What Is Lumon Up to Now? And Other Severance Questions.

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Seven Puzzling Points Unraveled: A Weekly Recap of the Most Perplexing Moments from One of TV’s Most Enigmatic Shows, Following this Week’s Episode ‘Chikhai Bardo,'” where “Theories may Abound and Some May Seem Unconventional.

The second installment of the series “Severance” is packed with surprises and disclosures – for instance, Helena Eagan disguised herself as Helly R., Mark underwent reintegration, Milchick rides a motorcycle, among other things. These developments have made the show’s intricate web of mysteries both more transparent and more enigmatic. This week’s episode, titled “Chikhai Bardo,” which carries meaning spanning across seasons and the Innie-Outie divide, may have reached the furthest depths of complexity yet. If you’re curious about what Lumon has been doing with Gemma, here’s the scoop. Prepare yourself, fan. Here it is. Get ready for a wild ride.

The road we’ve taken to reach this point is just as captivating as the events we’ve witnessed, and that’s saying something! The last episode concluded with Mark lying on his kitchen floor amid a sea of chips. Presently, he embarks on a time-traveling adventure, delving into his romantic tale with Gemma – their chance encounters, fertility struggles, and the baffling baby crib assembly that even Mark, who was never handy, found challenging. This narrative intertwines with the unveiling of Gemma’s position at Lumon as a subject of multiple experiments, essentially held against her will. The climax left me quite emotional. I’m accustomed to Severance puzzling my mind; I’m less accustomed to it tugging at my heartstrings as well. Occasionally, it feels like the viewers are enduring more than the characters on screen. Then I recall that Mark’s deceased wife is actually alive and being subjected to experiments by a malevolent corporation, whose executive deceived his Innie into having sexual relations with her in the woods. Admittedly, he has me beat there.

As you can imagine, an episode like this raises many questions. Here are the ones on my mind today.

What is Lumon doing with/to Gemma?

Let’s run through what we know …

It’s clear that Lumon has Gemma confined on a different floor within the building. People often refer to her as Gemma, and she frequently makes comments related to Mark, suggesting she maintains her identity most of the time. It appears that they move her between rooms whose names correspond with the files the MDR team is working on.

The rooms seem to affect her differently, as indicated by her statements like “it’s always Christmas” when in a holiday-themed room labeled “Allentown,” which also happens to be the name of Mark’s freshman project where he had an unexpected success. These environments may cause her to experience different mental states or alterations.

The experiments they subject her to are stressful, such as dental appointments, simulated plane turbulence, and making her write Christmas cards until her hand cramps. Afterward, they inquire about her recollections of each event.

Sandra Bernhard is identified as her nurse, which seems both inconsequential and critical within the context of this information.

Apart from the fact that events leading up to this point have already started unfolding, if we believe Mark’s flashbacks accurately depict what happened: There is a fleeting scene featuring the eerie doctor during Mark and Gemma’s initial visit to the fertility clinic, which I initially missed but was shocked by upon rewatching. She somehow ended up receiving communications from the clinic, and this led her to receive a package containing the same body-movement cards that Dylan had taken from O&D. At first, everyone thought these cards were military manuals, but it was later revealed they represented inner struggles and self-destructive tendencies. However, considering the complex narrative we’ve seen so far, it is also possible that these cards signify something entirely different – a third concept altogether. It’s possible that this storyline began on or even before the day when Mark and Gemma donated blood at Lumon, with those donations serving as a covert DNA testing/harvesting operation to identify the most suitable candidates for Lumon’s scientific projects.

As a passionate movie enthusiast, I can’t help but wonder what sorts of intriguing tidbits my eccentric uncles might be sharing about Lumon on online discussion forums related to this captivating series. Could they possibly have a presence on social media like Facebook? Oh, the lively chaos that must ensue there!

It seems crucial to note that Lumon strongly dislikes her leaving, with the sole elevator exit leading directly to a floor that has been severed. On this floor, Milchick – wearing his signature leather jacket – calls her Ms. Casey and feeds her enough falsehoods to convince her to return downstairs. Their aim is to keep her moving about in those rooms for as long as possible until Mark completes Cold Harbor, which appears to be the last stage of this ongoing process.

In other words, that’s the current state of affairs with Gemma. This development brings forth just as many fresh inquiries as it solves. The most intriguing among these unanswered questions is still…

What is Lumon doing, just, like, generally?

There’s an undeniable sense of an obsessive pursuit of eternal life that permeates much of this narrative. This includes elements we’ve previously encountered, such as Gemma’s fertility-focused storyline, the bizarre birthing center where Devon met the politician’s disembodied wife, Cobel/Selvig’s extensive knowledge about lactation, and the unusual presence of goats (perhaps hinting at cloning). Additionally, the precocious child in a supervisory position within the corporation’s secretive department adds to this feeling. Furthermore, it seems that wealthy individuals often harbor such ambitions for immortality. It’s more of a gut feeling. As for Miss Huang, I can’t wait to explore what she does when or if she leaves the restricted area.

I’m curious about how this ties into splitting people’s brains into separate parts. Frankly, I’m not sure, at least not right now. However, let me propose an interpretation: The process of splitting might be a part of a broader strategy that enables the wealthiest individuals in society to eventually save and transfer their memories into fresh human bodies. This would enable them to enjoy an endless version of life that transcends the limitations of a temporary physical form. I’d love to hear more about your perspective as well!

How happy were you when Gemma clobbered the creepy doctor?

I was incredibly pleased. This program lacks instances where the guilty receive their just desserts. However, it was quite satisfying to witness that bully getting punched, especially after an episode filled with quasi-medical scenarios, ridiculous Christmas sweaters, and blatant lies about Mark’s activities while she was away. I only wish the doctor is no more.

I understand that this might not be the most polite statement I’ve made. I generally avoid expressing such sentiments, particularly in writing. However, I firmly believe that this particular one is justified, for two reasons. Firstly, it would create quite a stir as we approach the final episodes of season two. Secondly, these characters have caused so much trouble, it feels like a release to imagine them meeting an untimely end. Granted, I’m not asking for much, just a bit of catharsis.

If you can only have one of these outcomes, which would you choose?

As a movie enthusiast, I find myself captivated by the story of two characters who embark on an emotional journey to reconnect and rediscover their once-lost love. Mark and Gemma unravel a path to reunite in the real world, breathing new life into a romance they believed had vanished for good.

2) Helly R. devises a method to bypass her Helena Eagan Outie, and she joins forces with a reconnected Mark on the outside, where they deepen their budding relationship.

(3) Someone burns down the Lumon building with all of its executives inside.

I’ve been a part of Team Burn Down the Building for quite some time, and I may still be. However, after witnessing the heart-wrenching finale of an episode that portrayed a marriage struggling with infertility issues, particularly the poignant scenes where Mark and Gemma both independently reached the devastating realization that they would never see their spouse again – Mark learning about the car accident from the police, Gemma coming to terms with her confinement at Lumon – I find myself questioning my stance a bit. That scene was incredibly impactful television.

Perhaps they could unite and collectively set fire to the building. It seems I’ve strayed from my rule of suggesting only one possible outcome, yet it appears I harbor a touch of romance in my thinking.

Whose side are you on in Devon and Reghabi’s fight about whether to call Cobel?

It seems quite clear that Devon’s involvement is indeed the case, doesn’t it? I can see why Reghabi might feel skeptical considering her past experiences with Lumon and the fact that her work extends beyond just Mark. So far, Cobel hasn’t demonstrated any trustworthiness. It does come as a bit of a surprise that Devon would consider involving her, given the secretive actions related to the baby from last season.

However, as I mentioned previously, I’ve been reflecting on Cobel lately. It would be great if she could rejoin us. Let’s get a bit eccentric, you never know, she might even assist in setting the place ablaze. Close your eyes for a moment and imagine her, standing there amidst the flames, a corporate edifice burning behind her, a hint of a sly smile playing on her lips.

What is going to happen with Mark when he wakes up?

I want one of two things:

Mark swiftly stands up, mirroring Keanu Reeves’ stance in The Matrix, and employs techniques from the Chikhai Bardo cards to overpower a succession of Lumon employees – Milchick, Miss Huang, Drummond, Evil Burt, and others – in close combat.

2) Mark memorized and verbally recited the full text of the paper titled “All Quiet on the Western Front: Drug Use by Enlisted Soldiers During World War I,” as he was donating blood.

To be honest, neither of those situations seem likely, but I’m quite curious about the rest of that document. There are so many potential outcomes it’s hard to imagine! I do hope that the student is currently employed by Lumon as well.

What if learning that Ricken is an expert mountain climber means we’re heading toward a dramatic jailbreak scenario where he scales the elevator shaft of the Lumon building to free Gemma?

Here’s my hypothesis for how this season will conclude: Rick is found hanging in an elevator shaft connecting the severed floor to ground level, clinging to one arm while holding onto Gemma’s forearm with the other, reminiscent of a classic “Mission: Impossible” scene.

It’s not any crazier than the goats.

2025-02-28 19:56