Though we’ve reached Season 3, how Mikey died in The Bear has hung over the fiery narrative from day one.
The Bear Season 3 dropped on June 26, 2024, and continues chronicling Carmy’s (Jeremy Allen-White) anxiety-ridden drive to turn his late brother’s beef joint into a fine dining establishment.
Mikey’s death, though taking place before viewers are let into Carmy’s world, is the drama series’ crux, a pressure point poked and prodded at when tensions are at their highest.
We got to spend more time with Jon Bernthal as the eldest Berzatto sibling in The Bear Season 2, during the volatile Christmas episode, ‘Fishes’, where glimpses at his family and work bring his death into focus.
Content warning: this article contains references to suicide and substance use.
How did Mikey die in The Bear?
Mikey died by suicide in The Bear before the events of Season 1.
In an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, Carmy tells the group Mikey shot himself on the State Street Bridge in Chicago.
The Bear Season 1 revealed Mikey was addicted to painkillers, something few people in his life were aware of.
While group scenes with The Bear Season 2 cast depicted Mikey as upbeat and charismatic around people, he was depressed and stressed by serious financial problems connected to the restaurant.
In ‘Fishes’, Mikey breaks down in tears when alone and is prone to angry outbursts during heated arguments. The high-pressure work environment, feeling trapped by money issues, and his substance use are implied to have affected his well-being.
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on Esports, Gaming and more.
Mikey’s note to Carmy explained
Mikey’s “I love you dude. Let it rip” note was left for Carmy to read after his death. It was Mikey’s way of encouraging Carmy, and has a similar meaning to ‘go for it’ or ‘break a leg’.
When Mikey was alive, Carmy felt rejected and thought Mikey didn’t want him to work at his restaurant. This led to Carmy becoming insecure and deciding to prove himself by becoming the best chef possible.
Thanks to the Emmy-nominated dinner from hell, we know Mikey didn’t want Carmy to get caught in the whirlwind of the beef joint’s pressures – financial and otherwise. However, he was unable to communicate that to Carmy.
Carmy was emotional when he read the note in the Season 1 finale because it was found well after Mikey’s death, provided closure, and proved Mikey didn’t think he was incapable of turning the restaurant around.
The Bear Season 3 gives that closure a little more context; we see Carmy ignoring calls from his family following Mikey’s death, and Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) knocking on Mikey’s door, both unaware of what had already happened.
Ultimately, Carmy reads the note and finds the will to keep trying to push the restaurant and its employees forward in Mikey’s absence.
You can watch The Bear now on Hulu or Disney+.
If you have been affected by issues raised in this article, information and support are available from the Suicide Prevention Helpline at 1-800-273-8255 (USA) or the Samaritans at 116-123 (UK).
