies on properties belonging to family and people he knows (like on Uncle Pat’s farm) to have peace of mind knowing no one can find them or potentially uncover them without his knowledge.
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Johnny Soprano Set Francis Satriale Up
Season 3, Episode 10 – “To Save Us All From Satan’s Power”
Fans first meet the former owner of the pork store, Francis Satriale (Lou Bonacki), during a flashback in season 3, episode 3, ‘Fortunate Son,’ when Tony tells Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco) about witnessing his father chop Satriale’s pinky off because he didn’t have the money he owed him and talked back to him. Later, in season 3, episode 10, ‘To Save Us All From Satan’s Power,’ Paulie mentions how Tony’s dad took over the pork store after Satriale put a bullet in his head.
Tony is a chip off the old block and learned almost everything about this thing from his father, so some fans wonder if Johnny Boy set Satriale up like Tony did to David Scantino (Robert Patrick). This is an intriguing thought, especially when in season 2, episode 10, ‘Bust Out,’ Davey is seen in his basement with a gun to his head, ready to pull the trigger. Of course, Tony had a different end game than his father did since Satriale’s became the guy’s hangout, but it’s not too much of a stretch to think that Tony took a page from his old man’s book.
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Gloria Trillo and Her Car Tires
Season 3, Episode 4 – “Amour Fou”
Out of all of Tony’s goomahs, Gloria Trillo (Annabella Sciorra) was the most unstable and fiery of them all who brought ipetty drama and passion into his life. In the beginning, things were hot and heavy, but as their romance progressed, Gloria’s true colors started to come to light, notably in season 3, episode 4, ‘Amour Fou.’ When Tony drives Gloria home, she notices her car tires have been slashed, leading to an intense argument.
The show never reveals who exactly slashed Gloria’s tires, but there is a fan theory that Gloria did it herself. As Melfi points out, Gloria has an alarming number of similarities to Tony’s mother, Livia, who is always stirring the pot and causing drama in her life. Melfi also points out that Gloria seems to be drawn to men like Tony, who are powerful, hot-tempered, and emit a sense of danger. It’s honestly not that hard to believe that Gloria would stoop to such a level, especially when she continues to argue with Tony even after he offered to replace them for her.
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The Unknown Man on the Stairs at Livia’s Wake
Season 3, Episode 2 – “Proshai, Livushka”
In season 3, episode 2, ‘Proshai, Livushka,’ Livia Soprano (Nancy Marchand) passes away and, despite her wishes not to have a funeral or any memorial of sorts, Janice (Aida Turturro) insists on having a wake for her at Tony’s house. As everyone gathers for the uncomfortable event, Janice makes it even more awkward when she makes everyone gather in the living room and, at one point, fans can see an unknown man standing on the stairs behind Tony, who appears to be coming down but turns and goes back up.
No one knows who exactly the man is on the stairs, but there are some intriguing fan theories, notably that he’s a ghost of a deceased family member. The Sopranos has a tendency to throw in the supernatural, so it wouldn’t be unusual for there to be some ghostly guests seen throughout the wake. This theory can also be supported by one particular moment in the episode that requires fans’ full attention. When Tony opens a cabinet, for a split second, fans can see the reflection of Big Pussy (Vincent Pastore), who died at the end of season 2, standing in the mirror of the cabinet.
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Silvio Dante’s Coma Dream
Season 6, Episode 20 – “The Blue Comet”
In season 6, episode 20, ‘The Blue Comet,’ Silvio Dante ends up in a coma after miraculously surviving being shot several times by two Lupertazzi hitmen. The fate of Silvio is never revealed in the show, but after the series, Steven Van Zandt starred in his own gangster series, Lilyhammer, which has since cultivated a compelling fan theory that the Netflix series is potentially Silvio’s dream while he’s in a coma.
Van Zandt stars in Lilyhammer as a New York mobster, Frank Tagliano, who, after testifying against his associates, enters the witness protection program and, upon his request, is sent to live in Norway. Throughout the series, there are several notable moments and hints that support this amusing fan theory, specifically Tagliano opening his own club similar to Silvio running the Bada Bing and, like at the end of The Sopranos, has conflict with New York mobsters. Towards the end of the show, Silvio’s wife, Gabriella (Maureen Van Zandt) appears as Tagliano’s ex-wife, plus Tony Sirico A.K.A. Paulie Gualtieri also makes an appearance as Tagliano’s brother.
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The Series Finale
Season 6, Episode 21 – “Made in America”
When the finale of The Sopranos premiered, fans (and cast members ) were left stunned when the screen suddenly went black and the credits started to roll. Initially, a majority of people were upset that Chase left the show with such a cliffhanger, but through the years, the finale has been reconsidered and stands to be one of the most iconic finales in television history. While there are several plausible theories regarding Tony’s fate, some are much more believable than the others. The first one is that Tony died in the end and was clipped by the guy in the Members Only jacket or by another gunman in Holsten’s.
Considering that Tony had already escaped death twice, it’s very possible that a third attempt could have been it for Tony (there’s that three again). The other main fan theory is that Tony lived and survived the war with New York, which can be supported by the series’ final song, “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey, (“the movie never ends, it goes on, and on, and on…”). Chase is also someone who strives to be original, so he may not have wanted Tony to get clipped in the end, avoiding the cliché ending of almost every gangster story. Even though we may never know Tony’s exact outcome, the finale has kept the conversation going among fans who continue to throw out theories, solidifying The Sopranos as an immortal contribution to television.