Severance season 2 episode 9 brought in a lot twists, but that cliffhanger says otherwise

Severance features Mark S., Helly R., Irving B., and Dylan G., as Lumon employees who have undergone the severance procedure to have their consciousness divided into innies (work self) and outies (personal self). The show's second season focuses on Mark's attempts to rescue his missing wife Gemma, who is held captive inside Lumon's testing floor.

Furthermore, Gemma's fate is also connected to the Cold Harbor file that Mark has been working on the file since the beginning of season 2. He tried reintegrating his memories to save Gemma, but the process has been extremely slow and frustrating. In this season's penultimate episode, The After Hours, Mark is finally able to access his innie's memories, which is crucial to his rescue efforts.

The official synopsis of the show's season 2, as per Apple TV, reads:

"Mark and his friends learn the dire consequences of trifling with the severance barrier, leading them further down a path of woe."

---

What happened in Severance season 2 episode 9?

In Severance season 2 episode 9, Cobel turns against Lumon and agrees to help Mark and Devon find Gemma. The three head to the Damona Birthing Retreat Center to activate Mark's innie, which happens in the final moments of the episode.

At Lumon, Ms. Eustice Huang graduates from the Wintertide Fellowship Program and is shipped off to Svalbard for an internship at the Gunnel Eagan Empathy Center. Also, Milchick stands up to the intimidating Mr. Drummond and tells his boss off for treating him with disrespect.

Furthermore, Dylan G. and Gretchen meet for the last time at the Outie Family Visitation Suite. He is left heartbroken and decides to quit his job altogether, marking the end of Dylan G. Irving and Burt also saying their goodbyes after Burt urges him to leave town. He buys Irving a one-way ticket out of Kier so that he can start his new life in peace, away from Lumon's influence.

With the MDR team fragmented, Helly R. is the only one still determined to keep searching for Gemma. Since Mark has been out of work for the last two days, Helly decides to search for the export hall all by herself using Irving's instructions, in hopes of making some kind of breakthrough.

---

Why are Severance fans frustrated with the penultimate episode?

The penultimate episode of Severance season 2 has left fans disappointed as it did not make significant developments in Mark's reintegration journey, which has been moving at a snail's pace. He started the process in episode 3 and, six episodes later, his memories have still not fully recombined. His reintegration plotline has been frustrating for fans who are eager to learn what happens at the other end of the process.

The slow pace in the season's second half led the Macrodats to drift away from each other rather than come together in their shared mission of exposing Lumon. Mark also lost his momentum in searching for Gemma, instead diverting his attention to Helly. The last mind-blowing revelation came in episode 7, which showcased Gemma's sad life as a test subject inside Lumon's testing floor.

Fans expressed their frustration online by commenting:

"Severance just wasted 45 of my f**king minutes with this boring ass episode in which NOTHING happens…. #Irritated," wrote one user.

"they wasted 80% of the ep with nothing burger shots and wasted time just to give us everything at the very last minute… what the hell, sure. #severance," commented one fan.

"Helly is alone in the office with her nasty dad, Dylan heartbroken & quitting, Irving heartbroken & leaving, Mark is fucked up from reintegration, Milchick is about to crash out, Gemma is still trapped… the questions I need answered in next ep…#severance," said one fan of the series.

The finale episode, set to air on March 21, 2025, will showcase Mark racing against time to rescue Gemma from Lumon's evil clutches before they kill her off. With only one episode left to go, the series has a lot of ground to cover to provide a satisfying ending to this season's central mystery.

Hopefully, fans will be rewarded for their patience with a phenomenal season finale episode that sticks the landing and creates excitement for season 3.

---

Viewers can stream seasons 1 and 2 of Severance on Apple TV+.