Severance, the mind-bending psychological thriller, has been a hit with audiences due to its unique scheme of the human mind, memory, and the boundaries between work and life.
The show, created by Dan Erickson and directed by Ben Stiller, is set in a dystopian world where employees at Lumon Industries undergo a procedure called severance, which divides their work lives from their personal lives.
Episode 3 of Season 2, titled “Who Is Alive?”, takes the narrative to exciting new heights as the characters face unsettling discoveries, new revelations, and the blurred lines between the two realities they live.
The Opening Scene: A View Into Cobelvig’s Journey
The episode opens with a dramatic scene involving Cobelvig (Patricia Arquette), who was introduced in the first season as a mysterious and menacing figure in Mark S.’s life.
The scene begins with her driving alone in a car after an intense moment in the previous episode where she almost ran over Mark. It is clear that Cobelvig’s actions are calculated and significant, though at this point, her exact motives are still unclear.
Cobelvig drives to an unknown destination, her expression suggesting a mix of determination and unease. As viewers, we sense that Cobelvig may have more significant involvement in the unfolding events, but her exact role is yet to be fully revelaed.
She holds something in her hands — an object tied to the mysterious “Charlotte Cobel,” a name that has been linked to her in earlier episodes. After driving for some time, Cobel makes a surprising U-turn, heading back to where she came from. This moment leaves viewers with questions, as it hints at her possible return to a place of importance, maybe even a deeper connection to the secrets surrounding Lumon and its operations.
The Divide Between “Innie” and “Outie” Lives
One of the main themes that Severance continues to show is the divide between the innie (the work persona) and the outie (the personal life persona). Mark S. (Adam Scott), the show’s central character, has been grappling with the consequences of this split ever since he underwent the severance procedure.
In the beginning of Season 2, Episode 3, Mark’s outie life is shown as he prepares for the day ahead. The small, mundane details of his morning routine — such as the way he rushes around and checks his watch — serve as a subtle reminder of how disconnected his outie is from his innie existence.
At this point, Mark S. has not yet fully realized the implications of his severance. His innie is a completely separate entity that wakes up in the Lumon building every workday with no knowledge of his outie life. In contrast, his outie is unaware of the world of Lumon.
The tension created by this divide is at the core of Severance’s psychological intrigue. By focusing on Mark’s routine in both his work and personal lives, the show deepens its scheme of identity, memory, and how we compartmentalize our lives to cope with difficult realities.
Investigating the Disappearance of Ms. Casey
As Mark heads to work, the investigation into the disappearance of Ms. Casey (Dichen Lachman), the wellness counselor at Lumon, begins. She has gone missing under mysterious circumstances, and Mark is tasked with looking for her, although the rest of the Lumon staff seems to dismiss her absence as an irrelevant issue.
To further complicate matters, Mark begins using company resources — something not typically done by employees at Lumon — to print out missing-person fliers for Ms. Casey, which is both strange and unsettling.
This behavior hints at a possible disconnect between Lumon’s expectations and its employees’ loyalty to the company. The incident subtly calls into question how much of Lumon’s control over its employees extends to their outside lives.
Mark assembles his team of Macrodata Refiners, and the investigation begins in earnest. Helly (Britt Lower) and Irving (John Turturro) are sent to different areas of the building, such as the Optics & Design floor and the Break Room. These moments allow viewers to show different corners of the Lumon facility, revealing more about the company’s strange inner workings.
The Goat Room: A Surreal Discovery
Mark and Helly are tasked with investigating a particularly strange area within the Lumon facility: the goat room. This room, which had been alluded to in earlier episodes, is a bizarre, almost dreamlike space that feels completely disconnected from the sterile environment that has been established in Lumon’s other departments.
Mark and Helly stumble upon a tiny door that opens into a room filled with goat statues, representing an odd mixture of serenity and chaos. As they step into the room, they discover a surreal view full of green hills and, surprisingly, real goats.
This scene introduces a new layer of mystery within the show. It hints that Lumon is involved in more than just corporate work. The goats, the hills, and the bizarre nature of the room suggest that Lumon is creating a world of its own, separate from the human experience.
Adding to the surreal atmosphere is a man dressed in a goat costume, who seems to be there for reasons unknown. To further confuse the situation, Mark and Helly encounter a woman named Lorne (Gwendoline Christie), who seems to be part of Lumon’s enigmatic structure.
She speaks in riddles and warns the duo to leave the goat room before they find themselves in trouble. It is unclear what role Lorne plays in Lumon’s operations, but her cryptic warnings leave viewers wondering whether she is another cog in the machine or if she is more aware of the organization’s darker secrets.
Dylan’s Emotional Visit with His Outie Wife
While Mark and Helly are investigating the goat room, Dylan G. (Zach Cherry) finds himself embroiled in an emotional moment with his outie’s wife, Gretchen (Merritt Wever). This plotline shows the complexity of the outie-innie relationship in a deeply emotional way.
Dylan’s outie, like Mark, has been severed from his personal memories, and as a result, Dylan is unable to access his full personality or emotional state. However, he is granted a brief, 18-minute visitation with his wife, who is clearly confused by the situation.
The meeting is awkward, as Dylan struggles to connect with Gretchen, who has no idea about the true nature of his severed identity. They sit together, and Gretchen tells him that their family has three children.
Dylan’s outie is a complex figure who has struggled with career and personal issues. During their brief conversation, Dylan begins to question whether his outie is a failure, as Gretchen implies that he never truly found his “thing.”
At this moment, the show goes into themes of personal identity and the emotional toll of severance. Dylan’s emotional discomfort is a window into the larger consequences of severance, showing how it affects not only the employees but their families as well.
Irving’s Search for Burt
Meanwhile, Irving embarks on a personal mission of his own. After interacting with Felicia (Claudia Robinson) from the Optics & Design department, Irving begins to unravel more about his own feelings towards his former colleague, Burt (Christopher Walken). The two had developed a bond in Season 1, and it is clear that Irving’s emotional attachment to Burt is still very much alive.
Irving, despite his confusion and the cognitive dissonance created by his severed memory, tries to make sense of the drawings and sketches he has created of Burt. These sketches are symbolic representations of their connection, and they seem to reflect Irving’s attempt to hold onto something familiar in the face of a world that seeks to sever his memories and relationships.
His continued search for Burt adds emotional depth to his character, giving him a personal stake in the larger mystery of Lumon and the severance procedure.
The Shocking Revelation: Mark’s Wife, Gemma
The climax of the episode comes when Mark receives a shocking revelation from Dr. Asal Reghabi (Karen Aldridge). Mark learns that his wife, Gemma, may still be alive and working within Lumon. This revelation sends Mark into a state of disbelief, as he had believed for some time that Gemma had died in a tragic accident.
The emotional weight of this discovery is immense, as it suggests that Lumon has kept Mark’s wife in some sort of suspended state — possibly as part of the company’s larger agenda.
Dr. Reghabi hints that Mark may need to undergo a process called reintegration, which could allow him to merge his innie and outie selves and gain full access to his memories. The possibility of reintegration presents a compelling question: Can Mark reconcile his two lives, or will the reintegration process destroy his sense of self?
A Cliffhanger Ending
The episode ends on a cliffhanger, leaving the audience eagerly anticipating what will happen next. Mark has learned that his wife is alive, and he faces the difficult choice of whether to undergo the reintegration process.
This moment highlights the larger conflict within Severance: the battle between control and freedom, memory and forgetfulness, and the human desire to connect with others versus the corporate forces that seek to keep individuals isolated and divided.
Conclusion: Season 2 Takes the Story to New Heights
Severance continues to build on its established world of psychological tension and corporate intrigue. Episode 3, “Who Is Alive?”, deepens the mysteries surrounding Lumon and its employees.
Mark’s discovery about his wife, the strange goat room, and Dylan’s emotional visit with his wife all contribute to the show’s scheme of identity, memory, and the emotional cost of severance.
As the story unfolds, Severance challenges viewers to question the nature of work, the importance of personal connections, and the impact of corporate control on individual lives. With its thought-provoking plot and complex characters, Season 2 of Severance is shaping up to be just as compelling and enigmatic as its first season.
