Season 2 of the mind-bending series Severance continues to push boundaries as Episode 6, titled "Attila," plunges viewers deep within the emotional and corporate chaos of Lumon Industries. This episode showcases the intertwining personal lives and business machinations of the characters, primarily focusing on Mark's reintegration struggles and his complicated relationships.
The episode opens with Outie Irving (John Turturro) having dinner with Outie Burt (Christopher Walken) and his husband Fields (John Noble). This seemingly casual gathering quickly spirals, bringing tension and underlying secrets to the forefront. Meanwhile, Reghabi (Karen Aldridge) expresses frustration with the slow pace of Mark's (Adam Scott) reintegration process, advocating for more aggressive tactics to expedite his recovery.
Romantic entanglements play out as Mark and Helly (Britt Lower) attempt to rekindle their bond after previous tensions following the Helena Woe's Hollow twist. Their relationship takes center stage, especially when Helly expresses her desire to create her own memory with Mark, saying "yes" to intimacy which starkly contrasts with Mark's earlier encounter with Helena, where consent was absent.
Added to this dynamically charged environment is Dylan (Zach Cherry), whose brief discussions with his Outie’s wife, Gretchen (Merritt Weaver), reveal his attempts to maintain boundaries between his dual lives. This complexity escalates as Gretchen struggles with her own feelings of guilt after kissing Dylan's innie.
The episode's title, “Attila,” serves as both historical allusion and clever plot point. Attila the Hun, notorious for his destructive conquests, parallels Burt and Fields' playful banter about their affectionate nicknames. They shift from the endearing "Hon" to the more complex "Attila," hinting at darker undertones of their pasts and the nature of their current relationship.
Milchick (Trammell Tillman), acting on his recent performance review, earnestly attempts to improve himself at Lumon. His obsessive behavior about mundane office details, such as how to properly organize paper clips, juxtaposes against the lives hanging by threads around him, as he struggles with overarching company pressures.
Throughout the episode, Mark confronts painful memories and hallucinations, particularly one poignant moment at the episode's climax where he is reminded of his lost wife, Gemma. His attempts to navigate through grief manifest through deep emotional exchanges with Helly, even as he grapples with the ethical ramifications of his prior actions during his time with Helena Eagan.
The dinner scene with Burt and Fields challenges viewers to contemplate their next moves within this strange corporate structure. Burt's attempt to be seen as benevolent, yet layered with guilt about his past, raises questions about loyalty and betrayal; this duality especially concerns Irving, who suspects there’s more to Burt than he presents.
With Bert's ambiguous ties to Lumon, the question arises—how deeply has he intertwined himself with the organization? The final act of the episode culminates with Mark’s dramatic collapse, leaving the audience gasping as the reintegration process spirals out of control. Is Mark on the brink of death similar to his friend Petey? This cliffhanger not only teases the potential demise of its lead character, but also leaves viewers pondering the ethical quandaries of Lumon's manipulations.
“Attila” proves to be another exceptional episode of Severance, masterfully intertwining personal and corporate battles, showcasing the depths of each character's psyche, and ensuring the audience remains on the edge of their seats, eagerly anticipating what unfurls next.