@alwaysshipping1’s ray of light post (amidst the dark night of the fandom, courtesy of the JLC season 5 slip lol) about the customised The Bear playing cards that were gifted to the S5 cast and crew got my wheels turning. As soon as I saw them, the depth of meaning in the court cards jumped out at me. IMO, it’s very clear that whoever designed these playing cards has an understanding of the tarot and has layered the archetypes of that system into this representation of The Bear’s key characters.
I said way back in 2024 that analysing this show was like reading tarot cards because of all the symbolism in each episode. Gotta say this deck is making me feel vindicated now!
In the interest of time and the already gigantic length of this post, I'm not going to get into much of the symbolism in either The Bear playing cards or the tarot's court cards. Instead, I'm going to focus on the archetypes that these cards represent and how the tarot gives us some surprising insights into our fav characters from the show. Lets get into it, shall we?
The Cards
Below are The Bear playing card court cards from all four suits (hearts, clubs, diamonds and spades) from @alwaysshipping1’s post:
The Suits
The tarot has four suits, like a conventional deck of playing cards. In the tarot, those suits are: Swords, Wands, Cups and Pentacles.
Above: Ace cards from each suit of the iconic Smith-Waite Tarot Deck. Source: The Lily Stone Quarry
Its commonly accepted that the following playing card suits correlate to the following tarot suits:
Spades = Swords
Clubs = Wands
Hearts = Cups
Diamonds = Pentacles
Generally speaking, the tarot suits have the following associations (I've adapted these definitions from Bakara Wintner's WTF is Tarot - which I'll reference heavily in this post - and the Biddy Tarot website):
Swords
Swords represent our analytical mind, thoughts, fears, mental health and intellect. They are also associated with new ideas and clarity. This suit is associated with the element of air. From Wintner: "Like a weapon, the sharpness of our minds can cut through the old, the superfluous and that which no longer serves. It can also cause harm to ourselves and others if used improperly or with malice." (p 83)
Wands
Wands are associated with energy, sexuality, passion, motivation, leadership and your life's purpose. This suit is associated with the element of fire. From Wintner: "From new creative endeavours to exciting partnerships to fiery conflicts to overwhelming ourselves with taking too much on, the Wands carry us through the path of fire." (p 78)
Cups
Cups represent the full range of emotions: love, healing, birth, grief, trauma, deceit, etc. This suit is associated with the element of water. From Wintner: "Cups ask us to go inside and take stock; they are an invitation to know ourselves better and, consequentially, connect more authentically with others." (p 89)
Pentacles
Pentacles have to do with earthly possessions, wealth, building a family/legacy and perfecting a craft or trade. This suit is associated with the element of earth. From Wintner: "Pentacles are the oldest suit in the tarot and thereby possess a stability earned through travelling through the first three suits of the tarot." (p 95)
Another thing to note is that while tarot decks have four court cards (King/Father, Queen/Mother, Page/Daughter, Knight/Son - yes this old ass system is very heteronormative and gendered), playing card decks only have three court cards (King, Queen and Jack). As a result, Jacks can correspond to either or both the Page/Daughter and Knight/Son in a reading.
The tarot uses archetypes to build meaning into each card. Storytelling (including in TV shows and movies) uses archetypes to do the same. The below interpretations are my attempt to show how I think the archetypes associated with these tarot cards have been used to inform The Bear court cards, and can even be used to understand these characters a little better.
The Bear Court Cards and their Tarot Interpretations
So with all of that context, let’s look more closely at The Bear court cards, individually and as part of a suit with common themes…
The Spades/Swords Family
Sydney (Queen of Spades/Swords):
As noted above, the Swords deal with the mind. Syd is incredibly smart, organised and excels in her field (recall that whole ass business report she made for Carmy while working as a stage in 1x02). Additionally Syd, like Carmy, is navigating her own mental health struggles which are most evident in season 4 where she has to deal with her father's health scare and shifting roles at the restaurant. We see more clearly than ever, the walls that Syd has built up around her gentle heart, because in season 4, they start to break down. As it turns out, walls, walls and more walls are a very Queen of Swords trait as Wintner's description of the Queen/Mother of Swords tells us (this also happens to read like a bio for Syd):
"The Mother of Swords has been burned in the past - badly, perhaps repeatedly - and is not going to let that happen again. She shut down her heart for the sake of protecting it, and she had her reasons, but she never went back to retrieve it. She's got trust issues she never sought therapy for. She craves connection but cannot ask for it and refuses it when it comes her way. [...]
"When the Mother of Swords shows up in a reading, we are asked to examine the fortress built around our hearts. How thick are the walls, how strong are the reinforcements, why did we take these protective measures in the first place and do we need them anymore? If not, thank the Mother of Swords for her service and release her. You may find a wounded inner child in need of care. You may find a heart that is intact and stronger than you previously thought." (pp 110-111)
Does this excerpt remind anyone else of the convo between Carmy and Syd at the end of 4x05 when she shot down his attempts to take her to the hospital? Or her pushing away help from everyone throughout season 1?
Above left: Syd keeping Carmy at arm's length after finding out about Emmanuel's heart attack in 4x05. Above right: Syd bleeding out and still chanting "everythingisfinenothingtoseehere" on a loop in 1x03.
Carmy (King of Spades/Swords):
While Carmy is shit at math, he's undoubtedly very intelligent when it comes to the culinary arts. Recall Richie saying in 4x10 that if Carmy could figure out the Wechsler intelligence exam that was The French Laundry cookbook, he must have been a fucking G. Its also no secret that Carmy has struggled with his mental health throughout the show which the suit of Swords often represents. In season 4, its confirmed for the audience that Carmy has been using his career as a "hurdle" in order to not confront his past and his trauma. This is a very Father/King of Swords thing to do as this archetype is largely a stranger to his emotional self, preferring to express his love and care through things like contractual obligations and fine print (*cough* partnership agreement, anyone? *cough*) than reflecting on his emotional connections with people (recall Carmy finally realising in 4x10 that Richie had lost somebody when Michael died because Sydney had clearly named this for him...this level of emotional obliviousness literally took me out the first time I watched the ep. My jaw was on the floor, just like Richie's lol). Wintner's description of the King/Father of Swords is consistent with the above:
"The Father of Swords always makes me a little sad because he is an amazing dad who would do anything for his kids, but his mental intelligence far surpasses his emotional intelligence, and he is therefore largely mysterious to himself. He won't write you a long, heartfelt birthday card, but he will keep you on his health insurance until you're twenty-six, pay your phone bill and help you get a new social security card when you lose yours. He expresses his love by showing up and that's not bad. Its better than the Fuckboy who will wax poetic about his love for you and then ghost. Its difficult to tell if the Father of Swords is happy. I don't think he even knows." (p 111)
Anyone else reminded of Carmy’s “I’m right here” to Syd during 3x09, when reading this? The man’s mind and emotions were AWOL, checked out in the depths of the ocean by that point, but Carmy assumed that by just being physically present in the restaurant, that he was still there for Syd. I'm also reminded of his insistence on continuing to work following a drive-by shooting at The Beef, much to the disappointment of Natalie who wanted him to slow down and reflect in 1x06.
Top: Syd protecting herself cos even though Carmy's in the house in 3x09, his soul has left the building. Bottom: Nat Karen-ing it up in 1x06 but also...she's got a point, Carm.
Ebra (Page/Knight of Spades/Swords):
Maybe less apparent than Syd and Carmy, Ebra has also had to deal with with his own psyche which caused him to go AWOL during most of season 2. During that time, he got in his own head and removed himself from the equation of The Bear. Wintner's description of the Page/Daughter of Swords also easily applies to our favourite Somali Grill Master:
"Spontaneity is impossible for this cautious archetype, and it can be painful to watch the ways [he] refuses to be an active participant in [his] own life.[...] Whether it is to save from potential disappointment or to remain controlled in the moment, the effect is the same. Due to fear, we did not allow ourselves to full experience something" (p 108)
Season 2 Ebra, much?
Above: In 2x08 Ebra confesses to Tina that his fear of change was the reason he avoided The Beef during its renovation into The Bear throughout season 2.
Also this is gold (and represents S4 Ebra to a T):
"If you are able to coax the [Page] of Swords out of [his] shell, you will most likely find someone very sweet, a little callow and smart as hell [His] powers of observation are uncanny, and [his] life advice is fair and balanced. You trust [him] as an objective source on emotional matters and [his] energy is an antidote to hysteria or weepiness. [His] practicality is especially appreciated when we are feeling helpless and [he] can see a possible cause of action that we may have missed. [He] is a loyal friend, always honest, never reckless and will save you from disaster over the course of your relationship. Occasionally, [he] may even let you copy [his] math homework." (p 109) (or his business projections, as the case may be).
Above: Ebra, his mentor Albert Schnur, and the humble beef window find a way to save The Bear from total disaster in 4x05.
Also finally the Wintner's book describes the energy of the Knight of Swords as being less “the tireless efforts of a passionate individual, but rather the militant force of a soldier.” (p 109).
Given what we know about Ebra’s time serving in the Middle East (“I was in a brigade once…many people died”), that last line made me sit up in my chair!
Common themes:
The suit of Swords is also about new ideas and innovation. In each case of Syd, Carmy and Ebra, all three characters are responsible for bringing new ideas to The Beef and then The Bear. With Carmy, it was bringing in Syd and trying apply the Brigade system to The Beef. With Syd, it was also trying to set up healthy systems at The Beef and then The Bear. Both Carmy and Syd brought Carmy's idea of turning The Beef into a new restaurant into reality. Ebra innovates The Beef window with the help of Albert Schnur (RIP Rob Reiner) and is probably going to be the anchor that saves the entire business in season 5.
All three of the Sword family members here have avoidance as a coping mechanism in common. I've written extensively here about how both Syd and Carmy set up hurdles to avoid dealing with their respective experiences of grief and its clear that Ebra avoiding The Beef entirely during its renovation was to also avoid the change and disruption to his life and old way of doing things. Avoidance is an incredibly short walk to being a stranger to one's inner self - a trait of the Swords - because you do not get the wisdom or the growth that confronting a challenge gives you.
The suit of Swords is associated with the element of air. Thought I'd mention this as Syd's "better than perfect" scallop dish features an airy foam gently nestled around the seared scallop. There's also that exchange in 4x01 where Syd and Carm start to have it out after the events of season 3, and Syd's words literally leave Carmy's lungs fighting for their lives lol:
Carmy: Congrats. That knocked the wind right out of me.
Syd: Well you don't need it.
Carmy: Air?
Syd: Dysfunction.
NB: I might just note here that a Queen of Swords who learns to let her walls down and accept love and care + a King of Swords who is beginning to explore how to give love and care through emotional connection...kinda sounds like it could be the perfect ship to me.
The Clubs/Wand Family
Donna (Queen of Clubs/Wands):
The suit of Wands represents passion, sexuality, and creativity. Its also associated with fire. The thing about fire is that it can be used to warm a home and cook a meal but let it rage unchecked and it can also burn down a house (or an Italian beef joint). The Berzatto matriarch - particularly circa 2x06 - embodies a fire raging out of control. During Fishes, Donna exudes a darkly flirtatious sexuality on top of her barely masked rage. Recall Ciceo's comments about her word-slurring being like "musk" and her telling the Faks to get out of the kitchen because they made her "very hot" (a direct reference to the element of fire)
Wintner's description of the shadow side Mother/Queen of Wands also rings so true for Donna:
"This archetype will, in a heartbeat, kill for what she loves, and under threat we see the shadow side of this powerful feminine. She will not side with the teacher when her kid gets in trouble at school and has a hard time hearing criticism of her creations. She shares a love of beauty with The Empress, and is prone to vanity, self-obsession and impulsiveness. It is not uncommon for this fiery Mother to be emotionally demanding of those around her, especially romantic partners, and she can be harsh and unforgiving if someone shows weakness or cannot keep up with her." (p 107)
Above: Really Cicero? Right in front of my salad, sir? Toxic flirting between friends in 2x06.
Richie (King of Clubs/Wands):
While Richie began life on the show embracing the shadow, raging fire and darkly sexual aspects of the Wands (recall his rage at "babies" Carmy and Sydney undermining his authority at The Beef and his constant sexual harassment of Neil Fak in season 1), by the end of his rebirth in 2x07, he begins to embody the leadership, charisma and purpose that are also associated with Wands suit.
Again, reading Wintner's description of the Father/King of Wands, I was struck at the similarities to Richie:
"He works a room like a god. He's deeply beloved and highly regarded by friends and colleagues alike. This doesn't necessarily mean there's a catch, but there is an inevitable shadow. Too self-aware to display outright narcissism, he may harbor feelings of superiority, judgement or boredom. [...] He is a big presence and will get restless if not surrounded by people he considers equals. What's most disconcerting about this man is that he knows he is capable of using his powers in light and dark, and has done both over the course of his lifetime. His sensitivity and ability to read people makes him capable of great compassion, and also masterful manipulation." (p 107)
Above left: I mean yes fuck the Faks but not like this Richie. Straight to jail for shitty Wands behaviour in 1x05. Above right: Richie working the room and a restaurant critic while uplifting his team in 4x03.
Richie's card in The Bear playing card deck also makes a direct reference to the dual aspect of light. and dark in The King of Wands/Clubs by showing him both as he was at The Beef and as he is now, at The Bear.
Cicero (Page/Knight of Clubs/Wands):
Of all the characters on The Bear, Cicero has to be one of the most charismatic but also one of the most threatening. He flirts openly with Donna, dotes on Sugar but threatens to drop Carmy to the ground for talking back to him. He financially backed all three Berzatto kids with their restaurants, despite his own reservations about the restaurant industry and losing money. He doesn't back down from conflict and stepped in to take on the role of a (imperfect and problematic) father figure for the Berzatto kids, presumably because of how much he loves them.
Wintner describes the Daughter/Page and Son/Knight of Wands as a "spitfire" and a "fuckboy" respectively, which pretty much sums up Cicero lol. Her description of the Daughter/Page of Wands struck me in its accuracy as a description for Uncle Jimmy:
"Patience and prudence seem like a waste of time to this action-oriented archetype, and [he] will burn [himself] out multiple times before considering hitting the brakes. Because [his] energy is boundless, [he] is generous with it and will learn boundaries as a result of giving too much away or being taken advantage of. Crossing [him] is inadvisable. [He] will not back down from a battle and will fight dirty if [he] feels the situation calls for it [...] [He] gives [himself] completely to what [he] loves and expects the same in return [...] [He's] not going to learn from your mistakes. [He's] going to make [his] own." (pp 104-105)
Above left: Carmy being "the guy" and getting put in his place by Unc in 3x05. Above right: Cicero literally telling Nat in 2x08 that he wished he'd let his kids make more of their own mistakes, in a very Page of Wands moment.
Common themes:
The Wands family is known for its charisma and passion - things that Donna, Richie and Cicero all have in excess. They are each charming when they want to be and all three are able to fuck you up if you cross them. All three have faced a challenge over the course of the show to choose not to lean into the shadow side of their personalities: to not choose rage and manipulation but instead to act with integrity and lead by example. They've each had varied success in this regard and I'm keen to see where they go in season 5.
Also as an aside, the element associated with the Wands is fire and I think its interesting that the way we're introduced to The Bear's Mother/Queen of Wands is via a shot of a flame from Donna's lighter in 2x06:
The Hearts/Cups Family
Natalie (Queen of Hearts/Cups):
As noted above, the Cups suit represents our emotional world: the good, the challenging, the profound and everything in between. Of all the Berzattos, its clear that Natalie has done the most to look inward at her emotions and trauma, reflecting on her past in the hopes that she can create a better future for her and her family (recall her convo with Richie in 3x04 about not wanting to let her worries impact on her unborn child). Nat is also clearly a nurturer, constantly checking in on everyone (and admits to doing as much to Donna, during 3x08). Wintner's description of the light and dark side of this Mother/Queen archetype also fits Natalie to a T:
"Her warmth immediate puts people at ease, and you may find yourself pouring your heart out to her. She is openhearted and inclusive, qualities that inspire vulnerability in everyone she meets. Being guarded doesn't make sense, or feel necessary, in her presence [...] The shadow of the Mother of Cups is that she doesn't know who she is if she's not taking care of other people. Her identity is informed by her ability to nurture others, and setting boundaries will be more difficult for her than any of the other Court Cards. [...] She will give you the shirt off her back, but is that a good thing? She's passing out on the airplane because she put on other people's air masks before her own." (p 114)
The above excerpt could have been the inspiration for the script of 3x08 where Natalie has that heart-to-heart with Donna lol.
Above left: Natalie unofficially counselling Carmy and where he first hears that its ok for him to admit that he no longer loves fine dining in 4x02. Above right: Codependent shadow Queen of Cups realising that she has grown up without boundaries and probably needs her oxygen mask now, from 3x08.
Mikey (King of Hearts/Cups):
The original ghost haunting the narrative of The Bear, we only know Mikey through flashbacks and memories of his surviving family and friends. From what we are shown, particularly in 2x06 and 3x06, Mikey appears to be a deeply intuitive and caring person. Recall his kindness to Tina as he realises she's crying in The Beef's dining room or his soft conversation with Carmy in the Berzatto's pantry, asking him for three things about Copenhagen in 2x06. At the same time, Mikey also emotionally suffered and inflicted suffering on others: keeping Carmy at a distance for years, battling an addiction to painkillers and ultimately, violently and publicly taking his own life. Given the gamut of emotions that we know Mikey has had to traverse in his short life, it makes sense that he be the King of Hearts/Cups in this deck.
Wintner would also agree - her description of the Father/King of Cups could be copied in its entirety here as a stand in for Mikey:
"The Father of Cups appears in readings in various degrees of absence. He could be an alcoholic or addict, or suffer from mental illness or chronic depression. Maybe he physically abandoned his family. Maybe he never resolved shit with his dad and is rife with unhealed trauma. or he could just be emotionally checked out. The result is the same: He is unreachable. The tragedy of the Father of Cups is that he possesses great depth and an unlimited creative potential, but he never explored either. Maybe he couldn't or wouldn't. Its possible that financial security, prestige, notions of masculinity or external expectations informed his decision to ignore his watery nature, but here we see the tax collected from neglecting your essence. The creativity rotted into destruction, and he is drowning in his own depths." (pp 114-115)
Above: Mikey tapping into deep emotional wells and connecting with Tina in 3x06.
Gary (Page/Knight of Hearts/Cups):
Of the little we know about Gary, its that the man has had a varied career trajectory, rivalled maybe only by Marcus. The difference is that Marcus has been motivated and focused on perfecting his craft as a pâtissiere while Sweeps hasn't been shown to have the same focus. I make the comparison because the Daughter/Page of Cups is known for their tendency to move from interest to interest, being open to new experiences and finding inspiration in all sorts of places. While this is a beautiful thing to behold, it can also frustrate as it can look as if the Daughter/Page of Cups is unable to "settle" down or stay grounded. Gary has gone from playing for a Chicago Cubs farm team, to cooking and cleaning at The Beef to becoming The Bear's sommelier, all in a very short period of time.
As Wintner observes,
"[The Page of Cups] pursues what [he] finds to be beautiful and interesting with no real end - a novelty in this goal-oriented and career-motivated world. [... The Page] of Cups isn't very good at being a human. The logistics of life do not hold [his] interest, and [he] probably hasn't done [his] taxes in three years.
Be gentle with [him] and this part of yourself. [He] is the source of all creative inspiration. The muse. [He] embodies the purest experience of awe, wonder and reverence humans are capable of. Its easy to ignore this, and [he] will not fight you for your attention. Almost everything is more pressing and time-sensitive than what [he] offers us, but few things are as nourishing."
Or as delicious and impressive.
Above left: Gary casually dropping his impressive lore on a tunnel-visioned Marcus in 1x06. Above right: Gary finding new inspiration with Alpana Singh in 4x02.
Common themes:
GIven its association with emotions, the suit of Cups invites us to turn our gaze inwards, to sit with and learn ourselves better. Each of Nat, Mikey and Gary have had some experience with this. In fact, they're some of the only characters on the show that have been their most vulnerable with people they know (a much scarier prospect than showing your soft underside to someone you may never see again and whose opinions you dont care about). Recall Nat disclosing her deep seated fears of rejection to Donna in 3x08, Mikey telling Tina about his belief that the opportunity to dream and pursue that dream would skip over him in 3x06 and Gary telling Ted Fak that he fell into a dark place after testing positive for drugs and ending his baseball career in 3x07.
The element associated with the Cups is water and all three characters have been associated with motifs connected with water. The Berzattos are associated with fishes, particularly after that eponymous episode of 2x06. When we first meet Nat in 1x01, she is wearing turtle and fish pendants - both animals associated with water. Mike killed himself on the State Street Bridge which crosses major waterway, the Chicago River. And finally, Gary's entire job at The Bear is being a master of wine, a drink made particularly famous when Jesus worked his magic on some water.
The Diamonds/Pentacles Family
Tina (Queen of Diamonds/Pentacles):
Tina is a fiercely loving mother figure on The Bear. She cares deeply about both her family-family and her work-family, indeed she's the first non-Berzatto to blur the line between the two by bringing her son to work to get trained under Sydney in 1x07. In 3x06, we see how much consistent care she puts into raising her child, particularly in the hot, home-cooked meals she makes for him and the notes of affirmation she slips into his school lunches. While she is shown to take great care in the maintenance of her home and household, Tina is also someone who loves work, routine and her independence. In season 3, Tina is also shown wanting to support the farmers she meets at the market whose crops are being impacted by climate change. All of these traits are epitomised in the Mother/Queen of Pentacles archetype as described by Wintner:
"Staying grounded comes naturally to her, and her physical abundance is matched by her generosity and service. Well suited for the professions of teacher, herbalist, wildlife rehabilitator, farmer or maker, she will thrive in all areas that call for physical connection and elemental understanding [...] [S]he has a job or is otherwise self-supporting. Self-possession and independence are big motivators for the Mother of Pentacles and she will preserve her sense of personal security and identity no matter the circumstance. Motherhood and homesteading are second nature to this earth energy, and she derives fulfilment from tending to the world around her." (pp 117-118)
Above left: Tina likes working so much, she made looking for a job a full-time job in 3x06. Above right: Tina telling Mikey (and us) in 3x06 why she does what she does: her family.
Marcus (King of Diamonds/Pentacles):
Marcus is literally who he says he'd like to be when Carmy asks him in 3x07 about the legacy he'd like to leave: no matter how dire the circumstance, he does not wallow for long and keeps his chin up. He listens, is constantly learning and does honest work. He enjoys good company and is a pleasure to be around and he's reliable enough that he's considered an excellent emergency contact by Natalie (he's literally the first person he calls after her sister-in-law Sydney and her own brother, Carmy) He's also the first person that Natalie lets hold her baby, Sophie.
Marcus is a gentle giant who takes deep care of his loved ones (recall his tender exchanges with his mother, while she lay bedridden in season 2). He's also an incredibly thoughtful person and a diligent worker (recall that savoury cannoli in 2x09 that had Carmy whistling and then left speechless, as Marcus tells him that its named after Michael). As we see in 4x09, he's also someone whose hard, diligent work is starting to pay off in the form of accolades. What's notable though is that Marcus doesn't appear to derive much satisfaction or motivation from the award itself (recall his brief and pointed speech after being told he's won: "Nothing to say other than I love this place, and I love you all. And, 45 to service."). For Marcus the joy he derives from his work is in getting to be creative and in collaborating with others (whether that's squishing donuts with Fak, brainstorming recipe ideas with Tina or cooking with his #33, Luca).
Given Wintner's observations about the Father/King of Pentacles, I'd say Marcus embodies this archetype:
"For the Father of Pentacles, to love is to provide for, and a father figure like him means you will never go without [...] His satisfaction from life comes from the work he put into creating it, with money being only one of the many by-products. It is important that the people he loves both feel supported and appreciate the value of an honest day's work.
Because of his strong connection to the material world, the Father of Pentacles will falter if his physical resources are compromised. Ill health, financial hardship or family problems will all threaten the foundation of this sturdy masculine. In cases like these, he risks collapse if he does not reach for the immaterial. Emotional support and spiritual connection open doors for further development and expansion." (p 118)
Above left: Marcus striving for perfection of his craft in season 1. Above right: culinary descendants Tina and Marcus collaborating and growing a legacy.
Luca (Page/Knight of Diamonds/Pentacles):
While we don't have too much insight into Luca's backstory, we do know that the man is hardworking as hell. He made it a professional goal to try and keep up with Carmy of all people - the guy Uncle Jimmy described as a "tweaked out line-cook" in 4x07 lol. Luca is also diligent to a fault (recall his gentle, methodical tapping of blue caramel dust on each of Marcus' tiny meringues in 4x06), and thoughtful (recall his "Every Second Count" sign sent to Marcus as a gift for the opening of The Bear, with that sweet note). He is also steady and a loyal friend, as we saw during the funeral dinner for Ever in 3x10 when Carmy discloses to both Luca and Syd that the source of much of his professional trauma was in the room with them.
And my absolute favourite thing about Luca is his sustained work ethic. Luca cannot operate at the speed that Carmy does and he knows it, so he pivots from burning himself out to try and beat Carmy to working hard to keep up with him. The difference is subtle but it gives Luca an edge that many of us sadly don't have and don't value: longevity. Luca can run the marathon because he's not trying to sprint. And you know what they say about slow and steady.
All of the above is consistent with how Wintner describes the Son/Knight of Pentacles,
"[W]here the Son of Swords is giving you anxiety because of his no chill, the Son of Pentacles is slow and steady. What he lacks in natural brilliance he makes up for in industriousness. He's not going to push boundaries or take wild risks, and he's probably not going to invent the next Internet. He will, however, accomplish his goal. A more sustainable energy than his Swords counterpart, he understands that some efforts just take time. [...] His professional aspirations are the backbone of his identity, the throughline through which all other priorities are set. He will work weekends and holidays if necessary. He doesn't fly out of the office as soon as his shift is up [..] He's the responsible friend who makes you question your poor life choices.
There is an unglamorous reality that lives between the conception of a dream and its manifestation, and most of that reality is the Son of Pentacles. He gets flack for being a stubborn, socially-awkward square, but he's the one laughing all the way to the bank. Exceedingly diligent, dedicated and focused, there is nothing he cannot accomplish. Sometimes there is boring work required to harness a vision and root it into the ground. But its more boring to have a bunch of pipe dreams, unlaid plans and great ideas that die on the vine." (p 117)
Above left: Luca is the hard-working Scottie Pippen to Marcus' and Carmy's Michael Jordans. Above right: A diligent, hardworking friend willing to work on a stage's pay to help his mates?! This man is an angel and the only person on this show good enough for Marcus.
Common themes:
As I noted above, the suit of Pentacles is associated with the material world including: work, legacy and perfecting a craft. These are all things that can be associated with Tina, Marcus and Luca. Each of these characters are culinary descendants of Carmy and Syd (Luca has become a descendant of Syd's as of 4x05 when he joins The Bear as a stage). In this way they're part of Syd and Carmy's legacy and culinary family tree (a tree we literally see emerge from Syd as she meets Carmy (on a plate) for the first time in 3x01. We also get a glimpse of all three of these characters' journeys to perfecting their craft (or realising where their limits are, in Luca's case): Tina (frustratingly) spent most of season 4 trying to beat the 3-minute timer on the pasta dish, Marcus has now dedicated his life to his craft and we see him literally awarded for this in 4x09. In 2x04 Luca tells us about his realisation that for him, his career was not about being the best but pushing himself to keep up with the best.
Another thing that Tina, Marcus and Luca have in common is what triggers their usual steadiness to be thrown off-kilter. Given the importance of hearth and home to the suit of Pentacles, its not surprising that when we see these three reliable, consistent characters waiver, its when their familial relationships and/or homes are hit with turbulence. Recall Tina's icy demeanour to Carmy and Syd throughout season 1 which we find out in 3x06 was due to her loyalty and love for Michael and the family and opportunity he created for her; or the few times we see Marcus mad on this show being when he thinks his key relationships with Carmy and Syd have broken down; or the only time we see Luca's pleasant and patient affectation falter is when he speaks about his sister in 2x04 with whom he'd lost contact.
The element associated with the suit of Pentacles is earth. Tina's connection to the earth is shown to us in seasons 3-4 via her relationships with various farmers whose produce she picks for The Bear. Marcus' breakthrough dish - the one featuring an element of legerdemain and inspired by his mother - is one that he was triggered to develop after seeing a white violet flower growing outside of his house.
Tina also has another connection to the earth - specifically to her homeland or patria of Puerto Rico. I include this because of the below blink-and-you'll-miss-it shot of the Marrero family fridge in 3x06:
In Tina's home, the Puerto Rican flag is the version with light blue (vs dark or medium blue). This version of the Puerto Rican flag is synonymous with the Puerto Rican independence and anti-colonial movement; that is: a movement that seeks the freedom of the land - the earth - of Puerto Rico from being trampled under the boot of Amerikkkan imperialism.
Bonus: The Joker = The Fool
The only Major Arcana card of the tarot with an equivalent in a regular deck of playing cards is The Fool which is associated with the Joker. The Fool represents the start of the hero's journey that is mapped through the story of the Major Arcana. Relevantly, the Fool can represent naiveté, impulsiveness, unpreparedness, ignorance and one's inner child. From Wintner:
"A sponge, a blank slate for the experiences laid out for him in the following cards. Possessing the energy of a newborn, The Fool is both cosmically connected - new enough to hold onto the memory of the divine oneness from which he came - and fearless - possessing no knowledge of the world he is about to step into and therefore too uninformed to be afraid." (p 23)
It should come as no surprise then, that the Joker/Fool cards of this deck feature all of the Faks that we've had the pleasure misfortune of meeting on the show to date: the most brand new, blank-slate, uninformed characters on The Bear.
Note: I should add that the tarot draws on archetypes and none of The Bear's characters are ever just ONE archetype. The same goes for all of us. We embody different characteristics of different archetypes across each of our respective journeys. Some archetypes might stick around longer than most and some might come to define us in the eyes of others. I guess what I'm saying is we all hold multitudes which is one of the things I love so much about this show.
please note that this is all in good fun and these are just a silly little guy's opinions
carmy: straight. has never once questioned this, has never thought about romance with a dude
sydney: unlabeled/doesn't think about it much
natalie: bisexual!!! and this is canon too!!! (i am a very lowkey sydney x natalie shipper. very very lowkey)
richie: bisexual (i can see him with fak, mikey, and jess at different points)
marcus: gay. i know there was that whole thing with syd, but like. he's gay to me
tina: straight, but she's like the world's best ally. she's def in her local pflag chapter
ebraheim: straight, and he would have a hard time grasping a lot of the newer terms (he'd still try though, and tina would probably be the one to explain it all)
neil geoff fak: pansexual. at first he has no idea what that is but when he finds out about he's like. yup that's me!
mikey: bi but has no idea
pete: straight, but he's a really good ally. he'd be so chill to have at pride
claire: straight
kelly: she's giving lesbian vibes. i know she's with ted but i just feel it
luca: queer/unlabeled. good news for literally everyone tbh
chester: gay but only for marcus
jess: straight
tiff: i think she's straight but she COULD be lesbian experiencing comphet
ted fak: straight but the annoying kind
cicero: i can't for the life of me tell you why but this man is not straight. that's all i can say. also i ship him with the computer
Ok this season was absolutely 5 stars for me just phenomenal and I have a lot of thoughts but this post is just for one of them
Fuck anyone who hates the Faks.
Listen they don’t need to be your faves, you can feel that they had a little too much screen time last season—
But if you can’t see the value of the Faks to the show and to the restaurant
You don’t understand The Bear.
The Faks are at like, the heart of the message. What makes this restaurant special isn’t world renowned chefs or expensive butter or impeccably trained servers
ITS THE PEOPLE
Sweeps is absolutely new as a sommelier, Marcus had to go to another country to learn pastry, Tina was a line cook who was way too slow sometimes,
nobody in The Bear is the cream of the crop except for Sydney.
Sydney has raw talent, that wasn’t enough, she needed THESE people and THIS place. Because they saw her. They uplift her. They support her. And they believe in her so much that they all learn new skills to fill the positions she needs them in. She’s the Bear.
The Faks embody the staff of The Bear.
They aren’t qualified, they don’t have the right look or the right manners, there is no reason for them to even be working in this restaurant. It’s hard to tell if they are even getting paid for being there.
But they show up and they do WHATEVER is asked of them and they do it with a smile BECAUSE THEY LOVE THESE PEOPLE.
And watching Neil Geoff serve that table was beautiful and adorable and I felt just as proud of him as the servers did.
Sydney’s heart to heart / cussing out of Ted was so adorable and honestly necessary for the show to have a perfect conclusion. Because it is confusing why they’re there and they do seem pointless and unhelpful sometimes but their love and attention and dedication is one of the pillars of the restaurant. They physically could not have gotten through service in S5 without them and the weird shit they keep in their cars.
