The Bear: The Importance Of The Title Explained
Contains spoilers for "The Bear" Season 2
Throughout each season of the series, the title of "The Bear" takes on different meanings. In Season 1, Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) fights an actual bear during a fervent stress dream, but it's not clear what this means. The Bear remains one of the most interesting elements of the series as it takes on an even more clear meaning in Season 2.
In the Season 1 finale, Carmy reveals he and his late brother, Mikey (Jon Bernthal), intended to open a restaurant together called The Bear. Later, during the closing moments of the episode, fans learn the new hub the crew is planning to open will take on the same name in honor of Mikey's memory. Carmy also mentions he returned home in an attempt to fulfill their shared vision after the devastating and irreversible fallout with his older brother, which gives The Bear a sentimental origin.
The riveting and emotional story continues in Season 2, where creator Christopher Storer says "The Bear" truly starts. After the treasured Chicago hotspot embraces growth and changes its name from The Beef to The Bear, Carmy runs into an old friend who distinctly remembers the term; however, it's not because of the dream he and Mikey shared. It's because The Bear is also a fitting nickname shared by the gruff yet persistent Berzatto siblings.
The Bear is a loving title from a beloved family member
In Season 2, Episode 6, "Fishes," fans are treated to an explosive and illuminating flashback sequence on Christmas Eve. Natalie (Abby Elliott) chats outside with her brother, Mikey, while they take a smoke break from the family. He lovingly calls her "Bear" and a lightbulb goes off in viewers' minds as it starts to click.
This also calls back to the unexpected exchange between Carmy and Claire (Molly Gordon), where she recalls his gifted moniker from high school. It neatly connects the two meanings of The Bear before viewers get another piece of the puzzle from the intense memory.
As a heartwarming gesture, Carmy gifts Mikey with a framed sketch for their future restaurant, The Bear, complete with a decorated bear head mounted on the wall. In the present, this precious item can be found in The Beef as motivation for what they're all working together towards.
These details show the significance of The Bear boils down to the memory of Mikey and his positive influence on not only the Berzatto siblings but the entire found family working at the restaurant. He brought them together and kept them secure while loving and motivating them with ferocity, just like the formidable mammal he named them after. This heartfelt revelation elevates both the title of the series and the tribute to Mikey.