Severance Season 2 Finale: A Heartbreaking Choice That Will Leave You Fuming!

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Three years past, audiences found themselves captivated by the Apple TV+ series “Severance“. This mind-twisting thriller leads viewers through Mark’s (Adam Scott) dual lives – an outie mourning his wife’s death and an innie performing a mundane office job. By the finale, Mark began to question things and, using a loophole named Overtime Contingency, allowed his innie brief access to the outside world. What he uncovered left him stunned, and the way the season concluded left fans reeling with an intense cliffhanger.

As a die-hard film enthusiast, I can’t help but feel the weight of the three-year gap between seasons of my favorite shows, a delay partly due to writers’ and actors’ strikes, which only intensified my dissatisfaction with the open-ended season finale. Although there’s no official confirmation about a third season for Severance, I remain optimistic that it’s on its way. The nail-biting Season 2 finale “Cold Harbor” has left viewers clamoring for more, venting their frustration by punching the air as they yearn for resolution to the gripping narrative.

How Does ‘Severance’ Season 1 End?

To fully understand where Season 2 leaves off, it’s crucial to remember how Season 1 concluded. With the assistance of Helly (Britt Lower), Irving (John Turturro), and Dylan (Zack Cherry), Mark managed to have his innie secretly take over his outie’s existence for a brief 39-minute span. This brief incident significantly altered the direction of his journey. During this time, Irving discovered that Burt (Christopher Walken), the man he held affection for at work, led a full life beyond their professional relationship, including being married. Additionally, Irving became aware that his outie was becoming increasingly suspicious and was covertly investigating Lumon.

Helly discovered with dismay that her real name is Helena Eagan, the child of the present Lumon CEO. In an effort to spread awareness, she utilized her platform to caution everyone about the severance program. They were mistreated, loathed their environment, and everything it presented was a deception.

In a surprising twist, I found myself at my sister Devon’s (Jen Tullock) gathering, only to stumble upon a photograph of me and an unfamiliar woman on her bedside table. Upon closer inspection, I realized that the mysterious woman was none other than Gemma (Dichen Lachman), my wife, who had been posing as Casey, the counselor from the severed floor. As I exclaim, “She’s alive!”, the screen fades to black in a sudden and dramatic fashion reminiscent of “The Sopranos”. In the heat of the moment, some viewers might have rewound or reset their screens, thinking there was an error. However, this was no mistake – that’s how it all ended, with a bold, dark finish.

The Journey to Finding Gemma Gave Fans Hope

The entire second season revolved around Mark’s quest to locate Gemma. Though his inner self knew she was still alive, his outer self couldn’t accept this truth initially. However, once he managed to put the pieces together and both Asal Reghabi (Karen Aldridge) and Harmony Cobel (Patricia Arquette) confirmed Gemma’s existence, Mark became determined to do whatever it took to rescue his wife. This led him to try various methods such as the reintegration process and even burning messages into his retinas for his inner self to perceive, all in a bid to save Gemma from what seemed like a horrific ordeal and reunite with his wife he had believed was deceased for so long.

In Episode 7 titled “Chikhai Bardo,” it was unveiled that Gemma had been isolated on a specific floor within the Lumon building, serving as an experimental subject akin to a lab rat. Daily, she would move into distinct rooms and transform into different “innies.” These metamorphoses required her to perform various assignments, ranging from undergoing dental procedures to surviving simulated disasters like a plane crash and composing countless “thank you” cards for Christmas, all while embodying the respective innie.

The intense desire for reunion, evident on both sides, resonates profoundly during every scene, most poignantly in the episode hinting at their life before the unfortunate occurrences. It’s clear they will reunite eventually, and it seems the series is building towards delivering fans a fulfilling moment of resolution and joy.

Mark vs Mark Turns Out to Be the Biggest Battle Yet in ‘Severance’

In a captivating twist of events, Season 2 of “The Severance” immerses fans in an emotional rollercoaster, offering comfort, anxiety, joy, shock, awe, and dismay in quick succession. It appears that Mark now stands advantageously poised to complete the project, bring down Lumon, and reunite with his wife. This is largely due to Harmony, who, as unveiled in Episode 8 titled “Sweet Vitriol,” turns out to be the mastermind behind the severance program, ready and eager to assist him.

Alongside Devon, they provide a way for his inner self and outer self to communicate using a video camera and entering/exiting the delivery room. However, complications arise when it’s discovered that Mark’s inner self has not only developed a distinct identity but also fallen in love. He becomes resistant to the idea of relinquishing this relationship, especially since it could affect the lives of his friends, so that Mark (the outer self) can reclaim his wife and live happily while his inner self dwindles away.

At this point, spectators understand that Mark is encountering his toughest hurdle yet: persuading himself. It’s a steep climb because he essentially asks Inner Mark to disappear, and in doing so, forces all his friends to follow suit once Lumon becomes public knowledge. It appears as though the turbulent phase was just a temporary setback, even when Helly attempts to guide Inner Mark towards making the right choices. In reality, she’s Helena. They could never truly unite. She even goes so far as to aid his escape by discreetly providing him with the directions to the long, dark corridor, creating a distraction, and keeping Milchick (Tramell Tillman) from interfering.

As a devoted viewer myself, I can confidently say that the reunion of Mark and Gemma was undeniably the highlight of the series so far. The tension built up since Season 1’s finale could have been sliced with a knife, making it almost tangible as we watched from our living rooms. When she flipped her ‘outie’ and recognized him, the wave of relief and joy that washed over them was palpable – expect goosebumps!

There was a brief pause of uncertainty when they navigated the divided floor to escape, and Gemma, momentarily thrown off by their unexpected kiss and embrace in the elevator, found herself questioning her role as Ms. Casey. However, trusting Mark’s intentions, she decided to follow along with his plan. Whew! What a relief that was!

After that event, fans are left with their jaws dropped and voicing pained exclamations similar to Gemma’s. Innie Mark keeps himself within the building as he opens the exit door for Gemma. Upon exiting, Gemma calls out loudly for Mark to come out, but he hesitates. He finds himself pulled in another direction instead.

At the far end of the corridor, Helly’s appearance was the last thing people hoped for. Despite her desire to aid him, she might have found resolve to pursue her own desires following an impassioned address to the band marching by. “You’ve been given half a life,” she exclaims to them, “yet you expect us not to fight for it.” In a poignant moment, Mark aligns himself with Helly instead of Gemma.

Witnessing Gemma scream in terror on the other side of a door she can’t open, aware that if Mark were to simply advance a few steps and pass through it, he would be back in her embrace, is extremely troubling. Instead, seeing him take Helly’s hand, kiss her, and depart in another direction might be something Gemma never recovers from. Yet, this incident could fuel Gemma’s determination to reclaim her husband, leaving one to wonder about his fate moving forward. Mark has made mistakes, destroyed Cold Harbor, killed a man, and allowed their valuable lab rat to escape. However, as soon as he steps outside, he transforms into his ‘outie.’

The episode starts off with a significant scene that could hold some meaning. Character James Eagan (played by Michael Siberry) goes to see Helly on the disconnected level and admits he doesn’t have feelings for his daughter. This might mean he’s okay with her being Helly forever, never meeting Helena again. Trapping Mark and Helly within Lumon could be a form of revenge he enjoys. Given the other option, Mark may willingly cooperate. After all, this is the life he’s accustomed to.

independent of any future developments, the climax of this mind-bending TV series has left viewers utterly divided and heartbroken in a way that might not typically occur if someone other than Gemma had been betrayed. However, it was still Mark who did it. He appears, behaves, and speaks as Mark, yet he’s also not. Mark (innie) has transformed into his own individual. He no longer holds any emotional attachments to Gemma. Instead, he feels something for someone else that he can’t let go. His very existence is significant. The protagonist of the show has now become the antagonist, and viewers are finding it challenging to accept that the person they have supported throughout this journey is now working against himself. Give Severance a watch on Apple TV+.

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2025-03-21 10:33