Severance’s Penultimate Episode Was Each Hea...

How can Severance season two nearly be over? We waited what felt like endlessly to see what was subsequent for the group at Lumon and now, with just one episode to go, it all feels too sudden. Particularly since this week’s penultimate ninth episode labored as a revealing however barely stunted place setter, shifting all of the items on the board to precisely the place we wanted to be. It’s heartbreaking that it’s almost over, a number of of the tales within the episode have been heartbreaking, and once you arrive at this episode’s last line, it’s fascinating to think about the brilliance of the storytelling.

“The After Hours” was, as soon as once more, a type of episodes that jumped between all of the characters so we’re going to interrupt it down by particular person character/storyline. Full spoilers beneath.

Helena/Helly

The episode began with Helena so we’ll do the identical. We see her preparing for her day in what we are able to assume is her household’s home, since her father Jame Eagan, CEO of Lumon, is there. It’s a really creepy scene layered with data. We be taught it’s going to be a “momentous day,” we be taught that Lumon is “seeing to Mr. Bailiff,” and we be taught that Jame would like his daughter eat her eggs uncooked. Who’s he, Gollum? What the hell, man? We additionally be taught that the Eagan home is, presumably, near Lumon itself, because of its proximity to the water tower we noticed in that bizarre claymation factor.

Helly then arrives at work on a mission. She’s on the lookout for Mark who, for the second day in a row, isn’t there. Helly busts into Mr. Milchick’s workplace to ask about it and actually pushes his buttons, mentioning her outie—his boss—and digging at his interchangeability with Cobel. After her interactions with Dylan (extra on that in a second), she takes it upon herself to analyze the instructions Irving left to get to the Exports Corridor.

As Helly makes her strategy to the “Grasp in There” poster hiding the instructions, we discover the poster is of Dylan, or somebody who seems to be like Dylan. Why or how that’s, we don’t know, but it surely makes extra sense for why Irving left the instructions there. Helly takes them again to her desk to review them prefer it’s the Contra code when she’s interrupted by Jame. “You tricked me,” he says to Helly, who may be very confused to see Jame on this setting.

Principally Helly’s journey this week was form of the glue to maintain all of the tales collectively. She checks in on Mark, Dylan, Milchick, will get Irving’s directions, even hyperlinks us to the person himself, Jame. What trick did she pull? Did Helly in some way do a reverse Glasgow block we don’t learn about? Did Jame not learn about Helena posing as Helly? Is he simply discovering out about Irving attempting to kill her?

Miss Huang

Miss Huang has been an enigma all season. She pops out and in, acts manner too good to work at Lumon, however can be oddly in awe of the entire thing. She’s additionally a literal child. Right here although, she’s the primary story of woe within the episode as we, presumably, see the top of her journey.

Final week we discovered that the Wintertide Fellowship she is doing is identical one Concord Cobel did to cement her place at Lumon. Nonetheless, Miss Huang’s is ending. Mr. Milchick tells her that she’s shifting from her mother and father’ home to the “Gunnel Eagan Empathy Middle in Svalbard, the place you’ll work to steward international reforms.” Svalbard, by the way in which, is within the Arctic Circle. Principally nearer to the North Pole than anyplace else. Not an excellent project.

Then, if that wasn’t sufficient, Mr. Milchick reveals that this “betterment” have to be marked with a “materials sacrifice” and makes her smash her ring toss recreation to bits. One of many only a few issues we learn about Huang is how a lot she loves that ring toss recreation, so to see Milchick make her smash it’s needlessly merciless.

After a tragic interplay with Dylan, we see her ready for a Lumon shuttle. Is she actually going from right here proper to the Arctic Circle? Will we ever see this character once more? I form of hope she activates Lumon and brings the entire place down.

Dylan

We all the time love Dylan however, in our minds, “The After Hours” was one of the best Dylan episode but. Only a tour de pressure by actor Zack Cherry and Merritt Wever, who performs outie Dylan’s spouse, Gretchen. Issues begin there, with the couple going via their morning routine. Gretchen then drops a bomb on him we thought would’ve remained a secret a bit of bit longer. She kissed his innie “for a few minute.” (Did she actually have so as to add that final half? That was a bit a lot, proper? An excessive amount of element.)

Dylan is confused and indignant about this, each as a result of he feels as if he’s been cheated on utilizing his personal physique, but in addition as a result of Gretchen suggests it was significant to her. He’s been “adrift,” she says, and Dylan’s innie reminds her “of the way you was.” Livid, Dylan says he would possibly give up Lumon simply to finish his innie’s existence, an announcement that comes again in a really sudden manner.

Although Dylan advised Gretchen to not comply with him to work, she does simply that, telling his innie what she simply did. “Was he glad for us?” he asks, in probably the most treasured method ever. He wasn’t, Gretchen says, earlier than telling the innie she will be able to’t see him anymore. Innie Dylan is crushed. He thought he was making Gretchen joyful, which he was. However she will be able to’t do it on the expense of his outie. All of this makes your thoughts do backflips as a result of she’s breaking apart together with her husband, to be together with her husband, who she cheated on together with her husband.

This declaration results in Dylan professing his love for Gretchen and proposing. He proposes marriage! Severely, one of many greatest, finest Severance twists ever. “I like you, I made this for you, I can provide you a life,” he tells her with a paper ring. So hardly ever have romance and ache been weaved collectively so fantastically. Gretchen cries, apologizes, and leaves.

Dylan goes again to the workplace the place solely Helly is there to greet him. She suggests he saves the ring for another person on the severed flooring, which is supposed to be useful however clearly will not be. “It’s simply O&D and the goat individuals,” Dylan says. He then talks about how innies are caught with no life, no household, and no actual objective earlier than blaming her for all of it. “If we’re so completely different from our outies, how come we couldn’t inform when you have been gone?” he asks.

It’s a incredible query that Dylan is about to problem himself. He decides to give up Lumon which, when you concentrate on it, is a really huge choice. He’s not solely selecting to finish his personal existence—mainly Severance suicide—he’s selecting to punish his outie and household by denying them a gradual paycheck. It’s huge, it’s brash, but it surely’s the one factor he has the power to do. And so, Dylan fills out a really odd kind the place he’s requested why he’s resigning and he checks actually each field. We are able to’t see all of them however we are able to see “freedom, anger, fatigue, loneliness, guilt, disgrace” and “annoyance.” Sounds about proper. Mr. Milchick is displeased about this, saying it “reeks of ingratitude” (a reference to them permitting him to see his spouse), and as Dylan leaves, Miss Huang blames herself. Dylan tells her to not.

We final see Dylan on the elevator to the severed flooring, presumably about to return upstairs fully oblivious to the injury his innie simply prompted. Once more although, what a Dylan episode. Simply all the things nice about this present rolled into one.

Irving

Irving’s story this week started earlier than we noticed him on display screen. Keep in mind the throwaway line the place Helena tells Jame that they’re “seeing to Mr. Bailiff?” That’s Irving and that one line reshapes all the things that comes after.

All the pieces begins with Irving, in a really cool leather-based jacket we should add, returning residence to see his trusty canine Radar looking at one thing. It’s Burt, who has damaged into Irving’s condominium and located some notes he wrote about him. Burt reads the notes again to him, which surmises that Burt is likely to be a “low-level Lumon enforcer” or “goon.” Irving swears that was earlier than and now he doesn’t suppose that anymore, however after Burt asks him to take a drive, we be taught that’s precisely what Burt was, and nonetheless is.

So what’s “seeing to Mr. Bailiff?” Lumon has, we predict, employed Burt to drive Irving someplace the place one thing unhealthy goes to occur. That’s what Burt does for Lumon, he reveals, however we quickly see he’s apparently making an exception. The pair go to a practice station the place Burt buys Irving a ticket that goes all the way in which to the top of the road, and tells him to not divulge to Burt the place he’s planning to get off. Irving realizes that is him defying Lumon, however Burt is okay with that. He loves Irving. Irving says he’s by no means been liked however is prepared, whereas Burt says it’s not possible. It’s an intense, emotional scene between two appearing juggernauts that ends in Irving leaving Kier.

Emotionally, Irving’s story with Burt this week was incredible but it surely didn’t really feel that cohesive. We nonetheless don’t actually learn about Burt’s current scenario with Lumon. We don’t know what Lumon was planning for Irving or why. After which simply logistically, it’s off. Burt purchased Irving’s ticket and stated go to the top of the road. He is aware of the place he’s going. He purchased the ticket. There are particular stops. If pressed, he’d have an thought. Plus, he thought to inform Irving to deliver Radar, however not a bag with a change of garments or something? The entire bounce from when final noticed them at dinner to Burt breaking into Irving’s residence and making him depart endlessly didn’t fairly sit proper. However, in Severance we belief.

Mr. Milchick

Earlier than we get to the episode’s most vital thread by way of the general narrative, we’ve gotta speak about Mr. Milchick, whose story is instantly tied into that. From the episode’s first scene, we all know that today goes to be an enormous one at Lumon as a result of it’s the day they anticipate Chilly Harbor to be accomplished. After we watch the tremendous creepy Dr. Mauer test in on Gemma, he notices Chilly Harbor remains to be at 96%. It’s 9 a.m. and the numbers aren’t shifting. Mauer complains to Mr. Drummond. Drummond calls Milchick to ask why Mark isn’t working however, after all, Mark isn’t there.

After a number of unsuccessful makes an attempt to contact Mark, Mr. Drummond provides him the enterprise. He belittles Milchick by mentioning issues he was dinged on in his efficiency assessment, comparable to utilizing phrases which might be too huge. Milchick cowers for some time till, lastly, he snaps. He tells Drummond to “devour feculence.” “It means, eat shit,” Milchick says. He then goes off on Drummond, telling him Mark’s whereabouts when he’s not within the workplace aren’t his downside, they’re Drummond’s, so perhaps he ought to again off. And as a lot as Milchick is clearly a villain on Severance, you couldn’t assist however cheer for him on this second.

However why? Why give Milchick a second of conquer an excellent better foe? Nicely, the reply would come when he lastly talked to Mark, which brings us to our final part.

Mark/Devon/Cobel

When last we saw Mark, two episodes in the past, he was handed out on the sofa reliving his life with Gemma in his thoughts. When final we heard from him, his sister Devon had referred to as Concord Cobel for assist, one thing Reghabi particularly requested her to not do. And so we choose up with the pair driving to satisfy Cobel someplace, with Mark nonetheless a bit of out of it and clearly not on board with Devon’s plan. He nonetheless doesn’t belief Cobel as a result of she has but to present them any data and, frankly, he’s most likely proper. Even with all the things the viewers discovered about her final week, can we belief Cobel? In the meantime, Milchick retains calling Mark and Mark nonetheless has that cough. What IS that cough?

Cobel arrives late and regardless of remaining very cagey, does reveal just a few issues. The largest is that she believes when Mark completes Chilly Harbor, Gemma shall be killed. Second, she’s going to take them to the birthing retreat with the severance-equipped cabin the place they will discuss to Mark’s innie, however not till night. (This, by the way in which, is odd as a result of we all know Milchick first calls Mark round 9 a.m. after which we see Mark look ahead to night. Do all of them simply stand within the chilly all day? It doesn’t observe however, we’ll forgive it.)

Mark continues to be weary of Cobel who refuses to be forthcoming about something. It’s one other scene that’s simply oh-so Severance as a result of the characters we wish collectively are on display screen, asking the questions we wish them to ask, however no solutions are given. Cobel merely suggests Mark name Mr. Milchick and let him know he gained’t be in at present in order to not spark suspicion. Mark does so, which occurs after Milchick’s confrontation with Drummond, and at first lies that he’s nonetheless sick. Finally, although, Mark tries to be human with Milchick and tells him he wants a day for “life stuff.” Milchick doesn’t appear to purchase it at first however, as a result of we simply noticed him have this human second within the confrontation with Drummond, he truly decides to belief Mark, so long as Mark guarantees to come back in tomorrow. Mark guarantees.

As night falls, Devon and Cobel pull as much as the cottage farm compound with Mark hiding behind the truck. The trade that follows is probably the most mysterious of the entire episode and perhaps even the season. Cobel has to persuade the safety guard that she ought to be let via with out discover. So she tells the safety guard that Devon is “one in every of Jame’s” and that “nobody’s to know.” She references “Miss Marsha White, ninth flooring” which the guard acknowledges because the “specialties division.” Cobel provides that she’s on the lookout for “a gold thimble.” The safety guard buys all of this and lets them via.

Although this will all sound like bizarre, cryptic Lumon stuff, it each is and isn’t. To begin with, there’s the implication Jame Eagan has ladies delivered to this place covertly. What does he do with them? Are his odd interactions with Helena/Helly on this episode, speaking about uncooked eggs and methods, associated? We’ve got about as a lot of an thought of that as we do what a “gold thimble” is which is to say, none in any respect.

Extra concretely although, all of Cobel’s verbiage goes again to the episode’s title, “The After Hours.” That’s additionally the identify of a Twilight Zone episode from 1960 which is a few model come to life, although she doesn’t understand it at first. Her identify? “Miss Marsha White.” And, you guessed it, she visits “the ninth flooring, specialties division,” and is, the truth is, “on the lookout for a gold thimble.” How the 2 issues tie collectively we aren’t fairly positive but however, it’s clearly a really deliberate, literal, homage.

Lastly, in any case of that—and it was lots—innie Mark awakens within the cabin. Devon greets him, calms him down, and brings him upstairs the place Cobel is standing there ready, bathed in fireplace like she’s the satan. “Do you bear in mind the very last thing you stated to me?” Devon asks. “She’s alive?” Mark says after which—that’s it.

Principally, your entire episode slash your entire first 9 episodes of season two have been about getting again right here. Again to innie Mark saying the road that left us hanging for 3 years after season one. That season ended with “She’s alive” however there have been no extra episodes. This episode ended with “She’s alive,” and there may be yet another episode. It’s been a protracted, very long time coming and we’re unhappy it’ll be over quickly, however we’re lastly, hopefully, going to dig into the road that began all of it.

However, it’s unhappy. Unhappy that this season is sort of over. Unhappy that this episode seemingly wrote off Irving and Miss Huang, and nearly Dylan in a manner too. Certainly, at the least Dylan and Irving’s tales will proceed, however the disappointment every is coping with will make them lower than enjoyable to observe. Everybody else although, from Mark, Cobel, and Devon, to Helly, Gemma and Jame, are proper the place they should be to present us one other unforgettable finale of Severance.

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