Severance has always been more than just a sci-fi thriller. It is a layered critique of corporate culture, an exploration of grief and trauma, and an unsettling mystery about memory and identity.
The show’s second season has continued to build on the intricate web of questions surrounding Lumon Industries, its true intentions, and its deeply disturbing experiments.
Episode 7, titled “Chikhai Bardo,” is one of the most revealing yet, offering significant insight into Mark’s past, Gemma’s tragic fate, and the unsettling reality of what Lumon is doing to its severed employees.
From the episode’s title, which references a Tibetan Buddhist concept of transition between death and rebirth, to its disorienting flashbacks and eerie revelations, “Chikhai Bardo” cements itself as a pivotal installment in Severance’s narrative.
It presents haunting imagery, emotional depth, and a mounting sense of urgency as Mark and Gemma’s intertwined fates become clearer. This episode isn’t just about severance—it’s about control, grief, and the terrifying possibility that Lumon is attempting to manipulate life and death itself.
Let’s break down the major reveals and implications of this stunning episode.
The Blood Drive and a Fateful Meeting: Mark and Gemma’s Past
The episode opens with a flashback to Mark and Gemma’s first meeting, a blood drive at a university. This seemingly simple event carries metaphorical weight, subtly foreshadowing the themes of life, loss, and the exploitation of the human body—something Lumon is deeply invested in.
During their meet-cute, they share an easy, natural chemistry. Gemma jokes about a student paper Mark is grading, titled All Quiet on the Western Blunt, and the two quickly connect. However, this moment of lighthearted romance is sharply contrasted by the next scene: a present-day Gemma, dazed and disoriented, having blood drawn inside Lumon’s sterile facility.
This jarring transition suggests that Lumon is, quite literally, extracting something from her. Whether it’s her memories, her consciousness, or something more sinister, this moment makes it clear that Gemma is not simply another severed worker—she is part of a much bigger experiment.
The Rooms and the Experimentation of Gemma
One of the most chilling sequences in “Chikhai Bardo” involves Gemma’s experiences within Lumon. She is being subjected to some form of psychological conditioning, where she moves through various rooms named after different locations (Allentown, Cairns, Dranesville, Siena, Loveland, Tumwater, Adelaide, Sopchoppy, Wellington, Cold Harbor).
Each room appears to be a separate psychological scenario, reinforcing the idea that Lumon is not just severing employees but fragmenting them into multiple selves. This raises disturbing questions:
- Are these different versions of Gemma completely distinct personalities?
- Is she being trained or experimented on in different ways?
- What happens when she enters the final room, Cold Harbor?
A particularly unnerving moment comes when Dr. Mauer, the overseeing doctor, dismisses Gemma’s distress with eerie corporate platitudes. When she pleads for a break, he tells her it’s been six weeks since her last session, despite her insistence that she was just there.
This reinforces the idea that time itself is being manipulated within Lumon, or at the very least, that the severed workers have no perception of how much time has passed.
Mark’s Reintegrating Memories: Love, Loss, and the Tragedy of Gemma’s Death
Meanwhile, on the outside, Mark is in a state of reintegration, with memories of his past resurfacing in fragmented sequences. Through these flashbacks, we get the most detailed look yet at his relationship with Gemma before her supposed death.
We see them moving in together, sharing intimate moments, and, heartbreakingly, struggling with fertility issues. The emotional weight of these scenes is immense—especially when we witness Gemma experiencing a miscarriage. The moment where she sits in the shower, numb and bleeding, with Mark helplessly trying to comfort her, is one of the show’s most devastating sequences.
This tragedy sheds new light on why Mark was in such deep grief at the start of Season 1. His severance wasn’t just a means of employment—it was an escape from unbearable loss.
But what if Gemma’s severance was related to their fertility struggles? The episode hints at a possible connection between the fertility clinic they visited and Lumon, suggesting that Gemma may have willingly entered a Lumon experiment in hopes of conceiving a child. If this is true, Lumon may have used this as an opportunity to fake her death and turn her into a research subject.
Lumon’s Disturbing Research and the Idea of Rebirth
One of the most cryptic but crucial themes of this episode is rebirth.
The title, “Chikhai Bardo,” references a Tibetan Buddhist concept describing the state between death and rebirth. This ties directly to the show’s ongoing themes of identity, memory, and control over the human mind.
Lumon’s true goal has remained elusive, but this episode heavily implies that they are conducting experiments related to death and rebirth. Could they be trying to perfect a form of immortality? Are they attempting to resurrect Kier Eagan? Or, in a more metaphorical sense, are they creating a workforce of endlessly recyclable identities, erasing and reshaping people at will?
We see this in how Dr. Mauer talks to Gemma. He tells her she will “see the world again” once she completes her journey through the rooms. He also chillingly implies that Mark will benefit from whatever she is doing, as though she is sacrificing herself for some greater cause.
If Lumon is experimenting with death, memory, and rebirth, it would explain why Gemma has been fragmented into multiple selves. It might also explain why her Ms. Casey persona is so different—she could be an earlier version of herself, one who has undergone partial erasure but still retains certain instincts, such as her concern for Helly R.
Gemma’s Escape Attempt – And Milchick’s Chilling Intervention
After enduring untold psychological torture, Gemma finally takes action—knocking out Dr. Mauer and attempting to escape. This leads to one of the most visually striking sequences of the episode, as she stumbles through Lumon’s endless hallways, trying to find a way out.
Just as she reaches the elevator, she encounters Milchick. His reaction is not one of anger but of quiet, knowing control. When she asks what’s happening, he doesn’t acknowledge her as Gemma—he calls her Ms. Casey.
This moment is gut-wrenching. It suggests that her full identity is not yet accessible—she may not even be aware of her life as Gemma at this point. Milchick convinces her to turn around and step back into Lumon’s depths, reinforcing the inescapable nature of her imprisonment.
What’s Next? Theories and Predictions
This episode leaves us with some pressing questions:
- What exactly is Lumon trying to accomplish with Gemma’s multiple selves?
- What happens in the final room, Cold Harbor?
- Will Mark fully reintegrate and realize that his wife is still alive?
- How does the “innie cottage” fit into the larger plan, and what role will Harmony Cobel play in Devon’s plan?
Given the themes introduced in “Chikhai Bardo,” it seems likely that the endgame of Severance is not just about workplace control—it is about mastery over life and death itself.
A Journey Through Memory, Death, and Rebirth
“Chikhai Bardo” is an emotionally devastating and mind-bending episode that delves deeper into the mysteries of Lumon Industries, the nature of severance, and the unsettling fate of Gemma.
The episode intertwines past and present, revealing Mark and Gemma’s tragic history while exposing the horrifying psychological manipulation Gemma endures within Lumon.
In flashbacks, we witness Mark and Gemma’s first meeting, their loving relationship, and the immense grief they faced after Gemma suffered a miscarriage. Meanwhile, in the present, Mark begins to experience reintegration symptoms, as fragmented memories of Gemma resurface, forcing him to confront the possibility that she may still be alive.
Gemma, trapped in Lumon’s enigmatic research program, is forced through a series of psychologically disturbing “rooms,” each seemingly designed to reshape her identity.
The eerie names of these rooms suggest that she is being subjected to a form of cognitive reprogramming. Her desperation leads to an attempted escape, only for her to be confronted by Milchick, who chillingly refuses to acknowledge her as Gemma—calling her Ms. Casey instead.
The episode’s title, a reference to the Tibetan Buddhist concept of the transition between death and rebirth, hints at Lumon’s ultimate goal: mastering the boundaries of identity, life, and perhaps even death itself.
As Mark’s memories continue to surface and Gemma fights for autonomy, Severance inches closer to revealing its most terrifying truth—severance is not just about controlling workers. It may be about controlling life itself.
Final Thoughts
“Chikhai Bardo” is one of Severance’s strongest episodes yet, blending psychological horror, emotional storytelling, and deeply unsettling corporate dystopia.
With its revelations about Gemma’s past, Lumon’s disturbing experiments, and the possibility of a much larger conspiracy at play, it sets the stage for a thrilling climax to Season 2.
Whatever happens next, one thing is clear: Mark’s journey is far from over—and neither is Gemma’s.
Also Read: Burt’s Hidden Loyalties and Dark Secrets in Severance Could Change Everything
