‘Severance’ Elevator Song Hints at Gemma’s Death, Possible Plot Points for Season 2
Mark S.’ (Adam Scott) wife Gemma (Dichen Lachman) is dead in season 1 of Apple TV+‘s Severance. The drama series reveals Gemma died in a car accident but didn’t say much about what caused the crash. Severance showunner Dan Erikson may have hidden a clue in a song he wrote about Lumon’s elevators. Find out what Erickson’s lyrics hint at regarding Gemma’s death and potential plot points for season 2 of Severance.
Mark S. believes his wife Gemma is dead in ‘Severance’ Season 1
In Severance Season 1, we learn Mark S. opted to work on Lumon’s Severed floor and have his mind split into two after losing his wife. In the episode “Defiant Jazz,” fans finally get to see a picture of Gemma, who was previously identified as Ms. Casey, Lumon’s Wellness Counselor.
‘Severance’ boss wrote a song about Lumon’s elevators
Erickson’s sister shared the lyrics to a Severance Easter Egg on Mother’s Day 2022. “For Mother’s Day, @DanErixon gave me this previously unshared #Severance gem,” she tweeted. “Sharing it (with his permission) for all to enjoy.”
The lyrics to Erickson’s song about the Lumon elevators begins:
“Psss go the pistons
Ding goes the bell
Down goes the elevator
All seems well”
Elevator song could contain a clue about Gemma’s death
The lyrics continue with what many fans believe to be a hint about Gemma’s death:
“But the car will never reach its destination true
‘Cause that’s when Mark S. starts to say ‘Achoo!’
Achoo, Achoo — Elevator allergy
It’s true, it’s true — No lamer malady
The sneezin’ knocks the elevator off its track
And now the Outie world won’t take Mark back!”
“Seems to imply that Mark’s sadness (sneezin’) is the catalyst for our adventure here,” said one Redditor. “Sadness for Gemma, sadness for Petey. Sadness for something more?”
They also point out the lyric “but the car will never reach its destination,” perceiving it to mean Mark’s car crash with Gemma. They later added; “These lyrics may be implying that a sneezing fit caused Mark and Gemma’s car accident.”
‘Severance’ elevator song could hint at season 2 plot
The only lyric that tripped this fan up was: “Now the Outie world won’t take Mark back!” They added in their original comment: “[That] line is interesting. It seems out of place. Why wouldn’t the Outie world take Mark back because of ‘red eyes/runny nose?'”
Could this be a plot point Severance Season 2 will address? Only time will tell — production has not begun on the new season, but Apple did confirm season 2 is a go.
Gemma’s Lumon ‘Innie’ Ms. Casey might play a bigger role in ‘Severance’ Season 2
Ms. Casey is not like other “Innies” at Lumon. It seems she only exists as a “part-time” Lumon worker with no “Outie” existing in the outside world.
According to the book Severance from The Lexington Letter, former Lumon Industries employee Margaret “Peg” Kincaid begins to uncover a “reality that’s far worse than the problems she wanted to escape.”
The story also mentions what happened to Peg after voicing her opposition against Lumon — she died in a mysterious school bus crash in the outside world. Did the same thing happen to Gemma and lead to her life exclusively as one of Lumon’s “Innies?”
Stay tuned to Showbiz Cheat Sheet for the latest news regarding the Apple TV+ series. Watch season 1 of Severance on Apple TV+.
