Warning! This article contains spoilers for Severance Season 2’s finale.Mark’s Outie could have had a happy ending inSeveranceseason 2, but he sealed his fate with his massive “Heleny” mistake. Almost throughoutSeveranceseason 2, it is hard not to empathize with Mark and hope that he will eventually reunite with his wife, Gemma. One of the most poignant moments inSeveranceseason 2 is when Mark hopefully tells Reghabi that he is already starting to introduce some significant lifestyle changes to ensure that he is prepared for his Gemma’s return. As the season progresses, he even gets closer to having her back.
Although Reghabi’s idea of flooding his chip to escalate his reintegration nearly kills him inSeveranceseason 2’s episode 6, Mark’s Outie finds new hope when Cobel joins forces with him and Devon and leads them to the Damona Birthing Retreat. However, just when it looks like the chips will finally fall in Mark’s Outie’s favor, he makes a major mistake while talking to his Innie at the cabin in the birthing retreat. Instead of addressing “Helly” with her correct name, he calls her “Heleny.”
Outie Mark Saying “Heleny” Proves He Really Doesn’t Care What Innie Mark Wants
He Could Not Even Get Helly’s Name Right
Mark’s Outie seems to mix Helly’s name with Helena’s, probably because he is more familiar with Helena Eagan as a popular figure in the outside world. Little does he realize that his Innie despises Helena for deceiving him and all the other innies but loves Helly.The Outie’s mistake helps the Innie realize that he never really cared about him— he is just trying to show a semblance of interest in his life after all this while to be able to convince him to help save Gemma. As a result, the Innie snaps back and corrects him before finally concluding that he is not willing to cooperate with him.
Since season 1, Mark’s Innie has done more for his Outie than his Outie has even tried to do for him.
In hindsight, given how Mark’s Innie is still in the early years of his existence and seemingly far more empathetic and selfless than his Outie, he might have agreed to help the Outie. However, Mark never really made him feel important. Like most other Outies, Mark, too, abandoned his Innie without ever caring too much about his well-being. Since season 1, Mark’s Innie has done more for his Outie than his Outie has even tried to do for him. For instance, if it wasn’t for the Innie, Mark would not even know that Gemma was still alive.
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The Outie, in contrast, does not even bother remembering Helly’s name correctly, which convinces the Innie that he does not have to comply with his “parent” identity. However, despite realizing how his Outie is willing to discard him just to reunite with Gemma,the Innie proves to be the bigger man inSeveranceseason 2’s endingwhen he puts his life on the line to save Gemma. He might have even given up on himself and his love for Helly if Mark had only treated him right or shown that he cared for him. However, Mark’s Outie metaphorically dug his own grave when he called Helly “Heleny.”
Innie Mark’s “Heleny” Reaction Is When I Knew Both Versions Of Mark Couldn’t Fully Work Together
Mark’s “Heleny” Mistake Gives His Innie More Clarity
When his Outie does not even correctly say Helly’s name, Mark’s Innie seems visibly offended, and rightfully so. During his conversation with his outie inSeveranceseason 2’s finale, Mark’s Innie tries to keep an open mind and also initially seems to believe the reintegration might work. He patiently tries to reason with his alternate self by asking him questions about how they can make things work. However, as soon as the Outie messes up Helly’s name, the Innie finally sees what his Outie is trying to do.
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He understands that his Outie is making tall claims about not abandoning him and using the reintegration process to help both of them coexist at the same time but has no clue whether it will actually work. With this, he confronts him by saying that he knows he will forget all about him once he reunites with Gemma. Mark’s Outie finds himself in the trenches with his Innie’s questions butdigs even further by dismissing his Innie’s connection with Helly and attempting to establish that Gemma is more important because he has spent more time with her.
As the tension between the two versions of the same character escalates, it becomes evident they cannot work together. Since Mark’s Innie has more control over Gemma’s fate and Mark’s Outie’s future inSeveranceseason 2’s finale, he makes good use of his advantage to save Gemma and pursue his romantic inclinations for Helly. After the season 2 fallout between the two Marks,it is hard not to believe that their conflict will further escalate in season 3before things get better between them.
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Severance Season 2’s Ending Sets Up A Major Conflict Between The Two Marks
Severanceseason 2 suggests that Mark’s reintegration failed. However, given how Cobel, the inventor of the severance procedure, is now on Mark’s side, she might find a way to fully reintegrate him. Meanwhile, Gemma, too, will team up with Devon and help her rescue Mark from Lumon before it is too late. Even if the reintegration works, though, Mark’s Outie will have to find a way to convince his Innie to leave. Given howthe Innie is starting to develop a strong sense of self and individualism, he will likely fight back instead of merely surrendering to his “parent” identity’s decisions.
Severanceseason 3 has been officially confirmedby Apple TV+.
In many story beats,Severancehas established that memory overlaps exist between the innies and outies. For instance, Petey tells Mark that, deep inside, his Innie, too, carries the burden of his grief. Irving’s Outie also ends up experiencing the same feelings of love and affection for Burt even after his Innie ceases to exist. Owing to this, Mark’s Innie will feel his Outie’s pain of separation from his wife inSeveranceseason 3. While he is at it,Mark’s Innie will also have to protect Helly from Jame Eagan, who already seems to like her more than his daughter, Helena.
Severance
Severance is a psychological thriller series featuring Adam Scott as Mark Scout, an employee at Lumon Industries who undergoes a “severance” procedure to separate his work and personal memories. However, as work and life personas mysteriously begin to collide, it quickly becomes clear that not all is as it seems. Created by Dan Erickson and directed by Ben Stiller and Aoife McArdle.
