Why Mark Isn’t Fully Reintegrated In Severance Season 2 Episode 4
Warning! This article contains spoilers for Severance season 2, episode 4.
Severance season 2, episode 4 suggests that Mark's Reintegration from episode 3 may not be as fully-fledged as first thought. Severance's Reintegration process remained mostly a mystery before season 2, episode 3. Before Mark's decision, the only hints at the procedure came with Petey's Reintegration-related Severance death at the beginning of season 1, which explored the idea of Reintegration sickness. However, more details were given after Mark's major decision to Reintegrate.
Via Reintegration, it was expected that Severance's cast of characters would become more of a whole where Mark is concerned. Rather than there being separate Innies and Outies as Severance has made the norm, Reintegration was said to blend both of those personalities together for Mark, potentially changing his character's dynamic completely. That said, the change was not as dramatic as theorized, with Severance season 2, episode 4 showing that Innie Mark is still very much part of the show's story and that he may not have blended fully with his Outie.
Severance Hints Reintegration Works Better When The Innie Isn't Switched On
The Outie May Feel The Effects Of Reintegration More
One of the first explanations for why Mark is not fully Reintegrated in Severance season 2, episode 4 is that the process impacts the Outie personality more. During Petey's story in Severance season 1, he was shown to be greatly affected by the procedure outside of work, such as suffering hallucinations and other Innie-related flashes. With Mark in Severance season 2, episode 4, however, his Innie is the only personality that appears the entire time, with only one small hint being found that hints that he was Reintegrated.
This may mean that Innie Mark's memories from the outside will slowly bleed into his head due to the science behind the severance procedure itself slowing this down...
For example, when Mark was sleeping with Helena - thinking it was Helly - in the tent, he received flashes of Gemma, not Ms. Casey. This teased that Reintegration was starting to take hold, but could prove that the process is less effective when the Innie is "activated," as it were. This may mean that Innie Mark's memories from the outside will slowly bleed into his head due to the science behind the severance procedure itself slowing this down, rather than clashing together all at once as many expected.
Did Lumon Find Out About Mark Being Reintegrated In Severance Season 2?
Lumon May Know Of Mark's Decision
Another major question stemming out of Severance season 2, episode 4 is whether Lumon knows Mark underwent Reintegration. This could provide another explanation as to why the Reintegration process is shown to be much slower with Mark. Lumon could have found out about Mark's decision and implemented some kind of failsafe to stop his Innie from gaining his Outie's memories.
This could also explain why the trip to Woe's Hollow was implemented. Lumon may know Mark was Reintegrated and not want his Innie to use his knowledge to search the severed floor or allow Outie Mark to learn what goes on below ground. As a means of avoiding this, taking the MDR team to Woe's Hollow would certainly avoid any breaches of security for the company. At this point, though, this is all simply conjecture to explain why Mark was not fully Reintegrated in Severance season 2, episode 4.
Severance
- Release Date
- February 18, 2022
- Showrunner
- Dan Erickson, Mark Friedman
- Directors
- Ben Stiller
- Writers
- Dan Erickson
Cast
Mark Scout
Helly Riggs
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