Okay Severance fans if you watched episode 9 of season 2 "The After Hours" you are probably still recovering. Seriously grab your tissues because things just got REAL between Burt and Irving and not in a good way. We are talking potentially series-finale-level heartbreak here. Let's unpack this episode and especially that goodbye that has everyone in their feels.
Train Station Tears: Burt and Irving's Farewell Scene is Absolutely Gut-Wrenching
Episode 9 is intense from the get-go but it's the scenes with Irving and Burt that truly hit different. After Outie Burt showed up at Innie Irving's apartment things take a dramatic turn. Burt knowing Lumon is closing in on Irving for snooping around decides he has to help him escape. What follows is a farewell at a train station and it is BRUTAL.
Burt buys Irving a one-way ticket and their goodbye is filled with callbacks to their sweet office romance from season one. Remember those stolen glances and quiet moments in MDR? Yeah well this is the opposite of that. It’s full of longing regret and a whole lot of unspoken emotions. Burt even says "Bon voyage buddy" and honestly just typing that makes our eyes water again.
John Turturro and Christopher Walken just kill it in these scenes. They deliver a masterclass in acting showing us so much with just a look a touch and a few simple lines. It's painful to watch but also completely captivating. You can feel the years of unspoken love and connection hanging in the air as they say what might be their final goodbye.
"I Want to Remember It": Why This Goodbye Is So Much More Than Just a Farewell
The dialogue in this scene is deceptively simple but packed with meaning. When Burt says "Probably better if we don’t" in response to Irving's desire to remember their time together it’s like a punch to the gut. It highlights the tragic core of Severance itself. These are innies who are forced to live these intense lives at Lumon but are denied the full human experience especially outside connections.
Ben Stiller himself who directed the episode told Variety that "For now it is" when asked if this is the end for Burt and Irving. "Lumon is a very powerful company and Burt knows that" Stiller explained adding that Burt is likely putting himself at risk by helping Irving escape. This uncertainty just adds to the heartbreak. Is this really the end for Irv and Burt? We are seriously hoping not.
John Turturro on Irving's Hidden Depths and That Unbreakable Burt Connection
John Turturro in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter shared some fascinating insights into Irving. Turns out creator Dan Erickson had written a whole backstory for Irving even before filming started! Turturro wanted to understand his character deeply to prepare for the role. He even did research and introduced Erickson to someone he was talking to as part of that research.
Turturro revealed that Irving's paintings are not just a hobby they are deeply connected to his backstory and his reasons for being severed. "There’s a big reason why he’s making all those paintings you know? All that he’s searching for" Turturro explained. Everyone in Severance is severed for different reasons whether it’s grief a feeling of being lost or something else entirely. For Irving it seems to be a search for something or someone.
He also talked about his amazing chemistry with Christopher Walken. "With Chris and I the sum of our parts are greater than whatever it is. That’s just how it is with us" Turturro said. He described their connection as "innate" something you can't force. It definitely shows on screen. The way they play off each other especially in this farewell scene is just magic even if it is tear-jerking magic.
Helly and Her Dad and More Episode 9 Cliffhangers: Setting Up a Finale Explosion?
While the Burt/Irving goodbye is the emotional core of the episode there is a lot else going on. Mashable pointed out that the weird scene between Helly and Jame Eagan at the end raises a ton of questions. Why is Jame on the Severed Floor and what does he mean when he says Helly "tricked" him?
Theories are flying around. Does Jame know Helly is planning something? Is Helly still Outie Helly undercover? Or is Jame just creepy dad wanting to see his severed daughter? We have no idea but it is definitely unsettling and sets up more drama for the finale.
The Verge highlights how episode 9 and the episodes leading up to it have been all about world-building and character development. They are setting the stage for a major finale. We saw Gemma's nightmarish severance procedures Cobel's backstory and now everyone's storylines are converging. It feels like everything is about to explode in the season finale "Cold Harbor." We are ready and terrified at the same time.
Burning Questions After Severance Season 2 Episode 9:
- Is this REALLY goodbye for Burt and Irving? Please say no!
- What is Jame Eagan's deal and why is he confronting Helly?
- Will Mark manage to rescue Gemma?
- What is the secret of the dark hallway and elevator?
- What exactly is in the Cold Harbor file and why is it so important?
- Will Dylan actually quit?
- What will happen to Miss Huang at the new facility?
Get Ready for a Wild Finale: Severance Season 2 is About to Go Off the Rails
Severance Season 2 episode 9 was an emotional rollercoaster especially for Burt and Irving shippers. But beyond the heartbreak it also feels like the show is expertly setting the stage for a massive season finale. "Cold Harbor" the title of the next episode sounds ominous AF. We are expecting answers twists turns and probably a whole lot more cliffhangers because that is just how Severance rolls. Get your theories ready folks because things are about to get even weirder and more intense in the Lumon basement and beyond.