Severance’ Twist: Helena Masqueraded as Helly All Along!

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Warning: Spoilers for Severance Season 2 through Episode 4.

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  • Helena Posing as Helly Was Obvious From the Beginning

    • The Signs Were There From the Moment She Exited the Elevator
  • How Did Helena Successfully Pose as Helly?

    • Was Irving Suspicious of Her the Whole Time?

In January 2025, three years after its initial absence, the second season of “Severance” was welcomed back with great enthusiasm by fans eager for resolution of the Season 1 mysteries. Following Dylan’s (Zach Cherry) successful hijack of the overtime contingency, conversations between Mark (Adam Scott), Helly (Britt Lower), and Irving (John Turturro) with those on the outside became possible. Nevertheless, the repercussions of these actions were left unseen at the end of the first season. Upon its return, it’s evident that Lumon is displeased, and they take a stern stance against the innies as they try to manage the consequences of their actions.

In the opening of ‘Severance’s second season, it’s shown that everyone at Lumon is let go except for Mark. However, when Lumon discovers that Mark’s crucial work on Cold Harbor requires his original team, they reverse their decision. This leaves the employees in a state of confusion, trying to understand what truly transpired while developing a strategy to uncover the truth. Despite Lumon seemingly changing its ways, Mark and the rest are left uncertain about the veracity of their reinstatement. Viewers are led to think that they’ve all come back, but it remains to be seen if this is indeed the case.

As a devoted film fan, I found myself questioning if the character we knew as Helly, daughter of MDR’s CEO, Helena, was truly back at the company. At first sight, everything seemed normal. But as Season 2 unfolded, it started to seem possible that Mark, Dylan, and Irving were confiding in Helena instead of Helly. The fourth episode, “Woe’s Hollow,” finally clarified the mystery. It turned out that Helena had been masquerading as Helly all along – a fact that was evident, though perhaps not immediately apparent, to the viewers.

Helena Posing as Helly Was Obvious From the Beginning

The Signs Were There From the Moment She Exited the Elevator

As soon as Helly exited the elevator on the Severed floor during the Season 2 opener, it was evident that she was indeed Helena in disguise. Her hesitation upon hearing Mark call her name and her failure to return his hug right away, despite having kissed him goodbye previously, were all indicative of Helly being Helena in a subtle manner. Additionally, she didn’t seem to stir at the point when the emergency power was turned off at the end of Season 1, suggesting that she may not have truly been unconscious.

In all instances where inner personalities take control, they return to their previous state. When Mark meets Dylan for the first time following the discontinuation of the overtime contingency, Dylan carries on discussing his belt that Mr. Milchick (Tramell Tillman) had just destroyed. Similarly, when Irving enters the Severed floor, one can hear him shouting for Burt (Christopher Walken) even before the elevator doors have fully opened. However, Helly doesn’t seem to be reverting back to her state from the end of Severance Season 1, as Helena was merely imitating what she thought Helly would do in that situation. Upon closer examination, it becomes apparent that Helena was only pretending to act as Helly would.

A hint about Helly’s genuine identity surfaced when she swiftly noticed the absent security cameras and readily accepted that Lumon was no longer monitoring them. This behavior aligns with her inherent suspicion towards authority figures, as it is unlikely for the authentic Helly to have trusted Lumon so easily or to have been quick to reassure others about Lumon’s non-intrusive surveillance.

As a discerning film critic, I found myself utterly captivated by the opening scene of ‘Severance’ Season 2. The intrigue deepened when Helly, our protagonist, fumbled with her computer. A seemingly innocuous action, yet it served as a glaring neon sign in a dimly lit room. This moment revealed that Helena, behind the scenes, had been masquerading as Helly all along, ensuring that every move made within MDR was reported to Mr. Milchick and the Board. A chilling reminder that no action goes unnoticed in this corporate labyrinth.

Astute observers pointed out an intriguing detail: when Helly steps into the elevator going to the Severed floor in Episode 2, there’s no dinging sound. However, when Mark, Dylan, and Irving each take the elevator down, it does make a dinging sound. This discrepancy seems to suggest that Helly’s true identity was subtly hinted at from the start, evidently catching viewers unawares.

How Did Helena Successfully Pose as Helly?

Was Irving Suspicious of Her the Whole Time?

At the start of “Severance” Season 2, Helena appears observing footage of Helly functioning and socializing with others on the Severed floor. To convincingly portray Helly, Helena felt it necessary to mimic Helly’s behavior. It was evident she was taking notes and preparing. In a way, Helena yearns to be like Helly because, due to the strict limitations in her life, she cannot live as freely as Helly does. However, we could also say that Although Helly is confined within MDR due to being severed, the way she presents herself and lives her life may be more free than Helena has ever experienced.

Initially, everyone, including the audience, was tricked by Helena’s deceit, but Irving had his doubts from the start. He wasn’t convinced by her tale about encountering the night gardener during the extra time scenario, and he was the one who noticed all the subtle hints throughout the storyline. This made everyone astonished when Irving attempted to drown Helena at the MDR retreat. It turned out that Irving appeared delusional, but Mark and Dylan were taken aback when they discovered he was correct, and they eventually spoke with the genuine Helly.

By the way, “Severance” is now streaming on Apple TV+, with new episodes releasing every Friday.

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2025-02-10 04:32