Severance Season 2 Episode 2 Ending Explained: Where Is Ms. Cobel Going?

Ms. Cobel departs from Mark's neighborhood in Severance season 2 episode 2's ending, but makes Mark suspicious about Lumon's connection with Gemma before leaving. This new development not only raises many questions about what Mark's outie will now try to do but also about Cobel's future in Lumon Industries. Given how the Apple TV+ sci-fi show has been jampacked with many twists and turns, it may be hard to foresee where the show will take its viewers after season 2's episode 2.

However, based on the story developments in season 1 and season 2's first two episodes, one can draw many theories about what is next for Cobel and why Helena Eagan is so determined to keep Mark at Lumon when she cares little about the other MDR employees. Severance season 2 also has been drawing attention to the keywords "Cold Harbor" but is taking its time to reveal the truth about what it means. Interestingly, however, season 2's episode 2 might have provided some answers.

Why Cobel Doesn't Lie To Mark When He Asks About Gemma

She Feels Conflicted Between Her Loyalty To Lumon & Her Feelings For Mark

Throughout Severance season 1, Ms. Cobel kept testing the effectiveness of the severance procedure by asking Mark's sister, Devon, if Mark ever sees his wife even though she is dead. She wanted to know if meeting Ms. Casey triggered Mark's memories of his wife. Even towards the end of Severance season 1, she and Milchick keep a close eye on Mark when he talks to Ms. Casey to confirm if the two can recall anything about one another. Her suspicion and curiosity were always met with the reassurance that Mark's innie and outie were clueless about each other's lives.

Owing to this, when Mark suddenly stops her in Severance season 2 episode 2's ending and asks her about Gemma, she is caught off guard. Since she does not see Mark's suspicion coming, Ms. Cobel is thrown off by the question, which explains her disbelief and inability to hide what she knows. Before she can even come up with a lie or claim she knows nothing about Mark's claims, it is already too late because Mark reads her body language and realizes she knows something about Gemma that he does not.

Cobel's hesitation towards lying to Mark also seems to stem from her growing disillusionment with Lumon. She hates that, despite being incredibly loyal to the company both inside and outside the Lumon office, she did not get the respect she deserved. Therefore, for a moment, she even seems to consider revealing the truth to Mark. Severance season 1 establishes that she deeply cares about Mark almost to the point where she seems somewhat obsessed, prompting her to tell him the truth. However, she realizes Lumon would hunt her down if she exposed their secrets, explaining why she screams and leaves.

Where Is Cobel Going In Severance Season 2 Episode 2's Ending?

She Has Been Removed From The Severed Floor

Cobel seems keen on returning to her position as the head of the severed floor at Lumon Industries. However, Helena tells her that the damage control plan for the Overtime Contingency incident is already in action and would not require her to take charge. She adds that they have decided to promote her by making her a part of the Severance Advisory Council. When Cobel says she has never heard about the council, Helena reveals it is a new initiative in the company, and she will be spearheading its formation.

Cobel still insists she must run the severed floor, but Helena informs her that Milchick has taken over as the floor manager. Severance season 2's episode 2 does not reveal whether Cobel accepts the new position. However, it seems unlikely that she will leave Lumon so easily. Since her new role does not require her to closely watch Mark and test whether any overlaps exist between his innie and outie's memories, she is forced to move to a new location. Mark, his sister, and his brother-in-law also come to know that Cobel was also from Lumon in Severance season 1's ending.

Owing to this, it does not make sense for the company to keep her around Mark anymore. As Milchick suggests, it is also believed that Cobel developed a strange fixation towards Mark both inside and outside, which potentially makes her a threat to Lumon's initiative of maintaining a clear line between Mark's two personas. Therefore, it seems likely that she was asked to move as far away from Mark as possible to ensure she never comes in contact with him inside or outside the Lumon building.

What Is Cold Harbor & Why Does Helena Eagan Need Mark To Finish It So Badly?

Lumon's Plan Depends On Mark's MDR Work On Gemma

Severance season 2 episode 1's ending hinted that Mark's work at the Macrodata Refinement Department was directly linked with Gemma. The episode's final moment featured a scene in which a screen with Gemma's video appeared right after Mark refined some numbers on his computer. Even the progress bar on his computer showed the same number as the one featuring Gemma's face. The file Mark was working on was titled "Cold Harbor," which could be seen on both Mark's computer and the other screen.

While it remains unknown how Mark's refinement work connects to Gemma, Severance season 2's episode 2 confirms that Gemma actually died in the outside world. Mark recalls seeing her body and confirming it was her after she died in a car accident. This suggests that Lumon somehow found a way to reanimate or revive a dead person and is now using Mark to help her process emotions. Helena says that they need Mark "long enough to complete project Cold Harbor," suggesting that Lumon's work directly depends on Mark and Gemma, making them the main subjects of the project.

Although the Apple TV+ show has not yet revealed what Lumon wishes to achieve, Mark's importance in their initiative explains why they were willing to fire all the other employees but begging him to return. It also explains why the board agreed to Mark's request to get his old teammates back. The Mark and Gemma connection required to help Lumon achieve its goal also explains why Mark got his "freshman fluke" when he joined Lumon as an MDR worker.

Severance Season 2 Episode 2's Ending Reveals What Happened To Mark's Former MDR Colleagues

Mark W Gets Escorted Out Of The Lumon Office

In Severance season 2's episode 2, Mark's outie finally agrees to work at Lumon again despite growing suspicious about what they are making his innie do. As he makes his way inside the Lumon building, his former MDR teammate, Mark W, gets escorted out of the Lumon facility. Before berating the company with a final "F**k you," Mark W threatens to sue them for letting him go. This confirms that the newly hired MDR workers were fired from the company after Mark refused to work with them and demanded his old teammates' return in Severance season 2's episode 1.