5 Reasons Why Tony Soprano Is Dead

5. The Man In The Members Only Jacket

David Chase gave a lot of attention to the Man in the Members Only Jacket, sitting at the counter during the majority of the scene. He is the only person other than Tony's family who is shown entering the diner. He is shown looking over at Tony at various points during the scene. The camera follows him as he gets up and walks to the bathroom. David Chase wanted us to recognize this man's presence. But why? Because he was the man who murdered Tony Soprano. When the cast of the patrons in the diner was listed in the credits, there were names like €œTruck Driver in Diner,€ €œOld Woman in Diner,€ €œOld Man in Diner,€ etc. However, one credit sticks out as interesting. It€™s listed as €œMan in Members Only Jacket.€ Of all the €œextras,€ he got a callout and was the only credit not to have his title end €œin diner.€ This was a deliberate decision, and has a tie-in to the very first episode of the season, appropriately titled €œMembers Only.€ In the first episode, one of Tony€™s lieutenants, Eugene Pontecorvo (who wears a Members Only jacket) receives as $2 million inheritance and wants to quit the mafia, but Tony won€™t let him, and Eugene hangs himself by the end of the episode. But before Eugene commits suicide, Tony orders him to kill a man named Teddy Spiradokis (whose initials are T.S.). Eugene shoots Teddy and kills him in a diner, similar to how Tony ends up dying. The Man in the Members Only jacket in the final scene also looks like Eugene. The fact that David Chase cast an extra without a speaking role as €œMan in Members Only Jacket€ when no other extra in the diner got any kind of special designation is a clue that this man is important. Namely, he is the man who killed Tony Soprano. So, we have our man. Do we have our method?
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Justin has been writing about professional wrestling for more than 15 years. A lifelong WWE fan, he also is a big fan of Ring of Honor.