Note: The following story contains spoilers from “The Bear” Season 4.
It wouldn’t be a season finale of “The Bear” if there weren’t a few tears and anxiety attacks, and Season 4 certainly delivers on that front.
Last season was a thorny one as Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) kept trying to get her partner and mentor Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) to open up to her. After endless days of changed menus, several screaming matches and oh-so-much money lost, the duo finally had a real conversation at the end of this season.
Here’s what happened in the final moments of Season 4 and what that ending may mean if there is a Season 5.
Is Carmy leaving the Bear?
Eventually. At the end of Episode 9, Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) finally took a look at her new partnership agreement with the restaurant, which contained an unpleasant surprise. As part of her new contract, ownership for the place was divided evenly between Cicero (Oliver Platt) and the Bear, which included Sydney, Sugar (Abby Elliott) and no Carmy (Jeremy Allen White).
On their very last night of runway, Sydney confronted Carmy about why he changed the agreement. That’s when he confirmed his plans to leave not just the Bear but the restaurant industry as a whole. The more he argued with Sydney and later Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), the clearer it became that Carmy doesn’t plan to leave right away. Rather, he plans to retire after they figure out the Bear’s finances and the restaurant settles into a relatively stable place.
Why is Carmy leaving the Bear?
As with everything in “The Bear,” it all comes back to Mikey (Jon Bernthal), Carmy’s brother who died by suicide. After Carmy told Sydney he’s leaving, she fought him on his decision, telling Carmy he loves cooking and restaurants.
“I used to,” Carmy said. “I feel like I don’t have anything to draw on. I don’t have anything to pull from.”
He then admitted he became a chef and opened the Bear so he wouldn’t have to deal with other parts of his life.
“I think I put a lot of things in the way of dealing with very real things, and I’m aware of that. I think I was trying to put hurdles in the way,” Carmy said. When Sydney asked if that’s why he insisted on changing the menu every day and being a “maniac,” he confirmed that was probably why. During their conversation with him, both Sydney and Richie brought up the late Mikey, whose death is clearly a major source of trauma that Carmy has been avoiding. But as Episode 9 shows, Carmy has also been confronting a strained relationship with his emotionally abusive mother (Jamie Lee Curtis).
Selfishly, Carmy is leaving the Bear “to make me not like this,” he told Sydney. But there’s another selfless reason why he’s leaving the restaurant he built. After four seasons spent stewing in his own anger, resentment and chaos, Carmy realized he is the worst thing for the restaurant. He may have built the Bear from the ground up and fit it with the perfect team, but his anxiety and inability to make decisions almost led to its downfall.
“Syd, you’re everything I’m never going to be,” Carmy told his partner. “You are considerate. You allow yourself to feel things, right? You allow yourself to care. You’re a natural leader and teacher and you’re doing all this stuff for every right f–king reason.”
Carmy then insisted that Sydney stay with the restaurant even though he’s leaving because it’s finally starting to “gel.”
“Any chance of any kind of good in this building, it started when you walked in. And any possibility of it surviving, it’s with you,” Carmy said. “I believe in you more than I’ve ever believed in myself. Because you’re the bear.”
Is Sydney leaving the restaurant?
No. Throughout Season 4, Sydney was torn between staying at the chaotic Bear or starting a new venture with Adam Shapiro (playing himself). During their fight, Carmy finally revealed he knew she almost left the restaurant, and Sydney apologized for not telling him about the job offer.
Ultimately, Sydney agreed to stay at the Bear on one condition: Richie is added to the partnership agreement. The new agreement gives 50% ownership to Cicero and 50% to Sydney, Sugar and Richie.
“I appreciate the gesture, but this is my home. I’m not going anywhere,” Richie told her.
“Who the f–k has time for gestures?” Sydney shot back. It was a heartwarming olive branch between these two people who spent multiple seasons at each other’s throats. But there is one question left unanswered at the end of this season …
How will the Bear get out of debt?
Leave this one to Ebraheim (Edwin Lee Gibson). If there was one standout of the Chicago Tribune review, it was the Beef window, led by Ebra. Trying to capitalize on his success, Ebra spent most of this season working with a business manager to make the Beef sandwich setup more efficient and cost effective. But after several meetings, Albert surprised him.
It turned out that the Beef was so well run, the best way for it to make more money wasn’t to cut down on napkins. It was to franchise the operation. Albert suggested partnering with Ebra to open two more Beef locations in the north and south suburbs with a commissary kitchen in the middle for quality control.
“You said three? But you said keep it small,” Ebra said.
“Three is small,” Albert responded.
At the end of Episode 9, Albert and Ebra presented their idea to Computer (Brian Koppelman) who tried to get Cicero’s attention. It’s too early to know if franchising the Beef window will work or if it will be enough to keep the Bear afloat. But financially, this is the best idea the team has had yet.
Is “The Bear” Season 5 happening?
FX has yet to renew the series for a fifth season. But considering its success as well as that cliffhanger of an ending, another season feels likely.
The big challenge with “The Bear” will be pulling its incredibly coveted and busy cast away from other projects to make a new installment.
“The Bear” Season 4 is now streaming on Hulu.
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