think David Chase finally cracked and copped to the fact that the ending does indeed signal Tony’s murder. The whole idea of looking at him for a few seconds and then cutting to a sudden, inexplicable black screen represents how swiftly and suddenly death comes for guys like him.

I don’t have time to look for it now, but IIRC, he was giving an interview for The Many Saints of Newark and kinda tripped up after years of refusing to answer the question.