After a massive three-year hiatus, one of Apple TV+’s best shows is finally returning for its second season. Severance is set to premiere on the streaming platform this month, and eager fans can’t wait to see what happens next. Because last season’s epic finale left viewers with quite a cliffhanger, the show’s return can’t come soon enough. With tons of questions in need of answers, Severance’s second season certainly has a lot of ground to cover.
The last time viewers saw the employees of Lumon’s Macrodata Refinement division, their innies had awakened on the outside thanks to Dylan (Zach Cherry) and the overtime contingency. However, their efforts to inform others of Lumon’s various misdeeds didn’t last as long as they would have hoped. That being said, they undoubtedly made waves with the time they had.
The hype surrounding Severance’s highly-anticipated return cannot be overstated, but there are certainly a number of events viewers might have forgotten during the show’s time away. While plenty of fans have likely rewatched the first season, there are plenty who need a refresher. Given how long it’s been since the show first premiered, there are a handful of key points to remember in preparation for Season 2.
Gemma Is Still Alive
She and Ms. Casey Are the Same Person
Release Date
February 18, 2022
Cast
Adam Scott
, Britt Lower
, Zach Cherry
, Tramell Tillman
, Jen Tullock
, Dichen Lachman
, Michael Chernus
, John Turturro
, Christopher Walken
, Patricia Arquette
, Sarah Bock
, Marc Geller
, Michael Cumpsty
Without a doubt, the biggest bombshell from Severance’s first season was the reveal that Gemma and Ms. Casey (Dichen Lachman) are the same person, which means Mark’s (Adam Scott) wife is still alive. When Mark’s innie wakes up on the outside, he tells Devon (Jen Tullock) about everything terrible happening inside Lumon. However, only in the final moments of the finale does he realize Ms. Casey is also Gemma. Thankfully, he’s able to shout “she’s alive” just before the overtime contingency is turned off, but whether it proves helpful remains to be seen.
Aside from the revelation about Gemma, it’s also important to remember how Ms. Casey appears to exist inside the walls of Lumon. She’s definitely severed, but it’s different from the others. Upon her firing, she’s taken back down to the “testing floor,” which suggests she never leaves Lumon. Her existence only raises more questions when viewers consider her conversation with Mark during their final wellness session. She told him her life has been 107 hours long. She didn’t say she’d been “awake” that long, she specifically said “life,” which suggests she’s different from other employees. Unfortunately, there are no indications regarding how she fits into the overall mystery of Lumon’s operations.
Ms. Cobel Was Fired From Lumon
But That Doesn’t Deter Her Efforts
Because Ms. Cobel (Patricia Arquette) didn’t inform the board of Helly R’s suicide attempt, they fired her. Although, there were a number of shady things she was keeping from her superiors. Nonetheless, that doesn’t deter her efforts. While existing as Mrs. Silveg, Mark’s next-door neighbor and Devon’s lactation consultant, she discovers Mark’s innie is awake on the outside. While rushing to Lumon, she’s able to alert Mr. Milchick (Tramell Tillman) of the overtime contingency and shut it down.
However, before racing back to cover Lumon’s tracks, viewers catch a glimpse of what she has inside her home. While viewers were already aware of her Lumon shrine, a few items part of that shrine only raised more questions. Her obsession with the founder is odd enough, but when she destroys the shrine in a rage after her firing, she cradles a life support tube that’s been kept as some sort of memorabilia. With the name Charlotte Corbel and a birthdate of March 17, 1944, printed on it, it’s a wonder as to who it once belonged to.
Helly Is Actually Helena Eagan
And the Severance Procedure Is Looking to Expand
When Helly (Britt Lower) wakes up on the outside, she’s shocked to learn her outie is Helena Eagan, the daughter of Lumon’s current CEO and a descendant of the company’s founder. In the middle of Lumon’s gala event meant to promote the severance procedure, Helly’s outie is meant to give a speech about the procedure’s benefits. However, true to form, she reveals she’s an innie and tells everyone how awful it really is just before the overtime contingency is shut down.
Before Helly speaks to the crowd, she’s introduced to a woman named Gabby (Nora Dale), the wife of Senator Angelo Arteta (Ethan Flower). A seemingly innocuous interaction, Gabby was the same woman who gave birth when Devon did. In fact, she and Devon met, but Gabby’s memories were severed to avoid remembering the pain of childbirth. Clearly, Lumon is looking to expand the severance procedure beyond the scope of their employees, which is a frightening thought.
The Show Takes Place in Kier, PE
When Irving’s (John Turturro) innie wakes up on the outside, he discovers his outie has been keeping tabs on other severed Lumon employees, but the reasons why remain unclear. As he rifles through various papers, viewers see a regional map of Kier, PE, which is presumably where the show takes place. However, “PE” is not any state abbreviation in the US. Either the state is simply a fictional one, or Severance takes place somewhere mysterious. Given the name of the town is that of Lumon’s founder, the latter is likely true. Severance Season 1 is currently streaming on Apple TV+. Season 2 premieres January 17, 2025.
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