Unlock the Significance of Mark’s Legacy in Cold Harbor

The Elusive Truth of Severance: Unraveling the Mystery of Lumon’s Forgotten Employee

Have you ever found yourself questioning the inner workings of Severance, only to discover that the show’s true brilliance lies not just in its eerie atmosphere, but in its ability to pose more questions than answers? Like, what exactly is Lumon manufacturing on the Severed Floor? Where do Innies go when they die? Why, for that matter, are there goats?! In this week’s episode, ominously titled "Goodbye, Mrs. Selvig," we’re forced to confront the possibility that one of the characters we’ve grown affectionate with holds a secret significance that none of us ever noticed.

A show’s protagonist is typically the central driving force behind the entire plot. However, in Severance, we thought we were being ushered into this world through Mark S (Adam Scott), whose wife died, his Outie struggled, and his Innie grew disillusioned with work. We were wrong, and we should’ve known better.

This week’s episode takes us to the world of the Outies, in the moments following the events of the Season 1 finale. We see Mark’s team didn’t refuse to return as his friend Petey (Yul Vazquez) had informed him. Instead, they were actually fired and didn’t receive the "special treatment" he claimed. And what’s Helena Eagan (Britt Lower) trying to suppress? Harmony Cobel (Patricia Arquette), perhaps? Speculation aside, one thing is clear: Lumon’s in damage control.

It’s in this moment we need to ask ourselves a question we should’ve been asking since the series premiere: "Why is Mark S so important?" This is the first time the phrase "Cold Harbor" has been uttered on the show, and it’s the first time we’ve seen Lumon treat an employee as indispensable. What does this imply? The Board, the very organization that doesn’t respect its employees enough to show their faces, is willing to bend for Mark. Why?

As we dig deeper, earlier episodes take on new significance. ¿Why would Cobel, Innie Mark’s closest confidant, choose to live across the street from Outie Mark, forcing herself into his life? Why is Outie Mark the only one of the four Innies who broke the rules in the Season 1 finale to not only not be fired but receive a 20% pay increase to return? Is it a form of emotional manipulation?Gemma’s (Dichen Lachman) work on the Cold Harbor project holds a crucial connection to Mark, but what exactly is happening in that "project"? How does this tie in with Lumon’s sinister, seemingly endless schemes?

One thing is evident: the lines between the human and the machine are not as crystal clear as they seem. Severance‘s balance between the eerie tension and the cryptic narrative arc makes it impossible to shake the feeling that we’re meant to unravel, too. The show vanishes minds and inspires fan theories, rendering an easy explanation unwelcome. So, while we unravel the mystery of Mark S, can anyone honestly claim to be prepared for what lies ahead?