Claire - The OTHER Bear

[Elizzikra]

As I was finding my way through these threads, I was surprised that Claire is such a polarizing character. I like her. I think she is an important foil to Carmy in an interesting way. 

I think it's no accident that Claire Bear is given the relatively common nickname "Clair Bear." She is another Bear. She and Carmy were both talented, but misfits in school. They were both shy and deeply interested in their own pursuits, probably to the exclusion of all other friendships and potential activity. Neither of the dated. Neither of them were seen as particularly attractive by the popular kids. They get out of high schools and both of our bears pursue these incredibly long and difficult career paths that are going to force them to be at the total mercy of people who will push and berate and haze you to the point of exhaustion, dangling before you the hope that you will someday be genius level at what you do. They both get through all that abuse to get to their dream jobs. Bear has his restaurant; Clair Bear has her ER. They still work crazy hours under very demanding circumstances for high stakes outcomes. This is where they part - Bear seems to lose it totally. He becomes super short of temper. He pulls into himself, nitpicks every speck of the restaurant to death and he is still never satisfied. He seems miserable, constantly. Carmy is not in a good place and doesn't appear to be on track to getting to a good place any time in the near future.

Clair Bear though - she finishes her grueling training. She nearly kills a patient but is able to move past it and keep working. She seems to able to balance her work life and home life just fine. If Carmy Bear can turn himself into what Clair Bear is, he would be a happy guy with a nice romance and a successful relationship. I guess the big reason he can't do this is because he grew up in such dysfunction. I just really want to see Carmy turn into what he could be if he went more Claire Bear; if he could stop OCD'ing every single element of everything in that restaurant and let al the team members who have worked really hard grow their skills actually step up and shine, he would have enough time for a successful relationship and a successful business.

I also will add that I spent all season waiting for Claire Bear to be a big hero - to deliver Sugar's baby on the bus, or sew up Richie when he got stabbed in the kitchen again = or maybe even do the heimich on some customer who bit off more than he could chew. I'm glee they haven't gone that route as it would feel really contrived.