Spoilers below for anyone who hasn’t yet watched the latest episode of Severance with an Apple TV+ subscription, so be warned and vigilant!
Despite appearing for only a few total minutes of screentime in Season 1, Severance’s Dichen Lachman has almost definitely still fueled as many fan theories as most of the streaming hit’s regulars. (Such as this theory about MDR’s purpose.) Gemma and Mark’s relationship remains a mystery unto itself, but “Chikhai Bardo,” which will no doubt become one of the most emotionally harrowing episodes to hit the 2025 TV schedule, thankfully provided plenty of clue-filled flashbacks and easter eggs.
Specifically, flashbacks absolutely confirming that Lumon has been part of this couple and other locals’ lives for longer than first assumed, and in ways that are also perhaps more invasive than predicted. Gemma and Mark’s meet-cute at the blood drive (which hinges on the assumption that later twists won’t reveal a prior secret shared history) was quickly tainted by it being a Lumon-sponsored event, as evidenced by the water drop logo that was also on prominent displayed at the fertility clinic.
Speaking with Variety, Dichen Lachman addressed the episode showing viewers just how much of a stronghold Lumon has on the local community, and shared her own self-admittedly unfounded theory about the company’s direct ties to Gemma and Mark. In her words:
They’ve definitely been watching them for a long time. My theory is that it has something to do with Lumon deciding to pick this couple and monitor them. You also see Dr. Mauer at the fertility clinic — he just walks by. The whole world is Lumon. Even Pip’s is owned by Lumon. My theory is that they picked something up with Gemma’s blood work when she went to the fertility clinic, and that’s got something to do with why they picked Mark and Gemma.
Considering how often actors on mystery-driven shows are compelled to keep quiet about major plots, and often avoid sharing their own speculative ideas, Dichen Lachman is a breath of fresh, outside-the-building air for voicing those beliefs about her character. I love the horrifying idea of Lumon is behind every medical institution in the towns of Kier and Ganz, and that they're literally choosing the citizens who most align with their goals, and manipulating their lives however possible to reach those goals.
All that said, if it's Gemma's blood that initially captured Lumon execs' attention, that wouldn't necessarily explain why Mark seems to be the key employee who is getting his needs met, while Gemma is trapped in an existential torture chamber. Mark's importance is likely tied to why Helena chose to sleep with him during the puzzling ORTBO excursion, but again doesn't (seemingly) tie into Gemma's own DNA.
The Mysterious Easter Egg That Fans Might Have Missed
Severance nearly broke my brain with the flat-out reveal that severed employees aren't necessarily limited to just one Innie, but can seemingly have their psyche's split into at least six separate and standalone personalities. It's not at all a good thing to realize, however, since Robby Benson's creepshow Dr. Mauer seems to be infatuated with becoming a bigger part of Gemma's life/lives, despite her undying hope of reuniting with Mark.
"How far does that infatuation go?" one might ask. Well, some very cleverly placed easter egg material might be an indication, and I would have completely missed this if Dichen Lachman hadn't pointed it out:
I noticed that the Christmas tree tinsel in the Christmas room [on Lumon’s Testing Floor] is the same as Mark and Gemma’s Christmas tree in their living room. I mentioned that to the writers, and they didn’t confirm or deny anything.
One lower-tier rule of Severance at this point is, "If you see a slightly out-of-context object or concept once, you'll probably see it used again in a completely different way." And that apparently can apply to Christmas tree tinsel.
As Lachman noted, the tree that's lit up within the "thank you card" room does indeed share a distinctly similar look to the decorated tree that Gemma and Mark had up in their home. Though tinsel itself isn't such a standout detail, the specific way it's dangled from the edges of all the tree branches certainly is.
So what does this actually mean? At the very least, it means Dr. Mauer has photographic or video evidence of Gemma and Mark's past holiday decorations, which doesn't necessarily require evildoing to get a hold of. But the worst-case scenario might be that he coaxed that information out of Gemma, only to apply it and other details to her Innie's low-key torture. Or that Dr. Mauer was already spying on the couple at the time, and gained access to some of the actual tinsel that they put on their tree that year. I don't want to think about that outcome.
What Dichen Lachman Thinks About Mark Saying He Identified Gemma's Dead Body
One of the most confusing elements behind Mark and Gemma's doomed relationship has been the idea that Mark's stance on Gemma's fate was embedded in having to ID her body after the still-unexplained car "accident." Surely someone who'd seen his wife's corpse wouldn't be mistaken about it, right?
Not so fast. Lachman agrees with my own personal idea that if Mark did see the real Gemma's body, she was under the influence of something that made her appear to be dead and unmoving. As the actress put it:
My theory is that they gave her some Shakespearean potion, that Lumon has made salves and balms and stuff. Maybe it’s something that stops your heartbeat and breathing for enough time to fake her death. . . . If Mark saw Gemma completely charred up, he might actually think Devon’s right, because the body wouldn’t have looked like Gemma. He would have seen a charred body. So that’s my theory.
Can we get Dichen Lachman to talk about all kinds of other Severance theory topics to see what else she offers up? Even if she isn't speaking for the writers and other creatives, hearing her ideas is extremely interesting and valuable for theory-mongering fans who can only take so many meticulously worded comments from John Turturro and Adam Scott.
Severance streams new episodes on Apple TV+ every Friday, without any guarantees that answers are coming before Season 2 wraps. But if they do arrive, you can bet I'll be the first to jump into writing that thank you note.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
