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Severance Season 2 Finale: Unraveling the Twists and Turns

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The second installment of “Severance” has now passed us by, ending with an episode that provided essential insights but also left a number of intriguing questions unanswered – enough to make us eagerly anticipate the series’ future episodes. There are many topics worth exploring, from the show’s central themes to its distinctive visual style, as well as our speculations about where we might encounter our beloved characters when Season 3 arrives. In this article, Judy Berman, Eliana Dockterman, and Megan McCluskey delve into the specifics of the final episode and Season 2 as a whole for TIME magazine.

Were you satisfied with how they closed out this season?

Judy Berman praised the finale of Severance, expressing admiration for creator Dan Erickson and executive producer Ben Stiller who handled both writing and directing it. Despite some uncertainty about quality following a slightly uneven episode four, they managed to conclude the season exceptionally well.

Before diving into the storyline, I’d like to acknowledge the excellent stylistic decisions made throughout the series, particularly the way the final episode was concluded by Stiller. Similar to many sci-fi/thriller/mystery box shows, Severance packed a multitude of twists and key scenes into its finale: Mark’s innie faces his outie! Helly R. has a chilling encounter with her outie’s father! Gemma disassembles the crib! The ever-conflicted Mr. Milchick leads a marching band to celebrate Cold Harbor’s completion! Brienne—or should I say Lorne—and Mr. Drummond (rest in peace) and the sacrificial baby goat! However, instead of leaving viewers reeling until the end credits, Stiller extended the season’s concluding moment for close to 10 minutes. The use of red lighting, the “Windmills of Your Mind” (from the 1968 film The Thomas Crown Affair) as a soundtrack, and that final freeze frame of Mark S. and Helly R., were all beautifully reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick and Nixon-era thrillers. Yet, it also intensified the emotional impact of the scene. This decision could prove to be the most significant Mark ever makes—and his innie makes it, in part, as a declaration of independence from his outie.

The final episode was well-paced, but I had one issue: the show didn’t fully develop its secondary characters despite finding depth in the main storyline of Mark, Helly, and Gemma. Milchick’s dilemma about fitting into the Lumon system could have been more profound if he spent less time arguing with a robotic man and more time contemplating his career and life goals. I also wished for more insight into Irving’s emotional state, as he abruptly left without a clear return, and Miss Huang seemed to be a symbol of child labor issues rather than a fully fleshed-out character. Ricken felt more like a joke than a credible companion for Devon. Here’s to hoping these characters receive richer emotional arcs in the next season.

I believe certain characters were not given enough attention this season. Specifically, Miss Huang and Ricken, who seem to have significant backstories, haven’t had their reasons for being in the story fully explored yet. After watching Milchick challenge Mr. Drummond and then question himself at the end of the episode, I think his decision about his allegiances will be crucial for Season 3. On the other hand, I found Dylan’s storyline this season to be very well-done; it added emotional depth to his character and connected with the ongoing Mark-Helly-Gemma conflict. Although we could have seen more of Irving, the final scene at the train station, where Irv admitted he had never known a love like Burt’s innie had found with Irv’s innie, was incredibly moving for me.

Megan McCluskey: In summary, I found the finale excellent with its inner vs outer conflict, additional Milchick dancing, and nail-biting prolonged rescue scene. However, I can’t help but notice that the series seems to be leaning a bit too much on vague resolutions for its mysteries (the explanation behind Cold Harbor, the role of the goats, etc.). I’m keeping my fingers crossed that this is just a tactic to set up mind-blowing or fulfilling revelations in future seasons rather than a sign they’re uncertain about those answers.

At this point in the show’s run, what do we ultimately think it’s about? 

In the popular TV show “Severance,” this season has seen a unique reinterpretation of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth. Instead of outie Mark embarking on an underworld journey to rescue his wife Gemma like Orpheus, it seemed he was doing just that. However, instead of Orpheus looking back at Eurydice, causing her to remain in the underworld forever, innie Mark looked back at Helly and chose to stay in Lumon with her, while possibly letting Gemma escape. The finale suggested that the complex relationships between outie Mark, Gemma, innie Mark, and Helly are a significant aspect of the series, and also hinted at the challenging reality of having two separate versions of oneself, each capable of loving different people. This duality presents a difficult problem to reconcile, even after reintegration.

The fresh take on the Orpheus legend really struck me! It reminded me of the moment in “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” when Mark glanced at Helly. I must say that the series seems to be exploring a love story involving more than three people now, if we consider a triangle or even a quadrangle.

If the series continues with additional seasons, it’s crucial for the universe to broaden. I enjoyed instances in the first season where we caught glimpses of outsiders’ perspectives on the severance process: We saw anti-Lumon protesters, a politician at a severed birthing retreat, and a heated debate at a dinner party. The political controversy surrounding severance noticeably diminished in Season 2, which felt somewhat strange—given the widespread knowledge of Lumon’s abuses, it seems likely that someone would have exposed this to the public. I hope we get insights into how the larger world perceives severance in Season 3.

Reviewer: As a movie connoisseur, I’ve noticed that “Severance” doesn’t seem to be getting lost in the labyrinth of romantic entanglements, nor will it find it challenging to refocus its narrative. Instead, I believe the show’s central theme for Season 2 was love – a poignant exploration of its impossibility when one is divided or severed, much like Season 1 served as a scathing critique of corporate culture and the unattainable goal of work-life balance. In my opinion, Season 3 might delve deeper into power dynamics, perhaps revisiting the political landscape of severance while scrutinizing the subservient relationships between innies and outies. However, the core, pervasive theme that “Severance” consistently explores is personhood – a question about whether it’s our physical form, cognitive abilities, or unique life experiences that truly define us as human beings, and what society should provide to each individual based on their inherent humanity.>

What did we make of outie Mark and innie Mark’s Camcorder conversation? Is he truly two separate individuals?

I firmly believe that there are two distinct individuals here, even though Mark S. is essentially who Mark Scout might have become if he hadn’t been tarnished by a lifetime of cynicism, sorrow, heartache, and the various emotional scars that come with being human in this world. Their frosty interactions towards each other hint at this. The outer version, apparently unaware of the consequences of undergoing severance, views his counterpart as immature; the inner one perceives the outer one as arrogant, privileged, and deceitful. This tension culminates in the pivotal moment when the inner one sides with Helly R., choosing solidarity with his severed comrades over Gemma.

Mark appears to be two distinct individuals, yet they seem to possess common feelings, impulses, and possibly shared memories. This could be rephrased as: Is it possible for love to overcome separation? In a single instance, we witness two contrasting responses. A divided Gemma decides to follow a stranger drenched in blood, evidently having just committed a murder, simply because he claims to be her husband. There seems to be no logical reason for this decision except that an innate feeling tells her the man is reliable. Hence, yes, love can indeed conquer separation.

Despite this, just a few minutes later, Mark S. chose Helly R. over Gemma. This choice implies that the deep connection and numerous memories they built together during their long marriage—including their academic disputes, peculiar talks with Ricken, and the heartbreak of their unsuccessful efforts to conceive—were not as strong as the relatively brief (though passionate) encounter Mark S. had with Helly R., especially when it comes to Mark S.’s decisions.

MM: Is it too simplistic for most people to believe that outies like Mark who undergo severance think their counterparts within the company will happily work in a windowless office all day? While Lumon’s propaganda may paint a rosy picture, I can’t help but suspect that my counterpart might harbor some deep resentment towards me. I understand that outie Mark might not fully comprehend his role in creating this situation, and the disconnect between us seems to be growing wider by the day. At this point, it appears impossible for the gap to ever be closed.

PAR: It seems like the story wants us to believe that anyone who chooses to experience severance must be somehow flawed or not fully considering the repercussions of their decision, or simply not caring about them. However, as severance becomes more widespread and commodified, I find it hard to imagine such a large number of people would be this gullible en masse.

AL: Mark isn’t just hasty and distraught, he seems to be so consumed by his own victimhood that he fails to recognize the irony – he has unwittingly created a person who is even more vulnerable and is, in fact, causing someone else’s suffering. The ramifications of this misguided perception are significant, and I believe they hold considerable weight in understanding how many Americans, despite their privileges, are struggling yet not truly thriving in today’s U.S. society. There are political undertones to this state of mind!

Regarding Mark’s decision and its implications on the relationship between innies and outies, I hadn’t given it much thought before. However, Gemma’s trust in Mark despite not knowing him initially is intriguing, as Eliana’s interpretation suggests. But I believe there are significant distinctions between Gemma’s fresh start and Mark’s that should be considered in explaining her actions. Cold Harbor represents a completely new identity for Gemma, while Mark’s innie has had ample time to replace any remaining traits of the outie with his own connections, experiences, and comprehension of his confined realm. Is it possible that innies become more individualized as they spend more time around, much like children maturing?

What is up with reintegration?

As a film enthusiast, I must say, when Mark decided to return, it felt like a pivotal moment. However, so far, things haven’t exactly unfolded as dramatically as expected, with Mark merely experiencing some occasional headaches. On a more practical note, the fact that he’s wandering around with a big hole in his skull could potentially lead to fatal infections.

The idea of re-integration appears to be somewhat unclear and uncertain at this stage, as it was initiated by Mark in Episode 3, but we haven’t learned much more about the process since then, aside from some vague understanding of how it affects both inner and outer Mark. It seems reasonable for Inner Mark to question Outer Mark about his certainty regarding the impact on both of them, as expressed in the finale. Additionally, I’m curious about the history between Reghabi and Ms. Cobel, and whether either of them can actually carry out the procedure successfully. There’s a possibility that re-integration might just be a sort of misleading plot device.

As a movie reviewer, let me share my thoughts on this captivating series: I’ve started to feel that the promise of reintegration offered to Mark’s inner self was perhaps a decoy, or as some might say, a red herring. The way Mark dangled this possibility in front of his inner being to persuade them to collaborate in freeing Gemma made me believe that:

a) Mark has underestimated the transformative impact reintegration would have on him, and
b) The outer self may be secretly planning to carry out the reintegration now that the chance of living harmoniously with Gemma arises.

Moreover, the choice made by Mark’s inner being at the end of the finale has led me to speculate that Season 3 will witness a conflict between Mark and Mark—a civil war within the character himself.

Any early predictions for Season 3?

PD: I believe and wish that Gemma manages to break free and plays a significant role in fighting against Lumon. It would be wonderful to watch her take control of her destiny instead of enduring the hardships she faces due to infertility, caused by Lumon’s scientists, and being abandoned by her husband because he’s an innie.

It seems to me that, since MDR and the other innies have managed to eliminate Mr. Drummond and have Mr. Milchick in a difficult situation, it’s likely they will temporarily control the severed floor for some time. This is because if Lumon were to let all these rebellious innies continue living, I can’t imagine how they would realistically justify this scenario within the show’s plot.

JB’s View: The inners seem to have the edge as we enter Season 3, but they held an advantage in this season too. Lumon managed to regain control by using MDR’s rebellion to bolster their image and making minor adjustments. However, it seems we’re heading towards a conflict between insiders and outsiders. Mark, Helly, and Dylan are self-destructing, which is ironic because they’ve become their own downfall. I have a feeling Gemma will rush to Devon upon her escape, and this encounter could delve deeper into the mysteries surrounding Ricken.

PD: Does the show have an episode where the inhabitants (innies) refuse to leave the separated floor or aim to make the emergency situation long-term? It seems like an internal conflict between innes and outsides is developing, with the latter having no reason to let the former survive. If any of the innies take the elevator, they’re essentially signing their own death warrant. This would also bring back our original MDR characters (except for Irving, unless the writers come up with some creative plot solutions) together again, a dynamic that I’ve been yearning for this season.

In simpler terms,

It seems to me that situation could happen! However, for those on the inside, being trapped on the cut-off floor would never be enough to content them (or anyone). The way Mark and Helly speak fondly about the equator – even though they don’t truly understand it – may indicate their longing for something more.

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2025-03-21 11:08

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