Severance Season 2, episode 1: Why does Helly lie about what she saw?
After three long years, Severance is finally back with its second season, and things are just as mysterious and confusing as ever.
The good news? After a disorientating start, where it seems Mark (Adam Scott) has had his team replaced, he finally reunites with Dylan (Zach Cherry), Irving (John Turturro), and Helly (Britt Lower). The bad news? Helly decides to lie to them about what she saw on the outside at the end of Season 1.
What happens with Helly in Severance Season 2, episode 1?
We know from Season 1's final episode who Helly really is on the outside of the severed floor: She's actually Helena Eagan, a direct descendant of Lumen founder/CEO Kier Eagan and the daughter of the current Lumon CEO. While on the outside she takes to the stage to give a speech, telling the confused audience that the innies are "prisoners," declaring, "They torture us down there!" before being tackled by security.
In the first episode of the second season, however, Helly has a different story for her friends. Instead of telling them who she is on the outside, she tells them that when she woke up, she was in an apartment by herself.
"I was watching some nature show on TV, wearing sweatpants and a T-shirt," says Helly. "Then I went outside and found a guy; he looked like a gardener. Told him everything. I think he kind of thought it was bullshit, but he said that his brother was a cop and that he would tell him everything. I don't know. Sorry, guys. I really tried."
Why does Helly lie to the others about what she saw?
There are really only three possible explanations as to why Helly might be lying to the others. The first, and maybe most likely, is that she's ashamed. Her outie isn't just an employee at Lumon — she's literally one of the higher-ups. To some extent, she's responsible for what the innies go through on the severed floor. Perhaps Helly lies because she doesn't want her friends to think badly of her?
The second option is that she's lying because Lumon has some kind of leverage over her. Maybe they're forcing her to tell a certain story, and have threatened her with something bad happening if she doesn't.
The third and most out-there option is that she's not really innie Helly at all. Maybe, just maybe, the Helly who rejoins Mark and the others is her outie counterpart, Helena, in disguise as her innie in order to gain information about what the others know.
Severance Season 2 is streaming now on Apple TV+, with a new episode every week.