TV: Severance - Apple TV
- Thread starter WeThreeKings
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Yeah pretty much me as well. Dont even know what to say.
I do know this.... another ~2 years waiting for season 3 is going to be complete agony.
I do know this.... another ~2 years waiting for season 3 is going to be complete agony.
So the big prevailing theory right now seems to be that it was actually Helena on the Severed floor again and not Helly.... I could definitely see some truth to that. Will be very interesting to see some people break that theory down further with some evidence in the coming days.
Rodgerwilco
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Beau Knows
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Not sure I like the direction the show has been heading for the last half of the season. I liked a lot of the season individually, but as a whole it's felt off.
It feels like the season must have suffered from a series of rewrites or something. For instance they spent a lot of time on Mark's reintegration, but that didn't really end up mattering much at all. Was there originally a finale where Mark rescues Gemma by having fully reintegrated instead of by having a conversation with his outie? Kinds of feels like it to me.
What even was outie Mark, Devon and Cobel's plan after his innie had shown he wasn't willing to throw away all of the lives his friends or his own? He just drove back to work and hoped his innie would rescue Gemma anyways? Was Cobel even needed for that storyline? The reason she was contacted in the first place was the reintegration sickness. But that hasn't been dealt with at all, and instead it became about Cobel helping them, but she didn't appear to contribute all that much.
They seemingly wrapped up Irving's story in a hurry without addressing the interesting questions about his outtie. Who has he been working with? What's the deal with the paintings? How does he know about the hallway? Why is he gathering all this intel on Lumon? Instead his story (whether just for the season or for the show) ended with an unearned emotional moment that didn't have anything to do with what little we know about his outie.
Season 1 was probably a 9.5/10 for me. I'll need to rewatch season 2 to solidify my feelings, but it's more like a 7/10. I still enjoyed it, and I'm intrigued about where they are going to go with the Gemma/Helly stuff.
It feels like the season must have suffered from a series of rewrites or something. For instance they spent a lot of time on Mark's reintegration, but that didn't really end up mattering much at all. Was there originally a finale where Mark rescues Gemma by having fully reintegrated instead of by having a conversation with his outie? Kinds of feels like it to me.
What even was outie Mark, Devon and Cobel's plan after his innie had shown he wasn't willing to throw away all of the lives his friends or his own? He just drove back to work and hoped his innie would rescue Gemma anyways? Was Cobel even needed for that storyline? The reason she was contacted in the first place was the reintegration sickness. But that hasn't been dealt with at all, and instead it became about Cobel helping them, but she didn't appear to contribute all that much.
They seemingly wrapped up Irving's story in a hurry without addressing the interesting questions about his outtie. Who has he been working with? What's the deal with the paintings? How does he know about the hallway? Why is he gathering all this intel on Lumon? Instead his story (whether just for the season or for the show) ended with an unearned emotional moment that didn't have anything to do with what little we know about his outie.
Season 1 was probably a 9.5/10 for me. I'll need to rewatch season 2 to solidify my feelings, but it's more like a 7/10. I still enjoyed it, and I'm intrigued about where they are going to go with the Gemma/Helly stuff.
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Well. I'm gonna try.
Unbelievable thrill ride of an episode and a surprising amount of humor for such a high stakes episode.
Poor Gemma first and foremost. I mean all the suffering. The straight up torture. Being kept from her husband for two years. Reuniting with him and watching him run off with another woman after a heartfelt and cathartic reunion. Like I get why i!Mark made the decision to stay behind. It makes a lot of sense even if he either doesn't appreciate the consequences or doesn't care. But watching Gemma scream after Mark wasn't just heartbreaking, it was kind of horrifying.
From a practical sense, if Gemma manages to escape Lumon HQ on her own...which isn't remotely guaranteed (I mean she has to run up the stairs, out the lobby, across the parking lot (unless Cobel and/or Devon are out there waiting to grab her and Mark) and down a long road) she is going to need to immediately go into hiding. And then what? Do they have Gemma be the ultimate whistleblower? Does that risk Lumon possibly killing Mark? Maybe the conflict is supposed to be trying to delicately fight a cold war with Lumon with blackmail to somehow get Mark out while Mark's innie has no intention of leaving. Really struggling to think how something like that can play out.
Mark and Helly seem poised to try some kind of innie revolt. How that plays out? Couldn't tell you. Realistically Lumon would come down on Mark hard. Helena does not go back down as Helly ever again. Mark is never allowed to leave the testing floor. The only way it doesn't happen is if they manage to rally the entirety of the severed floor to resist Lumon and protect them. Some people are theorizing that Helly on the floor as Helena again but I don't really buy it. It would be a hell of a twist though.
Like...Cobel got her revenge...somewhat. She severely interfered with Lumon's plans but couldn't she be the whistleblower to bring down Lumon on her own? She can't get her job back at Lumon anymore. Whether Helly was Helena or they were recording Mark and Helly at the MDR desk, Lumon will know it was Cobel. But she didn't do anything with the Severance procedure blueprints/plans. I can't see the show going to all that effort to get them only for the audience to find out that she was the inventor of the procedure.
Milchick was showing signs of rebellion but at the end of the season he's still a loyal soldier...I don't see them abandoning that development. Just have no idea now how he plays a role in helping the innies or the outies.
Does Lumon even let Helena back up? I'd assume if they do, they have to find a way to keep her from hearing Jame tell Helly that he doesn't love Helena. Unless it was Helena the whole time and she already knows. If that's the case, then does Helena somehow start f***ing things up for Lumon?
How does Lumon punish Dylan, if they can even get their hands on him now? Do they keep him on the severed floor forever and cut the salary for his family? Does he also stay on the severed floor at all times by choice? Does that somehow push Gretchen to link up with...I guess team outie?
How does Reghabi figure back in? Does Irv somehow come back?
Also, a big one I shouldn't have just thought of but they started the reintegration process with Mark, what happens if Mark and his innie fully reintegrate? What if all that coughing starts to deteriorate his health to the point that he might die?
I have to think if Gemma does make it out, she'll probably understand that Mark's innie made the choice. Not her Mark. I'll probably have more walls of text worth of thoughts but that's all I've got.
EDIT: Well I can't stop thinking about this show sooo. I'm wondering if the grand scheme solution way down the line is that no matter how hard the innies try to make a life for themselves in a severed existence by revolting/resisting against Lumon, that it doesn't work out for them and eventually, somehow and some way the solution is for the existing innies to reintegrate with their outies. Maybe that's, in a sense, missing the point which is what the episode was trying to tell us, but realistically speaking how do you get all these severed workers to stay severed without continuing things as they are (as in the typical cycle of outie goes into work becomes innie until it's time to go home). Even if Lumon gets toppled and the innies have the option to continue splitting time with their outies to co-exist, how do you guarantee that one version or the other does that for their alternate self? If Lumon falls, there's no financial incentive for the outies to keep letting their severed selves exist for chunks of the day. Innies taking over as the sole consciousness is no better than the reverse because the other version is still, effectively, dying. The only way to bridge that gap is mass reintegration. Mark's story here is a good example of these complications. Whether he is, from his perspective, justified in fighting for his own life and his love, by staying on the severed floor, especially if he's not allowed to leave, he's essentially condemning his outie to death and stripping his loved ones of him. This goes beyond the concept of ego death. Without reintegration, i!Mark is more or less murdering o!Mark at least in concept if not effect. And even if they compromise through reintegration or reintegration continues to progress for both, Mark can't be with Helly and Gemma.
Holy f*** man this episode leaves you with so much to think about, it's unreal.
From a practical sense, if Gemma manages to escape Lumon HQ on her own...which isn't remotely guaranteed (I mean she has to run up the stairs, out the lobby, across the parking lot (unless Cobel and/or Devon are out there waiting to grab her and Mark) and down a long road) she is going to need to immediately go into hiding. And then what? Do they have Gemma be the ultimate whistleblower? Does that risk Lumon possibly killing Mark? Maybe the conflict is supposed to be trying to delicately fight a cold war with Lumon with blackmail to somehow get Mark out while Mark's innie has no intention of leaving. Really struggling to think how something like that can play out.
Mark and Helly seem poised to try some kind of innie revolt. How that plays out? Couldn't tell you. Realistically Lumon would come down on Mark hard. Helena does not go back down as Helly ever again. Mark is never allowed to leave the testing floor. The only way it doesn't happen is if they manage to rally the entirety of the severed floor to resist Lumon and protect them. Some people are theorizing that Helly on the floor as Helena again but I don't really buy it. It would be a hell of a twist though.
Like...Cobel got her revenge...somewhat. She severely interfered with Lumon's plans but couldn't she be the whistleblower to bring down Lumon on her own? She can't get her job back at Lumon anymore. Whether Helly was Helena or they were recording Mark and Helly at the MDR desk, Lumon will know it was Cobel. But she didn't do anything with the Severance procedure blueprints/plans. I can't see the show going to all that effort to get them only for the audience to find out that she was the inventor of the procedure.
Milchick was showing signs of rebellion but at the end of the season he's still a loyal soldier...I don't see them abandoning that development. Just have no idea now how he plays a role in helping the innies or the outies.
Does Lumon even let Helena back up? I'd assume if they do, they have to find a way to keep her from hearing Jame tell Helly that he doesn't love Helena. Unless it was Helena the whole time and she already knows. If that's the case, then does Helena somehow start f***ing things up for Lumon?
How does Lumon punish Dylan, if they can even get their hands on him now? Do they keep him on the severed floor forever and cut the salary for his family? Does he also stay on the severed floor at all times by choice? Does that somehow push Gretchen to link up with...I guess team outie?
How does Reghabi figure back in? Does Irv somehow come back?
Also, a big one I shouldn't have just thought of but they started the reintegration process with Mark, what happens if Mark and his innie fully reintegrate? What if all that coughing starts to deteriorate his health to the point that he might die?
I have to think if Gemma does make it out, she'll probably understand that Mark's innie made the choice. Not her Mark. I'll probably have more walls of text worth of thoughts but that's all I've got.
EDIT: Well I can't stop thinking about this show sooo. I'm wondering if the grand scheme solution way down the line is that no matter how hard the innies try to make a life for themselves in a severed existence by revolting/resisting against Lumon, that it doesn't work out for them and eventually, somehow and some way the solution is for the existing innies to reintegrate with their outies. Maybe that's, in a sense, missing the point which is what the episode was trying to tell us, but realistically speaking how do you get all these severed workers to stay severed without continuing things as they are (as in the typical cycle of outie goes into work becomes innie until it's time to go home). Even if Lumon gets toppled and the innies have the option to continue splitting time with their outies to co-exist, how do you guarantee that one version or the other does that for their alternate self? If Lumon falls, there's no financial incentive for the outies to keep letting their severed selves exist for chunks of the day. Innies taking over as the sole consciousness is no better than the reverse because the other version is still, effectively, dying. The only way to bridge that gap is mass reintegration. Mark's story here is a good example of these complications. Whether he is, from his perspective, justified in fighting for his own life and his love, by staying on the severed floor, especially if he's not allowed to leave, he's essentially condemning his outie to death and stripping his loved ones of him. This goes beyond the concept of ego death. Without reintegration, i!Mark is more or less murdering o!Mark at least in concept if not effect. And even if they compromise through reintegration or reintegration continues to progress for both, Mark can't be with Helly and Gemma.
Holy f*** man this episode leaves you with so much to think about, it's unreal.
Unbelievable thrill ride of an episode and a surprising amount of humor for such a high stakes episode.
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FWIW the show did go through some pretty major re-writes IIRC.
I dont think it took away from the season at all, I think season 2 was every bit as good as season 1 and this is easily the best series ongoing right now, and probably the best since like Breaking Bad for my money.
But I also do agree there's a couple of areas where you can kind of notice how re-writes probably changed some things. A couple big ones that stand out to me:
Still essentially a 10/10 season for me and the re-writes didn't take away from the quality of the show at all, but I do think you can see some areas where they were evident... Or maybe those storylines get picked up in Season 3.
Ben Still has pretty much guaranteed online over the last week or so that we wont have to wait anywhere near 3 years to get Season 3 which is great news. This show has absolutely blown up in popularity over the last 10 weeks and if they can get season 3 out within 1-2 years at the same quality it has the potential to catch on like Game of Thrones did IMO.
I dont think it took away from the season at all, I think season 2 was every bit as good as season 1 and this is easily the best series ongoing right now, and probably the best since like Breaking Bad for my money.
But I also do agree there's a couple of areas where you can kind of notice how re-writes probably changed some things. A couple big ones that stand out to me:
1. Rickens entire story feels like it was basically cut? In the first couple episodes of season 2 it seemed like they were building up to his increased involvement as he was writing a new version of his book specifically for the Innies... Maybe I'm just forgetting but I'm pretty sure that storyline basically got completely left behind. Natalie for that matter as well started season 2 seemingly set up for a pretty big role but 2nd half of the season was almost non existent.
2. Irving and in particular what was his outie doing, why did his outie have all the information on severed people and who was he talking to about this information IE on the pay phone. Sadly this one really seems to go along with the rumors about John Turturro wanting to be written out of the show essentially. With him not being involved at all in the finale it does feel like that might have been it for Irving which is probably my one real disappointment with season 2 because the mystery around his outie and what he was getting up to was one of the most intriguing mysteries of all of season 2.
2. Irving and in particular what was his outie doing, why did his outie have all the information on severed people and who was he talking to about this information IE on the pay phone. Sadly this one really seems to go along with the rumors about John Turturro wanting to be written out of the show essentially. With him not being involved at all in the finale it does feel like that might have been it for Irving which is probably my one real disappointment with season 2 because the mystery around his outie and what he was getting up to was one of the most intriguing mysteries of all of season 2.
Still essentially a 10/10 season for me and the re-writes didn't take away from the quality of the show at all, but I do think you can see some areas where they were evident... Or maybe those storylines get picked up in Season 3.
Ben Still has pretty much guaranteed online over the last week or so that we wont have to wait anywhere near 3 years to get Season 3 which is great news. This show has absolutely blown up in popularity over the last 10 weeks and if they can get season 3 out within 1-2 years at the same quality it has the potential to catch on like Game of Thrones did IMO.
I cannot think about anything else right now. I frankly don't care if there were rewrites. That was a hell of a way to tie the important stuff together and left enough to either leave a compelling story to tell next season or leave a haunting twilight zone-esque ending to the story if they decide to cut it short.
But let's be real. This show reached the level of phenomenon this season whether it was as good as Season 1 or not. There is no way in hell that Apple does not pick up Season 3. I audibly yelled "No way what the f***" when
Not another wall of theory/spoiler text, just a spoilery meme I really liked:
But let's be real. This show reached the level of phenomenon this season whether it was as good as Season 1 or not. There is no way in hell that Apple does not pick up Season 3. I audibly yelled "No way what the f***" when
Mark shifted back to his outie and inadvertently killed Drummond. Like after it happened it was so obvious how that could happen but I just did not see it coming at all.
Not another wall of theory/spoiler text, just a spoilery meme I really liked:
Bruins4Lifer
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My overall impression of that finale was a very meh first half followed up by a great 2nd half and finish.
I don't think I have an issue with the ending, but I have some issues.
I don't think I have an issue with the ending, but I have some issues.
Felt like we really got rug pulled with the re-integration of Mark. He started it in episode 3 and they played it up like it would be a big part of the remainder of this season but then it was just abandoned?. It's why I was a bit annoyed the start of the episode with outie and inner Mark conversing through taped videos. Felt like they misled the audience here with this, in a bad way - as if it were more convienient for the story for it to not be happening now, but I imagine it's brought back in season 3.
I guess 'blinded by love' can mostly explain the motivations of innie Mark at the beginning and the very end of this episode. I wouldn't have been surprised they didn't end the episode on the cliffhanger of what Mark S would choose - glad they didn't though.
Where they go from here with season 3 I am real curious to know.
I guess 'blinded by love' can mostly explain the motivations of innie Mark at the beginning and the very end of this episode. I wouldn't have been surprised they didn't end the episode on the cliffhanger of what Mark S would choose - glad they didn't though.
Where they go from here with season 3 I am real curious to know.
I don't think it's as much blinded by love as it is not really caring or thinking about the consequences. I think i!Mark understands that there's challenges in trying to have a life with Helly. But it's not just this love. He understands that the second he leaves Lumon HQ, his outie will never return and his existence will effectively end. Or at least that's how he sees it. Mark can still complete his reintegration or it might be a situation where, as you alluded to somewhat, he already started it so the reintegration process will continue. I think that would be a compelling plot thread if i!Mark continues to reintegrate next season. But the thing is I totally understand i!Mark's motivations. Life on the severed floor isn't good, but just like people in say...not to sound insensitive but third world countries or populations under totalitarian regimes have plenty of people that don't commit suicide, existence through hardship is still an existence. By leaving so his outie can be with Gemma, i!Mark will cease to exist and he made it very clear that he wants to keep existing. I mean I guess he could trust his outie that they'll reintegrate but that's still turning his back on the innies and his love for Helly. It may not seem rational to you but i!Mark is functionally two years old and experiencing love for the first time. People act irrationally for love.
Though I agree with you that the writing decisions with the reintegration was not properly handled this season. I don't even mind too much that it hasn't taken proper effect in 7 episodes. 5 if you count episodes Mark was an active participant in. But if it's going to be a drawn out process that doesn't materialize this season, the show really needed to provide the audience with the information needed to understand that was possible. Like Reghabi could've had some lines saying that she needed weeks of continued "reintegration therapy" sessions to realize full reintegration or something like that. Give us the information that if she or he, for whatever reason stopped, it would prevent Mark from fully reintegrating along their expected timeline. Without that, I agree, it feels like the writers manipulating the audience with this big hype moment with no real payoff. I do hope that it has real impact next season.
Though I agree with you that the writing decisions with the reintegration was not properly handled this season. I don't even mind too much that it hasn't taken proper effect in 7 episodes. 5 if you count episodes Mark was an active participant in. But if it's going to be a drawn out process that doesn't materialize this season, the show really needed to provide the audience with the information needed to understand that was possible. Like Reghabi could've had some lines saying that she needed weeks of continued "reintegration therapy" sessions to realize full reintegration or something like that. Give us the information that if she or he, for whatever reason stopped, it would prevent Mark from fully reintegrating along their expected timeline. Without that, I agree, it feels like the writers manipulating the audience with this big hype moment with no real payoff. I do hope that it has real impact next season.
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Just started watching the finale and I can’t believe I never noticed this before but Adam Scott bears an amazing resemblance to a young Alan Alda. He even sounds a bit like him.
JetsWillFly4Ever
PLAY EHLERS 20 MIN A NIGHT
JetsWillFly4Ever
PLAY EHLERS 20 MIN A NIGHT
Lots of theories going around on twitter if Helena was on the severed floor, I'm not sure I buy it. I think it was Helly and that her and Mark just decided they want to live and love together. That being said, I didn't quite get what she meant earlier when she said 'I am her' when Mark was talking about Gemma.
I've enjoyed reading @HanSolo all season, can't wait for season 3.
I've enjoyed reading @HanSolo all season, can't wait for season 3.
spintheblackcircle
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Rodgerwilco
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the theory that it was actually Helena aside, Helly was saying she's still Helena Eagan at the end of the day. It was a short hand moment of clarity that with more words would have said "Mark, I treasure what we have but at the end of the day we can't have a future together. My outie is the next CEO of this company. My existence can be cut short in an instant the second Helena decides it. Or she can come back down pretending to be me again. You should go back up and reintegrate with your outie and at least get the chance to have a real life."
I think the reason I don't buy that this is a Helena switch is because the natural progression of her speech to the marching band department is the innies will stage an uprising that operates like a strike. They will fight for their right to exist free of fear of being "retired" by refusing to work until they are given exclusive right to control their chips. Or they go even further and refuse to leave until they are given their freedom. But that would end up with a bunch of innies that don't leave the severed floor and a ton of families demanding answers on where their loved ones are. Either way, using the innies revolt as a shield is the only conceivable way that Helly and i!Mark can buy any additional time with each other. I think logistically, the problem is that Lumon can just force all the innies out of the building and leave their outies none the wiser. Unless they can't afford to do out of fear that Cobel and/or Reghabi would reintegrate all of them and have an entire former workforce as potential witnesses that can destroy the company. Either way, this notion of an innie uprising is complex and I'm not sure how the writers are going to handle it. These stakes are so much higher than MDR leading more about their outies during the OTC. That was a situation that Lumon could manipulate. Now they have an insider in Cobel that poses a significant threat, a former prisoner and human test subject in Gemma (both of whom can destroy Lumon if they take their story public), and the innies who might stage a mass rebellion.
I think the only surefire way that Lumon loses, and the good guys including innies and outies win in the end is if reintegration is uniformly applied to the existing severed workers around the world. The innies might not get to keep their interpersonal relationships at the severed floors they live on but at least their consciousness lives on by merging with their other half.
I think the reason I don't buy that this is a Helena switch is because the natural progression of her speech to the marching band department is the innies will stage an uprising that operates like a strike. They will fight for their right to exist free of fear of being "retired" by refusing to work until they are given exclusive right to control their chips. Or they go even further and refuse to leave until they are given their freedom. But that would end up with a bunch of innies that don't leave the severed floor and a ton of families demanding answers on where their loved ones are. Either way, using the innies revolt as a shield is the only conceivable way that Helly and i!Mark can buy any additional time with each other. I think logistically, the problem is that Lumon can just force all the innies out of the building and leave their outies none the wiser. Unless they can't afford to do out of fear that Cobel and/or Reghabi would reintegrate all of them and have an entire former workforce as potential witnesses that can destroy the company. Either way, this notion of an innie uprising is complex and I'm not sure how the writers are going to handle it. These stakes are so much higher than MDR leading more about their outies during the OTC. That was a situation that Lumon could manipulate. Now they have an insider in Cobel that poses a significant threat, a former prisoner and human test subject in Gemma (both of whom can destroy Lumon if they take their story public), and the innies who might stage a mass rebellion.
I think the only surefire way that Lumon loses, and the good guys including innies and outies win in the end is if reintegration is uniformly applied to the existing severed workers around the world. The innies might not get to keep their interpersonal relationships at the severed floors they live on but at least their consciousness lives on by merging with their other half.
Jussi
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Bruins4Lifer
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I just read Sepinwall's interview with creator Dan Erickson where Dan explained a few things on Season 2. I'll just recap a few of the answers I found interesting.
- Erickson admitted that they did a rewrite of the script, where originally they planned to explain more about Cold Harbor.
- I thought they were going to explain a little more than they actually did there. Most of the stuff was already hinted at at or shown in previous episodes.
- the four buckets in the the refining terminal referred to Kier's four tempers was shown in season one I believe
- Episode 7 ('Chikhai Bardo') already alluded to what the rooms were for. I missed it on my watch, but I read that apparently the box of the baby crib that Mark bought was called 'Cold Harbor'
- I thought they were going to explain a little more than they actually did there. Most of the stuff was already hinted at at or shown in previous episodes.
- Erickson's says the writers like to blow up the formula at the end of each season and try to bring it back for the next.
- Confirmed that they didn't want to go any further with the reintegration with Mark this season and want to let it play out more next season
- He confirmed they have a planned timeline on how long this show will go, but declined to say what/how long it is.
Interesting.
It's already pretty heavily implied what the testing Cold Harbor was a part of was for. We don't have a name for the series of experiments and Cold Harbor was just one of 25 but it seems fairly obvious that the intention was to create an updated version of the chip that would allow people to sever from traumatic/uncomfortable experiences. How they were planning on having the chip recognize that an experience like that was incoming to flip to the innie is unclear but it seems the chip was designed to free people from psychological pain.
What isn't clear is what was the exact purpose of the Cold Harbor room? Like Gemma's innie is subjected to a core trauma that Mark put together, Mark dismantling the crib in frustration (from episode 7) but this seems like an elaborate way to test whether the Severance blocking holds. There was a theory that Cold Harbor is the last traumatic experience to sever from, death. Like if death is imminent, would the chip hold so an innie would experience it and not the host?
What isn't answered is how the goat was supposed to play a part, whether Gemma's consciousness was being mapped along the way so that every chip with this technology carried Gemma's 25 innies to serve as the buffer against others' traumas.
As for the reintegration subplot. I'm not as upset with it as I thought I'd be but it still feels like a bait and switch for hype purposes. They really should have had Reghabi give Mark more of an explanation as to how long it would take.
And as far as an indefinite timeline, while I'd love to see this show go for 5 seasons like Breaking Bad, I really hope they don't artificially stretch their story past what is workable just for the sake of being a moneymaker for Apple TV. As good as the season was, it did feel like they did a bit of that this season in the interest of keeping more than a handful of mysteries or plot developments unrevealed/unfulfilled for next season.
It does, to an extent feel like there's a lot left to unpack but there's only so many plot lines to carry the story through multiple seasons after season 3. There's
The innie revolution.
Lumon's response to losing Gemma and their grand project and potentially having to snuff out Cobel and Gemma who can publicly destroy Lumon. What do they do to protect themselves and gain control back over the Innies?
Gemma trying to get Mark out of Lumon (assuming she manages to escape the building, but I think she will) and Mark somehow reconciling his conflict with his outie.
The secret organization working against Lumon that Petey referred to in season 1. Probably who Irving was reporting to and probably working with Reghabi.
Milchick's eventual betrayal of Lumon. I feel like it's inevitable.
The likely betrayal of Lumon by Helena Eagan. She's probably not close to being there yet, but the seeds are planted.
Probably some more to the Ricken working for Lumon story.
Cobel's potential continued revenge against Lumon.
I feel like all that could give the show maybe two more seasons worth of ground to cover. But it's so hard to guess how they're going to go about it. I keep thinking of how the story could logically progress from this point and just feel like the writers have such a gargantuan task ahead of them right now.
What isn't clear is what was the exact purpose of the Cold Harbor room? Like Gemma's innie is subjected to a core trauma that Mark put together, Mark dismantling the crib in frustration (from episode 7) but this seems like an elaborate way to test whether the Severance blocking holds. There was a theory that Cold Harbor is the last traumatic experience to sever from, death. Like if death is imminent, would the chip hold so an innie would experience it and not the host?
What isn't answered is how the goat was supposed to play a part, whether Gemma's consciousness was being mapped along the way so that every chip with this technology carried Gemma's 25 innies to serve as the buffer against others' traumas.
As for the reintegration subplot. I'm not as upset with it as I thought I'd be but it still feels like a bait and switch for hype purposes. They really should have had Reghabi give Mark more of an explanation as to how long it would take.
And as far as an indefinite timeline, while I'd love to see this show go for 5 seasons like Breaking Bad, I really hope they don't artificially stretch their story past what is workable just for the sake of being a moneymaker for Apple TV. As good as the season was, it did feel like they did a bit of that this season in the interest of keeping more than a handful of mysteries or plot developments unrevealed/unfulfilled for next season.
It does, to an extent feel like there's a lot left to unpack but there's only so many plot lines to carry the story through multiple seasons after season 3. There's
The innie revolution.
Lumon's response to losing Gemma and their grand project and potentially having to snuff out Cobel and Gemma who can publicly destroy Lumon. What do they do to protect themselves and gain control back over the Innies?
Gemma trying to get Mark out of Lumon (assuming she manages to escape the building, but I think she will) and Mark somehow reconciling his conflict with his outie.
The secret organization working against Lumon that Petey referred to in season 1. Probably who Irving was reporting to and probably working with Reghabi.
Milchick's eventual betrayal of Lumon. I feel like it's inevitable.
The likely betrayal of Lumon by Helena Eagan. She's probably not close to being there yet, but the seeds are planted.
Probably some more to the Ricken working for Lumon story.
Cobel's potential continued revenge against Lumon.
I feel like all that could give the show maybe two more seasons worth of ground to cover. But it's so hard to guess how they're going to go about it. I keep thinking of how the story could logically progress from this point and just feel like the writers have such a gargantuan task ahead of them right now.
Lt Dan
F*** your ice cream!
It think the answer to this is the most simple one
it's a reminder than Lumon is a cult and it's nothing more than a ritual sacrifice
Jussi
Registered User
While I don't think it was Helena Eagan with innie Mark at work at the end, we know she watches footage from the work area. If she saw what her father said to Helly R....
I'm mostly wondering what happens to Helly and Innie Mark now... Obviously they aren't gonna just be "killed", the writers will come up with a compelling reason to keep them both around...
I think both Mark and Helly are going to end up down on the same floor where Gemma was for season 3. I think the show subtly foreshadowed this by showing us their were two identical rooms on that floor but us never seeing a 2nd person besides Gemma down there... It'll be a complete reversal of Season 1 and 2 with Gemma and Devon outside with the knowledge they have trying to free Mark from inside Lumon.
No idea what the experiment will be, maybe Lumon will try to figure out a way to make Helly and Mark not recognize each other, or something like that?
No idea what the experiment will be, maybe Lumon will try to figure out a way to make Helly and Mark not recognize each other, or something like that?
