endlesslyhyperfixating

[endlesslyhyperfixating]

Sydney's scrunchie

What's this whole deal about Syd and the scrunchie and where it appears or doesn't appear? What was the purpose of it's appearance and disappearance? Is it just a piece of clothing or does it have some symbolism attached to it? What game is being played here? What magic trick? And why Syd?

I'm looking at this, as usual, with the theory that Carmy's mind in part at least influences the visuals of the storytelling, including and particularly the way some of the characters present. Why did the scrunchie have an era? Was it just a time marker or does it mean something more?

The scrunchie makes it's first appearance in "Braciole". Before that, Syd either wore her hair loose in a scarf or tied it up with her own braids. "Braciole" was also the episode where we really see that Carmy had a sentimental and emotional attachment to Syd and that they were more than just co-workers who got along. It was the episode with this;

And this;

The scrunchie was made such a part of Sydney in season 2, it's almost a character of its own. You could not not notice them on her- The colors, the patterns, the way she wore them was really beautiful and interesting.

There's also a little disappearing act magic with the scrunchie in "Bolognese" where a second different scrunchie appears on her wrist (so she's wearing two scrunchies at the same time) in her first interaction with Carmy that disappears for the rest of the episode.

This scene is very deliberate because they made sure she rolled her sleeves down so you didn't notice the second one too easily.

So why did the scrunchie era come to an abrupt stop? Well, Carmy giveth and Carmy taketh away.

The scrunchie makes its last appearance in "Tomorrow" in Carmy's flashback of friends and family, which means technically it makes an exit in "The Bear" episode. She also technically reverts to the old method of wearing her hair in "Next" which is coincidentally where the cracks in her relationship with Carmy start to show and their emotional withdrawal from each other starts to happen. This episode that starts the save it for later era of the show- the stuckness. We never see the scrunchie again. Well, until "Apologies".

In Apologies the scrunchie suddenly makes an appearance in the most unusual of places– Carmy's dresser. And the way the scene is shot is so interesting. He discovers Michael's prayer card in his suit pocket (which seems to have magically appeared as well, because he didn't attend the funeral) after studying the card he stares at a spot on his dresser for a while before placing the prayer card down. The camera pans to where he lays the card- next to a strange scrunchie. The shot also mirrors a shot from a scene of Syd's in next. Interesting that they made this exact visual callback.

The first time we see a strange hair accessory at Carmy's is in "Tomorrow"– a hair claw. Because he was just in a relationship it is very easily assumed that it belonged to his girlfriend, Claire. Except we never saw Claire wearing a hair claw– not in his moments with her, not in the flashbacks. We do, however, see Nat wear a hair claw through seasons 2 and 3. Nat also wears her hair mostly loose in S1 and in flashbacks.

Why Carmy is holding on to a claw and a scrunchie will remain a mystery for the time being but we can infer from the way the story is playing out that these objects hold some meaning to him the story. Apart from the literal logistics of how they got there and why, what is the symbolism? Nat also keeps wearing her claws in S3 unlike Syd. Maybe because Nat is a constant in his life? Because the nature of their relationship can never change. Nat also makes an appearance with the scrunchie in the S4 trailer but she's in bed with Pete and their baby and the romantic implication of that scene is as clear as day.

So, in "Apologies", we see the scrunchie again. This is the episode were Carmy contemplates trying to make things right. He tries to repair his friendship and get closer to Syd by inviting her to the Ever funeral but he gets stuck trying to have an honest talk with her. He also contemplates apologizing to Claire but is unable to.

So, scrunchie on his dresser must be pointing to the person he is thinking about and it feels really intimate and sentimental, therefore it must belong to Claire, his girlfriend right?

Wrong!

Claire has never been seen with a scrunchie. The scrunchie material looks in the exact style Syd would wear them. The show has made a point of making the scrunchie Sydney's thing and also Syd has been to Carmy's apartment a few times, so it must belong to Syd, right?

Well, Wrong!

Because, again , that's too easy. So, we have this:

This is from tomorrow a scene in Claire's nightstand. Notice what's beside the alarm clock? Looks like a floral pattern very similar to the scrunchie. But it doesn't look like a scrunchie. It looks like a handkerchief or something else. So what does this mean? What window is this supposed to open? Who really has the scrunchie? Is it Sydney's or it it still Carmy doing the transference thing? If Syd was wearing the scrunchie by the power of his mind, does it mean Sydney was but is no longer the object of his affection? Or is he saving it for later?

But the real question is why, of course. Why is it constantly looking like Carmy is torn between the both of them? Why are they (Storer and team) trying so hard to link and conflate these two women in Carmy's mind as much as possible if there's no romantic connotation to sydcarmy? Even if what's on the dresser isn't a scrunchie, great care was made to make it look like one. So it's a deliberate effort to keep us, at least, thinking of Sydcarmy. This isn't an accident. It's a carefully crafted plan. They want us to wait for it and watch for it for better or worse. Any other explanation is an absolute lie.

PS : I want to hear your theories. Mine is that the scrunchie is Sydney's and whatever doppelganger thing is on Claire's nightstand belongs to her cuddle mate, Kelly.

[endlesslyhyperfixating]

okay so can anyone tell me whether carmy kept the notebook sydney left at the beef when she quit???

i mean he found it. but DID HE KEEP IT STILL????

we know he kept her scrunchie. but what about the notebook????

[endlesslyhyperfixating]

The basic unexamined problem of Carmine and Sydney is they never want to be apart ever ever but they are both too embarrassed to admit so they always have to play act that they have somewhere better to be.

The chore is always made up and pointless, if not downright counterproductive, thus, conflict.

[endlesslyhyperfixating]

The Sydcarmy + Lucus parallels

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"I'm Carmy, chef! Love me!"

Richie really read Carmy down with this doodle because this is exactly what he was talking about:

Mans just made the most vague statement and thought she'll look into my big blue eyes and understand what I mean!

Like... girl, bye!

[endlesslyhyperfixating]

Also...

I keep trying to find clues or sydcarmy crumbs in season 3 because I feel like there’s something hidden there. Like the fridge clues all over season 2 or the tomatoes in season 1.

Still not sure what it is. But I did hyper-focus on those box scenes in season 3. There were at least 3 of those scenes, so I felt like there was something important there. Some people have written really good metas on what those boxes symbolize etc. so I won’t get into that.

I just find it peculiar that in 3x5 we have Carmy by himself and there is a Coca Cola box that seems to be the only one that is broken down and folded

Then we have Syd in 3x7 getting frustrated but there is no cola box there for her:

Then we have Carmy with the Faks in 3x9 and what do you see? A Coca Cola box broken down and folded again in the same place..

idk what it means but it seems intentional.And I know some of us consider cola a sydcarmy thing so I had to point this out. Happy to hear any thoughts and theories.

[endlesslyhyperfixating]

“what do you like?”

“i like this”

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am I being too optimistic or are sydcarmy stocks higher than ever

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i really need to know how the fuck this scene could ever possibly be platonic

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i'm so hungry i could eat The Bear Season 4

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“I like this” okk wdym by that sir!!???

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“i don’t like dysfunction”

“what do you like?”

“i like this”

I STG CARM BETTER NOT FUCK THIS UP CHAT WE ARE GETTING SO FUCKING BLUEBALLED RN HOW IS THIS LEGAL

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So I never posted about the Bear or Sydcarmy before, but here we go:

Was reading some of the Bear script, it says it’s a draft, and I started reading the 2x2 one "Pasta"

And noticed how they change this 😭 Carmy was so…. Love the Sydcarmy banter too 🤣

Also anyone knows where to find the 2x9 "Omelette" script? I only have the one from 2x1 to 2x7, and the pilot one

[endlesslyhyperfixating]

dude u cannot tell me that the way carmy looks at sydney is platonic #propaganda i am NOT buying

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C'mon yk that's too quick for their slowburn

Imagine we get a sydcarmy kiss on the final episode of S4 and then they starve us for another year

[endlesslyhyperfixating]

The Bear's cinematography is SO intentional and beautiful you can't tell me this doesn't mean anything.

THE BEAR (2022—) - S1E08 - Braciole

[endlesslyhyperfixating]

lol