The Apple TV+ sci-fi psychology drama series Severance has returned with Season 2, and it continues to mystify its viewers with its layers of narrative complexity and nuanced characters. John Turturro’s Irving Bailiff is an important component of the plot. He is a severed employee of Lumon Industries who has always adhered to rules. However, like others, things begin to change for Irving after he discovers that he is an innie and that there is another version of him that gets to roam around in the world beyond the confinements of Lumon.
Here’s what Irving did and saw when he finally ventured out as an innie.
What Irving saw in Severance Season 2, explained
Irving went out into the world to gather valuable information and bring it back to the other innies. Instead, he sought out the outie version of Christopher Walken’s Burt Goodman. It was heavily implied in Severance that Irving was romantically interested in Burt and that the latter reciprocated those sentiments. But this deepening of their connection happened between the innie versions of them. It is unknown whether outies of Irving and Burt are even close. As the innie Irving decided to find what Burt’s life is as an outie after retirement, he was shocked to discover that he lives with another man, who is likely Burt’s romantic partner or even husband. It devastated Irving, and he failed to gather any truly meaningful information that he and the others could use.
Beyond the glimpse he got of the life, Burt leads as an outie, Irving saw the life he himself has. The first thing he did during his 39-minute excursion was to visit his outie’s apartment. He learned that his outie lived alone with a dog named Radar. Irving deduced that he must have served in the Navy, just like his father before him, from the military medals in his apartment. He also discovered some paintings that his outie did. All of them were of the same thing: a long, black hallway ending at an elevator. Zach Cherry’s Dylan George suggests that Irving should explore the recurring image in the paintings. If Irving succeeds, it can unlock a critical Lumon mystery in the coming episodes.
Originally reported by Tamal Kundu on ComingSoon.
