All of the Severance Questions We Nonetheless Have...

Oh, how harmless we had been at the end of January, solely three episodes into the second season of Severance. We didn’t even know what Salt’s Neck was, or where Ms. Casey’s been tucked away! We could have a barely higher concept of what the hell is occurring as Apple TV+’s sci-fi sensation/web obsession heads into its season two finale subsequent week—however there are nonetheless secrets and techniques galore lurking in Lumon’s hallways.

With that in thoughts, it’s time to revisit io9’s earlier post working by our most burning Severance questions and see the place they now stand—and you understand we’ve obtained loads of new ones, too.

First, right here’s a rundown of our early-season questions—a few of which we’ve since discovered the solutions to.

The place is Ms. Casey? 

In episode seven, “Chikhai Bardo,” we obtained an in depth backstory of Gemma (later often known as Ms. Casey) and Mark’s relationship, from their first meet-cute at a blood drive, to their blissful early days of marriage, to their devastating struggles with infertility. We additionally discovered that Gemma has been actually beneath Mark’s toes the complete time; with quite a lot of severed personalities activated relying on which room she enters, she’s been present process a sequence of extremely disagreeable experiences on Lumon’s testing ground, which is much more underground than the severed ground.

How did Gemma turn into Ms. Casey—and why?

We don’t have exact particulars but on both of those, although we do have some extra clues to go on. We all know that Gemma and Mark visited a fertility clinic run by Lumon, and that Gemma remained involved with the place, or at the least obtained follow-up mail (the “Chikhai Bardo” card got here with some form of persona check) related to it. We additionally noticed the evening she left alone for an occasion that Mark didn’t need to attend and by no means got here house, with a pair of police exhibiting as much as ship the unhappy (faux) information of her destiny. 

Whereas we don’t know precisely how she turned Ms. Casey—was she kidnapped? A keen participant till realizing what she’d really agreed to?—we now have a barely much less foggy concept of why. Based mostly on episode seven, we all know she’s being held towards her will, and that Mark’s work as a “Macrodata Refiner” has formed her experiences on the testing ground. We additionally know based mostly on this week’s episode, “The After Hours,” that when Mark finishes his most vital work file, the all-important Chilly Harbor, Gemma’s life will finish.

We don’t know, in fact, any of the big-picture stuff, like what precisely Lumon plans to do with the outcomes of this barbaric experiment, and what future implications it could have.

What’s Chilly Harbor?

See above. We do not know what’s really ready for Gemma within the room, nevertheless it’s going to be far more terrible than being on a airplane that’s seemingly about to crash, a painful afternoon on the dentist, or a passive-aggressive Christmas spent writing inane thank-you notes. After “Chikhai Bardo,” it appeared believable Chilly Harbor can be the place Gemma would re-experience her miscarriage time and again, however now that we all know it’s designed to be deadly—may or not it’s a automotive crash that really kills her?

What’s Ms. Cobel’s plan and what’s in Salt’s Neck?

Due to episode eight, “Candy Vitriol,” numerous Ms. Cobel’s backstory has been fleshed out. We all know she grew up in a Lumon firm city that’s now practically abandoned, and that almost all everybody who nonetheless lives there may be—because of Lumon—an ether addict. We discovered Cobel’s mom, who was a kind of ether addicts whereas she was alive, hated Lumon. We additionally discovered Cobel was a gifted pupil who earned the celebrated Wintertide Fellowship, and that Jame Eagan stole her designs for the severance process and handed the invention off as his personal. 

That each one definitely explains numerous her conduct till now: her eerie devotion to the cult of Kier, one thing she’s been entangled along with her complete life; her creepy curiosity in Mark each in and out of labor (since his completion of Chilly Harbor is someway tied into the success of severance), her excessive response when she was fired from Lumon, and (as we noticed in “The After Hours”) her obvious choice to assist Mark and Devon proper as Gemma’s time is working out.

The place is Kier, PE?

Nonetheless no concept. But it surely’s not simply snowy roads: you may take a practice far, far-off if it’s essential escape Kier, like Irving does in “The After Hours.”

Who’s on “the board”?

Nonetheless no concept. The one Eagans we’ve met are Jame and Helena. May there be extra?

What’s the cope with Natalie?

Once more, no concept. If the season finale reveals Natalie is an innie whose outie is the exact opposite of “PR particular person with a death-ray smile,” it wouldn’t be solely stunning. 

Why does Lumon need Ricken to re-write his ebook for innies?

But once more, we don’t know, aside from maybe it was a manner for Lumon to maintain its hooks in Mark’s household—since we now know precisely how invaluable he’s to the corporate. Ricken hasn’t been seen a lot in season two, although his portrayal within the “Chikhai Bardo” flashback suggests his overly mannered persona was once much more charming. The episode was all about Mark and Gemma, nevertheless it additionally confirmed the viewers that Devon and Ricken’s relationship isn’t as mismatched because it seems to be within the present’s current day.

Why is Miss Huang a child?

This we now know: like Ms. Cobel earlier than her, little Eustace is a Wintertide Fellow. She and Mr. Milchick by no means labored very nicely collectively, however he did enable her to graduate. In “The After Hours,” we see her being despatched away from the Lumon workplace (and her dad and mom, it’s pointedly talked about) for a brand new posting in Svalbard, most likely one in all few locations on Earth that’s colder than Kier.

Why did Helly lie about her “Extra time Contingency” expertise?

We discovered the reply to that in episode 4, “Woe’s Hole.” It wasn’t Helly in that scene, it was the duplicitous Helena Eagan. She was faking that she was her innie to be able to spy on MDR.

Who’s outie Irv speaking to on pay telephones?

We don’t know, and we could by no means know, since “The After Hours” noticed Irv and his canine board that practice out of Kier, courtesy of Burt, with express directions by no means to return. The very best guess is that he was someway tied into the anti-severance motion, and was chatting with a contact that most likely helped him compile that checklist of names and addresses of severed staff (together with Burt).

What’s up with the Exports Corridor?

We knew it led to the testing ground, since we noticed Ms. Casey strolling down that lengthy hallway on the finish of season one; in season two, it’s the place Dr. Mauer wheels his dental instruments, and Ms. Casey’s would-be escape route when she tries to search out her manner out of captivity in “Chikhai Bardo.” However we don’t know why it was haunting Irving’s ideas, a lot in order that his outie painted photographs of it time and again. With assist from Felicia in Optics and Design, Irv’s innie left behind some very convoluted instructions to search out its entrance, which Helly R. will get ahold of after Dylan—the meant recipient—impulsively quits MDR in “The After Hours.”

How will Mark’s reintegration go?

It hasn’t been easy crusing, with sudden nosebleeds, the persistent sofa, what seemed to be a seizure adopted by a short lapse right into a coma, and a few complicated consciousness blips. The one medical skilled who is aware of his secret, Reghabi, took herself out of the equation when Devon determined to cellphone Ms. Cobel. In order that’s not very reassuring.

Are the Macrodata Refiners really doing something?

Whereas the main points aren’t solely clear, we all know their work sorting “scary numbers” and finishing information named for locations (Allentown… Chilly Harbor) has some type of affect on the testing ground.

THE GOATS

We haven’t seen a goat since episode three, “Who Is Alive?”—except you depend production-design particulars just like the goat statue on the altar belonging to Ms. Cobel’s Kier-devoted aunt, seen in “Candy Vitriol.” The goat represents malice, one of many 4 tempers talked about as having been “tamed” by Kier Eagan as a part of his in depth lore. As to what sensible function the goats in Lumon serve, and why the staff who maintain them are so oddball, we don’t but have a solution.

Now, let’s dig into the most recent questions at present holding Severance followers up at evening, particularly now that there’s only one episode left to go.

What plan will Cobel, Mark, and Devon give you?

When final we noticed this unlikely trio, they’d gathered in one of many severance-rigged cabins on the “birthing retreat”—nice concept from Devon, by the best way—in order that Cobel may speak to Mark’s innie. Mark and Devon need to rescue Gemma from her Chilly Harbor destiny, and Cobel has some severe explaining to do, each to the Scout siblings and to the very curious viewers. So what is going to their subsequent transfer be? As we’ve seen, you may’t precisely barge your manner onto Lumon’s severed ground… a lot much less infiltrate the testing ground beneath. However as we’ve additionally seen, Lumon’s safety may be surprisingly porous typically—like when the innies pulled off the time beyond regulation contingency mission in season one, as an example.

And talking of that birthing retreat scene… WTF?

We’ll be haunted by Ms. Cobel’s description of Devon (pretending to be a Lumon worker) as a lady needing discreet entry into the birthing retreat as a result of “she’s one in all Jame’s.” What does that imply, precisely? Considered one of Jame’s what? Keen or unwilling vessels for his Eagan seed? You’ll be able to’t simply let that twist within the wind, Severance!

Will Mr. Milchick proceed to insurgent towards Mr. Drummond particularly and perhaps Lumon at massive?

Mr. Milchick standing as much as Mr. Drummond, accurately stating that no matter Mark does when he’s not at work isn’t one thing he can management—true for any job, however particularly since Mark is severed and turns into a totally totally different particular person when he steps off that elevator and goes house—was an unexpectedly pleasant second in “The After Hours.” It’s felt like Mr. Milchick is on the point of breaking from his good-soldier routine for just a few episodes now (his response to the work, his efficiency assessment ordeal). May he turn into an surprising innie ally because the season attracts to an in depth?

Is that this the final we’ve seen of Dylan, Irving, and Burt?

It’s fairly clear Miss Huang has departed for good—however what about these different characters? All had what may be closing send-offs in “The After Hours.” It’s important to hope we’ll at the least see what occurs to Dylan and his outie’s spouse, Gretchen, and perhaps be taught if Burt will face penalties for seemingly breaking Lumon farewell protocol with Irving.

Will Mark have to decide on between Gemma and Helly R.?

It will be a love triangle… besides one of many factors is 2 totally different males contained in a single physique. Mark S. loves Helly R. and Mark loves Gemma. It doesn’t matter what, somebody goes to get their coronary heart damaged—as we noticed with Dylan’s agonizing storyline in “The After Hours.” How will he select? Or will the choice be made for him, perhaps to the purpose that no one finally ends up completely happy? Will Gemma die within the Chilly Harbor room? Will the sinister Helena Eagan triumph in completely erasing her a lot, a lot cooler innie?

And talking of Helly R… why is Jame Eagan creeping on MDR?

Who does he suppose he’s confronting in one of many closing scenes in “The After Hours”—his daughter, or her innie, who he considers to be lower than human? Why does he need Helena to eat her breakfast eggs uncooked moderately than hard-boiled?

No solutions. Solely questions right here.

That brings us to the inevitable greatest questions of all. How will Severance arrange season three—will followers be left dangling on one other cliffhanger like the top of season one?

And by the best way, when will Apple TV+ affirm season three is on the best way? And the way lengthy will we now have to attend to see extra?

The Severance season two finale, ominously titled “Chilly Harbor,” arrives subsequent Friday.

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