plain Ether: The Dark Secret Behind Kier Eagan’s Myth

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In the 8th episode of Severance Season 2, Harmony Cobel finds herself traveling back to her hometown, Salt’s Neck. Here, an unsettling revelation unfolds as she learns about a substance that links her past to Kier Eagan, who seems to be deeply connected to this place and its inhabitants.

Upon Harmony’s arrival at Salt’s Neck, there is an unsettling atmosphere; it’s chilly, silent, and individuals can be seen huddled around dilapidated houses and decaying vehicles while inhaling something enigmatic.

Later on, her long-time acquaintance Hampton hands a mysterious substance to one of his cafe patrons and takes a whiff himself while driving Harmony to Sissy’s residence. “You’re as high as a vulture with a beard,” she quips at him, and Sissy labels him a “drug dealer.

It’s undeniable that there’s a serious problem with drugs in this town, and an episode of Severance sheds light on one of Kier’s well-known tales, revealing its underlying truth.

The drug situation in the town is quite evidently out of control, and an episode from Severance delves into the reality behind one of Kier’s popular stories, uncovering its hidden facts.

Why ether is so important in Kier’s mythology in Severance

It seems that everyone in Salt’s Neck has developed a strong habit or dependence on diethyl ether, which is often referred to as “sweet vitriol.” This is the reason behind the title of Severance Season 2 Episode 8.

The first ether to be identified was diethyl ether, which was created in 1540 by the German botanist Valerius Cordus. He made it by distilling a combination of ethanol and sulfuric acid (which was then called oil of vitriol). Cordus named his discovery “sweet oil of vitriol.

Once upon time, ether was widely used for its aesthetic qualities and gained popularity as a recreational substance in the 19th and 20th centuries. People even held gatherings called ‘ether frolics’, where participants would breathe in substantial quantities of the substance.

As tradition tells us, Kier Eagan was employed at his father’s ethereal mill. It was there that he had the pleasure of meeting his future spouse, Imogene, as depicted in the artwork titled “The Courtship of Kier and Imogene.

However, the romanticized view of the Ether Mill by Lumon becomes unsettling in light of Episode 8, considering that Lumon originally began as a pharmaceutical company and, essentially, exploited children like Harmony and Hampton for their labor.

Furthermore, it appears that ether abuse starts at a young age in Salt’s Neck, with Harmony admitting that she first tried it when she was only eight years old.

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2025-03-07 09:23