Sumith Prasad
The seventh episode of the second season of Apple TV+’s science fiction series ‘Severance,’ titled ‘Chikhai Bardo,’ reveals what has happened to Gemma (Ms. Casey), the wife of Mark Scout, shedding light on her whereabouts. While the protagonist tries his best to find her, she participates in an ambiguous experiment in the headquarters of Lumon Industries, right above the severed floor. Mr. Drummond, the company’s enforcer, oversees the progress of the tests she partakes. Meanwhile, Mark remains unconscious while recovering from the aftereffects of his reintegration procedure. Devon Scout-Hale eagerly awaits her brother to wake up while dealing with her fears and confusion! SPOILERS AHEAD.
Mark and Gemma Scout Had a Tumultuous Relationship
‘Chikhai Bardo’ begins with a flashback sequence that depicts Mark and Gemma’s first meeting. They got to know each other in the middle of a blood drive while working at Ganz College. It didn’t take a long time for both of them to connect with each other. At the time, Mark was a history professor, and Gemma taught Russian literature, specializing in the works of Leo Tolstoy. The episode opens a window into their life together through the recollections of the reintegrated Lumon employee, who remains unconscious under the watchful eyes of Asal Reghabi and his sister, Devon.
Mark’s thoughts reveal that Gemma eventually became pregnant after they got together as a couple. She revealed the news to her sister-in-law, Devon, by not drinking alcohol during lunch, much to the latter’s shock. As a father-to-be, the protagonist even bought a wooden crib for their child. However, their wait to welcome their baby ended abruptly due to a tragic miscarriage. Mark and Gemma then went to an infertility center to conceive again, but their wish to become parents never materialized. This disappointment affected their togetherness severely, creating an emotional distance between them.
During this tumultuous period, Gemma left her home seemingly for a party. Before leaving, she asked Mark whether he wanted to join her. He declined the invitation, stating that he was not interested in playing charades. Not long after his wife departed, two police officers showed up at his house to inform him about his better half’s supposed car accident, leaving him in unbearable shock.
Gemma is Locked Up in the Lumon Headquarters for an Experiment
After putting an end to her life as Ms. Casey, Gemma, willingly or unwillingly, joins an ambiguous experiment in the Lumon headquarters. Her health and wellness are monitored by an unnamed nurse, who also accompanies the former to several mysterious rooms on the floor. These rooms are named after cities/towns from across the world. On a particular day, she must enter several rooms to complete the experiment. One such room, Wellington, is set up like the consultation room of a dentist. In another room, she consults a physician named Dr. Mauer. Her actions are overseen by Mr. Drummond using a set of surveillance cameras.
This surveillance room is also home to a “watcher” who closely observes Mark’s progress with the “Cold Harbor” assignment. The three other watchers in the room suspiciously resemble Irving Bailiff, Dylan George, and Helly Riggs, raising the question of how they can be in the room while their innies are working on the severed floor. Gemma’s tests are also monitored by an unnamed doctor obsessed with her. He expresses his romantic feelings for her without hesitation and expects the latter to love him back. However, Mr. Drummond warns the doctor that Gemma will cease to be under their watch once Cold Harbor is completed.
Interestingly, Cold Harbor is the name of one of the aforementioned rooms. It is also the only room Gemma hasn’t entered yet, indicating that the same will be integral to concluding the assignment or mission. Initially, she is informed that she will gain freedom once the experiment concludes. Gemma becomes hopeful about reuniting with Mark, but her expectations are affected when she is told that her husband has moved on and married another woman. Soon, she attacks Dr. Mauer and tries to escape from the Lumon building using the same elevator that is featured in Irving’s paintings.
Unfortunately for Gemma, the elevator only takes her to the severed floor, where Seth Milchick awaits her. Before she can ask him about Mark, she is ordered to return to her floor. Since she has no memory of what happens in individual rooms, Gemma is forced to return to her experiment without any awareness concerning the nature of her tests. Considering that Gemma became Ms. Casey after failing to become a mother, she must have joined the experiment to conceive a child. Lumon might have promised her a baby to transform her into a test subject. This possibility also explains why she sacrificed her life with Mark for the time being.
Mark Wakes Up After the Reintegration Process
While Mark’s subconscious mind recollects his memories with Gemma, Devon eagerly waits for him to wake up with Asal Reghabi. His sister, with utmost concern, proposes taking him to a hospital, but Reghabi stops her and explains that the lack of consciousness is expected after the reintegration process. As the waiting time progresses, the sibling grows even more worried. She asks the former Lumon surgeon whether they should leave for the Damona Birthing Retreat to find Mark’s innie, only for the other woman to respond no. Still, Devon insists on doing something and eventually expresses her wish to call Harmony Cobel.
The mere mention of Harmony creates panic in Reghabi, who leaves Mark’s house without waiting for him to wake up. Devon tries to stop her, stating that she cannot look after her brother alone, but her attempts fail to convince the former surgeon to stay. The latter reveals how much she loathes Harmony and disappears from the place. As time passes, Mark gradually regains consciousness. Before he wakes up, he repeatedly but partially utters the word “chikhai,” which refers to “chikhai bardo.” According to Tibetan Buddhism, it is the period between the start of the dying process and the final external and internal breath.
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