Good point and makes me wonder about some of Chase's comments regarding the ending. I think his Planet of the Apes analogy is just so disengenious. His ending is subject to interpretation, POA is just not. (btw, I read your "think Tony is dead? consider this" article and I thought it was terrific although fundamentally I disagree with your conclusion).Either way, it gets the job done as far as Chase in concerned, I suppose, depending on the way you want to view the ending. But in yet another beauty of Chase's creation, he left that open to us, whether he intended to or not. A happy accident or a maddening predicament? I prefer the former
I think the "Meadow getting new birth control" conversation in Holstens is there for a significant reason and I think it fits into the tragedy that is Tony's death. In re-watching the final season there is a great tender moment between Meadow and Tony in "Mr. and Mrs. John Sacrimoni's Request". Tony asks Meadow about marrying Finn and about potential grandkids. Tony says (rather emotionally) that his NDE made him realize what was important and he wants to be able to hold Meadows baby in his arms. He also brings up wanting to be around for grandchildren during his talk w/ Phil when Phil is in the hospital for his heart attack. My point being, maybe Meadow just found out that she was pregnant. Look at her face as she runs to the door of Holstens, she seems very anxious. There is a "look" on her face that is very deliberate and I dont just think it is b/c she was worried that she was late. So Tony is about to get the news that he will get to hold her baby in his arms but is then shot and killed just before he is about to get the news. He will never experience the moment he has always dreamed about. I think that conversation in Holstens had to be for a reason and there may be a connection.