Burt Goodman, known as Burt G. when working at Lumon, was the head of Optics and Design on the severed floor at Lumon Industries up until his retirement.
History[]
Burt has worked at Lumon for at least twenty years, longer than the Severance procedure has been publicly known to exist.[1] Prior to becoming Severed, he was speculated in Irving's private notes to have worked as a "low-level enforcer or goon" for Lumon, potentially having been associated with several disappearances or deaths. Burt himself would later confirm to Irving that he had "[driven] people places" for Lumon, but claimed that he didn't know what happened to them afterward and had never personally harmed anyone. Burt later became Severed out of a desire for some part of himself to experience innocence once again, as well as to appease his husband Fields, who wished for some version of Burt to be able to join him in heaven once they both died.[2]
Burt was leaving a wellness session when he met Irving, who was admiring a painting on the wall. Burt told Irving he was the department chief for Optics and Design, meaning he was responsible for the painting being there. Irving admired his work and when Ms. Casey came to get Irving, they looked at each other before separating.[3]
Burt and Felicia were on their way back from an egg-drop challenge in the team-building space when they ran into the team from MDR. While Burt and Irving were happy to see each other, the rest of the group had a contentious interaction before going on their way.[4]
Burt came to MDR to bring the new handbook tote bags that Irving was anticipating. He also invited them for a tour of O&D if they wanted. Irving took him up on the offer and showed up in O&D. When Irving mentioned a painting he had loved that was no longer where it was, Burt told him all paintings ended up in O&D once they were done circulating departments and pulled it out to show Irving. While they were admiring it, Burt put his hand on Irving's. Irving soon pulled away and excused himself before leaving to return to MDR.
Later, while Burt was hanging new paintings, Irving found him again and Burt said he was worried he'd embarrassed himself. Irving said he hadn't and Burt invited Irving to join him as he made four more stops. Once they were done hanging the new paintings, Burt returned to O&D.[5]
Burt decided to go see Irving. Since Irving hadn't come back to O&D, he practiced a joke to avoid scaring Irving, because he believed their hands touching had scared Irving off. Irving came to Burt and was talking to him when Dylan came behind Irving and locked Burt in the room, over Irving's objection. He believed that Burt and O&D were a threat to MDR. They confronted him about his lie that there were only two employees in O&D. Burt said he lied because they didn't trust MDR. There were stories that went around about MDR employees having pouches where they incubated larvae that eventually took them over. Dylan then tied Burt's hands with his belt and they took him back to O&D. Burt invited them both to come in. While Irving and Burt looked at The Courtship of Kier and Imogene and talked about their relationship, Dylan found a painting similar to the one Irving had seen and confronted Burt about it. Irving pointed out that it wasn't the same painting and in the one Burt had, MDR were the aggressors. Burt said it had never gone into the hallway rotation and was called The Macrodata Refinement Calamity. Dylan questioned why there would be two versions of the same painting. Burt then took Dylan and Irving into the storeroom and introduced them as friends to the rest of the O&D employees.[6]
Burt took Irving to a plant-filled room. He said he'd found it a while back and used it as a secret place for himself and wanted to share it with Irving. They talked about their relationship and Irving decided that he wasn't ready for a romantic relationship with Burt. Burt said that was fine, but asked him to stay in the room with him.
When the entire MDR team came to O&D, Burt led them into the storeroom and introduced the two teams. They shared their mutual lack of knowledge of what they were actually working on and decided that Burt and Mark, as the department heads, would reach out to the goat room, the other department they were aware of, and figure out what they knew. Their conversation was interrupted when Milchick came in and returned the MDR team to their department.[7]
When Burt's outie decided to retire, Milchick helped Burt plan a retirement party for his innie. Irving, who had sneaked out of MDR to check on Burt, attended along with the other members of O&D. Milchick tried to order him to leave, but Burt persuaded Milchick to let him stay on the condition that he stayed quiet. They watched a video his outie recorded and then took turns saying goodbye to him.[8]
Burt was at home with his husband when Irving came to the door, calling for Burt.[9]
After Irving's visit, Burt began watching Irving.[10] When Irving noticed this and confronted him, he said he wanted to know who came to his porch and started yelling his name. When talking to Irving, he realized it wasn't him at all, but his innie. He told Irving he'd been let go from Lumon a few weeks prior and was told it was because he had an inappropriate relationship with another worker. He and his husband Fields both believed it was Irving. Burt invited Irving to join him and Fields for dinner the next night and Irving said he'd be there.[11]
Irving came over for the dinner and Fields prepared a ham and corn for them to eat. At the dinner, there was some awkward moments when Burt and Irving's innies' relationship was mentioned. They also told Irving that Burt had decided to get severed after their pastor said that their church's position was that innies were separate individuals with souls and would be judged on their own after they died. Since Outie Burt had had a sordid youth, they saw it as a way for a part of Burt to go to heaven with Fields. As they continued talk, Burt said that they used to call each other Hon, but about ten years ago, it became Attila. Fields corrected that it was twenty years ago, which he remembered because they were out to dinner with Burt's Lumon partner. When Irving pointed out that the first severed office opened twelve years ago, Burt played it off as him being confused and suggested he quit drinking for the night. Fields ignored this and took another sip of his wine. Then he pointed out that there was a non-zero chance that Burt and Irving's innies had had unprotected sex. Despite this, he said he wasn't mad, that he truly believed that innies deserved to experience love. As Burt walked Irving out, he told Irving that Fields would be embarrassed once he sobered up, but he'd be okay. Irving suggested they do it again and said he was okay with it being with Fields or just the two of them.[1]
Irving came home one day to find Burt waiting for him, reading Irving's notes, which suggested that Burt was a low-level enforcer or goon for Lumon. Irving backed off, saying he'd realized he was wrong, but Burt asked Irving to go for a ride with him. Burt drove Irving and Radar to a train station. On the way, he told Irving he never hurt anyone. He just drove people placed and didn't ask what happened once they go there. When they got to the train station, Burt gave him a ticket that went as far as Irving could go. He said he couldn't know where Irving got off and he could never return to Kier. Then he told Irving he severed because he liked the idea of part of him being innocent again. Then that part of him fell in love with Irving. Irving said he wanted what his innie had and leaned toward Burt, but Burt said they couldn't and pulled back. They shook hands, said goodbye, and Irving got on the train.[2]
Personality[]
Burt's Innie persona Burt G. is a very kind and soft-spoken man, behaving in a friendly manner toward his fellow Lumon employees and will stop to chat with them. He is a firm believer in the original teachings of Kier and dislikes the amendments made to the Compliance Handbook, preferring the first edition.
His Outie persona is slightly harder-edged, likely in part due to his checkered past in which he worked as a "low-level enforcer or goon" for Lumon. However, when tasked with dealing with Irving Bailiff to prevent interruptions to Lumon's plans, he decided to help Irving escape from Lumon rather than "dispose" of him.
Physical Description[]
Burt is an older man with pale skin and blue eyes. He has grey hair that he keeps short and neatly styled, and a happy, friendly face. He is always seen in his blue Optics and Design coat and wearing his green identification badge on a lanyard.
Relationships[]
Burt's Innie seemed to be well-liked by his co-workers in O&D, and especially could often be found working alongside his friend Felicia.
Burt and Irving's Innies developed romantic feelings for one another prior to Burt's retirement from O&D. Burt's Outie has a husband named Fields, whom he lives with in a modest single-level ranch home in a southeast neighborhood of Kier. Their relationship became mildly strained when Burt's Innie was fired for having an "unsanctioned erotic engagement" with a Severed coworker, after which Irving's Innie came to their home during the OTC incident.
Quotes[]
- Burt G: "Well, it's rare to meet a sophisticate."
"The Grim Barbarity of Optics and Design"
- Burt G: "People are weird."
- Burt G: "Irving, you know, the Lumon manual doesn’t say anything about lip-to-lip contact."
- Burt G: "Mark and I should make contact with this goat department, see what they know. And we can each bring one aide-de-camp."
Notes and Trivia[]
- Burt prefers the teachings of the first edition Lumon Compliance Handbook.
- Burt G. and Felicia were originally believed to be the only two members of the Optics and Design department by the Macrodata Refinement department.
- He likes expensive red wine.[11]
- He and Fields live at 3329 Gull Harbor Rd. Kier, PE.[1]
Gallery[]
Promotional[]
Appearances[]
| Season 1 | |||||
| #01 | "Good News About Hell" | #04 | "The You You Are" | #07 | "Defiant Jazz" |
| #02 | "Half Loop" | #05 | "The Grim Barbarity of Optics and Design" | #08 | "What's for Dinner?" |
| #03 | "In Perpetuity" | #06 | "Hide and Seek" | #09 | "The We We Are" |
| Season 2 | |||||
| #01 | "Hello, Ms. Cobel" | #05 | "Trojan's Horse" | #09 | "2.09" |
| #02 | "Goodbye, Mrs. Selvig" | #06 | "Attila" | #10 | "2.10" |
| #03 | "Who Is Alive?" | #07 | "Chikhai Bardo" | ||
| #04 | "Woe's Hollow" | #08 | "Sweet Vitriol" | ||
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Attila, 2x06
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The After Hours, 2x09
- ↑ Half Loop, 1x02
- ↑ In Perpetuity, 1x03
- ↑ The You You Are, 1x04
- ↑ The Grim Barbarity of Optics and Design, 1x05
- ↑ Hide and Seek, 1x06
- ↑ Defiant Jazz, 1x07
- ↑ The We We Are, 1x09
- ↑ Goodbye, Mrs. Selvig, 2x02
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Trojan's Horse, 2x05