Summary
The season finale is anxiety-ridden, just like last season, but shows a remarkable growth of its characters. However, Jeremy Allen White’s Carm still falls victim to his innate perfectionist behavior.
We recap the Hulu and FX series The Beart Season 2 Episode 10, “The Bear,” which contains spoilers and explains the Ending.
It’s family and friends night at The Bear, and the restaurant is going through a “soft opening” by inviting family and friends for the first trial run.
That includes Carm’s girlfriend, Claire (Molly Gordon), and his mobbed-up Uncle Jimmy (Oliver Platt). Sugar (Abby Elliott) is with her husband but keeping an eye out for any potential issues, and she will then alert Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), who’s walking the floor. Also, her mother may be stopping by.
The Bear Season 2 Episode 10 Recap
Richie begins to work the room, including bringing non-alcoholic beverages to Sydney’s father (a nice touch), and Uncle Jimmy tells him how proud he is of Richie.
Back in the kitchen, tension begins as they cannot find a new employee, so Marcus needs to step up and be a sous chef. Sydney ignores Marcus’s questions, and they begin to yell at each other, broken up by Carm.
The tensions don’t stop there. When Sydney tells Tina she needs to redo the plate she just made, Tina argues, saying it will put them behind.
Sydney becomes condescending to Tina, talking down to her, which is a sign of her anxiety. Carm comes over, but I will note she never loses her cool. That’s when Carm begins to argue with Sydney, raising his voice.
Why does Carmen not make it to the end of The Bear’s soft run?
Carm doesn’t make it to the end of The Bear’s soft run because he locks himself in the walk-in freezer. Two things trigger Carm. The first trigger is seeing the fish cold in the kitchen after being cooked. The fish symbolizes the holiday meal in the episode “Fishes,” where Donna drove the car into the house, possibly marking the last time Carm saw his brother Mikey alive.
The second trigger occurs when Carm approaches his girlfriend, Claire, and sees a man in the corner. In Carm’s mind, he mistakes the man for the tall chef with glasses from season one, who constantly criticizes his speed.
However, it turns out to be someone who resembles the chef. In an attempt to cool off, Carm accidentally locks himself in the freezer.
Sydney takes over as the executive chef, and Richie manages the timing in the kitchen. You’ll also notice that Sydney is triggered by her past failure with the online ordering system. Every time an order prints off, Sydney becomes lost in her thoughts, unaware of her surroundings. However, after she succeeds, Sydney receives the approval from her father that she has been craving.
What happens to Carmen and Natalie’s Mom, Donna?
Carmen and Natalie’s Mom, Donna, is spotted outside the restaurant by Pete, Natalie’s husband. The last time we saw Donna was in the sixth episode of the season, titled “Fishes,” where she drove her car through her home after self-medicating with alcohol due to her overwhelming anxieties. Chris goes out to greet her, but Donna cannot bring herself inside.
To persuade Donna to come in, Chris shares how well her children are doing.
However, Donna refuses to enter because she doesn’t deserve to witness their success. Chris informs Donna that Natalie will be thrilled to see her since she’s expecting a baby soon. In a poignant moment, Donna’s face shows devastation as she realizes that Sug hasn’t informed her.
Donna leaves in tears, and Chris returns inside, visibly upset. Natalie consoles him as he struggles with being a part of the Berzatto family.
What happens to Marcus’s Mom?
We don’t know what happens to Marcus’s Mom, who is terminally ill. The show indicates she may have died. After receiving a note from Lucas, Carm’s friend and the chef who trained Marcus in Copenhagen, he watches the clock. The camera shows he has six missed phone calls from his Mom’s nurse and a text that says, “Where are you? Please call me!”
The clear indication is that Marcus’s mother could have died.
What does Carmy say to Claire?
Carm mistakenly thinks he is expressing his thoughts about wasting time on distractions to Tina, but he says it to Claire. While sitting in the freezer for hours, Carm starts venting to Tina about his life. Throughout this season of The Bear, we witness everyone improving, including Carm, who allows Claire into his life as the first person he has ever loved.
However, in the previous episode, Uncle Jimmy advises Carm to remain focused, implying that Claire might be distracting.
Unaware that Claire has entered the kitchen after hearing about his predicament, Carm continues venting. He expresses frustration over feeling like a distraction from experiencing joy and fulfillment in life.
Carm vocalizes that it’s all a complete waste of time because the night’s failure has left him feeling terrible, suggesting that he shouldn’t have wasted his time. Softly, Claire responds, “I’m sorry you feel that way, Carm.” He calls out her name, but she walks away. Observing Claire’s distress, Richie initiates an argument with Carm, and both take personal jabs at each other.
The Bear Season 2 Ending Explained
What message does Claire leave Carmen?
Claire leaves a message on Carm’s cellphone, expressing how proud of her she is and ending with an “I love you” message. (The message was left before the opening, and Carmen ignored it). Overwhelmed with emotion, he drops the phone and cries.
The episode concludes with Carm awaiting rescue, trapped inside the freezer, while Sydney stands in the back alley, appearing content and fulfilled with her achievements.
What did you think of The Bear Season 2 Episode 10, and the Ending? Comment below.
