I swear this isn't going to turn into a Sopranos blog, but right now this show seems to be what's making me want to write. Anyhow, after watching the first three of the last nine episodes, I'm ready to make my final predictions on how things will break down (well most things). The big question mark before these episodes was how Tony was going to die. I'll get to that at the end. What I want to start with is the William Burroughs introduction that started Season 6. That run down seemed to be a list of who would die. But on second thought, I think it is more who would be dead to Tony (although knowing this show, everyone on the list could die).

Here we go... in italics will be the voiced over Burroughs piece (which is called Seven Souls, which you can read here). I'll stop at each character they show to correspond with the voiceover, and explain how they died, how they will die, or how they will end up dead to Tony.

The Ancient Egyptians postulated seven souls... top soul and first to leave...

Vito Spatafore - Not the first to leave. However, he's dead, killed by Phil Leotardo.

...at the moment of death is Ren, the secret name. This corresponds to my director. He directs the film of your life from conception...

Janice Soprano - I still stand by my contetion that Janice ends up flipping and rats Tony out to the FBI. Before the first episode of the new season I had no clear idea why (I suspected the Richie Apprielle murder would get dug up). But after the first episode where Bobby makes quite a sloppy hit (leaves behind a bloody shirt, a gun with fingerprints and a shell in the dryer), it's fairly clear that Bobby gets caught by the feds, Janice sells out Tony to save her kids.

The most recent episode, "Remember When," hinted that Paulie could be a rat because the feds dug up a decades old murder that Paulie and Tony did together. However, as Daddy's Little Girl, Janice herself admits to having inside knowledge of many of Johnny Soprano's moves. Most likely, Janice was the one that was able to reach this far back to point the feds at the bookie murder.

to death. The secret name is the title of your film. Where you die, that's where Ren came in.

Bobby Baccalieri - Until I went back and worked on this post, I never realized how well the lyrics tied in, but this becomes damn obvious here. Tony suspects Bobby and clips him. Janice squealing leads to Bobby's death.

Second soul, and second one off the sinking ship, is Sekem: Energy, Power, Light The Director gives the orders, Sekem presses the right buttons.
Gene Pontecorvo - Pretty easy reference here. Gene, despite being made, still works as a button for Tony. Gene kills himself in the first episode of Season 6.

Number three is Khu, the Guardian Angel. He, she, or it is third man out.

Meadow Soprano - This is a genius misdirection by David Chase. While most people that saw this clip contended that Meadow will somehow save Tony from ultimate doom (as his guardian angel), I still believe that Meadow gets killed. Thus far, she has been Tony's Guardian Angel, giving him reason to live, reason to keep earning, reason to fix things up with Carmella. With Phil Leotardo reclaiming power in New York, and obviously bent on exacting some kind of personal revenge against Tony for letting Tony B off the hook, my prediction of New York killing Meadow still holds.

Number four is Ba, the heart, often treacherous.

Raymond Curto - Straightforward once again. Ray had been snitching to the feds and dies while squealing early in Season 6.

Number five is Ka, the Double. The Ka, which usually reaches adolescence at the time of bodily death, is the only reliable guide through the Land of the Dead.

AJ Soprano - Yet another reason I'm glad I looked up the transcript of the Burroughs piece. Most internet boards had the transcription as "the devil" instead of "the double." As a devil, AJ would fit, due to his wild nature. But it makes even more sense that he is the double of Tony. Expect to see AJ following more in Tony's path, either by taking another shot at Junior, seeking revenge for Meadow's death, or something else. Either way, AJ will break Tony's heart by getting absorbed into the lifestyle.

Number six is Khaibit, the Shadow, Memory, your whole past conditioning from this and other lives.
Carmella Soprano and Adriana La Cerva - Fairly easy to jump to the conclusion that it is a reference to Adriana, especially the way this scene was shot (with Aid's ghost fading away). However, Carmella's presence also ties into this soul. Carmella will leave Tony for good by the end of Season 6 after learning about how Adriana was killed. Another person that becomes dead to Tony.

Number seven is Sekhu, the Remains.

Junior Soprano - After this third of the final episodes, Junior is at a cross roads. He will either fade away into senility and fraility in the mental institution, or he will somehow muster enough strength to somehow take another swipe at Tony for not apologizing for putting him in the institution in the first place. I'm betting on the first. And as much as Tony wants to claim Junior is dead to him, the slow decay or death of one of his old father figures will have an impact on Tony.

Which brings us to Tony, who is also in the voiceover section that mentions "the Remains." Which, if all my predictions hold, leaves us with a good starting point for examining how Tony dies.

He will have physically lost Meadow, Carmella will have left him, AJ will either disappoint him or die, he will have incorrectly killed Bobby, his uncle will die or become a vegetable. Not mentioned in this run down is Christopher. But after the second of the final episodes, it appears Tony has written off Christopher. Doing that in his mind has made Tony as depressed as he has ever been (the scene where he discusses Christopher with Dr. Melfi is one of Gandolfini's finer acting points).

So how will Tony die?

David Chase has said that he knew all along how Tony would die. Let's go all the way back to the start of the show. Tony is being treated for depression -- a depression brought on in part by the fear of losing his family. Chase has made mental and emotional stability as large, if not larger plot line than the mafia angle.

So who kills Tony Soprano?

Tony Soprano kills Tony Soprano.

That's my prediction. After he learns that Janice betrayed him, after he loses his entire family, after he feels all alone, Tony succumbs to his depression and kills himself. I could go back and check every season, but I'm fairly certain there has been a suicide at least once a season. While many might find such an ending unsatisfying (their lack of satisfaction would probably please Chase), I would eagerly atnicipate that final episode. Gandolfini has already shown himself a master actor in complete control of the character of Tony Soprano. The chance to watch Tony grappling with the notion of suicide and eventually giving in, makes me giddy with anticipation. That one scene will undoubtedly win Gandolfini an Emmy.

Anyhow, that's my prediction. It's still all holding up. But openly recognizing that David Chase is a far better storyteller than I am, I would be pleasantly surprised to find he has something else up his sleeve. Whatever it is, I'm ready for it. And ready for next Sunday's episode.

Happy songs about suicide

I guess the Smashing Pumpkins new album has leaked. Or at least a tracklisting and very unhelpful "news." I guess I'm cautiously excited about this album. Any project involving Jimmy Chamberlain is one I'll give a chance. But really, I think Billy's ego is going to once again overshadow his songwriting. There is just too much hype (much of it built up by Corgan himself), and too many unknowns (like who else is in the band besides Corgan and Chamberlain) for this thing to live up to its hype. It's not at the level of the mythical third Portishead album, but it's got enough heavy expectations to collapse under them.

Anyway, to get everyone half-heartedly excited about this new album, and to have something musically to tie in to my prediction on how Tony Soprano dies, here is the happiest, most rockin song about suicide that I know of:

The Smashing Pumpkins - Today