Revisiting Lumon’s Labyrinth: Unanswered Questions as Severance Season Two Nears Its End
The world felt simpler back in late January. We were only three episodes into the second season of Apple TV+’s "Severance," still blissfully ignorant of the true horrors lurking within Lumon Industries. Salt’s Neck was just a geographical curiosity, Ms. Casey’s clandestine location a complete mystery. Now, as we stand on the precipice of the season two finale, titled with ominous precision "Cold Harbor," we possess a marginally clearer picture of the situation. Yet, the hallways of Lumon remain shrouded in secrets, and the answers we’ve gleaned have only spawned more questions.
Let’s revisit the burning questions we posed at the start of the season, examining how our understanding has evolved and, more importantly, what new enigmas have emerged to plague our minds.
Resolved (or Partially Resolved) Mysteries
The Mystery of Gemma/Ms. Casey: Episode seven, "Chikhai Bardo," provided a heartbreaking glimpse into Gemma and Mark’s past, from their initial encounter to the agonizing infertility struggles that plagued their marriage. Crucially, we learned that Gemma, now known as Ms. Casey, has been trapped beneath Mark’s feet all along, subjected to cruel experiments on the subterranean testing floor. This floor is even deeper and more concealed than the already secretive severed floor.
While the ‘how’ remains partly obscured, we have more context. We know the couple sought help from a Lumon-affiliated fertility clinic, and Gemma continued to receive communication from them. We also witnessed the fateful night she left for an event Mark couldn’t attend, only to be declared dead shortly after, a fabrication delivered by police.
The ‘why’ behind her transformation into Ms. Casey is also coming into sharper focus. She’s being held against her will, and Mark’s work as a Macrodata Refiner directly influences her experiences on the testing floor. Even more chillingly, "The After Hours" revealed that the completion of Mark’s Cold Harbor file will mark the end of Gemma’s life.
Ms. Cobel’s Backstory: Episode eight, "Sweet Vitriol," painted a detailed portrait of Ms. Cobel’s upbringing in a dilapidated Lumon company town populated by ether addicts. Her mother, a fellow addict, harbored deep resentment towards Lumon. We learned Cobel was a talented student who earned the Wintertide Fellowship, only to have her designs for the severance procedure stolen by Jame Eagan.
This revelation clarifies much of her behavior: her fanatical devotion to the Kier cult, her unsettling fascination with Mark (due to his connection to the success of severance through Cold Harbor), her extreme reaction to being fired, and her apparent decision to aid Mark and Devon as Gemma’s time runs out. All of these are the actions of a woman deeply affected by the betrayal.
Eustace’s Fate: Like Ms. Cobel before her, young Eustace is a Wintertide Fellow. Despite a strained working relationship with Mr. Milchick, she graduated. In "The After Hours," she is dispatched to Svalbard for a new assignment, a remote location presumably colder than even Kier, severing her from her parents.
Helly’s Impersonation: Episode four, "Woe’s Hollow," confirmed that it wasn’t Helly but Helena Eagan, her outie, who was posing as her innie to spy on MDR.
The Mysterious Corridor Irving Paints: We knew it led to the testing floor, witnessing Ms. Casey walk down it in season one. In season two, Dr. Mauer wheels his dental tools through it, and it’s where Ms. Casey attempts to escape in "Chikhai Bardo." Thanks to Felicia in Optics and Design, Irv’s innie left behind instructions for Helly R. to find the entrance.
The Impact of Macrodata Refinement: Their work sorting "scary numbers" and completing files named after locations has a direct and demonstrable impact on the testing floor. We are slowly but surely putting together the pieces of this dangerous puzzle.
Lingering Questions & Emerging Mysteries
What Awaits Gemma in Cold Harbor?: Speculation initially pointed towards Gemma reliving her miscarriage. However, knowing it’s designed to be fatal, could it be a recreation of the car crash, this time with deadly consequences?
What are Lumon’s Grand Plans?: The fundamental question remains: what is Lumon’s ultimate objective with these barbaric experiments, and what are the broader implications for the future?
Who are the other Eagans?: Beyond Jame and Helena, are there other members of the Eagan family lurking in the shadows?
What is Natalie’s True Identity?: Could Natalie’s outie be the polar opposite of her "PR person with a death-ray smile" innie persona?
What’s the significance of Ricken?: Was Ricken’s presence a way for Lumon to maintain its grip on Mark’s family, knowing his value to the company? The flashback in "Chikhai Bardo" reveals a more charming past version of Ricken, and underscores the genuine connection between Devon and him.
Where Did Irving Go?: With Burt’s help, Irv boarded a train out of Kier, instructed never to return. Was he involved in the anti-severance movement, and was he the one compiling the list of severed workers’ names and addresses?
What is the significance of the goats?: What purpose do the goats serve within Lumon, and why are their caretakers so eccentric?
What will Cobel, Mark, and Devon do next?: As they gather at the birthing retreat, seeking to rescue Gemma, how will they infiltrate the heavily guarded severed and testing floors?
What does it mean to be "one of Jame’s"?: Cobel described Devon (posing as a Lumon employee) as needing discreet entry because "she’s one of Jame’s." Does this imply a disturbing connection to Jame Eagan’s lineage, perhaps suggesting unwilling participation in some twisted Eagan experiment?
Will Milchick become an ally?: His unexpected defense of Mark’s outie actions and his reactions to the paintings suggest a potential break from his unwavering loyalty to Lumon. Could he become an unexpected ally to the innies?
What about the supporting characters?: Will we see Dylan reunite with his outie’s wife, Gretchen? Will Burt face consequences for violating Lumon’s farewell protocols with Irving?
The Love Triangle Dilemma: Mark S. loves Helly R., while Mark (outie) loves Gemma. How will this complex relationship dynamic resolve, and will anyone find happiness? Will Gemma die in Cold Harbor, or will Helena triumph in erasing her innie?
What’s up with Senator Eagan’s Raw Eggs?: Who does he think he’s addressing in the final scene – his daughter or her innie? Why the insistence on raw eggs rather than hard-boiled?
The Big Questions: The Future of Severance
How will the season two finale set up season three? Will we be left with another agonizing cliffhanger like season one? When will Apple TV+ officially confirm season three? And, perhaps most importantly, how long will we have to endure the wait to see more of this brilliant and unsettling world?
As "Cold Harbor" approaches, we brace ourselves for answers, more questions, and the inevitable cliffhanger that will leave us yearning for more of Lumon’s enigmatic corridors.
