OK, some random thoughts.

Tony felt that he needed to eliminate Chris once that he was told that Chris was back using again. Tony was afraid that Christopher would be charged, and deal him in exchange.

Tony did feel relief to a certain point, but he also grieved for the boy he thought of as a son.

Sarah Shahi was the stripper T was screwing.

has that character been on the show before or? i cant remember her. that spoiler that pizzaboy gave i think around the 3 or 4th post on this thread threw me right off. im really glad i read it, just totally surprised. sad to see chrissie go tho.

I've never been completely convinced of Tony's caring for Chris. I think it was more like Tony needing someone in his business to care about so he could have an heir so to speak.

But Tony has murdered two relatives now both for whom he was supposed to have cared so much.

Regardless of whether Ade is gone or not, her name or a reference to her came up quite a bit during the episode. What does that portend?

My first thought on that was it was a mercy killing.... Tony was ending Chris' downward spiral that would have eventually killed him (and possibly Chris' daughter as well). I don't mean to suggest that Tony was doing Chris a favor (by killing him).....

Ahhh, what the fuck... I don't know what I mean...

AWESOME FUCKING SHOW!!!!!!!!!

Am I imagining it or did I see Artie Bucco (for the first time this season) at Chris' wake?

Don't forget Tony was going to kill Chris before, but his cousin, who Tony killed, stopped it..

Wonderful episode. I still am calming down. I never ever thought Christopher would go like that, and wasn't sure if he'd go at all.

Yea, Tony is a prick! I too was surprised he did drugs. Do you think he'll turn "druggie?"

A question though: I know Tony had a "revelation" this episode. At the end, when he was with the stripper, he was looking at the sunset and says, "Ok, I get it".... I didn't. Can someone tell me what this revelation was? Was it right under my nose and I missed it?

One of the best episodes that's for sure.

TIS

Now Chase is really giving us our money's worth!

I can't wait till next weeks show.

He is truly pulling out all the stops.

Only three left.

I don't think we're supposed to know what that revelation was... it belonged to Tony.

Oh, and can't you just see Paulie on one of his rampages because nobody went to his mother's wake?? He'll be pissed at Chrissy, even after he's dead. That guy has to be on the road to getting whacked. He's getting pretty crazed.


TIS

Wow.

People were complaining that the earlier episodes were weak, pointless, sucked, that garbage. But dammit, they all set up for the home-stretch and its delivered.

Damn, Tony is a cold bastard.

Funny, a friend of mine, after we had heard the report that two major deaths would occur on SOPRANOS in its last days, he predicted that it would be Chris that would be the first to go. Bada-Bing!

His second prediction?

Carmela.

Another thing, didn't it seem like Tony was opening up about his "crime" life more to Melfi than before??? He admitted murders to her. I know there's doctor/patient priveledges and such, but it seemed he said a bit too much no? Then again, I suppose with only 3 episodes left, we can't make too much out of everything, especially if the last three episodes have shockers like tonights.


TIS

Tony has been on the verge of killing chrissy a few times now or at least dropping him as a burden(The drugs-intervention)(Ade situation-when tony and ade when suspected of a relationship)(when tony told him to either be loyal to him everyday or leave tonys life) this was the final straw. Chris deserved it. He has been saved many times by just being tonys nephew and after everyting tony has done for him he is still using. He is weak and got what was coming to him.

Tony may be a bastard but wow.

He played it beautifully.

I thought Tony's revelation was pretty plain to see.

He kept losing in poker, he wasn't having good luck something was in his way. It was metaphorical of Christopher being in the way of his empire succeeding. After Chris was whacked, he was doing much better, he realized what was in his way. A cosa nostra empire cannot survive with the possibility of speech.

It goes with the saying, "lose lips sink ships".

This is Michael Corleone all over again just using people then tossing them aside when their useful is used up or they get in the way. Che Cosa Nostra!

That was a dream sequence, TIS.

I'm starting to think Tony's revelation was his realization that he is, in fact, evil.

What a phenomenal episode. Just when some people start to think that it has jumped the shark and run out of ideas, something like this happens. Thats what separates this show from all others, the constant potential threat of any character dying at any time. What other show has that possibility?

Christopher's death was portrayed very well, and for once, it occured at the beginning of the episode instead of the end, allowing us to see all of the character's reactions and the aftermath when it is fresh in our minds. Seeing him lying in that casket is a sight I never thought I'd ever see! (except for when he did it in The Basketball Diaries) Michael Imperioli did a great job in the last 8 years. He really proved himself to be a talented actor and writer and I'm sure we'll be seeing great things from him in time.

I was shocked as well. I could see that something was wrong with Chris and so could Tony. Chris was high as a kite and Tony knew something had to be done because Chris could no longer be trusted. Look at the movie Cleaver which was one straw that broke tha camel's back. Another shocker was Tony doing drugs. he falls on the floor laughing at the casino and IMHO looked like a fool. A.J looks like he is ready for a nervous breakdown.

Tony also might have killed Chris for his carelessness, had his baby been in the car it would have been dead. Tony did look at the baby seat before he suffocated Chris. In Tony's eyes Chris had used all nine lives, it was time for him go. That said, the woman in Vegas was smokin hot! Tony is a fun guy on payote!

Great Episode!

WOW!

What a wild episode.

I woke up this morning not believing that i had seen christopher die. I was/am totally blown away by this, and like most people didn't see it coming...especially this way.

Regarding the spoiler at the top of this thread, it is the exact opposite of what happens. Do you guys think that there may be an alternate version of this episode therefore there being alternate version of the next three shows? i mean it would make sense, i read somewhere that there are a couple of alternate endings.

This is the end of a show's life. Anybody and almost everybody can or will be hurt, killed or screwed up.
I see Tony's world falling apart. I see him being torn apart by the end of these last three shows. His friends dead or in jail, His family crusted, the Feds coming down on everyone.
I feel something big will happen to AJ, Meadow or Carm and the last thing you will see is a broken down Tony.
Their will be no winners, no last man standing and a death once and for all to the show.

No spinoffs, No movies, nothing. Chase ends it all once and for all.

That's sadder than Chris dying!

After last night's episode, with a "major" character getting whacked, and three more episodes to go, that yes, there will be another even more major character to go. I've said before, and more and more think, it's possible, that it could be AJ or Meadow. That would be the worst scenario for Tony.

If Chase kills off Chrissy now, you know something bigger is planned for the end. I tell myself, no more speculations :p, just sit back and enjoy the ride. It's not easy though.

All the loose ends that are and will not be tied up, I don't think will matter in the end.

TIS

What about Melfi? No one in this show is safe. I can see it now...

Episode 86, "Made in America" Final Scene

Melfi- Why all this anger, Anthony?
Tony- I can't trust anybody, not even my best friends
Melfi- Why?
Tony- I won't go into detail, but they've dissapointed me
Melfi- Well usually when friends anger one another they resolve these issues or they move on
Tony- I've chose the latter recently...
Melfi- Anthony, you realize you ARE your mother! Anything anybody does for you is not good enough for you. Only you're a criminal that lies and kills and...
(Tony pulls out a gun)
Tony- Shut the fuck up!
(Fires the gun, bullet hits Melfi in the forehead)
Tony- Bitch...
(Tony leaves the office, walks outside and starts staring at the sky)
Screen fades to black

You Know, when they made us wait, what was it 18 months or so. Not only this Season, but the one before this one. I was so pissed I could have taken a baseball bat to them. I thought it was even worst when the split this season up into two smaller parts. How dare they push the shows fan around.

But, I watched that show last night and watched Chris Die. My emotions just came alive and I felt myself get caught up in a TV show just like it was a part of my own life.

This boiler has its flame on full burn. The bastard better not let us down the last few miles.

Time and again, Tony let it be known that if Christopher were anyone else, he would've been whacked because of his drug addiction. And, as Uncle Junior once told Tony (during the intervention episode [about Christopher's drug use] ): "If a dog you love gets rabies, you put it out of its misery."

Nonetheless, Michael Imperioli did a tremendous job in the role. But as far as the character goes, I can't think of anyone I despised more, except maybe Jackie Jr. and Ralphie.

I know, I am in the minority with all of this. Most people loved the whole epic struggle of the Tony/Christopher dynamic. I'm so glad I don't have to watch him stick another needle into his arm and then Tony throw a hissy-fit.

I still don't know what to make of all this but for the first time since I've been watching the series I don't like Tony.

Maybe Tony's transformation is being done to bring us back to reality that he is a hardened mobster. There are some who liked Michael in GF. We've been used to Tony's somewhat softer side, but now we're hit with a dose of reality. It's like we wouldn't have minded having Tony for a friend, but now we remember we're not supposed to like him.