Severance Season 2: The Shocking Reason Milchick Didn’t Fire Mark

by

Summary

  • Outies get fired post-rebellion, but Mark is spared.
  • Lumon desperately wants to keep Mark.
  • Mark is crucial to the mysterious project known as “Cold Harbor.”

In the debut of season two for Severance, everything unfolded within the confines of Lumon Industries, keeping viewers uncertain about the aftermath of the Innie rebellion in the wider world – at least for another seven days. The second episode, titled “Goodbye, Mrs. Selvig,” serves as a counterpart to the premiere, as it too is set only beyond the severed floor. It provided viewers with some additional understanding about Lumon and the lives of the Outies, but also posed even more questions to further deepen the show’s collection of enigmas.

It remains undetermined whether the Innie uprising influenced the broader world, but it undeniably affected the Outies, particularly at first. Lumon swiftly dismisses Irving and Dylan following the season one finale without giving them a proper send-off. Yet, Mark, contrary to his colleagues, not only retains his position but also seems to be actively valued by Lumon, who takes extra measures to keep him on staff. The question arises: Why is Mark the exception when it comes to job security?

Mark is Clearly Very Important to Lumon

Following his termination visits to Irving and Dylan, the newly appointed floor manager, Mr. Milchick (Tramell Tillman), unexpectedly drops by Mark at his sister Devon’s (Jen Tullock) home. This conversation takes place shortly after the “Overtime Contingency” is turned off. Mr. Milchick explains the recent events and attempts to question Mark about his recollections, but Mark insists he doesn’t know anything. When Mark shows some reluctance about returning to work on Monday, Milchick employs a strategy to keep him there. He describes Mark’s Innie’s actions as reckless yet courageous. He suggests that by not returning to work, Mark would essentially be punishing his Innie’s bravery, which amounts to letting his Innie die symbolically.

After some time, Milchick pays another visit to Mark at his simple abode, aiming to tempt him back with an enhanced proposition. He proposes a 20% salary increase as the primary attraction. Furthermore, he references the reason Mark chose to depart initially – his sorrow over his wife’s demise. Milchick shares that his Innie (the self within the dream world represented by Helly, portrayed by Britt Lower) is content and has even discovered a blossoming romance with fellow Innie Helly.

Milchick seeks to persuade Mark that the process of severing has granted him a tranquility he cannot find in his conscious life, and that this peace is something worth reconsidering.

In the premiere episode, Mark resumes work, stirs up a variety of issues, and insists on his old colleagues’ reinstatement. Remarkably, the enigmatic Board concedes, sending Milchick to extend job offers to Irving and Dylan. Regarding Helly, her decision is already made, as her counterpart (Outie) belongs to the Eagan family.

This evidence indicates that Lumon is ready to go above and beyond to keep Mark employed, regardless of rehiring the defiant employees they recently dismissed. It seems Mark holds significant value to the company beyond his role as a Macrodata Refiner. Towards the end of the episode, a conversation between the higher-ups suggests that he may be pivotal in finishing a secretive project known as “Cold Harbor.

What is “Cold Harbor?”

Intrigued spectators might have caught that the series initially introduced “Cold Harbor” in the opening episode of season two. The main characters opted to remain at Lumon for a while, aiming to unravel the enigma surrounding Miss Casey, who was revealed to be Mark’s seemingly deceased wife, Gemma. As the episode concludes, the team settles down at their workstations to commence their secret project, and the name of the file they’re handling is “Cold Harbor.” As Mark dives into his work, Miss Casey’s face briefly appears on the screen.

Dan Erickson, the mind behind Severance, and his team of writers haven’t explicitly revealed what specific data the MDR group is polishing (whether they ever will). However, it appears that “Cold Harbor” might be linked to Miss Casey, and Mark may play a crucial role in unraveling this mystery. Since the beginning of the series, it has been evident that Mark’s superiors are aware of his connection with Miss Casey, and they have been cautious not to let him discover this secret. This could also be the reason behind Mark’s former boss, Ms. Cobel (played by Patricia Arquette), monitoring his Outie excessively, even going so far as to impersonate his eccentric neighbor. Her actions may have ultimately led to her dismissal at the conclusion of season one.

The major mystery since Miss Casey and Mark’s true relationship was exposed is how she could be found on the severed floor yet seemingly deceased in reality. In a heated conversation with Devon at a diner, Mark resists her wish to examine his surprising exclamation “she’s alive!” from the season finale. He argues that it was him who had to identify her charred remains, casting doubt on the idea that he might have made an error or mistakenly identified someone else. It appears that Miss Casey is one of Lumon’s enigmatic experiments, sent to the “testing floor” following her dismissal instead of being permitted to re-enter the normal world.

The role Mark plays in these tests remains uncertain, yet it’s evident he’s essential for the resolution of “Cold Harbor.” It seems Lumon might be creating a unique triumphant tale to enhance their public standing, as they claim the ability to bring back life itself and reunite a pair separated by death. Severance enthusiasts eagerly anticipate uncovering whatever secrets or new mysteries that will unfold in each upcoming episode.

Read More

2025-01-30 02:25