Apple TV+ has officially renewed Severance for Season 3, just hours after the jaw-dropping Season 2 finale left fans reeling. Not that the renewal was ever in doubt, given that Severance is the biggest series that Apple has released thus far — but it’s still great news, all the same. Because after that season-ender that was packed with shocking revelations and mind-bending twists, we’re left with more questions than ever.
While we celebrate the fact that we’ll get more of Dan Erickson’s brilliant sci-fi thriller, the wait for answers will be excruciating. Here are six burning questions Severance Season 3 needs to answer. And, of course, be warned, if you haven’t watched the finale yet: Major spoilers ahead.
1. What happens to Gemma now?
Mark’s desperate mission to rescue Gemma (aka Ms. Casey) from Lumon’s clutches paid off, and she’s now presumably safe outside of the company’s walls. But what now? Does she remember everything about her time as Ms. Casey? What will she do with the knowledge that she has two dozen innies inside her? And given that Lumon was seemingly prepared to kill her, how will she evade the company’s reach?
Here’s what’s so diabolical about Lumon: Gemma could certainly go to the authorities and explain that “my husband is trapped in there.” But Mark’s innie chose to go back at the end of the finale. He wants to be there right now. Then again, don’t the innies clock out at 5 pm, leave work, and switch back to their outies?
2. What happens to Helly and Mark?
Season 2 teased an undeniable connection between Mark and Helly, even as both of them were grappling with their own existential crises. Now that Gemma is alive and outside, how will that affect Mark’s feelings toward Helly? Will their relationship deepen? And what about Helly’s own tangled existence as an Eagan heir who despises the company?
One thing frustrating about the Severance Season 2 finale was that Ms. Cobel promised Mark’s innie that there would be no happy ending for him and Helly, but he ignored her. Helly likewise warned him: “I’m her.” Mark, dude, you killed Mr. Drummond. It’s not going to be a normal day at the office from here on out. Where are you two even going?
3. Speaking of Helly, was that actually Helena at the end of the Season 2 finale?
The final moments of Severance Season 2 featured a haunting stare-down between Gemma and Helly. It came as Mark grabbed Helly’s hand, and he disappeared around a corner — leaving Helly to coldly stare at poor Gemma, watching in shock from outside the stairwell door, before Helly disappeared around the corner, too. The look she gave Gemma was cold, almost unrecognizable from the Helly we’ve come to know. Could this be another case of an innie and outie switch at a pivotal moment, a la the Glasgow Block?
It’s like Irving said: “Helly was never cruel.”
4. What’s Ms. Cobel’s endgame?
Ms. Cobel remains one of Severance‘s most enigmatic figures. She’s proven time and time again that she plays by her own rules, acting both as a Lumon loyalist and an unpredictable wild card. With the severance experiment spiraling out of control, what does she ultimately want? Is she still working in Lumon’s best interests, or does she have her own motivations for meddling in Mark’s life?
5. Have we seen the last of Irving?
Irving rode a train into the proverbial sunset in the penultimate episode of Season 2. Given his fragmented memories and the emotional turmoil of his outie life, is he still a key player in the fight against Lumon? His relationship with Burt remains unresolved, and we still don’t fully understand his personal connection to the severance program. Is Irving in danger, or will he play a larger role in dismantling Lumon?
6. What did Dr. Mauer mean by “You’ll kill them all”?
One of the most ominous moments in the finale came when Dr. Mauer warned Mark, just as the elevator doors were closing on Mark and Gemma, “You’ll kill them all!!” Presumably, he was referring to the two dozen innies inside Gemma. But wasn’t Lumon planning to kill Gemma anyway? What does this mean for the larger severance experiment? Is there an even more terrifying revelation about the innies that we haven’t uncovered yet?
With Season 3 officially on the way, Severance fans are in for another round of mind-bending mysteries, ethical dilemmas, and emotional gut punches. While we don’t know when the next season will arrive, one thing is certain: the war against Lumon is far from over.
