“Severance” uses unique episode titles, often based on random phrases that later make sense in the story. When viewers finish watching, they realize that these titles connect directly to the plot. Some are easy to understand, like Season 2, Episode 4, “Woe’s Hollow,” which refers to the location where MDR goes during the failed ORTBO.
Others carry deeper meanings, such as Season 2, Episode 5, “Trojan’s Horse.” In this episode, viewers learn that Helena (Britt Lower) has been pretending to be the innies’ co-worker, Helly R. This betrayal echoes the famous Trojan Horse story, where an enemy hides in plain sight.
The latest title, “Chikhai Bardo,” is especially significant. It is not a common phrase, but it fits both the episode’s events and what may happen next.
Episode 7 Shows Major Truths About Gemma
Season 2, Episode 7 answers important questions about Gemma (Dichen Lachman) and her connection to Mark (Adam Scott). It shows their life together before she was believed to be dead and reveals her current situation.
Viewers now know that Gemma is alive, but Lumon is keeping her locked away. They are using her to test extreme forms of severance.
She is placed in six different rooms, where she becomes a different person in each one. Lumon watches her closely, experimenting on her severed identities. The episode also questions the differences between innies and outies, as well as between Gemma’s multiple innie versions.
The title, “Chikhai Bardo,” has a deeper meaning. It comes from a Buddhist idea that explains different states of being. Both the Buddhist meaning and the way Gemma talks about it in the episode reveal important clues about her situation.
“Chikhai Bardo” Has Strong Ties to Buddhism
Many people may not have heard of Chikhai Bardo before, but it comes from Buddhist teachings. Originally, the word “bardo” meant the time between one life and the next. Later, people started using it to describe any period when a person’s normal life is put on hold.
Both meanings connect to Gemma’s life at Lumon. She is locked away, unable to be herself. When she is in her natural state, she is waiting for the moment she is sent into another severed room. This is similar to moving between lives.
Another important meaning of the title comes from the Chikhai Bardo itself. It is known as the Bardo of the Moment of Death. This idea makes sense in “Severance” because, for most of the show, people believe that Gemma is dead. There is physical proof, like the police report and the ashes that Mark keeps in his basement.
If Chikhai Bardo begins at the first sign of death, then for Gemma, it started when people assumed she had died. She now exists in a state of limbo, waiting for one of three possible outcomes—true death, Lumon finishing their experiment on her, or her escape.
This title is a perfect fit for the episode. It describes Gemma’s trapped existence, but it also brings a small feeling of hope. Since Chikhai Bardo is about transition, it suggests that something will eventually change for her. Gemma deserves freedom, and Episode 7 makes that clear.
Gemma’s Own Words Give “Chikhai Bardo” Another Meaning
The title gains even more importance when looking at how the phrase is used in the episode. Mark finds some flashcards that were sent to Gemma, and she assumes they are part of a strange mailing list from a fertility clinic. Viewers may recognize these cards from O&D in Season 1.
Gemma picks up one card that shows a man fighting himself. She explains that he is “defeating his own psyche” because both figures have the same hair. She describes this as an “ego death,” meaning a person loses their sense of self.
This is exactly what is happening to Gemma in the episode. She has no control over her own actions. While she fights back, her multiple severed versions blindly follow orders.
During an escape attempt, she attacks Dr. Mauer (Robby Benson), but she fails because she suddenly becomes her severed version, Ms. Casey. This version listens to Milchick (Tramell Tillman) and obediently returns to where she came from.
The concept of ego death could also hint at a major struggle within Mark. Throughout the season, his innie and outie versions are becoming closer to merging.
According to psychologist Sigmund Freud, the ego represents a person’s self-awareness. Mark’s outie fits this description because he remembers his life and makes decisions. Meanwhile, Mark’s innie is more like the id, which Freud described as an unconscious, instinct-driven part of the mind.
The new Season 2 title sequence suggests that different versions of Mark are in conflict. If the story follows the idea of ego death, Mark’s innie could eventually take control. With this possibility, the title “Chikhai Bardo” does not just describe Gemma’s struggles—it also hints at Mark’s journey.
What This Title Could Mean for the Future
This phrase may become even more important as “Severance” continues. Episode 7 reveals many things about Gemma, but it does not explain everything. Viewers still do not know why Lumon chose her or if she agreed to the experiment.
Some fans think there is more to her story than just Lumon faking her death. Since the show revealed that Gemma is alive, many theories have surfaced. Some believe Ms. Casey is a clone or was resurrected. Others think her outie may have died while her innie was kept alive.
Episode 7 makes some of these theories less likely, since Gemma still remembers Mark. However, there is still a chance that she is stuck in a space between life and death. If that is true, then the title “Chikhai Bardo” is even more fitting.
“Severance” has not yet revealed every mystery behind this episode title. However, it is already one of the most meaningful in the series so far. New episodes of “Severance” are available every Friday on Apple TV+ in the U.S.
Also Read: ‘Severance’ Season 2 Episode 7 Recap: Chikhai Bardo and the Dark Truth Behind Gemma’s Fate
