The Chilling Severance Fan Theory That Terrified The Show's Cast

When you watch a show that runs on deception, identity switches, and left-field reveals, it's easy to start looking for hidden meanings everywhere. This goes double when we're talking about a series like the Apple TV+ sci-fi thriller standout "Severance," which delights in making every moment meaningful and full of mystery.

The show's surprising reveals and enduring mysteries have been conducive to fan theories about Lumon's true purpose and other key aspects of the show. As you might assume, the "Severance" actors are extremely aware of the existence of such theories, and several key members of the cast took a moment to debunk some of them for Entertainment Weekly. While there were a few joke theories going around ("The goats are the Lumon board," anyone?), one particular suggestion proved truly unnerving: That the severed characters' supposedly free outie personas live in a Lumon-constructed world where everyone else is a secret Lumon agent, á la Harmony Cobel's (Patricia Arquette) Mrs. Selvig identity.

This theory drew several "Whoa!" reactions from the cast, as well as some commentary about how genuinely creepy the idea is. "That is wild and more than frightening," Adam Scott (who plays Mark Scout) remarked. "Not just as a theory for 'Severance' but as a theory for everyday life on Earth. That would be terrifying." Arquette even admitted to having had similar thoughts. "I also wonder at times if certain people are who they say they are and if certain people could work for Lumon that we don't suspect," she noted. "But that doesn't mean anyone's telling me any more than they're telling you."

"Severance" is a show that effectively invites theory-crafting, and we here at /Film are hardly immune to its siren call — I least of all. Parts of season 2 got me thinking that Irving (John Turturro) may already be reintegrated, while others caused me to speculate on Lumon's bizarre endgame. As suggested by the cast specifically making a video to address fan theories, the show welcomes this sort of healthy speculation from the viewers with open arms — and judging by the way the ending of "Severance" season 2 cuts Lumon's grand plan short and leaves many of the show's great mysteries unsolved, there's plenty more on the horizon.

Given the series' puzzle box nature and reluctance to give definitive answers about the full scope of Lumon's influence, it's interesting to note that the theory about Lumon controlling "outie" areas beyond its headquarters hasn't exactly been debunked yet. Granted, it is unlikely that the corporation is in full control of the planet, given the fact that season 2, episode 8, "Sweet Vitriol," depicts Mrs. Cobel's visit to her old home town Salt's Neck, which is crumbling after Lumon shuttered a major factory. This and the bitterness among the remaining Salt's Neck residents seems proof enough that Lumon isn't an all-encompassing entity. However, it remains to be seen whether the same can be said about the town of Kier — which, you'll remember, is explicitly tied to Lumon's headquarters and seems like a pretty suspicious place.

"Severance" is streaming on Apple TV+.