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The After Hours

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"The After Hours" is the ninth episode in the second season of the Apple TV+ thriller series Severance. It was released on March 14, 2025.

Synopsis[]

Outie Mark and Devon team with an unexpected ally to enact a plan. Innie Helly investigates Mark's absence while Dylan receives hard news.

Plot[]

Helena swims laps in a pool.

Helena meets with Jame, who says it's a momentous day. He decides just to watch while she eats. She starts eating her hard-boiled egg and says they're seeing to Irving Bailiff. Jame watches her eat and says he wishes she'd take them raw.

Helena rides in the back of a car.

Milchick reveals a bust of Kier, which he presents to Miss Huang for completing her Wintertide Fellowship. He congratulates her and says her bed will be moved from her parents' home to the Gunnel Eagan Empathy Center in Svalbard, where she'll work on global reforms. Miss Huang thought she'd be finishing the quarter, but Milchick says no. She'll finish the day and a shuttle will pick her up. He instructs her to put her ring toss game on the table. As the handbook requires, he has her smash it with the Kier bust as a material sacrifice.

Gretchen tells Dylan that Asher picked up their kids. Then she confesses to him that she kissed his Innie. He is confused by this and then betrayed. She says his innie reminds him of how he used to be. Dylan says he's going to go to work to earn a paycheck to feed their children and asks that she not follow him there and use his body to cheat on him. He realizes he has no way to know if that's happening or not, so he says maybe he'll quit and end his innie's existence.

Irving comes home and finds Burt waiting for him. Burt reads from Irving's notes on Lumon, a portion about Burt possibly being a low-level enforcer or goon for Lumon. Burt says they never used words like that. Lumon uses very specific language. Irving says he knows now that he was wrong and Burt isn't with them. Burt asks Irving to go for a ride with him. When Irving hesitates, Burt stands and repeats his request.

Dr. Mauer watches Gemma on a screen. He sees that Cold Harbor is still at 96%. He calls Drummond and asks why it's not moving.

Drummond calls Milchick and asks why the numbers aren't moving. Milchick says Mark must just be running late. Drummond says the final quota was promised today and tells Milchick to get Mark in.

Helly arrives at work, but finds no one else there.

Devon drives Mark somewhere, asking him questions to test him. He thinks this was a mistake, but she thinks his plan was much worse. Mark doesn't think they can trust Cobel. They get to the meeting spot, but Cobel isn't there yet. Mark worries that it's a trap. Devon says whether it is or not, they need Cobel. Mark gets a call from Milchick. Devon tells him not to answer.

Helly goes to Milchick's office and asks where Mark is because he hasn't come in for two days. Milchick can't tell her. Helly says Mark had a nosebleed and she's worried he's not okay. Milchick questions why she cares and says Dylan will act as department chief in his absence. When he dismisses her, calling her Helly R. she asks if that shouldn't be Helly E. He says Helena is his employer while Helly is his subordinate. Helly leaves.

Gretchen tells Dylan's innie that she told his outie about them and he didn't take it well. Dylan thinks he should be happy for them because he's making Gretchen happy and his outie isn't. Gretchen says she can't see him anymore. Dylan threatened to quit and he might regardless, but maybe he won't if she tells him it's over. Dylan appeals to Gretchen, begging her to stay because he has nothing else in his life. He offers her a ring he made for her, but she leaves.

Dylan is back at his desk, holding the ring. Helly tells him he should keep it and give it to someone he meets at Lumon. He says it's just O&D and the goat people. Helly reminds him that's all they know of. Dylan says Gretchen is his wife, but Helly reminds him she's not his wife. If she loved him, she wouldn't treat him like this, the way all the outies treat them. Dylan says it doesn't matter, because they're still stuck with no lives and no families. Helly reminds him that Irving was his family and Irving left him a message. She doesn't know where it leads, but Irving thought it was important and Lumon convinced Dylan to turn his back on Irving for Gretchen. Dylan reminds Helly it's her fault they're down there. She says that isn't her. Dylan asks how they couldn't tell when she was gone if they're so different from their outies. Helly reminds him that Irving knew. Dylan says Mark didn't.

Cobel arrives at the meeting place. She asks Mark how he is and he answers sarcastically. Cobel says they're allies now. Devon asks if she can take them to the birthing cabin so they can talk to Mark's innie. She says not yet. It's perilous even in the dark. They have to wait until nighttime. Cobel says they don't even know if Mark has completed the file yet. She assumes he hasn't. Mark asks which file and she says Cold Harbor. If he's completed it, Gemma is already dead. Mark threatens Cobel, saying she better be alive. He wants to leave, but Cobel says she's trying to help him. She tells Mark to call Milchick and tell him he isn't coming in because he's sick. If Milchick smells chicanery, he'll lock Mark out of the building. Mark doesn't want to do it, but Devon says they don't have any choice but to do what she asks.

Helly goes to the Break Room and retrieves Irving's map.

Burt drives with Irving and Radar. He tells Irving he never hurt anyone. He just drove people places and didn't ask what happened once they got there. Irving asks if that's what he's doing now.

Dylan fills out his resignation paperwork while Miss Huang and Milchick watch. Milchick says this is disappointing and shows a lack of gratitude. Dylan ignores that and finishes. He hands over his keycard and Milchick sends him to wait by the elevator. Miss Huang apologizes for not facilitating better. Dylan says it's not her fault.

Drummond is angry with Milchick, who is supposed to be tightening the leash, but has no idea where Mark is. It was supposed to be Lumon's finest day. Drummond blames Milchick. Milchick says he followed protocol. Drummond says he used a needlessly complex word and orders Milchick to apologize. Milchick apologizes but Drummond wants him to make that short, so Milchick says he's sorry. Drummond tells him to do it again. Milchick instead uses more complex language to tell Drummond to eat shit. He's the manager of the severed floor. That commands some respect even by superiors. And he is only responsible for the severed floor, not what employees do when they're not there. That's Drummond's responsibility.

Mark calls Milchick and says he's worried about his nosebleeds, so they drove to a clinic. Milchick wants to bring Mark to Lumon for care, but Mark pivots and says he just needs the day. Milchick asks why and Mark refuses to tell him. He just has life stuff. Lumon is all about balance. Milchick asks for his word that he'll report to work tomorrow. Mark promises he'll be there.

Burt buys a train ticket. He gives it to Irving, telling him the line goes as far as he can go. Burt can't know where he gets off and Irving can never come back to Kier. Irving doesn't understand. He ask if Lumon won't come after Burt for sparing Irving. Burt says he severed because he liked the idea of being innocent again, part of him. Then the innocent part of him fell in love with Irving. Irving wants to remember that, but Burt says it's probably better that they don't. Irving's never really been loved before. Burt tells him now he has and asks how it feels. Irving doesn't know and asks if Burt doesn't want to know how it feels. Burt says it's not possible and tells Irving to go. Irving wants to have what he had with Burt. He's ready. He leans in toward Burt, repeating that he's ready. Burt says they can't and pulls back. They shake hands and say goodbye.

Dylan sits, looking at the elevator.

Miss Huang waits outside.

Irving gets on the train with Radar.

Burt sits at the train station.

Dylan gets on the elevator.

A shuttle picks up Miss Huang.

Dylan waits in the elevator.

Burt leaves the station.

Once it's dark, Mark climbs into the back of the truck and Cobel and Devon hide him.

The elevator at to the testing floor chimes.

Helly sits alone in the dark, memorizing the directions on Irving's map. Jame comes to see her, saying she tricked him, his Helly. Helly is confused.

Cobel drives to Damona Birthing Retreat with Devon in the passenger seat pretending to be pregnant and Mark in the truck bed. When they get there, she uses coded language to get the gate guard to let them through to cottage five.

Mark's innie activates inside the cabin. Devon assures him he's okay. He tries to leave, but Devon tells him he'll just come right back in if he does. She leads him upstairs, where Cobel is waiting. Devon asks if Mark remembers the last thing he said to her, about someone being alive.

Cast[]

Starring[]

Guest Starring[]

Co-Starring[]

Notes and Trivia[]

  • When speaking with the guard at the Damona Birthing Retreat, Cobel says "Marsha White, ninth floor," to which the guard replies "Specialties Department," followed by Cobel saying, "I'm looking for a gold thimble." This phrase is taken from the thirty-fourth episode of the Twilight Zone, also titled "The After Hours," which features a mannequin that comes to life and believes she is a human.
    • The thirty-fifth Twilight Zone episode following The After Hours is titled "The Mighty Casey," which features a main character who is secretly a robot. Given that the tenth episode of Severance Season 2 is titled "Cold Harbor" and thus presumably focuses on Gemma (Miss Casey), this may indicate a second layer of meaning behind the naming of this episode.
  • It’s unclear whether Mark has been fully reintegrated by this point, but judging from the fact that his chip still functions the same in the cabin, it can be presumed the process is still not completed
  • Miss Huang’s first name is revealed to be Eustace
  • This episode marks the return of Mark’s Innie after being absent since episode 6

Gallery[]

Promotional Stills[]

Screenshots[]

References[]

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