Mark S’s choice inSeveranceseason 2’s ending left audiences shocked, and now the show’s creator, Dan Erickson, has teased an even more frightening prospect for the character’s future. ThroughoutSeveranceseason 2, Mark’s Innie and Outie, as well as his colleagues in Macrodata Refinement, searched for Mark’s wife, Gemma, on the severed floor.
In thetwist ending ofSeveranceseason 2, though, Mark’s Innie ultimately made the choice to lead Gemma to safety while remaining with Helly R. This sets up a ton of huge questions forSeveranceseason 3, with audiences left wondering whether Mark lost his one chance to be with his wife.
In an interview with Erickson,The Hollywood Reporterquestioned the creator about this precise problem and whether Mark would leave the building in season 3. His response was concerning for Mark’s future, with the creator teasing that “anything could happen” in season 3, and confirms the twist ending was always the plan. Read his full comments below:
THR: Is it fair to assume that Mark S. leaves the Lumon building and becomes Mark Scout again at some point (in season three)?
Erickson: I think at this point you kind of can’t assume anything. I think what we wanted to do was dramatically change the format of the show in a way so that we’re not seeing the same thing we’ve seen before. So I think at this point, anything could happen.
THR: Did you write a version where Mark S. leaves (the severed floor) with Gemma (in the season two finale)?
Erickson: I like to think there’s an alternate universe, but our plan was always— we basically had that ending for the season pretty well-established when we started conceiving it. That was one of the first things that we came up with. And the reason for that was just, I really love the idea that he starts— you know, the first thing you see (in the season 3 premiere) is [Mark S.] running to go find not Helly and Irving and Dylan, but Miss Casey, because at that starting point of the season, he feels very much like indebted to his Outtie, or like he’s sort of an appendage of his Outtie. And so at the end, it was like, “What if we get him all the way there, and he gets her out, but then he doesn’t follow?”
What Erickson’s Comments Mean For Severance Season 3
Part of what makesSeverancesuch a great sci-fi thriller series is how well it has been able to capture audience intrigue through revealing information about Lumon and the characters so sparingly. The reveal ofMiss Casey’s true identityin season 1 worked so well afterthe audience had come to care about Mark’s loss throughout the season.
Severanceseason 2 then upped the stakes with both Marks searching for a way to find her while setting up Innie Mark’s relationship with Helly. Now, Erickson’s comments outline an even darker future for Mark. Him not being able to leave the severed floor after choosing Helly over Gemma would be a huge change for season 3.
The series has continuously explored the divide between the Innies and Outies, but not seeing Outie Mark at all could drastically change how audiences interact with the series. After understanding more of Innie Mark’s feelings in season 2, his continued time on the severed floor means season 3 will be able to dive even deeper into the character.
Our Take On Erickson’s Severance Comments
Erickson’s comments aboutSeveranceseasons 2 and 3 highlight that the season was always going to end with Innie Mark making this huge decision that was completely for himself and would go against his Outie’s wishes. Season 3, then, is going to see him face the consequences of those decisions.
Naturally, Erickson wouldn’t give away too much, but if Mark does end up trapped on the severed floor for season 3, it will give the series time to explore his Innie’s perspective further. His autonomy from his Outie self has always been the central question, but now the series can excitingly flip the script and make Innie Mark the default.
No matter what ends up happening, audiences can be sure that it won’t be expected. After two great seasons already and a huge cliffhanger ending,Severanceseason 3 is going to have to be better than ever, especially in determining how Mark S, Helly, and Lumon will go forward with Innies who know more than the cryptic company would like.
Cast
Severance is a psychological thriller series featuring Adam Scott as Mark Scout, an employee at Lumon Industries who undergoes a “severance” procedure to separate his work and personal memories. However, as work and life personas mysteriously begin to collide, it quickly becomes clear that not all is as it seems. Created by Dan Erickson and directed by Ben Stiller and Aoife McArdle.
