first of all, m/f friendships in kids media are more common than they used to be, but they were far from the standard even in the 90s-00s. bear clearly has a love interest in his spanish companion ursa- him and luna's relationship is completely non-romantic. it's platonic, it's familial, it's mutually deep and rich and full of so many stories we never get to hear. how did bear meet luna? what kinds of conversations do they have when we as the viewers aren't around?

they're both parents, in a way- luna, being the moon is the matriarch of the stars, the guardian who illuminates the sky for everyone at night; bear is a foster dad raising his cub niece(?), a mouse, a lemur, and twin baby otters. it's a big job, caring for those smaller than you! luna, being billions of years old, is all-too-familiar with the weight, but bear's so young and he's still learning how to carry it. it's a duty that can't be ignored, as constant as the cycles of day and night.

in fact, luna can only visit bear at the very beginning of nighttime, when she's just peeking her head into the sky above the big blue house. and yet- and yet!- she makes intentional time to spend with bear. despite their busy schedules and how little they can talk, bear and luna make genuine efforts to nurture their connection.

when bear tells luna about the kids's day, she listens earnestly, always willing to offer advice and open to the surprises youth can bring. bear, likewise, is willing to admit he isn't perfect and he doesn't know everything. each day brings something new to ponder over, something unique to the table, and imagination, play, and problem-solving are the ways we learn. we cultivate our knowledge of the world around us and ourselves more and more the more we reach out to embrace it.

and... being a bit meta, but noel macneal (bear's va and puppeteer) and lynne thigpen (luna's va) were both Black. they sat in a room together or peter linz (luna's puppeteer) would lipsync on the set for lynne and they'd talk together. for POC children out there it's powerful enough that bear was mixed Black, but having luna be Black as well and the two of them having these genuine, heartfelt conversations so filled with pure love that it practically pours out of the screen is so profoundly impactful that as a white individual i don't think i have the words to properly articulate it. in one episode bear outright tells luna he loves her, and she says, outright, "i love you too, bear".

what bear and luna had, what these two friends had, was beautiful, and real. sadly, lynne passed away in 2003, shortly before the show ended. i'm convinced nobody could ever replace lynne's luna if the big blue house got a revival, but i hope if it does (please), that luna is done as much justice as humanly possible.