Outie Mark contemplates the meaning of a message. Lumon grapples with the fallout of the Overtime Contingency.
"Goodbye, Mrs. Selvig" was written by Mohamad El Masri and directed by Sam Donovan
Mark had certainty about Gemma's death. He wasn't coping well. However, he identified her body. He knew she was gone. As such, it's impossible for him to reckon with the possibility she may be alive. That's the only rational explanation once he wakes up following the Overtime Contingency. The premiere focused exclusively on the perspectives of the Innies following this endeavor. The same structure is provided in this episode for the Outies. Mark still leads with the most character definition. The story also provides clarity as to what is real and what was merely deceit used by Lumon to control its severed employees. Innie Mark was declaring to a room full of people that Gemma was alive. He shared everything with Devon previously. In that moment, he had to tell as many people as possible. He didn't know his time in the outside world was coming to an end. That leaves a little ambiguity for the outside world. Devon believes Innie Mark completely. Meanwhile, Outie Mark doesn't want to reckon with the truth. It's impossible. He knows what happened to Gemma. That story can't be rewritten. Moreover, his grief has to be more pronounced than everyone else's. He lashes out. That's all just a desperate measure to deflect from the truth. His life has changed once more because of what his Innie self just did.
Mark had certainty about Gemma's death. He wasn't coping well. However, he identified her body. He knew she was gone. As such, it's impossible for him to reckon with the possibility she may be alive. That's the only rational explanation once he wakes up following the Overtime Contingency. The premiere focused exclusively on the perspectives of the Innies following this endeavor. The same structure is provided in this episode for the Outies. Mark still leads with the most character definition. The story also provides clarity as to what is real and what was merely deceit used by Lumon to control its severed employees. Innie Mark was declaring to a room full of people that Gemma was alive. He shared everything with Devon previously. In that moment, he had to tell as many people as possible. He didn't know his time in the outside world was coming to an end. That leaves a little ambiguity for the outside world. Devon believes Innie Mark completely. Meanwhile, Outie Mark doesn't want to reckon with the truth. It's impossible. He knows what happened to Gemma. That story can't be rewritten. Moreover, his grief has to be more pronounced than everyone else's. He lashes out. That's all just a desperate measure to deflect from the truth. His life has changed once more because of what his Innie self just did.
Lumon goes into crisis management mode immediately. The audience knew to distrust any information being told to the characters in the premiere. Even the severed employees knew to doubt whatever Milchick said about the apparent reforms within the company. Five months haven't past. Instead, everything happens within the span of a weekend. The response is striking. It highlights which employees have importance to the overall company. Milchick views Irving and Dylan as expendable. They can be fired with no consequences whatsoever. He's tasked with figuring out what information was shared to the public. Milchick doesn't investigate further with these two. They don't need to be Lumon employees. Mark does. He is the priority. He can essentially demand whatever he wants. The board will give it to him. His presence is needed. He must complete "Cold Harbor" - whatever that is. The show offers no clarity as to the importance of the work. It reaffirms the idea that everyone remains where they need to be. The outside characters are meant to keep engaging with Lumon. Meanwhile, their Innie counterparts must forge ahead with their jobs. It's their duty to figure out the mysteries of this place. Gauging the reactions of others provides the most meaningful clues for them to interrogate.
Helena Eagan has the most to lose. Her company faces scandal based on her comments at the gala. She records a public apology. She shoulders the blame and asks for forgiveness. It's all deeply contrived. The company wants to control the extent of the damage. They aren't interested in offering reforms. The work is too important. It must continue. They carefully balance the needs of the project with the public perception of the company. They need to remain in the good graces of politicians and influential figures to keep everything on schedule. They must maintain secrecy to dictate the outcome. Helena became a severed employee to showcase the inherent goodness of the work to the public. Opinions haven't really changed. That doesn't matter either. It's everything for Dylan. Lumon provided consistent employment. Without it, he struggles. He needs the financial security. He has to provide for his family. He aims to improvise his way through a job interview. He fails because of his severed status. It's insane Lumon would allow these employees to leave while keeping the chips in their heads. That intellectual property holds the key to their bottom line. It's valuable. The company believes it's impossible to reintegrate. They expect these severed employees to work for them exclusively forever. That's the structure of this employment. Yet these concerns don't raise any alarms because Mark gets his team back together.
Elements are still being withheld about the outside lives of several of these characters. This episode offers the first glimpse of Milchick interacting with the outside world. He isn't different whatsoever. He rides around in a motorcycle. That provides more detail to who he is. The non-severed employees are true believes in Keir Eagan. That was already apparent with Cobel. However, she is promoted within the company to a newly created position with no inherent power. She recognizes that right away. She can no longer continue in her same role. She can't be let go and free to speak her mind either. She knows too much. Meanwhile, Helena aims to arm herself with information about what's happened on the severed floor. She sees herself kissing Mark. She didn't expect that. She watches it several times from different angles. She willfully chooses to put herself back in that situation. She wasn't pressured to keep up the ruse. Her time down there was just to create the illusion of satisfaction. Now, she has a new purpose. One where she is part of a team. She has diverging interests though. Those are laid out plainly. Meanwhile, Irving moves in darkness. Burt spies on him in his outside life. That's only a brief tease. It's enough to intrigue and inform further connections amongst the characters. It doesn't provide much depth at the moment.
Everything explodes when Mark finally has an opportunity to confront "Mrs. Selvig." He needs to know why she invaded his life. He was neighborly towards her. She sought out a deeper connection. She checked on him regularly. He didn't think much of it. She was obsessed with him. She wanted to know if he ever thought he saw his wife. She was searching for information. That's an understandable impulse. Helena has people following Mark and Devon to figure out what was shared. Meanwhile, Milchick lays out the incentives to guarantee Mark returns to work. Mark already wanted to quit. He felt better. Now, his life faces upheaval. A pay raise and promise of wellness checks on his Innie may not be enough. Nevertheless, Mark returns. He must complete the project. He has to confront Cobel though. He can't just stand by and do nothing. Ambiguity has entered his life. He doesn't want to entertain the thought that Gemma could be alive. When Cobel refuses to give him anything, that's the thought that crosses his mind. That's the idea that is too damaging to contain. He can't deny anything any longer. It's written all over Cobel's face. She doesn't say anything. She screams and honks her way out of the awkwardness. That's the end. It leaves everyone with more questions to unpack. Yet it also provides clarity as well as a grounded perspective as to what the two halves of these characters experience in this world.