At the end of The Bear season 2, Jimmy receives a chocolate banana from Richie, which is a callback to an earlier episode of the same season. Created by Christopher Storer, The Bear is well known for its numerous small details that have a profound impact on the plot and characters. The chocolate banana that Richie sends to Jimmy represents one such detail, highlighting the depth and meaning within the show.
Jimmy, also known as Cicero and often called "Unc" by the highly dysfunctional Berzatto family, is one of the key characters in The Bear. He is a no-nonsense businessman who has significant influence over Natalie, Carmen, and even Richie, although Richie has struggled to fully earn his trust. Despite wanting nothing but the best for the Berzatto family, Jimmy doesn’t hesitate to give them harsh reality checks. These often lead to rifts, making him appear more like an enemy when, in fact, he’s a mentor.
The primary reason behind the tension between Richie and Jimmy is Richie’s flawed character. Richie is too proud, too stubborn, and not mature enough for his age. Although Jimmy loves the Berzatto family and Richie as well, for a man as practical as Jimmy, it becomes difficult to overlook Richie’s constant mistakes and invest in him in good faith. However, by sending the chocolate banana, Richie begins to change how Jimmy perceives him.
What is the importance of chocolate-covered banana in The Bear?
The chocolate banana stands as a testament to the complexity and beauty of The Bear. At the end of season 2, for the grand opening of Carmen’s new restaurant, Richie sends a chocolate banana specially made for Jimmy. This gesture is a callback to the episode "Fishes" (season 2 episode 6), where Jimmy shared with Tiff, Richie’s ex-wife, a memory of Richie’s dad taking him to the banana stand.
"Fishes" was the Christmas episode in The Bear, and it is probably the most chaotic episode of the entire series. Despite the constant chaos in Carmen’s kitchen, "Fishes," an episode set at Carmen’s home, proves to be even more chaotic. In this episode, Richie smells chocolate bananas out of thin air, which Tiff attributes to holiday nostalgia.
A few moments later, Richie is caught lying about receiving a job offer from Jimmy. Richie lies to suggest he had genuinely earned an offer from Jimmy, but he clearly did not. However, instead of exposing Richie and further straining his relationship with his wife, Jimmy saves face and shows a rare sign of faith in Richie, despite his repeated mistakes.
The chocolate covered banana proves as a sign of Richie’s growth and maturity
Richie’s character has seen one of the best growths in The Bear. From where he started in season 1 to where he ended up by the close of season 2, Richie has made considerable progress, largely on his own but also with some support from the Berzatto family and Jimmy.
Therefore, sending the chocolate-covered banana to Jimmy demonstrates Richie’s growing maturity as a person after struggling to find his purpose. The chocolate-covered banana thus serves as his way of thanking Jimmy for bringing Carmen’s restaurant to life.
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