After an agonizing wait, "Severance" fans can finally breathe again post-finale of Season 2 titled "Cold Harbor." This Apple TV+ hit gathered its audience into a whirlwind of emotions as the finale unfolded crucial plot points while delivering dramatic twists that spiraled into vibrant discussions across fandom spaces. Executive producer Ben Stiller has promised viewers that we won’t have to wait too long for Season 3, which is a noteworthy relief.
The Season 2 finale commenced with a showdown of reality and identity. Mark S. (played by Adam Scott) overcame insurmountable odds to rescue Gemma (Dichen Lachman), unveiling the even darker secrets of Lumon industries. Mr. Drummond’s demise shocked viewers, serving as a critical narrative turning point. As Mark S. fought against a landscape filled with emotional and ethical dilemmas, fans were both excited and haunted by revelations surrounding the Macro Data Refinement team’s dark intentions. Spoilers ahead.
The episode aimed to settle many questions surrounding the show’s core mystery by linking the infamous numbers with Kier Eagan’s Four Tempers: Woe, Frolic, Malice, and Dread. As fans may recall, secrets surged between two personas throughout the season, but they all fed into the unsettling revelations that awaited when Cold Harbor was completed — the final step in Lumon's ominous project.
The emotional tension heightened when Mark S. was confronted with his Outie, who was increasingly skeptical about the morality of their endeavors. Mark S.'s dilemma became the emotional heart of an episode layered with poignant reflections on identity and self-awareness.
Creative storytelling merged seamlessly with stunning visuals, with scenes transitioning from frenetic energy in the depths of the Lumon arcade to the chaotic atmosphere of a celebratory marching band — all fueled by a blend of humor with fear during the dramatic moments that ensued when Cold Harbor was completed. The celebration, orchestrated by the Choreography and Merriment department, brought comic relief amidst a grave situation.
It was during this unraveling chaos that Mark's visceral act of inadvertently killing Drummond reverberated throughout the episode. The climax demonstrated how Mark wrestled with his changing identity as he transitioned back and forth between being Mark Scout and Mark S. Following the shocking confrontation, he manages to rescue Gemma from the depths of impending manipulation and trauma.
However, this second reunion did not come without its glitches. Just as Gemma comes face-to-face with Mark, an inherent comedic realization mirrored their tragedy. As they embraced, the shift into their severed roles returned to the storyline, with Mark reverting to the outie persona while Gemma reflexively lost recognition of her partner. This delicate dance of identity reflects the series' deeper themes concerning memory and the voids created by the severance process.
The emotional separation came to a head in the finale when Mark S. was presented with an impossible choice between his reunion with Gemma and his affection for Helly (Britt Lower). In a gut-wrenching moment, he chose to flee once again with Helly towards the unknown, leaving Gemma behind, echoing themes of choice, sacrifice, and the trauma of identities lost and not reuniting, just as the episode's title connotes.
Fans took to Reddit and social media expressing a flurry of mixed emotions, with some reacting humorously with remarks like, "I am physically sick." Others drew parallels to previous monumental episodic conclusions such as both "Breaking Bad" and "Game of Thrones," labeling it an unforgettable spectacle that will resound in discussions for years.
The much-anticipated finale inevitably stirred debate, some commended the emotional depth while others criticized unanswered elements lingering in the narrative space. The answers did come, nonetheless: Lumon’s technology, a vehicle for manipulating identities, remains a central theme, and the exploration into the depths of personhood and AI consciousness still left many questions out in the open for audiences to untangle in future seasons.
As viewers wait for Season 3, one question lingers: what further depths of ethical quandaries will the team unravel now that the lines between truth, identity, and emotion have been blurred so poignantly?
In this mystery box that is Severance, as it navigates through high-stakes drama and personal intrigue, it leaves one tantalizingly aware of the complexities tied to human experience revealed through a science fiction lens. The show's ability to elicit laughter while exploring harrowing topics mirrors the paradox of modern human life, captivating audiences even as they anticipate the next twist of fate in the saga.
