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children

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Ayo & Ebon: youuu guys are my best friends!

through thick and thin, we've always been together!

we're (two) of a kind havin fun all day,

pallin around & laughin away.

just best friends - best friends are we!

I love you guuys 🤗

(she's his first call!)

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let's pick up the pace, Storer and co!

Love this. Obviously I don't own 'Let her kiss somebody Damn!' but I feel this writer understands the high-level, "macro commentary" issue I have with romantic relationships on The Bear, and thus, understands me. As you were, Bianca.

Sydney deserves love! Let her kiss somebody damn!

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congratulations to ayo edebiri for making emmy’s history as the first black woman to be nominated for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series and outstanding director for a comedy series!!!!

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my 'For you' tab just showed me a post calling Sydrichie shippers pervs who shouldn't be trusted around young women. Sir!! You've got it all wrong, Sir!!

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Yes to all of this! I think it would such a shame for the series to end without seeing growth for Syd in this area.

But this thought persists - what if Ayo specifically wants NO love interest for Syd? What if she thinks keeping Sydney's high emotional walls firmly intact through the series finale would be some kind of victory for contrarian storytelling?

Obviously I'm speculating on how much control she'd have over something like this. But based on the creative influence we are aware of (directing an episode, writing another and shadowing Storer) and the way she and Storer have tried to smother shipping of any kind, I think they could potentially go in that direction. I mean, they gave her exactly one scene with Luca and it seemed pretty friend-zoney to me.

I watched Opus the other day and a character who was interested in Ayo's character said "you'd never let anyone get close enough to break your heart, present company included". It felt like watching a bizarro-world scene from The Bear where instead of seeing that point being proven by Sydney's actions, someone just said it to her face instead.

When Ebon was asked during S2 promotions what he'd like to see for Richie in future seasons he said it would be nice if he had a love life of some kind. And the show is clearly moving him in that direction. I hope Ayo wants, even a little bit, for Sydney to experience the same. I am a shipper, but I low key don't even care who it is at this point either. All of the potentials have something to give and they all love her, so...

Shippers unite for our girl!!

I don't want people to just think that i'm a chronic shipper for the sake of shipping. Or that I don't "understand the point" of The Bear. Or all of my shipping habits is only in spite of the misogynoir-ist Bear fans who claim Sydney is annoying and therefore unlovable or undeserving of love.

It's because, she's such a beautifully fleshed-out character. She holds so much of herself back and doesn’t open her walls to anybody. She really only relies on her dad, and even then, she hates the feeling of someone worrying about her. And it's one of the realest qualities to any character I've ever had the pleasure of seeing and watching within a piece of media..

So yeah, okay, I ship Sydney with three different guys on the show (I see the SydRichie potential, SydLuca, c'mon they're cute, and OBVIOUSLY Sydcarmy..) (yes, you can LOL) because I think they could all bring her out of her shell in different ways.

And this is not in an “oh, she’s dependent on another person and the show is totally a romance” kinda way , and no not in a "I think in order for her character to be fully fleshed out she needs a romantic interest"— but in a way that recognizes romance is in fact a large part of most people’s lives. And as a well-written character, she deserves a well-written arc that includes her allowing herself to be loved. Cherished. Adored. The way she deserves. The way that she's denied herself. The way that she's closed herself off to. Time and time again. (Her dodging Carmen's obvious about-to-be-ask-out in season two, or the way that she blew off his "I like this" statement just this season)

She’s done so much good for every single one of the other characters. So yeah, fucking sue me if I think:

Luca and his charm and openness to learning and skill and flirtatiousness could make her more confident

Richie’s commitment to growth could open a space for real honesty between them and their connections growth to shift and become something more together (-this I'm kind eh on but I def see the appeal and the potential some of y'all have pointed out)

Or, (as my shameless favorite): Carmen.

Carmen, the damaged, youngest, most driven, most “I-have-something-to-prove-even-when-I-don’t,” the self-destructive and the caring, the altruistic yet insanely flawed young man, could grow alongside Sydney.

In what has the potential to be one of the most beautifully written dynamics in TV history.

The most complex, D1 yearner, and developed relationships to be told in a story already so deep and complex and human.

To have the upper middle-class Italian white youngest son, Carmen, with ambition and anger and years of pent-up emotion, to choose financially struggling Black woman, Sydney, who had to fight to become an absolutely, deliciously impressive chef in a predominantly white male industry. (meta tagged below) And for her to choose him back.

And to be together. Create together.

To hold each other (accountable, and in love)

in consistent apologies, and growth, and change, in discomfort and in the face of adversity.

To keep choosing each other.

To be each other’s partners.

And yeah, none of this is even from a technical or meta mind. This isn't an analysis or a deep set and heavily researched post to show you guys the evidence of how the show will show her love.. it's honestly just a rant at this point. I defend and love Sydney's character so hard and I believe so deeply she deserves the love she avoids and she deserves to be held and looked at longing and lovingly the way she really, already is. And to be okay with it and not only okay with it but to accept it and love it right back.

---

I alluded to a lot of ideas brought up in a couple metas I've read the past few days in this rant so I'll tag 'em here:

@whenmemorydies "system" works

@habaritess "I like this" was a confession

@yannaryartside "why Sydney is the bear..."

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I know a lot of my fellow sydcarmy shippers absolutely HATE the idea of a sydluca endgame but for once I am cool with whatever.

You want me to be mad about my good personal friend Sydney Adamu possibly ending up with the only psychologically stable chef ever who is also extremely talented and 6'4"?? Afraid I can't do that

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what's the plan, Luca?

Some interesting articles about what season 5 could look like for our fav new British Bear are popping up. In the interest of logical storytelling, what exactly are they supposed to do with Luca now?

**close race but I agree with majority on how it'll probably go** Although 'where's Luca?' after 3 episodes still seems very likely to me

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Richie & Tiffany The Bear, S04E07

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"That's what I need." 😭

“Updated partnership terms. One side Jimmy. And the other side - me, Nat and Richie.”

“Okay, if that’s what you want.”

“That’s what I need.”

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So are we gonna get Syd/Luca?? Cuz apparently Ted/Kelly and Frank/Claire/Stevie warranted more screen time than these two.

The way I cheered when Luca showed up. 😍😍😍

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Wishlist for SydRichie

They stay squarely in the Joy bucket (no twisty, ambiguous treatment towards each other that becomes unresolved resentment)

We get an exchange of "love you" (by two adults who respect each other and know how to be vulnerable)

Richie becomes that other constant thing in Syd's life (it's not just her dad anymore. Richie is solid and she believes him)

The romance of it all IS canon in our fanfiction, if not on the show (we write the romance of SydRichie better than Storer ever could anyway. Representation of romantic relationships on the show is just...no.)

SydRichie fandom also stays squarely in the Joy bucket (we understand that the show's storytelling is obviously setting Richie up with a woman his age who thinks he's cute and who he's boyishly awkward around and whatever, that's fine I guess and yeah, hopefully I'm wrong about that.)

SydRichies refrain from threatening the actual human beings creating the television show (because it's like, a television show, so.)

SydRichies, all 50 of us, stay winning with all the lovely moments we've been given with our sweet babies (because they make us squee and want to smoosh their faces and just write the most perfect love stories inspired by those moments and that's so dope)

One for me, specifically: hope I never get passionately angry about not seeing their romance develop on screen, cuz all my SydRichie joy that's just based on how adorable and lovely they are and how much fun it's been to watch their relationship grow into this amazing reciprocal, adult thing will disappear and i can't have that.

She is the Bear/He is the Sand. He will be on the partnership agreement and keep them all connected because That's What She Needs, Carmy!

What would you add?

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THE BEAR FX | 4x07 | Bears

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that gif #7 right there...

Sydney Adamu and Richie Jerimovich in Season 4 of THE BEAR

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To the Day One SydRichies

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my man is aware. he knows...mhmm

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i'll take it. plus, richie gets his love interest!! okay chef jess 😍

The Bear S4 Teaser