With The Bear Ending After Season 5, Here’s How The Story Could Wrap Up

Jamie Lee Curtis might have just confirmed that season 5 of FX’s The Bear will be its last, and honestly, I can’t help but feel a little relieved. After two brilliant seasons, one of the best redemption arcs in television, and one of the most realistic depictions of the restaurant industry in recent years, the Jeremy Allen White starrer has meandered into a series of endless montage of Chicago skylines and food b-rolls. Then again, it’s said that creator Christopher Storer had initially planned for the show to have three seasons only, but that changed after the studio executives called for more seasons when it blew up, hence the repeating arcs (I’m looking at you, Marcus and Sydney’s sick parents).

Wait, Where Were We Again?

So, here’s a quick recap in case you couldn’t keep watching till the end of season four (we don’t blame you, honestly). Carmen Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), having resolved his differences with his mom Donna (Jamie Lee Curtis), his abusive mentor Chef David Fields (Joel McHale), and to some extent even with Claire (Molly Gordon), is leaving The Bear for good. Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), having just refused a lucrative offer, is now the chef at the restaurant. Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) is in a bit of a mess actually, now that his ex-wife Tiff (Gillian Jacobs) is married and his daughter is slowly opening up to Frank (Josh Hartnett), but hey, he’s now a partner at The Bear! He also might be having a thing for Jessica (Sarah Ramos), the staffer who joined from Ever. Most of the other characters have reached some sort of a conclusion, too.

There’s also Ebraheim (Edwin Lee Gibson), who is on his way to turn the daytime sandwich shop at the restaurant into a franchise. All this while, the clock is ticking down on the restaurant, and it’s only a matter of time till Uncle Jimmy (Oliver Platt) pulls the plug on the project.

So what happens now that Carmy’s brilliant blue eyes are not around micromanaging every little detail and self-sabotaging his way to culinary greatness? If you really sit and think about it, much of season five’s plot is obvious. But then, that’s only after assuming that the creators tie up all the loose ends and make up for the nosedive that were seasons three and four. Here is our bet on what is going to happen now.

Sydney Will Get The Star

As Carm says at the end of Season 4, Syd is the Bear all the time. She already has surpassed him. Now, with Carmy stepping away from the kitchen, Sydney will finally get the space to run The Bear on her own terms amd get the full credit for it. She and Richie will also learn to work through their differences in the process. Without her constant second-guessing hovering over every decision, she will bring the menu that could lead the restaurant toward the Michelin recognition it has been chasing since season 2. According to Joël Robuchon, the chef with the highest number of Michelin stars in history, a single star can dramatically increase footfall, which would give The Bear the momentum it needs to survive. Even if the star proves elusive, a Bib Gourmand feels well within reach.

Finances For The Bear Will Finally Run Dry...

Season four already hinted at how fragile the restaurant’s finances are when Computer (Brian Koppelman) tells Uncle Jimmy that the situation is worse than the Berzatto family has been told. Jimmy continues to support the restaurant partly out of guilt for how the family turned out, but that patience cannot last forever. One possibility is that Jimmy dies, leaving Computer to shut the project down without hesitation. Another possibility is that the countdown actually runs out just as the restaurant is about to gain Michelin recognition, forcing everyone to confront whether their pursuit of the star was worth the cost.

...But The Beef Will Save The Day

At the same time, Ebra’s beef window is slowly becoming the one operation that consistently brings in money. Last season the consultant Albert Schnur (played by the late Rob Reiner) even remarked on Ebra’s business instinct despite his lack of formal training. If that momentum turns into a second sandwich counter, it could end up carrying the entire restaurant financially. Ebra’s attempt to “create opportunity” may finally pay off, turning the humble beef window into the reason The Bear manages to stay afloat.

Marcus Will Set Up His Own Bakery

If you ask me, Marcus (Lionel Boyce) winning the Best Newcomer Chef award instead of Sydney already hinted that his career may start moving in a different direction. He has already talked about opening his own bakery, and that dream feels closer than ever. Sure, the award had more to do with the moment when Computer suggested letting him go and Nat (Abby Elliott) fought to keep him at the restaurant. But Marcus will probably continue developing his craft at The Bear for a while, till the question of whether it is time to build something of his own will start looming over him.

Luca Will Join The Restaurant

If the beef window begins generating enough revenue, the next logical move would be bringing Luca (Will Poulter) into the kitchen full time. Sydney is about to shoulder the responsibility of running the restaurant without Carmy’s presence, and Luca could help stabilise the back of house during that transition. With money finally coming in and the restaurant finding its rhythm, Nat and Jimmy would at last see signs that their investment might not collapse after all (cue Radiohead song that will go viral again).

Carmy And Claire Won’t Be Endgame…

Carmy and Claire have reconciled after his apology, but their relationship has not returned to what it once was. There is a strong chance they never return to that dynamic at all, despite the expectations everyone around them keeps projecting onto the relationship.

And what will happen to Carmy, now that he’s leaving? Our best guess is that he won’t disappear out of the blue. Early episodes of the next season could keep him away from the restaurant as he works through his family relationships and finally confronts Mikey’s death. Carmy will still appear, but the time away could push him toward rediscovering parts of himself that existed before cooking consumed his life. Who knows, he might even end up going to art school like he wanted to as a kid? Or he might even rediscover the joy of making food for other and end up working at Ebra’s sandwich shop?

...But Richie And Jessica Will

Richie has changed a great deal over the series, yet the loss of his marriage continues to define how he sees himself. He misses the stability of family life and struggles with how distant he feels from Tiff and his daughter. Jessica could end up becoming the person who helps him rebuild that part of his life, though the two would likely keep the relationship hidden to avoid disrupting the restaurant. As Richie finds steadier ground, he might even invite Tiff and Frank for dinner, which would signal that he is ready to coexist with the new shape of his family even if the emotional scars remain.