The Storytelling Flashback

I see over and over on this subreddit that Chuck has conversion disorder triggered by Jimmy doing bad things, and/or his love for Jimmy. This just doesn’t make sense to me since his mental episodes don’t line up with either of those things well.

Instead, I got really strong vibes that it’s his inability to cope with his emotions that brings it on. Chuck has never had an outlet for his emotions, and was constantly lying to himself to hide them up (“Jimmy is to blame for everything”, “I’m perfectly fine”, etc.). Even before his “EHS”, the dinner scene with his wife, and Jimmy showed he couldn’t cope with normal emotions, like jealousy.

This lines up with all of his mental episodes. Jimmy becomes a lawyer, he can’t cope with his jealousy, and instead develops “EHS” (I mean he doesn’t even let Jimmy have a trial period or do the bitch work, after he proves how obedient, and hardworking he is). He finally thinks he can bust Jimmy for Mesa Verde, and put him in his place, so he starts getting better, until he hits a roadblock at the copy store. Lastly he loses his job, anyone he has left in his life, and finds out not only does he have a mental disorder but everyone thinks he does too. Hence the end of season 3.

A big part of this is that storytelling scene out in the tent with the gas lantern with no electricity nearby. To me, it represented a safety net, for Chuck, and Jimmy. A time when (s)all was good(man), Chuck was in control of Jimmy/himself, Jimmy hadn’t fucked up yet, and they had a decent relationship. Which is why anytime he has to deal with emotions he subconsciously tries to go back to that comforting time. (I mean he even buys the exact same gas lanterns they used to have instead of going for a newer, safer version)

This is later reinforced once Jimmy starts to run into issues he can’t cope with either. When Chuck dies, after telling Jimmy he never mattered to him, Jimmy stares up at the transformer with the same sizzling sound effect that Chuck had during episodes. Also when Jimmy has lost everything, and everyone, has to lie, and work at a cinnabon for the rest of his life, he suffers an identical fainting episode as Chuck.

Regardless, absolutely great writing in this show, and I can’t wait for the last season!

Tl;dr That scene was the last time everything was normal for the both of them, and plays a big part in the conversion disorder they experience later in life (especially Chucks reaction to electricity).