Shocking Secrets Unveiled in Severance Season 2, Episode 7!

Absolutely, let’s dive straight into it! Here are the most significant disclosures and dilemmas – some familiar and others fresh – stemming from “Chikhai Bardo,” the emotionally charged, startling, distressing seventh episode of the second season of “Severance.

Revelations From Severance Season 2, Episode 7, “Chikhai Bardo”

Gemma Is Alive and Knows Who She Is

It’s confirmed! Ms. Casey, unlike what one might think due to her lack of an Outie, is very much alive. Gemma Scout is not deceased. She’s not in some sort of suspended animation either. Instead, Gemma resides on the Testing Floor at Lumon, as Petey had speculated people could be. Furthermore, she recognizes herself and is married to Mark Scout.

In the beginning of the show, she appeared to be accepting of a solitary and sterile life in that place, more like an experimental subject than a human being. Each day brings her through agonizing tests from which she cannot recall due to her special severance chip, suggesting she doesn’t have many personal experiences or connections.

Despite this incident exposing some aspects of Lumon’s enigmatic and significant projects, it still leaves us in the dark about why Gemma is underground. It also remains uncertain as to why she consented to be part of any of the firm’s experiments, until the episode concluded. Initially, she attempted to flee when Dr. Mauer deceived her about Mark remarrying and having a child. Earlier, she appeared disgruntled and weary, but held onto hope that Lumon would eventually release her back to her previous life. However, Dr. Mauer’s evasive responses to her queries and his secret discussions with Drummond hint that the company has no intention of ever letting her go.

MDR’s Files Are Actually Rooms Full of Painful Experiences

In the MDR software, the files labeled “Wellington” and “Cairns” are not actual people. Instead, they serve as virtual environments where Gemma enacts intricate scenarios, often involving distress, for research purposes. (The scenarios we observed seemed to be of this nature.)

In each room she occupies, Gemma assumes a distinct identity with no recollection of her past actions or roles. Her unique severance chip allows Lumon to transform her into different people in various settings. This means that while one persona might be at the dentist, another could be celebrating Christmas. Essentially, this is a chilling personal torment for every incarnation of Gemma/Ms. Casey.

The multiple personas suggest that her severance chip is innovative and exclusive among Lumon’s test subjects. When Mr. Drummond inquired about the effectiveness of the barriers, Dr. Mauer confirmed that the technology was functioning properly. This implies that not every individual subjected to Lumon’s testing shares Gemma’s unique characteristics. Given Lumon’s global reach and refining facilities, it’s likely that other test subjects exist, but none are quite like Gemma.

Every Refiner Has a “Watcher” Who Vaguely Looks Like Them

In this setup, MDR computers are linked to the Testing Area where individual monitors (referred to as “watchers” in the show’s closing credits) oversee a specific refiner. The watchers can switch between observing the refiners directly, managing their tasks through files, or Gemma. Interestingly, each watcher appears to resemble the refiner they are assigned to. Furthermore, these stand-ins seem to be the “twins” that the refiners encountered during the ORTBO events.

It’s puzzling as to what purpose Lumon serves by employing observers who are dressed and appear similar to artisans. Regardless of the explanation, it will undoubtedly seem strange.

Dr. Reghabi Left with Mark’s Reintegration Incomplete

In a state of urgency, Devon sought the aid of Harmony Cobel regarding her brother’s situation. This necessitated Dr. Reghabi’s departure for her own protection. She referred to Cobel as a dedicated soldier who is deeply connected with Lumon. As a result, Mark’s re-integration remains in progress but lacks medical supervision. Unfortunately, Petey succumbed to the reintegration process after Dr. Reghabi stopped caring for him.

Ricken Wasn’t Always Like That (But He Sort of Was)

To be honest, I used to know a different side of Ricken – not quite the self-help guru he is today, but more like a passionate hiker instead. Despite the change, his love for grandiose language, reminiscent of Kier Eagan’s style, has remained constant.

*We had to use a thesaurus for that one. We’re not Ricken. For good and for ill.

New Questions From Severance Season 2, Episode 7, “Chikhai Bardo”

Does “Chikhai Bardo” Refer to Someone Who Literally Died?

The episode’s title, “Chikhai Bardo,” is derived from Tibetan Buddhism. This term signifies the intermediate state that follows death and precedes rebirth, specifically the fourth of six stages in the cycle of life, death, and reincarnation. Essentially, it represents the threshold between life and physical demise, where consciousness begins to detach from the body immediately after an individual passes away.

It’s strikingly similar to the narrative found in Leo Tolstoy’s novella, “The Death of Ivan Ilyich.” This is the very book Gemma and Mark talked about when they first crossed paths, and it turns out Dr. Mauer had in her Testing Floor room. Just as Dr. Mauer predicted, the central figure in the story dies following deep contemplations about life and death on his deathbed.

Is the frequent association with a deceased individual transitioning to another realm purely symbolic and thematic, merely a concept of “ego death” as Gemma mentioned, or does the show Severance take this concept quite literally? Are these all hints that a significant character in the story has actually perished, suggesting Lumon’s attempts to resurrect someone? Or is it possible these elements serve as signs of something else entirely?

Why Are Gemma’s Fertility Issues So Important?

The relationship between Mark and Gemma encompassed more than just their efforts to have a child, but these attempts were central in the episode’s flashbacks. These scenes depicted their fertility struggles as well as implied that the stress from this situation may have been a factor in why Mark wasn’t with her on the night she “died.

Why specifically does her fertility trouble matter in relation to Severance? How does this tie into why Gemma and Mark are crucial characters for Lumon? This could be one of the most intriguing mysteries on the show, as it sparks additional questions about how and why she was assigned to the Testing Floor.

Why Does Lumon Need To Check Gemma’s Vitals Every Day?

It seems strange that Gemma appears healthy physically, yet Lumon is consistently monitoring her vital signs, testing her strength and intensity, and conducting regular eye exams. One might wonder if there’s a reason behind this constant scrutiny of her physical health, given that she doesn’t appear to be in any special risk due to the pain she experiences at the Testing Floor. Could it be that Lumon is concerned about some underlying issue or vulnerability not immediately apparent?

Did Lumon Cause Gemma’s Miscarriage?

The episode leaves us with many unanswered questions regarding Lumon’s actions towards Gemma, particularly their involvement in her miscarriage. It’s concerning that Lumon operated the fertility clinic she visited after losing her pregnancy, as they seemed to have known about her even before she sought their help. Moreover, it’s significant that Lumon organized the blood drive where she met Mark, a person who appears crucial to their objectives. The equipment used at the blood drive and the forms from the fertility clinic both bore Lumon’s logo, and the medical staff were dressed in Lumon’s blue and white uniforms.

If Lumon, a powerful and omnipresent entity with malicious intentions, somehow triggered her miscarriage and prevented future pregnancies, one might wonder why they took such actions. Was the company’s intention to create distance between them? Or was it to ensure she did not bear children? And if so, could it be because…

Is Lumon Trying To Turn Gemma Into the Perfect Vessel for a New Kier?

According to Drummond, once the project known as “Cold Harbor” (which remarkably, just a nosebleed from Mark managed to halt its completion) is finished, Mauer will have to part ways with Gemma. Mauer cherishes Gemma, yet understands his duties must end then. He has even stated his reasons for this decision: “For Kier.

Why was this all for ‘Kier’? Couldn’t it have been in remembrance of or in honor of Kier instead? It seems that ‘for Kier’ might just be a phrase, but what if both men genuinely meant it literally? What if the entirety of these events is actually about a messianic figure named Kier Eagan who passed away decades ago? Given the episode’s title, connections to death and rebirth, as well as Gemma’s fertility issues, it’s not far-fetched to speculate that Lumon might be trying to transform Gemma into an ideal host for the reincarnation of Kier Eagan.

In simpler terms, it seems that MDR helps shape the emotions Gemma encounters in the Testing Floor rooms. These digital containers are linked to Kier’s Four Tempers, which he thought a person had to master to find happiness. Is it possible that Lumon aims to ensure Gemma has fully mastered her own Tempers so she can give birth to Kier? This could be because the early life of Kier as a carpenter bears resemblance to Jesus Christ’s life, which is why a baby Kier appears at the start of season two.

The idea that “Lumon” is transforming “Gemma” into a figure akin to the mother of their personal god seems implausible at first glance due to its unusual nature. However, after witnessing this episode, it seems less far-fetched than before. Lumon’s enigmatic and critical projects are so bizarre and unsettling that they necessitate employees who, in effect, are bound to forget everything about their time at the office once they leave.

Old Questions We Still Have After Severance Season 2, Episode 7, “Chikhai Bardo”

How Does Outie Irv Know About the Testing Floor?

As someone captivated by the world of film, I find myself even more astonished that Irving seems to have some insight into the happenings at the Testing Floor. The question arises: who shared this knowledge with him? Did he personally venture there? Or was he once part of its inner circle? His familiarity with such secrets leaves me eager for answers and I find myself yearning to uncover more about his experiences.

Did Gemma Ever Actually Die or Did Lumon Fake Her Death?

A plausible scenario for Gemma’s presence at Lumon is the most probable, but it fails to account for why she appears so submissive and willingly collaborates with them. Moreover, while the episode disclosed many details, it deliberately withheld what occurred during her alleged crash. At one instance, it subtly linked Mark’s memory of the tree Gemma supposedly collided with to her experiences on the Testing Floor.

It appears that Severance provides ample grounds for speculation that Lumon may have forced Gemma into their service. It seems they recognized her as an ideal candidate for their operations, given her suitability for the role. They had access to her medical records, as they operated a fertility clinic, which raises questions about their initial purpose in doing so. Moreover, they sent her the identical Bardo cards that Dylan had stolen from O&D during season one. These cards were extremely significant and potentially hazardous, prompting Milchick to activate the Overtime Contingency Protocol when he believed Dylan might have taken them from the premises.

Through deliberate omission of the details about Gemma’s accident, the novel “Severance” leaves us guessing whether she truly perished, thus leading to the central enigma that potentially unravels all the mysteries at hand.

Seriously, What is “Cold Harbor?”

Gemma claims she’s never stepped foot in the newly designated “Cold Harbor” room. However, when Mark finishes that file, Lumon anticipates it as an extraordinary milestone in human history. Is it possible she has been there but forgot, or does entry require the rooms to be fully refined beforehand? (This seems more plausible given something Mauer mentioned.) Or could it be a dynamic situation where individuals enter and exit multiple times, which might account for some files expiring before the refiners can complete them?

Despite having a greater understanding of Macrodata Refinement than before, we still find ourselves grappling with its purpose, particularly the enigma surrounding “Cold Harbor”. What exactly does it entail? Its contents remain a mystery to many.

The term “cold harbor” evokes images of loss, leaving us questioning if the room holds Kier Eagan’s corpse or perhaps even Gemma’s original body (we haven’t entirely abandoned our cloning speculations). Yet, attempting to guess seems pointless. Lumon’s strategies and actions have proven almost incomprehensible. Mark S. was correct; Lumon consistently stays one step ahead of us.

In this episode, Mauer gave us a hint about what might unfold when Gemma ventures into “every room.” However, his words remain enigmatic to me. What I’m certain of is that I have reservations and discomfort regarding the outcome.

The scariest doctor in existence, employed by the most malicious corporation imaginable, informed Gemma, ‘You’ll return to the world, and the world will recognize you again.’ He continued, with an emphasis on certain words, saying, ‘The well-being of Mark depends on the child you’re about to conceive. Kier will alleviate all his suffering, just as Kier has eased your own pain.’ Clearly, this doesn’t sound like a positive or reassuring statement.

Mikey Walsh, who works as a staff writer at TopMob, has an unusual craving for the strange food from the Lumon Testing Floor. You can keep up with his updates on Bluesky under the handle @burgermike, and he’s also active in ranking the Targaryen kings.

2025-02-28 11:09