Severance: There’s an Easy Way to Reverse That Shocking Death

One of the most gut-wrenching moments in Severance Season 2 arrives in Episode 4, as Irving Bailiff (John Turturro) faces what amounts to an execution. After exposing Helena Eagan’s (Britt Lower) deception by attempting to drown her during the Macrodata Refinement (MDR) team’s outdoor excursion, Irving receives the ultimate punishment: termination. Tragically, in the world of Severance, firing a severed worker doesn’t just mean unemployment. It means the complete erasure of their consciousness, as Lumon can decide never to make Irving conscient again. Mr. Milchick (Tramell Tillman) makes this devastatingly clear when he explains that Irving’s files will be deleted and his name expunged from Lumon’s records, effectively wiping his entire existence from the world. 

The tragic scene represents a pivotal moment in Severance‘s ongoing exploration of corporate control and personal identity. After the MDR revolution that concluded Season 1, Lumon Industries adopted new strategies to maintain control over their severed workers. Rather than relying on traditional intimidation tactics, the company sent Helena Eagan herself to infiltrate the department under the guise of her “Innie” persona, Helly R. Irving, who remained suspicious of “Helly” since their return to work, finally confirms his theories during the outdoor team event. 

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Irving’s desperate gambit to force Mr. Milchick to bring back the real Helly by threatening Helena’s life demonstrates both the high stakes of their situation and the lengths to which even the most rule-abiding employees might go when pushed to their limits. However, there might be hope for preserving Irving’s heroic sacrifice while bringing him back to life. The key to this is Mark Scout’s (Adam Scott) ongoing reintegration process.

How Mark’s Reintegration Could Save Irving in Severance

While Irving’s “death” serves as a shocking reminder of Lumon’s power over their severed employees, recent developments suggest his consciousness might not be permanently lost. Mark’s reintegration process under Dr. Reghabi’s (Karen Aldridge) guidance offers a potential pathway for reviving Irving’s “Innie” identity. 

The gradual merging of Mark’s divided consciousness will eventually provide him with the knowledge and motivation to locate Outie Irving, who has been conducting his own investigation into Lumon’s activities, as we learned in Season 1’s finale. Outie Irving’s apartment walls are covered with paintings of Lumon’s mysterious corridors, and his detailed records of other severed workers suggest he’s already deeply invested in exposing the company’s secrets. So, it should take much convincing for Irving to jump aboard the reintegration train if that means getting closer to his goals.

If Mark’s reintegration proves successful, he could share the truth about Irving’s heroic final act with his Outie counterpart, leading him to undergo the procedure himself. This would not only restore Innie Irving’s memories and experiences but also combine them with Outie Irving’s extensive research, creating a powerful ally in the fight against Lumon. Given Dr. Reghabi’s expertise and the show’s established rules about consciousness separation, this solution appears both narratively satisfying and logically consistent within Severance‘s universe. Unlike Petey’s (Yul Vazquez) rushed and ultimately fatal attempt at reintegration, a carefully managed process could offer Irving a chance at true wholeness while maintaining the sacrificial impact of his actions in revealing Helena’s deception.

New episodes of Severance premiere Fridays on Apple TV+. How did you feel about Innie Irving’s demise? Do you want him to return at some point? Tell us in the comments!