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Spoilers for all six seasons and the series finale. This is a selective chronology of consequential, named characters—not a count of every victim. It follows when deaths occur in the story, rather than the actors’ real-life timelines. Silvio Dante is listed separately because he is shot but not confirmed dead; Tony Soprano’s fate remains unresolved.
Season 1: Deaths that set the succession crisis in motion
Jackie Aprile Sr.
Jackie Aprile Sr. dies of cancer early in the series. His illness and death leave a leadership vacuum in the New Jersey family and sharpen the question of who will take charge. The exact episode is not established here, so this chronology does not assign one.
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Brendan Filone
Brendan Filone, an associate of Christopher Moltisanti, is killed after repeated truck hijackings provoke Junior Soprano’s faction. The killing makes the growing conflict between Junior and Tony’s side more dangerous. An exact episode is not assigned here.
Mikey Palmice
Mikey Palmice, one of Junior’s close associates, is killed as the conflict with Tony escalates. His death is part of the retaliation that follows Junior’s attempt to assert control. An exact episode is not assigned here.
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Jimmy Altieri
Tony’s crew concludes that Jimmy Altieri is cooperating with the FBI and kills him. The accusation reflects the crew’s effort to identify an informant after law-enforcement pressure intensifies; an exact episode is not assigned here.
Season 2: The informant storyline and the Aprile family
Sal “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero — “Funhouse” (Season 2, Episode 13)
After confirming that Sal is an FBI informant, Tony, Silvio Dante, and Paulie Gualtieri confront him aboard a boat and kill him. “Funhouse” brings the long-running suspicion about Sal to its conclusion. TVLine’s recap of the series’ deaths identifies the episode and the boat confrontation.
Richie Aprile
Janice shoots Richie after he hits her. Tony takes care of the body, and a false account of Richie’s disappearance is circulated. His death abruptly ends his challenge to Tony from within the family. An exact episode number and title are not assigned here.
Rank #2
Season 3: Losses inside Tony’s family and crew
Livia Soprano — “Proshai, Livushka” (Season 3, Episode 2)
Livia’s death is revealed rather than shown: the story is that she suffered a stroke in her sleep. Nancy Marchand, who played Livia, died during the production hiatus, and the character was written out. TVLine’s recap discusses the character’s departure and its circumstances.
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Tracee
Ralph Cifaretto beats Tracee, a dancer at the Bada Bing, to death. Though she is not a long-running character, the killing is a major turning point: Tony’s response deepens his conflict with Ralph. The exact episode is not assigned here.
Jackie Aprile Jr. — “Army of One” (Season 3, Episode 13)
After Jackie Jr. takes part in the robbery of a card game, Vito Spatafore tracks him down and kills him. The death closes the story of Jackie Sr.’s son and demonstrates how little protection his family name ultimately gives him. TVLine’s recap identifies the episode and killer.
Season 4: Suicide and a volatile crew member’s death
Gloria Trillo — reported in “Everybody Hurts” (Season 4, Episode 6)
Gloria’s suicide is disclosed in “Everybody Hurts”; viewers last see her alive in “Amour Fou.” Tony does not witness her death. The news lands amid the fallout from their relationship and adds to his sense of responsibility and guilt. TVLine’s recap distinguishes the disclosure from her last appearance.
Ralph Cifaretto — “Whoever Did This” (Season 4, Episode 9)
Tony kills Ralph after an argument about the death of Pie-O-My. The horse’s fate is part of the confrontation, but the episode leaves Tony’s motives layered; it is too simple to state with certainty that Tony kills Ralph solely because he believes Ralph set the fire. TVLine’s recap identifies the episode and confrontation.
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Adriana La Cerva — “Long Term Parking” (Season 5, Episode 12)
After Christopher chooses the crime family over the possibility of leaving with her, Silvio takes Adriana into the woods and kills her. The episode makes clear that she does not escape the consequences of her cooperation with the FBI. TVLine’s recap places her death in “Long Term Parking.”
Rank #4
- Sopranos
- The Complete Series
Tony Blundetto
Tony Soprano kills his cousin Tony Blundetto to prevent Phil Leotardo from capturing and torturing him. The act is both a family decision and an effort to control the damage from the growing conflict with New York. The exact episode label is not assigned here.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Season 6: The costs of the New York conflict
Eugene Pontecorvo
Eugene’s story ends in suicide during Season 6. His attempt to leave the life collides with obligations to the crime family and restrictions on his future. The exact episode and its placement among the season’s other deaths are not specified here.
Vito Spatafore
After his sexuality becomes known, Vito leaves New Jersey but is eventually found and killed by Phil Leotardo’s crew. The discovery, Vito’s attempted escape, and his murder unfold across separate episodes; no exact episode is assigned here.
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Christopher Moltisanti — “Kennedy and Heidi” (Season 6, Episode 6)
After a car crash, Tony suffocates Christopher. The death ends the volatile relationship between Tony and his protégé, who had long been caught between addiction, family loyalty, and Tony’s expectations. TVLine’s recap identifies the episode and the manner of death.
Bobby Baccalieri — “The Blue Comet” (Season 6, Episode 20)
Bobby is shot and killed at a hobby shop while pursuing the Blue Comet model locomotive. His death comes during the attack on Tony’s crew by New York. The episode reference for “The Blue Comet” identifies Bobby’s killing and the location.
Silvio Dante — shot in “The Blue Comet,” survival unconfirmed
Silvio is shot in the same episode as Bobby, but he is not shown dying. He survives the attack initially and is left in a coma; the series does not confirm his death. He should not be counted among confirmed on-screen deaths. The episode reference for “The Blue Comet” describes his condition.
Phil Leotardo — “Made in America” (series finale)
Tony’s side locates Phil in the finale. Phil is fatally shot, and his car rolls over his head. His death ends the immediate leadership conflict between the two organizations. TVLine’s recap describes the finale scene.
Who dies at the end of The Sopranos?
Tony Soprano’s death is not confirmed. The finale ends ambiguously, and David Chase has resisted supplying definitive closure, so Tony should not be included in a list of confirmed deaths. TVLine’s reporting on the finale describes the ending as intentionally ambiguous.
How to read this chronology
The series ran from January 1999 through June 2007 and contains 86 episodes, according to a series reference. “Major” is a scope choice here: these are named characters whose deaths alter central characters’ decisions, reshape the New Jersey or New York organizations, or conclude sustained storylines. Unnamed victims and deaths mentioned without comparable consequences are outside the list. The order is by story chronology, not by actor death dates.
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