Why A Key Severance Season 1 Star Has Yet To Return To Apple TV's Sci-Fi Hit Explained

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Mark, Dylan, Cobel, Milchick, and Irving gathered together and looking at something in Severance

Published Mar 14, 2026, 1:54 PM EDT

Severance star Yul Vazquez addresses his season 2 absence and whether he will return to the hit Apple TV series.

In season 1, Vazquez plays Petey Kilmer, a former Lumon employee who helps Mark Scout (Adam Scott) realize that there is something deeply sinister happening at the corporation and with the severance procedure. After playing an important role in four episodes and pushing Mark toward uncovering dark truths, Petey dies from the side effects of having his severance procedure reversed and having his innie and outie being reintegrated. He does not appear in Severance season 2.

In an interview with ScreenRant's Ash Crossan for Imposters at our SXSW media suite, Vazquez was asked about his potential return to the Apple TV science-fiction show, to which he replied, "You never know with Severance." He also explained that he knew going in that his role was primarily about setting the story in motion for Mark and the overarching mysteries. Check out Vazquez's comments below:

But yeah, I had a very specific function on that show, and I knew what I had to do when I went in, and when I had to set off, and then it's just things in motion, but yeah.

Despite his essential part in the beginning of the show, by the end of Severance season 2, the story has progressed significantly beyond Petey, including Mark saving his outie's wife Gemma (Dichen Lachman), but his innie choosing to be with Helly (Britt Lower) instead. Between these developments, Vazquez's comments about Petey having served his narrative purpose, and the character's death, a return seems unlikely, but it is still possible.

Petey from Severance in a suit and tie at the office.

Flashbacks have been utilized before, some of which showed Petey's innie while working at Lumon, and he could come back via more flashbacks if there's a meaningful reason to do so in Severance season 3 and beyond. Another option is him being resurrected, as there have been theories about Lumon reviving the dead, but the corporation being able to do this remains speculative for now.

As for when Severance will return, it will be a while, as filming has not started yet on the new season. After a nearly three-year hiatus between seasons 1 and 2, executive producer and director Ben Stiller has previously spoken about wanting there to be less time between seasons. That being said, there will likely be at least two years between seasons 2 and 3, with the prior one having concluded in March 2025 and 2027 probably being the earliest that the new one could premiere.

Regardless of when Severance comes back, it will inevitably have more shocking plot twists in store, one of which could be the unexpected return of Petey if there is a good reason for it.