Ben Stiller Unpacks That Pivotal Irving and Burt Scene in ‘Severance’ Episode 9

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☢️ WARNING: The narrative below includes plot details from Season 2, Episode 9 of the show “Severance,” which is currently available on Apple TV+.

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Does the penultimate episode of “Severance” Season 2 put a bow on the story of Irving and Burt?

The ill-fated couple, portrayed by John Turturro and Christopher Walken, bid each other an emotional farewell at a train station. Burt purchases a one-way ticket for Irving and encourages him on his journey into the uncharted territory as Irving departs.

Let’s take a step back for a moment: This season finds Irving and Burt meeting up in the real world following the permanent retirement of their innies. For dinner, Burt and his husband Fields (John Noble) invite Irving over, but the conversation is tense as they speculate about their past work relationship and Burt shares details about his time at Lumon. He seems to be less than truthful about his tenure at the company, calling himself a “scoundrel.” He reveals that a priest told him his innie would face separate judgment from his outie, potentially giving it a chance at reaching heaven. To add to the eerie atmosphere, Burt and Fields affectionately refer to each other as “Atilla,” both as a pet name and a reference to the ruthless leader of the Huns. It’s evident that Burt has a troubled past, but his intentions remain questionable: In the middle of the dinner, Mr. Drummond breaks into Irving’s apartment.

In Episode 9, upon returning to his apartment, Irving encounters Burt who is perusing Irving’s notebooks, noting the remark about Goodman potentially working for Lumon as a henchman: “Goodman might have served as a minor Lumon enforcer or muscle.” After chuckling, Burt comments, “Being called a Lumon henchman…that hurts. We don’t use language like that.” Irving clarifies that he penned the comment “prior” to establishing their friendship. “I understand now that I was mistaken,” Irv continues. “I recognize you’re not involved with them.

Burt persuades Irving to join him for a journey, explaining that while he was merely a driver for Lumon, he had no idea what ultimately happened to his passengers after they disembarked. Burt then escorts Irv to a train station and purchases a ticket for him. “This train takes you as far as it can go,” Burt notes. “I won’t know where you alight, and you’ll never be able to return to Kier.

It seems that Lumon appears to be following Irving, possibly because he may know secrets too valuable to ignore. Burt seems to be assisting him in leaving town. Burt suggests it’s a chance for him to make amends for past wrongdoings. Irving confesses that no one has ever shown affection towards him before, and he’s willing to embark on a new life with Burt, despite neither of them having recollections of their inner-self relationship. As Irv moves in for a kiss, Burt pulls away: “We can’t.” Instead, he extends his hand and says, “Goodbye, friend.” This parting moment is heartfelt, but will we see these characters again in the future?

As a devoted movie enthusiast, when asked about the conclusion of Burt and Irving’s tale, Ben Stiller shared with EbMaster, “For the moment, their story has reached its end.

The executive producer and director stated that Lumon is an extremely influential corporation, and it’s clear that Burt recognizes this. He takes a specific action, but we’re unsure of the outcome for Burt afterward.

Regarding the question of whether Burt is still working in collaboration with Lumon, Stiller expressed, “It seems to me that whatever actions Burt is taking are likely independent, and he might be placing himself in a potentially dangerous situation by doing so.

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2025-03-15 02:16