Severance season 2 episode 8 ending explained: What do Harmony Cobel's papers mean?

Stepping away from Lumon after last week's episode, which revealed the true horrors of what the corporation is doing to Gemma (Dichen Lachman), we learnt much more about Cobel's life.

The episode revealed that Cobel was brought up as a Wintertide fellow (much like Miss Huang), with it appears that she was taken from her family home around the age of 12.

But, while we saw Cobel reconnect with an old flame and a slightly evil family member, what she really wanted was to find a stack of very telling papers.

Severance season 2 episode 8 ending explained: What do Harmony Cobel's papers mean?

The papers that Cobel discovers at the end of season 2 episode 8 reveal that she actually invented the severance procedure.

Until now, it had been suggested that Jame Eagan, a descendant of Kier Eagan, had invented the severance procedure, with Cobel now revealing that she was brainwashed into staying quiet.

The papers, which Cobel rediscovers at her family home, detail the designs of the severance procedure and more, including the Glasgow Block and the Overtime Contingency, which we've become familiar with throughout the season.

As for why she stayed quiet, she explains that she was threatened, saying: "I was told Kier’s knowledge is for all - that if I sought credit, I would be banished."

Arquette previously shed some light on Cobel's mindset in season 2, telling RadioTimes.com: "I think a lot of times, like, whether it's a corporation or religion or a family system, this kind of idea of blind faith [has an influence].

"Their moral code is to believe. We believe we're doing right, whether we understand it or not, and somebody else is telling us, and they're deciding what's right.

"But we trust this so much, it's like when they start putting in your head [that] to question authority or to rebel in any kind of way is bad. You end up in this dynamic where you're really not allowed to challenge anything, and your job is just to toe the party line, whether you agree with it or not.

"You know, it's a thing that militaries do with their soldiers. You can't really question, you just have to do what they say to do.

"So I think there's a moral situation there, but I think also Cobel does have underneath some feeling of loyalty and responsibility. She's trying to... she has her own agenda for Kier. She's not crazy about the new guard at Lumon."

What does Harmony Cobel's revelation mean for Mark?

At the end of season 2 episode 8, Cobel receives a call from Mark's sister Devon (Jen Tullock), informing her about the reintegration process with Reghabi. Cobel orders Mark to tell her everything.

It's impossible to know whether Cobel truly wants to help Mark - but she seems angry enough with Lumon that she could very well turn against them in this way.

So, if Cobel does ally with Mark against Lumon, her knowledge about the company could prove incredibly dangerous for Lumon - and even lead to their downfall.

New episodes of Severance season 2 are released weekly on Apple TV+. Season 1 is available now.

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