The season two finale of Severance was extra than simply an episode of tv. It was an epic mini-movie that felt larger and extra impactful than the whole lot we’ve seen this complete season mixed. After episode upon episode of teases and questions, the episode, appropriately known as “Chilly Harbor,” lastly sat us down and mentioned, “Right here’s what this implies, right here’s what meaning, and the way do you prefer it?” We acquired solutions to large questions, endings to main tales, and, in fact, so many extra mysteries we barely know the place to begin. However begin we should. Full spoilers under.
Issues begin the place final week’s episode left off, with innie Mark confused about his whereabouts and staring down his outdated boss, Concord Cobel. She jumps proper into the Gemma stuff and when she mentions the exports corridor, Mark brings up Irving’s drawings. This throws Concord—Irving was drawing the exports corridor? How did he learn about it?—however that shortly will get glossed over for extra urgent issues. Even so, we think about that may very well be an necessary piece of information in a while, particularly since Irving’s story is at a crossroads.
After one other temporary scene with Helly and Jame again at MDR, the place Jame confesses he doesn’t love his daughter Helena however sees Kier in her innie (a really startled Helly), issues actually get cooking. Cobel and Devon clarify to innie Mark their plan to hopefully extract Gemma from Lumon. The thought is that in the event that they break her out, it proves Lumon kidnapped her, faked her loss of life, and it could be the top of the corporate. Which is a good plan for Devon and Cobel however not essentially Mark’s innie. He sees that as sacrificing his life for somebody he doesn’t know however earlier than he can suppose an excessive amount of extra about it, they inform him another person needs to chime in.
It’s outie Mark, who has recorded a message for innie Mark. That is one thing we’ve needed from mainly day one, for each variations of Mark to speak to and perceive one another. And whereas issues begin comparatively harmless and even heartfelt, issues slowly take a flip. Innie Mark questions how this plan advantages him and the opposite innies. Outie Mark tells him about reintegration and that they are often one, to which the innie asks for an evidence. Mark doesn’t have one. Ultimately, outie Mark brings up his innie’s relationship with Helly, however he mistakenly calls her “Heleny”—and that’s the second Mark’s innie flips on his outie and begins to defy and problem him. We understand that whereas these are two completely different variations of Mark, it’s nonetheless simply Mark. Each needs what he needs and is unwilling to compromise for it. What a Severance viewer is left to marvel is, is yet one more proper than the opposite? And which can we facet with?
The dialog has gone to shit so Cobel steps in and offers us possibly essentially the most direct and clear exposition dump in Severance historical past. She explains that the numbers he offers with at work every day signify the thoughts and tempers of Gemma. And, for every file Mark has accomplished, he’s allowed Lumon to create a brand new innie for her. As soon as the twenty fifth and last one, Chilly Harbor, is finished, the mission shall be full and so they’ll don’t have any extra want for Mark, Gemma, or the remainder of the MDR staff. She says it’s over for them. Innie Mark isn’t positive if he can imagine her so he storms out and tells Devon to inform his outie that the following factor he sees higher be the severed ground or else he’s not going to assist.
Which is, in fact, the place issues instantly go. However earlier than persevering with on with the remainder of the episode, I virtually wish to stand up in entrance of my Apple TV+ app and provides Adam Scott a standing ovation for these scenes. The way in which you’ll be able to clearly see differentiations between each his outie and innie, and in addition how they every go on a full journey from excited, appreciated marvel, to pure venom and confusion, was exceptional. A tour de drive if ever there was one.
Again at Lumon, it’s the day all of the creeps have been ready for. Mark S. goes to complete Chilly Harbor and, to mark Mark’s achievement, he and Helly are greeted with a model new portray outdoors the elevator (“The Exalted Victory of Chilly Harbor,” it’s known as. It’s superb and I would like it) in addition to an eerie wax statue of Kier in the midst of MDR. The statue holds a notice from Mr. Milchick letting Mark know that Kier needed to observe the work and that when he finishes, “goodly splendors” will await. And, as you in all probability already know, these “goodly splendors” didn’t disappoint.
The beginning of the day additionally held one other shock, the return of Dylan. When final we left him, Dylan’s innie had stop Lumon however, it seems, his outie didn’t conform to it. We, in addition to Mr. Milchick, assume the worst of this however in a very touching second, innie Dylan is handed a letter from his outie that doesn’t go how anybody anticipated. The outie mainly thanks his innie for being so badass and explains that he’s not notably assured, so his innie’s existence offers him hope for himself. Outie Dylan writes that if he needs to stop, he can, however that he hopes he doesn’t as a result of he’s so joyful to know he’s on the market. Critically, the execution and performances on this scene had been each so good, I cried. And that Mr. Milchick was so busy he needed to actually dash out of the room was simply the hilarious cherry on high.
Mark is able to begin engaged on Chilly Harbor, however he’s unsure if he ought to. Helly tells him about Jame Eagan exhibiting up, and Mark tells her the whole lot he discovered from Cobel. Mainly, if he finishes the file, there’s an excellent likelihood they’ll stop to exist. Helly is aware of that her outie could be superb with that so she pushes Mark to take the leap and rescue Gemma. Whether or not Cobel is mendacity or not, Helly says a minimum of there’s an opportunity Mark can proceed on. Mark says he doesn’t wish to proceed with out her and the episode as soon as once more hints at what’s going to finally be its largest query. Is it humanly attainable for each components of Mark to share happiness?
Work on Chilly Harbor begins, with each Dr. Mauer and Mr. Drummond watching on from the testing ground. As he works on it Mark and Helly discuss locations they know of, locations they don’t, and joke about what they suppose “the Equator” is. Episode director Ben Stiller shoots all of this in excessive close-ups that give the dialog an added aspect of emotion and intimacy. It’s all a pleasant distraction as a result of, finally, Mark lands on the previous few numbers. They maintain arms, get shut, and end the file.
After two lengthy sections full of rigidity and emotion, the finale wanted a launch valve. And a launch we acquired, first from a stirring lights-and-music fueled introduction (akin to the Chicago Bulls within the Michael Jordan days), second from some awkward comedic banter between Mr. Milchick and the animatronic Kier statue (throughout which each have their emotions harm and Kier hints Chilly Harbor is just the start of a bigger plan). Lastly, we hear Milchick name for the Choreography and Merriment division. Sure, the severed ground at Lumon has a complete division devoted to dancing and music within the type of a full-on marching band. The reveal, coupled with Mr. Milchick lastly attending to do a few of the dancing that made him so memorable in season one, is sort of presumably essentially the most awkward, absurd, and flat-out hilarious second in Severance historical past. A complete 180 from the whole lot else we’ve seen up till right here.
And but, it’s losing time. Mark is aware of he’s on a ticking clock to get to the testing ground earlier than Gemma is killed. “See you on the equator,” he and Helly romantically say, earlier than she steals Milchick’s walkie-talkie, creating the diversion Mark must make a run for it. Helly manages to lure Milchick within the MDR lavatory and is ready to maintain him there till Dylan seems and shoves the merchandising machine in entrance of the door for assist.
After following the sheet of instructions by Lumon’s maze of hallways that Irving left behind, Mark lastly finds the doorway to the exports corridor. He’s unaware of what’s taking place within the secret room adjoining to it, the place Mr. Drummond has summoned Lorne from the Mammalians Nurturable division (Gwendoline Christie, making her return), together with a goat. This specific goat, Drummond is assured, has “verve” and “wiles.” It’s right here we lastly discover out what the goats on Severance are for. They’re bred to be sacrificed and put into coffins with lifeless our bodies to information their spirits to Kier’s door. This specific goat is being killed for a “cherished lady” who is rarely named—however from the whole lot we all know, we are able to safely assume he means Gemma.
Drummond produces a bolt gun and instructs Lorne to kill the goat, however they’re interrupted by a sound outdoors the door. It’s Mark making an attempt to get into the exports corridor. An enormous struggle ensues between Drummond and Mark, although it’s probably not a contest; Mark’s about to be strangled to loss of life with Lorne emerges and saves him. Drummond then fights Lorne, besides this time he’s met his match. Mark takes Drummond hostage and Lorne thanks him for saving Emile (the goat’s identify is Emile).
Severance isn’t identified for motion for violence so seeing a scene like this, with the stakes as excessive as they’re for all concerned, was dramatically brash however completely warranted. An sudden, but welcome, change of tempo. One which took an virtually Coen brothers twist when, within the elevator all the way down to the testing ground, Mark’s outtie reemerges and mistakenly fires the bolt gun into Drummond’s throat, killing him as blood shoots in every single place. RIP Mr. Drummond, you piece of crap.
Whereas a lot of the above was taking place, we noticed Gemma placed on her outfit for the day—she instantly realizes it’s her personal clothes, from the evening she left her residence with Mark and by no means returned—and get led to the one room she’d by no means visited earlier than: Chilly Harbor. Inside, the ominous voice of Dr. Mauer tells Gemma to take aside a child crib, which she does and not using a phrase or in any other case reacting in any approach. The implication right here is that Chilly Harbor permits Lumon to make severed people with out emotion. With out thought. Full and utter clean slates that may do something if merely requested. The chances of it are staggering and whereas it’s actually not the reply most individuals could have considered to “What the hell is occurring right here on Severance?” it’s a minimum of a solution. Mauer and, most significantly, Jame Eagan watch on with frothy delight.
That’s, in fact, till they understand that plan is about to go to shit. Outie Mark arrives on the testing ground and, after a quick encounter with the nurse, is ready to enter Chilly Harbor utilizing Mr. Drummond’s blood. Gemma remains to be taking aside the crib when he enters and as he calmly asks her to go away, the success of Chilly Harbor is what aids him. Gemma ignores the cries of Dr. Mauer and he or she cautiously, however obediently leaves with Mark. Mauer and Jame scream in horror as a result of they know that is very, very dangerous. As soon as Gemma leaves the Chilly Harbor room, she snaps again to herself and it’s the reunion we’ve been ready for. Mark and Gemma, the spouse he regarded as lifeless, collectively as soon as extra. However will he have the ability to break her out?
Upstairs, the Choreography and Merriment division has been taking part in this complete time (which actually added to the general rigidity anytime issues reduce to loud, boisterous band music). They’re about to go away at Milchick’s request when Helly will get up and makes her Emmy-moment speech. She talks about how this ground goes to shut and that everybody has already misplaced mates. She pleads that severed persons are solely given half a life and Lumon thinks they received’t struggle for it. The speech works and by the point Milchick exits the toilet, your complete marching band has turned to stare him down. “Fuck you, Mr. Milchick” Dylan defiantly says.
“You’ll kill all of them,” Dr. Mauer ominously screams as Gemma and Mark make it to the elevator. There, as anticipated, they snap again to their innies, Ms. Casey and Mark S. Mark was ready for that although and so they make a break for it. There isn’t a lot in the best way of opposition because it appears everybody from Lumon is both trapped or lifeless, so that they shortly attain the exit stairs. Ms. Casey opens the door and flips again to Gemma, who begins screaming for Mark, the husband she’s lastly been reunited with, to comply with her. Solely, it’s not her Mark. It’s innie Mark. And right here’s when that unbelievable opening to this episode comes again.
Innie Mark has accomplished his mission for outie Mark. They labored collectively to get Gemma out. However, we all know, he additionally needs to exist. To be full. And so, together with his outie’s spouse on one facet and his innie’s love, Helly, on the opposite, Mark makes his alternative. He decides to go away Gemma behind and be with Helly. That is their equator.
As “The Windmills of Your Thoughts” by Noel Harrison performs, the 2 make a run for it, actually conscious, however not caring, that they will’t depart this place. They solely exist on this place. And in the event that they keep there, modifications can’t be made to repair it. However they don’t care, they’re in love. And nobody is aware of what’s subsequent. The season closes on a freeze body of the 2 of them operating scared, with their luscious locks billowing within the air.
Season two of Severance begins with Mark operating to search out Gemma and it ends with him and Helly operating to remain collectively as a result of it’s all they will do. After an edge-of-your-seat 76 minutes of rigidity, it’s an ending that’s in all probability not fairly as maddening as season one’s however is much more tantalizing. Then, you had a transparent thought of what needed to occur. Right here, we do not know. Mark’s choice to stick with Helly asks so many not possible questions with much more devastating implications. Then there’s the potential fallout from Gemma’s escape and it means for the way forward for Lumon. However, hopefully, we received’t have to attend three years for solutions to any of it.
As we come to the top of the season, I needed to thank each one who sat down and browse these every week. Recapping a present this epic is just not a simple activity and I hope my blood, sweat, and tears helped carry you some enjoyment and or perception. Let’s do it once more in season three.
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