Warning! This article contains spoilers for Severance season 2’s episode 1.A closer look at Lumon’s reforms and new incentives inSeveranceseason 2 reveals they are darker than they initially seemed. InSeveranceseason 2’s episode 1, Mark finds himself working with a new set of MDR employees, which prompts him to request the board to bring his old teammates back. To his surprise, the board not only considers his request but also seemingly introduces reforms that seemingly benefit theMacrodata Refinement workers.
Soon after Helly, Dylan, and Irving return, all four MDR employees are escorted to a room where Milchick welcomes them with open arms. He then plays a video in which Lumon thanks them for the “Macrodat Uprising” before revealing new incentives they can enjoy at the Lumon office. The video suggests that Lumon might have finally learned from its mistakes and may be trying to enhance the experience of the innies in the office. However, the truth seems to be far more insidious.
Lumon’s New Reforms Look Less Like Perks & More Like Punishments
The Reform Segment In The Macrodat Uprising Video Is Disturbing
When theMacrodat Uprising videofeatures Lumon’s reforms and incentives inSeveranceseason 2’s episode 1, it seems the company is finally taking provisions to make the MDR employees feel better about their workplace. From fun activities like pineapple bobbing to new snacks and candies, from entertaining spaces like mirror rooms to hall pass allowances, Lumon seems to give the employees way more freedom and comfort than ever. However, a closer look at these incentives suggests a darker truth about the company’s motives.
Severance’s “Macrodat Uprising” Video & Why MDR Is Considered Heroes At Lumon
Lumon shows a strange “Macrodat Uprising” video to the MDR workers in Severance season 2’s episode 1, raising questions about the company’s motives.
In the Macrodat Uprising video, Dylan starts convulsing after he consumes the new Lumon snacks, suggesting they are laced with something harmful. The claymation version of Irving in the video also seems genuinely scared when he looks at his reflections in the mirror room. The MDR employees previously had the freedom to roam the corridors before Milchick and Cobel started putting restrictions on them inSeveranceseason 1. This suggests thatthe new hall passes are less about granting freedom and more about controlling the employees.
97%
83%
Streaming On
Apple TV+
The pineapple bobbing activity looks more like a torture ritual than a fun office game. Helly and Mark’s arms are tied behind their backs during the activity in the Lumon video, and it looks like they are being waterboarded. InThe Lexington Letters(page 13), an outie finds her hair wet when she leaves Lumon. She is told she had an incident with the water cooler but later learns her innie was caught carrying a message. Her wet hair could mean she was pineapple bobbing as shown in the video, suggesting it is a punishment far worse than the break room torture for the employees.
The Reforms In Severance Season 2 Call Attention To A Kier Eagan Quote
Kier Eagan Knew How To “Tame A Prisoner”
One of Kier Eagan’s most well-known quotes highlights that “the surest way to tame a prisoner is to let him believe he’s free.” With the reforms and the new incentives inSeveranceseason 2, Lumon seems to be following Eagan’s philosophy of selling the illusion of freedom to the “imprisoned” innies to ensure they remain compliant. As long as the innies believe the company has their best interests in mind, they will remain docile and easier to control, explaining why Lumon introduces reforms that make them feel more free.
Severance
Severance is a psychological thriller series featuring Adam Scott as Mark Scout, an employee at Lumon Industries who undergoes a “severance” procedure to separate his work and personal memories. However, as work and life personas mysteriously begin to collide, it quickly becomes clear that not all is as it seems. Created by Dan Erickson and directed by Ben Stiller and Aoife McArdle.
