5 questions Severance season 3 needs to answer when the Apple TV+ hit returns

Helly R and Mark S look shocked in Severance season 2

(Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Contains spoilers for all of Severance season 2.

I breathed a sigh of relief when Severance season 3 was confirmed, as one of the best Apple TV Plus shows once again left us blindsided by a bombshell finale. I couldn't bear the thought of it not returning.

If we thought the Severance season 1 finale was bad, this one is arguably worse, and now we all have to deal with the aftermath. Naturally, I was left with so many questions, leading me to consider what I want to see when the show returns for its next installment.

1. Where is Irving going?

Irving smiling as he sits on a moving train in Severance season 2 episode 9 — (Image credit: Apple TV+)

Irving's outie may not have departed on an "elongated cruise voyage" like Mr. Milchick claimed, but he's going somewhere, and I need him back right this second, you hear me?

I was devastated when Burt took him to the train station and encouraged him to leave Kier, but surely that can't be the last we see of Irving. I need to know where he's going and if he's planning on returning.

A stupid part of me is also still rooting for Burt and Irving, even though their relationship feels even more impossible now. Devastating stuff.

2. Is Milchick going to rebel against Lumon?

Seth Milchick and Kier Eagan's animatronic speaking in Severance season 2 episode 10 — (Image credit: Apple TV+)

Milchick remains frustratingly loyal to Lumon, though he has had a few moments where his composure begins to crack. The brilliant Tramell Tillman (give him the Emmy, by the way) gave such a nuanced performance this season, where we've seen him repeatedly berated and humiliated by the company he works for. This has caused him to clap back several times, with some seriously iconic results. "Devour feculence" had me cheering at my TV, and I'm sure I'm not alone.

This man has an unbelievable amount of restraint, and I am ready for him to break down and turn against Lumon. Cobel has started working with Mark, surely it's only a matter of time before he sees the light too?

3. Will Mark and Gemma get their happy ending?

Gemma staring at something off-camera in Severance season 2 episode 10 — (Image credit: Apple TV+)

Poor Gemma, honestly. She's been through hell, and after Mark S. chose to abandon her in favor of Helly R. (aka his love, complicated stuff), she's been left to seemingly fend for herself and escape Lumon without her husband, outie Mark. With the two Marks effectively becoming their own people, and not seeing eye to eye, this really highlights just how complex the severance procedure is.

Mark S. has made it clear he wants to stick with Helly R., and outie Mark is not going to be best pleased about this.

4. MDR makes more innies, but why?

A screenshot of Cold Harbor stuck at 96% in Severance season 2 episode 9 — (Image credit: Apple TV+)

Cobel gave us an important lore drop in the season finale, where she explained to Mark that every file he refined at Lumon was a new innie for his wife, Gemma.

That explains the disturbing Gemma-focused episode where we saw her innies acting as test subjects, enduring many unpleasant things like going to the dentist over and over or experiencing Christmas forever (honestly, I don't know which is worse). That's all well and good, but why does Lumon want to create all these innies?

There's surely an end goal in mind here. Whether they want to market the Severance procedure to the masses or they're doing twisted human experiments for some greater purpose, I need to get to the bottom of what Lumon is doing.

5. Is reintegration sustainable?

An extreme close-up shot of Mark standing in a Lumon hallway in Severance season 2 episode 5 — (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Mark has reintegrated, we know that much, but currently outie Mark and Mark S. remain their own separate states of consciousness. The lines have not blurred as much as we thought, which has enabled Mark S. to go against the wishes of outie Mark. This raises questions about how effective reintegration actually is and if the two Marks can fully fuse back into one being.

Reintegration killed Petey, which is worrying, so it seems to have the ability to overload the brain, meaning I'm worried for Mark's health and his future. Can he ever get rid of Mark S.?

Lucy is a long-time movie and television lover who is an approved critic on Rotten Tomatoes. She has written several reviews in her time, starting with a small self-ran blog called Lucy Goes to Hollywood before moving onto bigger websites such as What's on TV and What to Watch, with TechRadar being her most recent venture. Her interests primarily lie within horror and thriller, loving nothing more than a chilling story that keeps her thinking moments after the credits have rolled. Many of these creepy tales can be found on the streaming services she covers regularly.

When she’s not scaring herself half to death with the various shows and movies she watches, she likes to unwind by playing video games on Easy Mode and has no shame in admitting she’s terrible at them. She also quotes The Simpsons religiously and has a Blinky the Fish tattoo, solidifying her position as a complete nerd.