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The Sopranos - Movie Quotes
Memorable Quotes
Those who want respect, give respect.
— Tony Soprano
Context:
Tony says this in Season 2, Episode 9, "The Knight in White Satin Armor," while lecturing Richie Aprile. It's a phrase he uses to assert his authority and demand obedience within the crime family.
Meaning:
This quote encapsulates Tony's personal and professional code. It reflects the Mafia's emphasis on a rigid, old-world hierarchy of respect, which Tony tries to uphold even as he breaks countless moral and legal laws. It highlights the central hypocrisy of his world, where 'respect' is often a euphemism for fear.
You steer the ship the best way you know. Sometimes it's smooth. Sometimes you hit the rocks. In the meantime, you find your pleasures where you can.
— Junior Soprano
Context:
Junior offers this wisdom to Tony in Season 1, reflecting on the burdens of leadership and life's inherent difficulties.
Meaning:
This piece of advice from the aging patriarch of the crime family distills the series' fatalistic and hedonistic philosophy. It suggests a world where one has limited control over their destiny and the best one can do is navigate the inevitable troubles while seizing moments of happiness, however fleeting or illicit they may be.
Don't stop believin'.
— Sung by Journey
Context:
This song plays on the jukebox in the final scene of the series finale, "Made in America" (Season 6, Episode 21), just before the infamous cut to black.
Meaning:
While not spoken by a character, the final song is perhaps the most significant quote of the series. Its abrupt cut-off during the line "Don't stop—" has become the focal point of endless debate about the finale. It can be interpreted as a final, ironic commentary on hope, a hint that life (or the lack thereof) continues, or a direct message to the audience to keep believing in their own interpretation of the ambiguous ending.
You probably don't even hear it when it happens, right?
— Bobby Baccalieri
Context:
Bobby says this to Tony in Season 6, Episode 13, "Soprano Home Movies," during a quiet conversation on a boat, reflecting on what it must be like to be killed.
Meaning:
This line is one of the most critical pieces of foreshadowing for the series finale. It speaks to the sudden, unceremonious nature of death in the mob world. Many fans believe this quote is the key to understanding the final scene: the abrupt cut to black signifies Tony's death from his own point of view—instantaneous and silent.