The Ending Of Severance Season 2 Explained

Contains spoilers for the “Severance” Season 2 finale, “Cold Harbor”

After a long three-year hiatus, fans finally got to witness the second season of “Severance” on Apple TV+, and it has become the most intriguing mystery series on television today. The show’s captivating narrative revolves around Mark (Adam Scott) and other employees at Lumon Industries who have gone through a process to divide their work personas, or “innies,” from their regular selves. What transpires within Lumon remains confined to Lumon, with innie Mark developing feelings for his colleague Helly (Britt Lower), an unexpected twist given that she is actually the innie of Helena Eagan, a member of Lumon’s powerful family who created the procedure and runs the company with a cult-like influence.

At the close of “Severance” Season 1, inner Mark found himself briefly awakened in the real world due to the overtime contingency plan. This revelation stunned him as he discovered that his wife Gemma (Dichen Lachman), whom he thought had passed away years ago, was not only alive but working at Lumon under the name Ms. Casey. The start of Season 2 is filled with frantic attempts to manage the situation, as inner Helly, Dylan (Zach Cherry), and Irving (John Turturro) also break free from their work-life compartments alongside Mark.

This particular cat can’t be returned to its cage. In Season 2, Mark delves deeper into the monumental discovery concerning Gemma, while everyone else grapples with understanding their identity as an ‘innie’. With the finale of Season 2 now released, there’s much to ponder over, as “Severance” provides answers but also raises new questions. Here are some insights about the ending of “Severance” Season 2 – let’s hope we won’t have to wait another three years for Season 3 to unravel what happens next.

What you need to remember about the plot of Severance Season 2

In “Severance” Season 2, the main narrative revolves around Mark grappling with the tug-of-war between Gemma and Helly, who is essentially replaced by her counterpart, Helena Eagan (Helly’s outie), for a significant portion of the initial episodes. The outie version of Mark comes to understand that the only way to save Gemma is through reintegration, aided by former Lumon surgeon Asal Reghabi (played by Karen Aldridge). This procedure, theoretically, would reverse the effects of severance, fusing the consciousnesses of innie and outie Mark. While this enables outie Mark to gain insights into Lumon’s operations, his brainwaves aren’t perfectly synchronized yet.

During the team-building retreat at Woe’s Hollow, Innie Mark mistakenly has intimate relations with Helena Eagan, whom he thought was Helly. This misunderstanding is later clarified, and they engage in a genuine romantic encounter. As for Dylan, he faces complications in his personal life throughout the season, as he interacts with his outie’s wife who develops feelings for him and even shares a kiss.

Irving gets fired for trying to harm Helena, then tips Dylan on the location of the Exports Hall before leaving town by train. Elsewhere, Harmony Cobel (played by Patricia Arquette) offers Mark a method to rescue Gemma, who is being kept captive in a lower level at Lumon. There, she’s split into 24 different versions of herself, and subjected to various stressful scenarios like visiting the dentist or writing Christmas cards, to observe her responses.

What happened at the end of Severance Season 2?

The initial move to rescue Gemma involves convincing Inner Mark, who is hesitant due to his belief that following Outer Mark’s plan will lead to his death and separation from Helly forever. This conversation, where they exchange video messages, must be compelling enough for Inner Mark to agree. However, Cobel, the inventor of the severance process, reveals that if Inner Mark finishes the Cold Harbor file, Lumon is likely to terminate him anyway. The next day, when he enters the Lumon severance floor with Helly, Inner Mark ensures the Cold Harbor file is completely finished.

In the Cold Harbor room, Gemma is asked to take apart a crib, symbolizing their desire for a child that was halted when she was taken to Lumon. Despite this connection, she shows no emotional response upon seeing the crib, hinting at her Cold Harbor innie’s detachment from past emotions. Meanwhile, Mark rushes through the Exports Hall, unintentionally causing the death of Mr. Drummond (Darri Ólafsson) in the commotion. Upon leaving the Severance floor, Mark reverts to his outie form and assists Gemma in exiting the Cold Harbor room, guiding her to a stairwell on the Severance floor for a quick escape.

Because he transforms into Innie Mark when he reaches that floor, he doesn’t accompany her. Instead, he looks back to find Helly standing in the hallway. Although Gemma begs him, this version of Mark has no link with her, so he takes Helly’s hand and they dash through Lumon’s corridors together.

What the end of Severance Season 2 means

After finishing Season 2 of “Severance,” viewers might wonder why Mark favors Helly over Gemma. However, it’s essential to remember that there are actually two Marks involved. During their video chat, it appears that the ‘outie’ Mark wants the ‘innie’ Mark to give himself up for his wife’s sake, unaware that he is a complete individual with his own thoughts and ambitions.

In essence, the ending of “Severance” Season 2 shares a striking resemblance with the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Just as Orpheus was given the chance to save his wife Eurydice from the underworld, but lost her when he couldn’t resist looking back, Mark in the final episode of Season 2 also descends into the underworld to rescue Gemma. However, his desire to save Helly too causes him to look back and lose Gemma. Intriguingly, Helly had earlier warned Lumon CEO Jame Eagan that they had created “hell” and would burn in it, emphasizing the symbolic parallels between the myth and the show’s storyline.

The closing scene shows Mark and Helly sprinting along a corridor as this rendition of Mark requires his own tale of romance. Episode 7 of Season 2, titled “Chikhai Bardo,” delves into the love story between Mark and Gemma, from their first encounter to coping with the loss of a pregnancy together. If she manages to escape the building, Gemma is now free, while Mark is charting his own course.

Another possible explanation of the ending

Severance” isn’t just a tale of romance; it serves as a critique on the way workers are frequently handled in our late-stage capitalist society. In Lumon, the innies are viewed solely from a utilitarian standpoint, existing only to work and little else. However, this perspective shifts at the start of “Severance” Season 2, when Lumon presents a video about the uprising that occurred in the previous season to four employees on the severance floor. This video also hints at additional benefits, like engaging in pineapple bobbing and walking through a hall of mirrors.

Absolutely, the activity of pineapple bobbing seems fruitless. It’s similar to a corporation celebrating sky-high earnings by organizing a pizza party for those who contributed significantly to these successes. However, as demonstrated in Season 2, the innies can only earn genuine recognition through collective action. In the finale, when Milchick manages to free himself from the bathroom where he’s been confined most of the episode, he is joined by Dylan and the musicians from Choreography and Merriment, standing together in support.

Workers at Macrodata Refinement and band members may hail from various parts of Lumon, but they are united by a single ambition. As creator Dan Erickson shared with GQ, this is the essence of Lumon: it’s about controlling individuals on both an individual and larger scale. This season in “Severance” aims to unfold the narrative of what transpires when people who have been discouraged from uniting begin to join forces and uncover their combined strength.

What actually is Macrodata Refinement?

The task at hand is enigmatic and crucial, much like the intricate plot of “Severance.” Initially, it seemed the innies’ roles were obscure, as they merely assigned numbers to folders labeled “Dranesville” or “Tumwater.” However, clarity unfolds in Season 2, Episode 7, titled “Chikhai Bardo,” where Gemma ventures into rooms bearing those familiar names and encounters a new innie in each. A popular fan theory posits that Mark is, in essence, developing methods to repeatedly separate his wife. The finale indeed validates this theory.

To persuade innie Mark to agree with the plan, Cobel explains that the numbers serve as a “key to understanding your outie’s wife Gemma Scout’s thoughts.” The four numbers symbolize the fundamental aspects of the mind according to Lumon’s founder Kier Eagan: sorrow, playfulness, cruelty, and fear.

By crafting each of her 24 (later 25) inners, Mark alters Gemma significantly, making her behave differently in places like dentists’ offices or when writing cards. The Cold Harbor case is the final one Mark has left to finish, as Lumon executives believe it will lead to a momentous event in human history. As Gemma steps into the Cold Harbor room, she appears completely emotionless, even while disassembling a baby crib without hesitation.

What is Cold Harbor?

“Severance” primarily explores the theme of emotions, as the main character, Mark, separates himself into two distinct parts: one who works and is isolated from his personal life for eight hours a day, and another that carries his memories, particularly helping Adam Scott cope with the loss of his real-life mother. The story culminates at Cold Harbor, where it’s speculated that this location could lead to Gemma’s demise before the finale. A popular theory suggested that her inner self would face death in Cold Harbor, sparing the original Gemma from experiencing fear before meeting her end.

Instead, we receive a crib and a robot-like Gemma, suggesting that Cold Harbor aims to strip away all emotions and unique characteristics from individuals. This might be Lumon’s ultimate goal – producing utterly blank minds within people. By transforming humans into mindless machines who obey orders without hesitation, they could potentially create a superior workforce compared to the occasionally disobedient innies they currently manage.

It appears that Lorne, under Drummond’s instructions, arranged for a goat to be sacrificed and buried with a woman who is not explicitly identified in the text. This action suggests that Lumon may have cult-like tendencies, but it’s unclear whether they intended to kill Gemma or another person like Helena if Cold Harbor was successful. The motive behind this ritual remains ambiguous.

What did creator Dan Erickson say about the Severance Season 2 ending?

The expectation to excel in “Severance” didn’t escape executive producer Ben Stiller following the success of its first season. Indeed, many viewers found Season 2 to be largely satisfying, particularly the climactic ending where Mark chooses to leave Gemma behind and flee with Helly. Interestingly, it was revealed that Season 2 could have concluded differently, potentially not resonating as strongly.

Dan Erickson shared with The Wrap that it was Mark Stiller who suggested having Gemma and Helly in the final scene together. According to Erickson, he initially conceived a version where Helly wasn’t present, but Stiller chose to revisit the scene and find her later. In his insight, Ben decided that it would be powerful if they were both there in the end.

In the same conversation, Erickson mentioned that it was Stiller who devised the potent finale for Season 1. Originally, Mark had intended to have “She’s alive” written down, but Stiller suggested yelling it instead, which resulted in the suspenseful scene that kept viewers guessing for three years, showcasing Stiller’s knack for compelling storytelling.

Is that really Helly?

In addition to “Severance” already being unsettling, a theory that surfaced after the finale left viewers even more emotionally drained. In the final scene, when Mark leaves with Helly, she casts a cold gaze towards Gemma through the door’s window. This chilling glance has led some fans to speculate that she might actually be Helena instead of Helly at that moment. User @NatePangaro on X (formerly Twitter) exclaimed: “That look was mean. HELLY WAS NEVER MEAN. THAT’S FING HELENA!!!

The suggestion is that Helena deliberately approaches Mark at the end with the intention to retain him at Lumon, regardless of allowing Gemma to leave. However, it’s possible that Lumon has bigger plans for Mark, but this idea was debunked by Britt Lower (Helly R.) in an interview with The Los Angeles Times, as she clarified that “That’s Helly R. in the final episode,” though she added that doubts about herself were raised in Episode 9 by Dylan. The series “Severance” has generated many theories, but this one was swiftly dismissed.

In response to Helly’s seemingly harsh gaze towards Gemma, Lower told Vulture, “The entire scene represents a confrontation for everyone involved. Helly is grappling with another person who loves the same individual she does, but externally. It’s incredibly intricate.” It’s plausible that Helly wasn’t intentionally being cruel; it doesn’t seem like she says anything to Mark to prompt him to stay. Instead, he makes that decision independently, and Season 3 will likely delve into the consequences of his choice.

Seriously, what’s with the goats?

Since the debut of goats in “Severance” Season 1, they’ve been a significant enigma. However, the Season 2 finale sheds some light on their purpose. Lorne presents a baby goat to Drummond, who intends to sacrifice and bury it with his cherished woman. It appears that these goats are raised for ritualistic sacrifices, intended to guide the deceased towards the afterlife.

It seems that the department named ‘Mammalian Nurturing’ at Lumon is always keeping goats on hand, implying a significant commitment of resources. One might wonder if they are sacrificing these animals for some reason, as this practice was common in ancient Greek mythology when goats were often offered to the gods. There’s also a reference to Pan, a deity with goat-like attributes who is associated with fertility. This ties in with the recurring theme of pregnancy in “Severance,” such as the introduction of a severed pregnant woman and Mark and Gemma losing their baby. It’s intriguing to consider if there’s a symbolic or literal connection between these goats, the mythology, and the show’s storyline.

In the second season, Mark and Helena (or Helly) engage in intimate moments on two occasions. Given these encounters, there’s a strong possibility that Helena might become pregnant, particularly if their inner selves, Mark and Helly, persist with physical relationships. The ritual sacrifice of goats serves the physical aspect of the show, but their presence could hint at the ongoing exploration of themes like birth, death, and rebirth in “Severance” as it progresses into season 3 and beyond.

What the end of Severance Season 2 means for Season 3

In the second season finale of “Severance”, many questions are answered and new ones are set up for further exploration in Season 3. Fortunately, Apple TV+ confirmed that the show will return for a third season shortly after its finale was aired, so we can look forward to finding out more details in due time. There’s plenty of ground to cover in Season 3!

It’s possible that Gemma is unaware that her husband, Mark, experienced severance, which explains why she might be puzzled about his sudden departure with a stranger who has red hair. Perhaps one day, ‘Mark-outside-Inc.’ will resurface and clarify the situation, but given Lumon’s complexities, things rarely go smoothly. It’s also important to mention that Mark inadvertently caused Drummond’s death, so there could be consequences for this action. Lumon has the power to terminate employees, as demonstrated by Milchick with Irving. However, they may choose not to eliminate Mark and Helly because they might still need them for less than honorable reasons. On the other hand, if the innie employees unite, they could potentially wield more influence.

The brief glimpse into the questions Season 3 might address barely scratches the surface. Will Irving and Miss Huang (Sarah Bock) be permanently absent? Is Cobel truly acting in Mark’s best interests, or is she manipulating Lumon for her own ends? Was Cold Harbor successful if Gemma consented to depart with a bloodied Mark, suggesting that there’s still a part of her trapped within him? Ben Stiller has reassured fans that they won’t have to wait three more years for Season 3 – thank goodness, as we desperately need these answers right away.

2025-03-22 00:02