Letters to the Editor
-
This is why I subscribe to Salon
I can always turn to Salon for the perfect analysis of any topic, whether it be the Iraq occupation, Turncoat Joe talking about bombing Iran, or whether or not Chase is brilliant or just an asshole.
At first, I hated the ending, but the more my wife and I discussed it, the more we realized that even though Tony (or his family) didn't "get whacked," he is still trapped, and that is a fitting ending for him. He could be going to jail as a result of the gun charge. He could end up alone in a state mental facility. His kids, who have now come "back to the family" and who, for the most part, have now accepted that denial will always be a part of their lives, will still continue to be affected by life decisions Tony has made for all of them.
This is a job, a life, from which there is no escape of course. Even if Tony decided following his hospitalization that he was going to try to simplify his life and finally have a measure of peace for himself and his family, that path was never really an option for him. His past will always catch up to him. And if we, as viewers, were expecting that Tony could still get killed at any moment, sitting in that restaurant with his family, after the NY boss had been killed and he had made peace with Phil's underlings, then we inherently know that there will never be peace for Tony, even when things are going well. This is who he is, and who he will continue to be. Don't Stop Believing.
My vote is Chase is brilliant.