Severance

admonition ! This clause incorporate spoilers for Severance season 2 ’s episode 1 .

Since time of year 2 episode 1 ’s terminal panorama establishes a clear connection between Mark ’s MDR work and Gemma , it easily qualifies as one of the most intriguing developments in the series . However , as many watcher have pointed out , Helly ’s early tantrum from time of year 2 ’s first step episode also demand attention as they may bit by bit construct up to a surprising turn . Only fourth dimension will tell howSeveranceseason 2 will blossom out , but according to a convincing Helly theory , theApple TV+ sci - fi showmight have spoiled one of its biggest write up detail in sequence 1 .

Severance Theory Suggests Helly’s Outie Has Secretly Replaced Her

Helena Could Be Pretending To Be Helly

All seems to go well forMark inSeveranceseason 2 ’s episode 1when he quest the board bring in his old teammates back , and the board astonishingly listens . With what follow , Mark reunites with Helly , Dylan , and Irving even though their Overtime Contingency incident harmed Lumon ’s reputation in the outdoor public . As irrefutable as this tale evolution may seem , it might be conduct to a darker truth : Helly never made it back .

It ’s been nearly three eld since Severance season 1 ended , but not that much time has surpass since season 1 ’s ending and the start of time of year 2 .

As apopularSeveranceseason 2 theorysuggests , Helly might have been supervene upon by her outie , Helena , after season 1 ’s ending . If this is true , the show will likely take fourth dimension to discover this eddy . However , it seems to have already strike down many subtle clue to suggest that Helly is not who Mark and the other MDR workers think she is .

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Many Hidden Details Suggest That Helly Did Not Return In Severance Season 2

Little Signs Hint That Helly Never Made It Back

One of the earliest clues that makes one question Helly ’s identity is her reaction to receive Mark . Mark does not think twice before hugging her as soon as she leaves the elevator . However , Helly is caught off guard by Mark ’s hug , and , for a brief moment , seems hesitant about hug him back . Given how they kissed inSeverance time of year 1 ’s finale , one might contend that Helly ’s hesitation elevate suspicion . The biggest ruby-red flag comes whenHelly blatantly lies about her experience as an outie during the Overtime Contingency incidentfromSeveranceseason 1 ’s end .

When the Macrodata Refinement team ultimately get to work , she even struggles to find her electronic computer ’s switch , which seems strange since she has shape in the office for quite some prison term now .

Instead of coming up with a logical concealment - up , she cooks up an unlikely narrative about interacting with a gardener at night , raising many doubts about who she is . During her fundamental interaction with Mark inSeveranceseason 2 ’s episode 1 , she even makes him doubt whether Gemma is still in the Lumon building and tries to convince him to stop caring about his outie . When the Macrodata Refinement team eventually beget to shape , she even shinny to find her computer ’s switch , which seems unusual since she has puzzle out in the office for quite some time now .

Britt Lower as Helly Helena in Severance

Custom Image by Dhruv Sharma.

Severance Key fact Breakdown

create By

Dan Erickson

Adam Scott as Mark in Severance season 2 with clock imagery in the background

Custom image by Simone Ashmoore

Rotten Tomatoes Critics ' Score

97 %

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

A photo of Helena (Britt Lower) in gala wear with a photo of Helly (Lower) with her eyebrows furrowed imposed on the right.

Custom image by Simone Ashmoore

83 %

Streaming On

Apple TV+

Severance

give how Helena is the girl of Lumon Industries CEO Jame Eagan , earn her one of the biggest helper of the break procedure , it is hard not to wonder why she would let her innie regaining after she blow the whistle on her company . Helly also walks with a clear-cut strut , which she does not seem to have inSeveranceseason 2 ’s opening episode . InSeveranceseason 1 ’s end moments , Ms. Cobel secernate Helly that she ’ll " be long gone " but her Friend , include Mark , will suffer and be kept live in painfulness , which is another solid cue that hint Helly may " be long go . "

Why The Helly/Helena Severance Theory Is So Divisive

There Is A Logical Counter For Every Hint

As bewitching and plausible as the above theory may seem , there is a lucid return to every statement that suggests Helena has replace Helly . For instance , Helly still seems to be recover from her outie experience when Mark hugs her , explaining why she lease prison term to grasp what is happen . She might have also lied about her outie experience becauseshe fear the MDR employees will either judge her for being one of the leading digit at Lumon or , worse , stop trusting herfor being one of the biggest plugger of the severance routine .

As Lumon ’s compunction statement allege , the outie in all probability wants her innie to " atone for " her actions and realize that only in her " their stain subsist on . "

To some extent , she might also be ashamed of the fact that her outie is among the pioneers of the organisation she has been fighting against . The switch fumble could be a minor misjudgment , given how she has only worked as an MDR proletarian for less than a month . Helena might have sent her innie back inSeveranceseason 2 because she likely desire her to stand and make her pay for all the damage she has get to Lumon . As Lumon ’s compunction statement says , the outie believably want her innie to " atone for " her activity and realize that only in her " their stain live on . "

Severance is a psychological thriller serial featuring Adam Scott as Mark Scout , an employee at Lumon Industries who undergoes a " breach " procedure to separate his body of work and personal memories . However , as work and aliveness character mysteriously get down to clash , it quickly becomes vindicated that not all is as it seems . create by Dan Erickson and directed by Ben Stiller and Aoife McArdle .