Severance will return for season 3 – here are the top theories on what will happen next
The final episode of Severance season 2 brought everything that the series is famous for: grotesque experiments, bizarre corporate rituals and, of course, many mysteries. Some huge reveals happened, but we’ll have to wait for more answers in season 3, which has been given the green light.
The tale about the ominous corporation and its struggling employees is the most popular show on Apple TV+ right now. Created by Dan Erickson and co-executive produced by Ben Stiller, Severance tells a story about an employee of the sinister Lumon corporation who, to work in a special division, undergoes a surgical procedure that splits his consciousness. At work, Mark can’t remember his private life, and at home he has no idea what his career entails.
Season 2 has received rave reviews, giving this once-niche series some well-deserved recognition. Naturally, many fans have theories about what’s really going on at Lumon.
Here’s everything that we know about the third season of the show.
When will Severance season 3 be released?
It’s one big mystery. However, according to Ben Stiller, fans won’t have to wait three years this time as it was with season 2.
The release date depends on how quickly production for the next season gets underway. At the very least, we know it’ll probably be before 2028. Hopefully, we’ll learn more in the coming months.
The first season of Severance premiered in 2022. Apple TV+ green-lit the next instalment even before season 1 ended. However, fans who were expecting season 2 to debut in 2023 were bitterly disappointed. The show was first delayed by rumoured conflict between showrunners and later put on hold because of the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes.
What could the plot of Severance season 3 be about?
Spoilers for season 2 of Severance below
At the end of season 2, Mark reunited with his missing wife Gemma, and their innie versions reached the door leading outside the Lumon facility.
Mark’s wife went through the gate, activating the chip and switching to her outie version, but innie Mark was hesitant. Ultimately, he decided to stay in Lumon with Helly, who had appeared in the hallway at the last minute.
Her appearance was unexpected, given that she had urged Mark to flee Lumon with Gemma earlier. Therefore, it’s possible that it was instead Helena Eagan, activated by Lumon in hopes that she would keep Mark in the building.
Apple TV+
Season 2 left many unanswered questions. If you’re wondering what the next season could explore, we’ve pulled together a list of the key plots that were set up.
Rebellion against Lumon
In season 3, the MDR workers will probably face some punishment. Mark not only freed Gemma and disrupted whatever the company was working on, but also killed Mr Drummond. Helly and Dylan helped him by locking Mr. Milchick in the bathroom. Of course, Lumon can fire them, annihilating their innies, but such a solution seems too easy for this sinister corporation. The Eagans have proven more than once that they are highly inventive when tormenting their employees.
This time, Mark, Dylan and Helly (if Helena hasn’t replaced her) can count on other severed employees’ help. Lorne, who manages the Mammalians Nurturable department, helped Mark knock Drummond down. She also expressed gratitude for saving one of her goats, which was meant to be sacrificed in some bizarre ritual. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that the goat farmers will join the MDR rebellion.
Dylan and Helly also incited the Choreography and Merriment department, which appeared in the final episode to play a marching band song in Mark’s honour. The mysterious department has many members and could be very helpful in a clash with Lumon. Perhaps Optics and Design could also join the fight – if so, we may witness an uprising against the company in season 3.
Apple TV+
Mark S, Helly R. and Gemma love triangle
…or hexagon, given that each has an alternate version with a completely different personality and desires.
Gemma was last seen on the exit stairs outside the severed floor – but there is no certainty that she will leave the building. If she does, she will likely try to pull Mark out of Lumon with the help of Devon and Ms. Cobel.
However, it’s uncertain how innie Mark, who isn’t emotionally attached to Gemma, will behave. Helly, aka Helena, is also a problem – each of them has a crush on Mark, but the outie version is very loyal to the Eagans, and it’s doubtful that she would abandon her family for a severed employee. She will likely try to manipulate Mark and blackmail the gang to achieve whatever Lumon is working on. Or may Helena undergo some transformation in season 3, just like Harmony Cobel?
Mark’s reintegration procedure
If Mark leaves Lumon, he will probably want to complete the reintegration of his innie and outie versions. However, as we know from the example of Mark’s friend Petey, the process can end tragically. Besides, can the protagonists trust Reghabi? We don’t know much about the former Lumon surgeon – she may as well have her own agenda that doesn’t consider the welfare of Mark and his friends.
Harmony Cobel’s arc
Speaking of trust, what about MDR’s dreadful ex-manager? After being fired, Ms. Cobel is furious with her employers, especially as the Eagans have appropriated the severance technology she developed. But does that mean that Harmony switched to Mark’s side for good? Let’s not forget she has been a follower of the cult-like Lumon corporation since childhood. It’s possible that Cobel is helping Mark for her benefit and may eventually betray him by making a deal with her former employer.
Apple TV+
Irving’s return
The last time we saw Irving, he was riding a train in an unknown location, convinced by Burt to travel beyond Lumon’s reach. It’s hard to imagine season 3 without Irving, so we expect that he and his dog will return to continue the fight against the corporation. We don’t know much more about Irving’s private life than he had been investigating Lumon for a long time and had mysterious allies he contacted via a pay phone. The reasons for his actions remain unknown, as does how his outie knew about the black corridor connecting severed and testing floors. We hope to learn more about Irving’s past in the third season.
Mr Milchick’s fate
In season 2, Seth Milchick was promoted to the manager of the severed floor, but performing his duties was far from easy. Not only did his MDR employees become more rebellious, but he also received racist paintings with black-faced Eagans and was ridiculed as a manager. As such, Milchick’s frustration with Lumon increased. However, it’s hard to imagine that he would join the rebellion against the corporation. Perhaps in season 3, we’ll learn more about his private life, as he is one of the most mysterious characters in the series.
Dylan G. and Gretchen’s bizarre romance
The romance between innie Dylan and Gretchen, his outie’s wife, was just as charming as it was heartbreaking. The woman had more in common with the version of Dylan inside Lumon, leading to yet another strange love triangle. We expect to see the continuation of this odd arrangement in the next season.
Apple TV+
What are the most popular fan theories about Severance season 3?
Die-hard fans of Severance have been speculating on what the story is all building to – here are five key theories we’ve seen cropping up:
Theory 1: Helly/Helena is pregnant with Mark’s baby
Mark and Helena spontaneously spent a night together during the Outdoor Retreat Team Building Occurrence and presumably didn’t use protection. Fans have noticed that in one scene, Helly, while wandering down a corridor, takes off her heels for a moment as if they were pinching her. Swollen feet are one of the early symptoms of pregnancy.
There’s also the ‘baby Kier’ in the opening sequence, which supports this theory. If this proves to be true, it would be a devastating blow to Gemma and outie Mark, who had struggled to conceive.
Theory 2: Helly R. will take on Helena’s role at Lumon
In episode 9, Jame Eagan unexpectedly confronted Helly on the severed floor. He confessed that he admired her more than his daughter, Helena, whom he didn’t even love. The Eagans are certainly not a typical family, so it wouldn’t be entirely surprising if Jame decided to keep innie Helly while getting rid of outie Helena. There’s a chance that Helly may agree to such a deal to save her friends and herself.
Theory 3: Ricken and his friends are secret Lumon employees
In the last episode, a mural in typical Lumon style appeared on the severed floor wall. It depicted Mark finishing the refinement of the Cold Harbor file while his family, colleagues and bosses surrounded him. The painting even featured Ricken and his quirky friends – leading fans to speculate that Devon’s husband and his gang are severed Lumon workers.
In season 1, Rebeck, a strange acquaintance of Ricken, mentioned to Mark that she was troubled by headaches “because birds like to peck at the back of her head”. Some viewers thought this might mean she has a chip implanted that she doesn’t remember. Some also pointed out Rebeck’s strange chewing habit and made the theory that Rebeck used to be… a goat. However, how this would exactly work is beyond our imagination.
As you may remember, Devon gave birth in a cabin in what came out to be a Lumon-controlled birth centre – Ricken was the one who chose it. In turn, Gemma was picked up by the corporation after a visit to a fertility treatment clinic. In season 2, Ricken also began an official collaboration with Lumon, writing a new version of his coaching guide for them. There’s a chance that this character is hiding a dark secret.
Theory 4: Lumon is working to erase pain
As Mr Drummond said in season 2, Kier led an “eternal war against pain”, and Lumon’s current actions are a continuation of his campaign. In this theory, Eagans’ goal is to sell technology that helps eliminate unpleasant emotions – in a sinister, Brave New World-like manner.
Theory 5: Kier Eagan will be reborn
Immortality is arguably one of the most powerful things somebody could obtain. Based on the cult-like language and clues we’ve seen so far, some fans believe that Lumon is working to resurrect Kier, the founder. This could be done by rebuilding his consciousness into a cloned body, or one that has been deep-freezed.
Alternatively, this could also be tied into the theory of Helly being pregnant. Perhaps the ultimate goal is to bring Kier’s consciousness into a new baby. It may sound far-fetched, but we wouldn’t put anything past this show.
Who will be in the cast of Severance season 2?
We expect the following cast members to reprise their roles in the third season of Severance:
Adam Scott as Mark Scout
Britt Lower as Helly R.
Zach Cherry as Dylan George
John Turturro as Irving Bailiff
Patricia Arquette as Harmony Cobel
Tramell Tillman as Seth Milchick
Dichen Lachman as Gemma / Ms. Casey
Christopher Walken as Burt Goodman
Jen Tullock as Devon Scout-Hale
Michael Chernus as Ricken Hale
Merritt Wever as Gretchen George, Dylan’s wife
Sydney Cole Alexander as Natalie Kalen
Michael Siberry as Jame Eagan, the current CEO of Lumon
Robby Benson as Dr. Mauer, a doctor on Lumon’s testing floor.
Sandra Bernhard as Cecily, a nurse on the testing floor.
We hope that in the third season, we will see Sarah Bock as Mrs Huang, the ex-deputy Manager of the Severed floor, Gwendoline Christie as Lorne, who runs the Mammalians Nurturable division, and John Noble as Fields, Burt’s husband.
The third season certainly won’t see the return of Darri Ólafsson as Mr. Drummond, an intimidating Lumon worker who, in the season 2 finale, fought a bloody battle with Mark and Lorne.
Apple TV+
How to watch Severance
Severance is exclusive to Apple TV+. This is typically $9.99/£8.99 per month, but there are ways to get a subscription for free.
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