“She’s alive!”

These startling words were exclaimed by Mark Scout (Adam Scott) at the conclusion of Season 1 of Apple TV+’s “Severance,” which aired on April 8, 2022. After a nearly three-year wait, eager fans are curious about what will unfold next following this gripping cliffhanger from the much-admired series.

It’s particularly intriguing to step back into the enigmatic world of “Severance,” crafted by Dan Erickson and brought to life by executive producer and director Ben Stiller, especially with the air of mystery surrounding Lumon Industries and its contentious procedure referred to as “severance.”

This voluntary surgical procedure involves implanting a chip that creates a division within each employee’s mind: the “innie,” who endures the drudgery of daily work at the controlling Lumon environment without any knowledge of their private life, and the “outie,” who remains blissfully ignorant of the struggles their innie faces at work.

Reflecting on Season 1, Stiller notes, “Erickson had numerous ideas about the direction of the story; it was merely a matter of how far we would take it.” At that time, they couldn’t have anticipated it would take almost three years before there was a Season 2, or even whether they would be renewed for it.

As Season 2 prepare to commence on January 17 on Apple TV+, here’s a summary of where we left off in Season 1 of “Severance.”

What did Mark mean by ‘She’s alive!’ in the Season 1 finale of ‘Severance’?

Mark’s outie chose the severance procedure to help manage his overwhelming grief from the loss of his wife, Gemma. Unaware of this tragic history, his innie works in the baffling Macrodata Refinement department at Lumon, feeling disillusioned by the dullness and strict secrecy of the workplace. Encouraged by a rebellious newcomer, Helly R. (Britt Lower), Mark starts to uncover the mysteries of the severance program along with colleagues Dylan G. (Zach Cherry) and Irving B. (John Turturro).

In a bold move to discover the truth, the team activates the Overtime Contingency protocol. Dylan gains access to the security office and adeptly manipulates two levers to initiate the banned procedure, allowing Mark, Helly, and Irving’s innies to experience life outside the confines of Lumon for the first time.

Upon waking in his outie’s life, Mark discovers that his counterpart is still engulfed in sorrow. The moment becomes even more shocking when he stumbles upon a wedding photo at his sister Devon’s (Jen Tullock) house, revealing his supposedly deceased wife, who is actually Ms. Casey (Dichen Lachman), Lumon’s wellness director. This startling realization prompts his passionate declaration, “She’s alive!” just before the protocol is interrupted, sending Mark back to his outie state.

Stiller reflects, “It felt exciting to leave viewers on such a high-stakes cliffhanger with Mark’s realization about Gemma. Once we showed that Irving, Mark, Helly, and to an extent Dylan had ventured into the real world, we opened up a new dimension for their outies.”

What do we know about Helly’s outie in ‘Severance’?

In the season finale, Helly’s innie finds herself in the spotlight at a prestigious Lumon gala, where her outie’s true identity is revealed as Helena Eagan, the daughter of the Lumon CEO and an heiress of the Eagan lineage. Helena opted for severance with the intent of advocating for the technology. However, during her keynote speech, her innie shatters the facade of the program by boldly declaring, “We are prisoners!” Lumon staff swiftly tackle her from the stage as the protocol is stopped.

Irving’s innie awakens to discover his outie has been intensely researching Lumon, transforming his home into an eerie replication of innie-reality. He finds a map and directory among his outie’s possessions that lead him to the residence of his secret crush, Burt (Christopher Walken). Upon seeing Burt through the window with another man, he approaches his door to make contact just as the Overtime Contingency is shut down, preventing their reunion.

What led to the cessation of the Overtime Contingency in the finale?

In Episode 6, Dylan learns that his outie is a father, which his innie was unaware of, compelling him to take drastic actions. With determination, Dylan heroically holds the levers in the security room to ensure the Overtime Contingency progresses. However, Seth Milchick (Tramel Tillman), the overseer of Lumon’s “severed” floor, eventually breaks through the doors and tackles Dylan, halting the protocol.

Milchick, who has not undergone the severance procedure, enforces Lumon’s strict policies with a heavy hand, including the infamous “break room,” where unruly employees face bizarre punitive measures.

Who is Harmony Cobel in ‘Severance’?

Harmony Cobel (Patricia Arquette) is the fervent senior manager at Lumon responsible for overseeing Milchick and the severed floor operations. Secretly, she takes on the identity of “Mrs. Selvig” to spy on Mark, keeping an eye on his actions both within and outside Lumon Industries. At a party during the season finale, Mark’s innie unexpectedly discovers Selvig’s true nature but accidentally calls her by her Lumon name, tipping her off that the innies have breached the outside world. Cobel immediately informs Milchick, leading to the stoppage of the Overtime Contingency.

Contributing: Gary Levin