What Exactly Is ‘Cold Harbor,’ and Other Severance Questions

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Each week, we aim to analyze and dissect the intricate plotlines of one of television’s most puzzling series, focusing on the most bizarre, perplexing, and vital unexplored aspects following each episode. Expect numerous speculative theories, some may even seem a tad unconventional.

Indeed, it provides responses to certain queries we had previously. Not everything, mind you, but enough to satisfy curiosity. Yet, it also sparks fresh questions, which is exactly what the series “Severance” excels at doing.

In the second episode of season two, titled “Goodbye, Mrs. Selvig,” we delve into the lives of the Outies following the conclusion of season one. This installment sheds light on the occurrences depicted in the season opener. As anticipated, Milchick was discovered to have been dishonest about various aspects, including timelines, trios, and media portrayals of the MDR uprising. The episode offers insights into why and how the team members chose to go back to Lumon despite all that had transpired. We even got a peek at Milchick riding a motorcycle. All in all, it was an action-packed hour of television.

In this storyline as it unfolds, you’ll often encounter the term “Cold Harbor” given its relevance to Mark’s growing suspicions surrounding his wife Gemma’s demise. Additionally, prepare for numerous theories regarding Helly’s mysterious activities, and overall, brace yourself for a fair share of speculative discussions.

What, exactly, is Cold Harbor and why do they need Mark around so badly to work on it?

We know two things so far …

From the final scene of Episode 1, it seems Cold Harbor might be a Lumon-related initiative that involves the MDR team and experiments on Gemma or individuals similar to her. Mark recorded his data into his device, which displayed “68%,” immediately followed by a screen showing her face and the same percentage, along with other health metrics. Given this connection, it’s plausible to infer that assumption.

2) Mark is crucial for the project to its extent that he was rehired at Lumon through underhanded psychological tactics when the rest of the team was let go, and furthermore, he was also granted his entire team back – including Helly R., details on this soon – once it was understood that he couldn’t complete the project without them.

Considering or presuming that we understand those two points, what does this imply about Cold Harbor, a project Lumon seems deeply involved with? One possibility is that they’re trying to create a new Gemma using cloning techniques involving goats and other means, to see if Mark and the clone recognize each other when their brains are separated, as a measure of the procedure’s potency. Another thought is that Mark may have been integral to this situation for longer than he suspects, with Lumon orchestrating the car accident to eliminate Gemma and attract him. Lastly, it’s also plausible that I should take a break from thinking too much about this, as I might end up muttering things like “Lumon excavated Gemma’s remains after Mark’s initial college fluke because they saw he possesses abilities similar to Neo from The Matrix, and they aim to exploit these powers for capitalist or illicit purposes before he comprehends the extent of his control” while wandering around the supermarket aimlessly.

What was that look in Helly’s eye?

You’re familiar with the situation, right? The incident where she noticed the security camera recording her kissing Mark’s counterpart, and also the moment when she subtly acknowledged Mark from her executive office as he arrived and entered the building. That particular expression she gave him…

After the first episode, there was much discussion about whether the figure on the severed floor was truly Helly’s Innie or if her Outie had been sent down as a spy. For now, I’m assuming it was her Innie due to two reasons: (1) We haven’t seen any indication yet that this situation can be reversed or bypassed, given the fate of Petey. (2) It would require an incredible amount of preparation and acting skill for Outie Helly to convincingly portray all that her Innie knows, feels, and thinks, especially considering she needs to do this in front of the three people who know her best. However, I’m open to the possibility that I might be mistaken about this. This is my current perspective on the matter.

However, this leads us to the larger concern: If it was Helly’s Innie who was down there, why did her Outie return? We can consider two possibilities. The first hypothesis is that Helly’s Outie might also be influenced, possibly by the board and various silver-haired individuals in her life. This could suggest a deeper narrative surrounding a billionaire heiress to a covert conglomerate, who seemingly voluntarily underwent elective brain surgery and spends an extensive eight hours daily in a subterranean setting.

From a cinephile’s perspective, I find myself incessantly questioning the motives of the character. Could she be longing for companionship? Perhaps she felt a pang of envy when she saw her inner self kiss Mark. Or maybe she yearns for what her inner self experiences, or at least to understand her inner self’s emotions.

I’m hoping she begins making efforts to meet Mark outside, to see if there’s also some spark between them. It’d be quite amusing, wouldn’t it? Imagine if they’ve been orchestrating everything just to offer us a heartwarming tale about two Outies falling in love at a pumpkin patch – the kind you’d find on Hallmark. The backlash would surely be immense.

Did your opinion of Milchick change at all now that you know he has a leather jacket and a motorcycle?

It’s possible I had an image in my mind, didn’t I? I envisioned him behind the wheel of a lavish sedan or perhaps a sleek black SUV, like a character from a spy flick. I guess I imagined him having a chauffeur, traveling everywhere while occasionally lowering and raising the rear window as he conveyed messages to others. Strangely enough, I’m not sure why I thought that. It seems Cobel, his superior, drives a modest hatchback instead. Perhaps it was the mustache that threw me off. I do tend to be misled by a mustache.

In another thought: When you spotted him riding that motorcycle, clad in a leather jacket and wearing a dark helmet, did it ever cross your mind for a fleeting moment that he was planning to commit an assassination? It’s possible my mind has been influenced by too much action cinema. To be honest, I can’t even recall who I thought he might target, perhaps with a rapid-fire weapon, as he skidded towards them and spun the rear wheel of his bike. We know Dylan and Irving survived because they were later found on the floor, dismembered. Yes, it’s clear I’ve been watching too many action movies.

Let’s move forward and include “Milchick origin-story episode” as a standalone on my list of interesting ideas to watch. That’s quite the motorcycle effect.

What does Burt think is going on right now?

Let’s check in with Burt:

— He retired from Lumon.

— He was having a nice evening with his partner.

— A strange man showed up at his house and started banging on his door while shouting his name.

It seems that, given the moment when the overtime cut-off occurred, it’s likely that the man didn’t understand the situation yet when Burt opened the door.

— A series of as-yet-unknown events transpired over the next few days.

Currently, he’s tailing a peculiar individual throughout the city, keeping a discrete watch from afar, while enigmatic phone calls continue to be made from public call booths.

It’s quite intriguing, and I must admit, the ongoing storyline about Burt is the part of the show that has me most captivated at the moment. Perhaps it’s because I’m eager for some resolution, or maybe I just can’t get enough of Christopher Walken’s voice. These thoughts could be interconnected.

Is Ms. Cobel taking that promotion or what?

It turned out advantageous this week that I’ve always been skeptical of Milchick’s statements, as several pieces of evidence supported this, such as “the MDR uprising didn’t take five months to subside and they’re back” and “contrary to speculation, Ms. Cobel wasn’t fired for proposing a romantic threesome with Mark, but was instead offered a new role in another department, perhaps as a reward for her loyalty or to keep tabs on her due to the sensitive information she now possesses.

Indeed, things take an intriguing turn here. To be frank, she appears to be deeply rooted in that partitioned space. Yet, the reasons behind her dual existence, outside a home beside Mark’s, remain largely unexplained. When Mark pressed her about Gemma, her response was far from composed – it escalated into shouting, car horn blaring, and reckless acceleration. To me, such behavior certainly hints at a loss of control.

There are numerous possible outcomes. At present, I don’t have a solid, publishable hypothesis, but feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.

How great are the doors made by Great Doors?

The main point I got from Dylan’s interview is that those who have undergone the severance procedure often face a social bias, which can make them hesitant to leave Lumon because they fear their employment options are constrained elsewhere. However, during his time there, my mind kept wandering to the exceptional doors manufactured by the company he interviewed with, Great Doors.

As a follower, I’m suggesting this: Perhaps those doors are top-notch indeed. Yet, let me offer an idea for anyone embarking on a door manufacturing venture, producing B/B-quality doors. Why not name your company “Great Doors”? It could be an effective marketing tactic. Imagine a potential customer searching online for the finest doors. Suddenly, they stumble upon GreatDoors.com. Their reaction? “Wow,” they might think. “I was simply seeking a decent door, but now I can’t help but admire these great ones…

As diabolical as anything Lumon has ever done.

How did Lumon get that whole stop-motion video from the first episode turned around in the few days it now appears they had between the waffle-party uprising and the present?

A couple of things here …

By considering Milchick’s statement that he needed 48 hours to assemble a new MDR team, Mark W.’s comment suggesting they were there for just three days, and allowing for some flexibility regarding uncertainties, we might estimate that approximately one week elapsed between the events of the season-one finale and the start of season two.

The timeframe between the decision to reinstate the original MDR team and their first day was remarkably short, as indicated by Milchick’s swift pineapple deliveries on his motorcycle.

This implies that Lumon hastily produced the entire absurd training video under great pressure, primarily intended to deceive a select group of employees during their initial viewing, possibly utilizing the amusing old-fashioned computers that seem to be popular in the office.

As a devoted cinema enthusiast, I’d love to see an episode where the Lumon video team is given a rush assignment with just 24 hours to create it. This episode could feature narration from the legendary Keanu Reeves, who we can momentarily imagine as a character from the Severance universe and available for last-minute corporate subterfuge voice work. If we don’t have any evidence proving otherwise, let’s just pretend he exists in that world! I’d be thrilled if this could culminate in a captivating montage.

2025-01-24 20:56