Chikhai Bardo

Mark is promoted to lead a team of employees who've had their memories surgically divided between their work and personal lives.

Plot
A redheaded woman wakes up lying facedown on a table hearing a voice coming from a nearby speaker asking who she is. The question is repeated when she doesn't answer. As she wakes up, the voice says he got ahead of himself and he asks if she'd take a brief survey. He thinks it'll make her feel better. She asks who's speaking to her. She gets off the table and tries to open the door, but it's locked. The voice says he'd like to chat after they complete the survey. She says she won't take the survey and continues trying to get out of the room. When she realizes she can't, she agrees to complete the survey. When she asks what she gets at the end, he says that depends on her answers. The first question is who she is. She thinks. He says if she can't answer the question, it's okay to say she doesn't know. Next he asks what state or territory she was born in. She doesn't know that either. Next, he asks her to name any state or territory. She says Delaware. The next question is about Mr. Eagan's favorite breakfast. That doesn't make sense to her. The final question is what color her mother's eyes are. She doesn't know and asks what's happening. He reviews her answers with her and she asks what he did to her. Mark S., the source of the voice, opens the door and says she got a perfect score.

Mark sits in his car and cries. After some time, he stops crying, checks his watch, puts on his badge, and gets out of his car. Then he walks toward a large office building. Inside, Florence sees him and uses the phone to call someone and asks if they're ready for him. After a moment, she hangs up and tells him to go ahead. Mark goes past a sign that says SVR'D ACCESS and enters a locker room. There, he takes off his coat, then trades his watch and badge for different ones and changes his shoes. He exits the locker room and Judd greets him and checked him with a wand before allowing him to enter an elevator. In the elevator, Mark goes through a transition. He exits and makes his way through several hallways and into Macrodata Refinement. He sits down at his desk, which has a picture of him with three other men and a light-up desk ornament with his face on it. Dylan George notices he's breathing weird and asks if he's getting sick. Mark says maybe and remembers that Petey was sniffling the day before. Dylan says he'll rip Mark's larynx out if he breathes on him. Dylan is working at another station. He hopes Petey isn't out for the day because he's close to finishing a file and needs Petey to process it. Mark thinks he's out and he opens a file on his computer, filling the screen with numbers. It's 19% complete. Irving Bailiff comes in, jokingly asking them what's for dinner. Dylan reminds Irving that they hate that greeting. They have eight reasons. They tell him they think Petey's sick. Dylan is irritated about Petey being out because if he doesn't see Dylan finishing his file, Dylan might get passed over for Refiner of the Quarter and miss out on his waffle party. Irving says the perks are getting out of hand. They used to get a handshake and a refill on the creamer. Dylan doesn't believe him, but Irving insists it's true. Mr. Milchick comes in and greets them. He asks Mark to come have a word with him.

Milchick leads Mark down several hallways to Ms. Cobel's new office. The last time Mark was in her office, it was a completely different one. Mark asks what this is about, but Milchick ignores him and just says a compliment about the office would make her day. They enter Administration and then Cobel's office. Mark compliments it, but when she says it's horrid, he says the old one was better. Cobel says he looks hungover and tells him to sit. Milchick plugs a speaker in to her computer as she says the board will be joining them remotely. Cobel announces that Mark is at her desk. Mark says hello and assumes this is about him acting as department chief for the day. He's subbed for Petey before, so it shouldn't be a big deal. Cobel says Petey is no longer with the company. Milchick says he's sorry because Mark and Petey were one of his favorite office friendships. Mark asks why they didn't get any notice of this. Policy prohibits them from telling him anything. Cobel has Mark put his key card on her desk then tells him he's the new Macrodata Refinement department chief. He takes his new key card and shakes Cobel's hand. Milchick gives Mark a binder and Cobel says Irving will be there to help him run the training, as it's his first time. Mark thanks the board as he goes to leave, but Cobel says they won't be contributing vocally to the meeting.

Irving says the last woman they had in MDR was Carol, who sat in Dylan's old seat. Mark says they'll be fine. Irving knows Mark and Petey were close because Petey was the only person who really appreciated Mark's humor. Mark asks about starting with the input survey. Milchick says that's standard and says to start with 1A and continue based on her answers. He asks what if he just talks to her, but Milchick says she deserves to have the information presented in the proper order. Mark looks at the binder and Irving tells him the trainee has to ask three times before Mark can let her leave. Mark underlines that. Milchick has the television set up with the feed. He leaves, telling them to start when they're ready. Mark starts by asking her who she is. Irving says he skipped the preamble. Mark apologizes and goes back to that. He reads directly from the script. The woman rattles the doorknob as Mark starts the survey. Irving says she's going to break in, but Mark says she won't.

Milchick asks Cobel if he should help when they see the woman trying to escape. Cobel tells him no.

Mark tells the woman she got a perfect score. He apologizes for skipping the preamble. She asks if she's livestock, grown as a food. He says she isn't. She asks what her name is and he says she's Helly R. He invites her to sit. He thanks her for taking the survey and says she's at an orientation. He explains that she's been hired to a position on the severed floor of Lumon Industries. Mark flips through the binder when she asks what that is. He says she's confused about the Severance Procedure, but before they talk about that, he wants to talk about the work/life balance. Before he can continue, she picks up the speaker, throws it at him, and goes for the door again, but it's still locked. He asks her to sit back down, which she does. He tells her he's Mark and a few years ago, he woke up on the table just like she did. A voice asked him 19 times who he was. When he realized he couldn't answer, he told the voice he would find him and kill him. He didn't kill the voice. Instead, that voice became his best friend, Petey. There's a life to be had at Lumon. He goes back to the script, but she slams his binder shut and asks to be let out. He tells her to ask him again because she's asked twice. She tells him she'd like to leave the building now. He reads from the script, saying they'll get her out of there. He knocks on the door and has Irving open it.

Mark leads Helly through several hallways. He explains that the departments are all spaced out but they'll fill in because Lumon is planning an expansion. She asks if she's part of that. He says no, she's a replacement. She asks for whom. Mark shows Helly to her stairwell and tells her he's not allowed to see. He can't watch her leave. He waits around the corner as Helly goes to the stairwell door. She opens the door only to find herself in the same hallway, facing the way she came. She tries again and again finds herself in the hallway. She tries running through it, but that doesn't work either. All the while, Mark waits just out of view. She asks him if she's dead and he says no. She asks why she can't leave and he says she did, but she came back. He leads her back.

Milchick puts a bandage on the wound on Mark's forehead while Cobel says Helly weaponized office equipment on her first day, so she'll be fun. Cobel understands the urge to pummel Mark, but they both have to be strong. There's only one part of her orientation left and Mark can't screw it up because it's a video. She gives Helly a disk and welcomes her to Lumon. Helly picks up the disk, which has her name on it and leaves, walking past Mark. Mark goes into Cobel's office and sits down at her request. He asks if she's mad and she says she is. Her mother was an atheist and used to say there was good news and bad news about hell. The good was that it was just the product of a morbid human imagination. The bad news is that whatever humans can imagine, they can usually create. Mark doesn't understand. Cobel says a department like his can be so good or so bad. The difference is the people.

Back in MDR, with Irving, Dylan, and Mark working at their desks, Milchick starts the video for Helly. It features her outie self two hours ago, consenting to going through the severance procedure, separating her memories from work and her personal life. She won't remember anything about the world outside when she's on the severed floor and won't remember the severed floor when she's outside. She's aware that it's comprehensive and irreversible. Once the video is done, Milchick sends Helly to her desk. She asks if she'll ever leave there. Mark says she'll leave at 5:00. Well, actually 5:15 as their exits were staggered. But it won't feel like she has left to this version of her. She asks if she has a family and he says she'll never know. She asks if she doesn't have a choice and Mark says every time she finds herself there, it's because a version of herself chose to come.

Mark leaves the severed floor. He passes Judd on the way out and says good night. Then he trades his innie's things for his own and leaves. When he gets out of his car, he finds an enveloped addressed to him on the windshield. Inside is a note saying he hit an overhead projector slide and that's how he hurt his forehead. As an apology, they've enclosed a VIP gift card to Pip's Bar and Grille. He feels the bandage on his forehead and then gets in his car to leave.

As he drives, he nearly hits Helly, though they don't recognize each other. He drives to Baird Creek Manor and pulls into his driveway. He goes inside and gets a beer out of the fridge. He drinks it while watching television.

In the morning, Mark goes to take his recycling can out, but find the space occupied by his neighbor's can. He goes back inside and calls her to talk to her about it, reminding her that trash is tomorrow and recycling is today. With both hers there, there's no room for his.

Mark is sitting watching television when there's a knock at the door. He opens it to find Devon Scout-Hale, his sister, who asks if he forgot. He says yes, so she offers to wait while he puts on pants.

Devon drives Mark back to her house. He asks how it's dinner if there's no dinner. Devon says he owes her because she was a better sibling to him when they were kids. She also thought he'd want to be around people as he gets close to the anniversary. He says no. She notices his forehead and he says it's okay because he got a gift card to Pip's. She tells him to enjoy. He says he will without her.

At Devon's, Ricken, her husband, answers the door and corrects Mark when he calls him Rick.

They sit around a table with Ricken's friends. They have water, but no food. Patton says people overlook that life isn't food. Food is just fuel. Ricken and Rebeck agree, but Devon says Mark and their dad used to have "whiskey is life" carved on a flask. Danise says Ricken told them he's a former history professor. She asks for his take on this. He says he's not sure because he taught mostly about World War I. Patton says he was just reading something about the levels of violence throughout history and it said that they actually called it the Great War and it would have been a faux pas to call it World War I. Mark says that it wasn't called World War I until World War II had happened. Ricken says that Mark's late wife Gemma was a Russian literature professor, but now Mark works for Lumon. He says it's been about two years. They ask if he designs the medicines and he says no. Patton thought Lumon was more on the technology side of things, but Danise says they started in with 1800s with topical salves. They seem to make everything now though. Mark says he's in the corporate archives division. Patton says he knows all the dirty secrets then. Ricken says Mark's work is sensitive enough to require the severance procedure. The others are intrigued by this. Devon says that's Mark's choice to tell people or not and Ricken apologizes. Danise finds it fascinating. She wishes she could do it, but she'd always be thinking about the other her. Mark says there is no other one. It's him doing the job. She asks what it feels like. Patton says it's simple. One's memories are bifurcated so you have no recollection of work when you're not there. He asks if he got that right. Before Mark can answer, Danise asks if you go into work at nine, is it suddenly five and you're leaving. Mark says they stagger them a bit. Patton says when you're at work, you can't access outside memories. In effect, that version of you is trapped there. Mark challenges him on his phrasing. Ricken tries to redirect the conversation. He says Mark made a controversial choice, but he stands behind Mark without reservation. The others agree. Ricken thinks the lack of food has allowed them to dig in on a much deeper level. Patton has a friend in Lima who hasn't had a food-based dinner even in a long time.

Devon cuts a sandwich in half and asks if Mark will forgive her for $3000. He says her child is innocent, so he'll wait until after it's born to murder her. She gives him the sandwich and asks him how therapy is going. She realizes he's not going anymore. He says the work thing has helped. She's proud of him for taking the job and thinks Gemma would have been as well, but she feels like forgetting about Gemma for eight hours a day isn't the same thing as healing. She offers to let him crash there since he's already there. He says no because her house smells like pregnancy. She makes a joke referencing Danise's questions, then says he's definitely staying there.

Ricken shows Mark the baby's room. He's making all the sheets himself, so he won't finish with the big one for some time. In the meantime, Mark is stuck in a twin bed. Mark still doesn't understand the three beds. Devon says Ricken's colleague told them that switching beds as the child grows can wound the child, but providing all the beds the child will have at birth will allow it to progress across the room at its own rate. Ricken thinks people really enjoyed Mark tonight. They say good night.

Mark lies awake late at night. He gets up and goes to the kitchen for some water. As he drinks it, he notices someone standing outside. Mark goes outside, but after a vehicle passes, the person is gone. Mark goes back inside.

In the morning, Mark tells Devon he's been up for a while. He tells her about the man in the yard. He says the man looked at him weirdly, like he knew him. She asks if the prowler invading her home made him feel seen. Mark says yes. Devon thinks it was just a stumbler from the bar down the hill. She says Mark smells like a distillery. He says he had to drown out the memory of their mom and dad switching out his beds when they were kids.

Back at home, Mark cleans his gutters. He looks out in the distance.

Mark gets a call from Mrs. Selvig as he looks at the Pip's menu. He goes over the trash versus recycling schedule with her again. He tells her he can't talk because he's out to dinner. The man he saw sits down across from him and tells him to hang up. Mark tells Mrs. Selvig his food is there so he has to go. The man says, "Hi, kids. What's for dinner?" Mark is confused, so the man apologizes because he doesn't get the reference. Mark asks if the man is following him. The man says Mark's voice is different here, worse. He says he's Petey from work. Mark says that's not possible because everyone in his department is severed. He says he was, too. Mark says it's permanent. Petey says bypassing the implant wasn't easy, but he had help. Mark asks if he was unhappy at work and couldn't just lodge a complaint. Petey says he tried that first and so did Mark. Mark says Petey has unsecured and now he thinks they're after him. Petey says yes, Graner is probably out there right now. Mark asks if that's a person he knew. Petey says they both know him and don't like him. Petey gives Mark a red envelope and says nothing is like they say down there. If something happens to him, the things he knows need to stay known. He'd prefer it to be by a friend. Mark asks if they're friends. Petey says he's Mark's best friend and Mark is his very good friend.

Mark opens the envelope. Inside is a card, a birthday card for a niece. Petey apologizes for that, saying he knows it's not appropriate but he had to grab something. They used to wonder what kind of men they were on the outside, the choices they'd made and why. He used to think it would take a monster to put someone in a place like that office, especially if that someone was himself. But they're not monsters. He won't force Mark to know what's going on down there, but if he wants to know, there's an address on the back of the card. If he goes there, alone, he'll find the beginning of a very long answer. On the back is "499 Half Loop Rd."

At home, Mark talks to Mrs. Selvig. She's embarrassed that she mixed up the bins. He says it's no problem. She asks how his dinner was. He says it was fine, but he's tired. She tells him about her mother, who was Catholic. She used to say it takes the saints eight hours to bless a sleeping child. She hopes Mark wasn't rushing the saints. Mark promises to give them ample time that night. Before he goes inside, Mrs. Selvig tells him he's a good person. Mark goes inside.

Good News About Hell

The team train new hire Helly on macrodata refinement. Mark takes a day off to meet with a mysterious former colleague.

Plot
Helly records her attestation video prior to her severance procedure. Once she's done, Milchick stop recording and shows her around, explaining what will happen to her severed self. They look at the carving of Kier and Milchick says he loves seeing the sunrise on Kier's face. He used to eat three raw eggs in milk each morning, his favorite breakfast. Helly has heard that. Milchick takes her to a room where she'll be prepped for her procedure.

Helly talks as her procedure is started, saying she heard it doesn't hurt. Milchick tells her to relax as her head is opened. Someone drills into the back of her skull and then inserts her implant. Milchick says he'll let her know how it went later. He's very excited to meet her.

Helly enters through the stairwell. Milchick says her orientation has been fun. She asks where she is. He explains that sometimes, when a severed employee is having a hard time adjusting, they'll bring them to the stairwell. She asks if she's trying to leave and he says no. It's just part of the process. She just needs to turn around and go back in. He welcomes her again moments later. He says it's not a problem and tells her to give it another shot. Once she's in, he tells someone on the phone that it's going fair. Then Helly comes diving back through the door. Milchick helps her up and she realizes she doesn't want to be in there. Milchick says she's learning that she does. When they heard she was coming, it was like a miracle. What she's doing is amazing. Helly goes back in again. At the end of the day, she emerges from the elevator. Milchick greets her with flowers.

Mark enters Macrodata Refinement and turns on the lights. He grabs the Senior Refiner Morning Checklists and starts completing the tasks, including making coffee and refilling the bathroom soap. As he dusts the picture of himself with Dylan, Irving, and Petey, he pauses to look at Petey. He takes the copy of the picture from each of their desks and puts them in the storage closet behind some boxes. Helly finds him there and asks if it's tomorrow now. He tells her it's actually Monday. She doesn't even feel like she left and an entire weekend happened. He says that's how nights and weekends feel for them. She'll get used to it. He finds it helpful to focus on the effects of sleep since they don't get to experience sleep itself. She might feel rejuvenated or happy. It's 9:05. He says they stagger their entries so they don't meet on the outside, which they find important. She asks if they're not friends. He says he guesses not.

Dylan tells Helly about Tumwater, which he started eleven weeks ago. He's 96% through sorting it, so he's earned four of the five tier incentives. He shows her the erasers and finger traps he has earned. 100% completion is tier five, which gets you a caricature portrait. He pulls a drawer open to show her he has several of those. Each one represents a finished file. She asks if that's the highest reward. He says for percentages, yes, but if they hit their numbers by quarter's end, one of them gets named refiner of the quarter, which gets you a waffle party. He tells her he's a deadlock for that this quarter, so she shouldn't get her hopes up. She asks him about Mark's crystal head cube, but Dylan explains that that wasn't a prize, just a gift they gave him. From under the desk, Mark asks Helly to flip on the console. She turns it on and Mark opens the Siena file for her. Irving interrupts to ask Mark about him removing the group pictures from their desks. Mark says he did that because they'll be taking a new group picture today at Helly's party. Mark shows Helly the contents of the file and says everything in it falls into one of four categories. They group each line and sort it evenly between five digital buckets. He has her poke around. Irving interrupts again to say the old photos are supposed to stay on the desk until the new ones come in. Mark doesn't answer him. Helly asks if the data is supposed to make sense to her. Mark says no, it's all encoded. She'll categorize it based on how each line makes her feel. Category one numbers will feel sort of scary, for example. Helly is bewildered by this. Mark says it doesn't make sense until you see it and it'll take a while to see it. Irving comes up with the passage in the handbook about changing group photos, which he has printed out. Helly asks if she's trapped there or if she can quit. Mark says she can submit a resignation request with her outside self for review, but he and Dylan admit they tend to be rejected. Plus this version of her only exists and Lumon, so quitting would mean she ceases to exist. Milchick comes in with a melon bar and welcomes Helly, saying she's fitting in and they should get this party started.

Milchick starts the game by rolling the ball to Irving, who introduces himself and says he's worked there for three years. Something about him is that he knows all nine core Lumon principles. Milchick asks which is his favorite and he hesitates for a moment before saying all nine, but for today, Cheer. He stands up to and starts to do a trust fall. Milchick stops him, saying there's no trust fall today. Irving sits down and rolls the ball to Helly over her objection. She picks it up and says she's been at Lumon for ten hours and doesn't know anything about herself. She tosses the ball to Milchick, who tosses it back, saying she knows something. She insists she doesn't. She went home last night, but she doesn't know what home is. Dylan likes to think his outie lives on a riverboat. Helly asks what an outie is. Mark says their outies are them in the outside world beyond the severed floor of Lumon. She saw hers yesterday in the video. Helly says she has some things to say to her outie and asks if she can record something back. Irving laughs. Milchick says communication between selves is curtailed. Helly asks about writing her outie a note. Milchick says the elevators are equipped with code detectors so messages can't be passed through. Helly tries to ask in another way, but Milchick says she's not understanding the game. He takes the ball from her and says she's Helly. She's 30 years old, is allergic to almonds, and has weak enamel. At 5'6", she's the fourth tallest person in the office and her hair is shoulder-length. And seeing her with them, he would say she has a family. Next, Mark gets the ball. He says he's Mark and he's been with Lumon for two years. And he loves this game. Milchick says he said that last time. Mark thinks for a minute and then says he broke protocol this morning. He was dusting the old group photos and it made him feel sad to see Petey and worried that he wouldn't be able to run MDR like Petey. Dylan has similar worries. So he put the photos in the storage closet, which they aren't supposed to do. Irving notes his objection. Milchick finds his reaction sweet, but is puzzled that Mark would have an outburst like this over Petey and not for Carol D. Mark says they knew Carol D. was leaving before she did and her outie filmed a thank you. Petey was just gone and they don't know what happened to him. Milchick interrupts him as he lists possibilities. He says it's a good time to remind themselves that things like deaths happen outside of Lumon. A life at Lumon is protected from such things. They should have gratitude for that. Milchick then redirects them back to the melon bar.

Dylan struggles to choose melon. Irving looks at his and then puts it down. He notices something black under his fingernails. Mark apologizes to Helly for derailing her game. Helly admits that while she already had, he definitely made it worse. She asks how he'll find out if Petey's okay. Mark says Milchick was clear and Helly is surprised that he's done asking questions about his best friend suddenly disappearing. Mark defends Milchick, saying it's best to listen when he says to do things because he can't always be nice like that. Milchick calls their attention to take a new group photo.

They all line up against the wall for the picture. Milchick takes several shots and then Helly walks away. She says she's not going to work here anymore. She writes a note on a notepad, saying she doesn't want to do any of it. Mark says they told her there's code detectors. She asks if he's tried because it sounds made up to her. Mark follows her as she walks down the hall. She runs when she notices him following. She puts her access card into the elevator and gets on. The lights immediately turn red and Mark is shut out away from her. Doug Graner appears as Helly tries to force the elevator doors closed. He stops the lights from flashing and tells Helly to come out of the elevator. He takes the note from her and tells her to come with him. Mark calls to him and says Helly's a wayward trainee. He says it's his first time training and he must have forgotten to go over data-smuggling rules with her. He introduces Helly to Graner and takes the blame for Helly tripping the alarm. Graner says it's on him as department chief and has Mark come with him.

Graner leads Mark to the Break Room and lets him inside. Mark walks down a long, narrow hallway toward a room where Cobel is waiting.

Outie Mark asks Alexa about being a midwife. She's attended over 300 births, mostly back in Montana. She says they get about two per day depending. Mark takes another sip of his drink and realizes that amounts to about ten per week. She asks if he's vetting her for his sister. He says he isn't and she seems great. He finishes his drink. Alexa asks him about working for Lumon. He says he's in the archives division, working as a corporate historian of sorts. It's sensitive material, which is why he had to be severed. Alexa asks if he really doesn't know anything about his work. He says that's the idea. She says he could have a girlfriend at Lumon and not know it and if he met someone on the outside, he wouldn't know in there. He could be married with kids and forget they exist for eight hours every day. She asks if that doesn't mess with his head. He says that's the point for some people and takes another drink.

Mark and Alexa walk outside and she asks if the temperature feels normal to him as a local. He says he's technically from Ganz and asks if Minnesota isn't also really cold with the lakes. She says it is, but she's actually from Montana. She asks if he lives in Lumon housing and he says he lives in Baird Creek, which is subsidized by Lumon. They come across people from the Whole Mind Collective handing out fliers opposing severance. Mark approaches them and takes a flier. They explain that they're trying to keep companies like Lumon from forcing their employees to get severed. They're lobbying for it and Jame Eagan is trying to sever kids. Mark asks what about the self-mutilating types who do it willingly. They realize he's mocking him and they start arguing. Mark then looks at Alexa and they walk away.

At home, Mark drinks a beer. He goes to answer his door and finds Mrs. Selvig with a peace offering for the bin situation. He invites her in to have them with milk and she says she's experimenting with chamomile. She notices he smells nice and asks if he was on a date. He says his sister set him up with her midwife, but it didn't work out. He tries one of the cookies and grimaces, but then says they're magic. She tells him her late husband was a carpenter and before he died, he said he would start building them a house in the hereafter, with a guest apartment in the back in case she found a new man before she got there. He even drew up plans, which she keeps in her purse.

As Mark sees Mrs. Selvig out, she tells him to stop by the shop for a mugwort bath bomb to help him sleep. Mark looks at his burned-out light and goes to the basement to find a bulb. Down there, he finds some of Gemma's crafts. He closes the box.

Mark sleeps on his couch with the TV on.

The next morning, Mark finds the Whole Mind Collected flier in his pocket as he gets into his car. He goes back inside to get the card from Petey and leaves again. As he drives, Mark calls in sick to Lumon. He says it's a minor stomach event and he expects to be back tomorrow.

Irving goes to the kitchenette and asks Dylan where Mark is. Dylan says he's probably sick because they wouldn't fire him and Petey in the same week. Irving hopes not because the quarterly deadline is coming up and he isn't looking to be the department chief. Dylan says that's a lot of confidence for a man who got disciplined for sleeping at work. Irving says he can't help that he was hired older than Dylan. Helly comes in and says it never stops. Dylan agrees. She asks about Mark and Dylan says he's sick or fired, but probably sick. Helly is worried they might have fired him for her note. Dylan says no, because he did his stint in the break room.

Milchick tells Cobel about Mark calling in sick. She asks if he sounded sick. Milchick says he said it was abdominal. Graner finds the timing suspect.

Mark arrives at 499 Half Loop Road and gets out of his car.

Dylan explains that the erasers are mostly decorative since they don't have pencils. The finger traps are fun as long as you know how to use them safely. It's really about representing how far you got in the file. Helly asks why they don't always finish the files and Dylan explains that they only keep for so long. They finish about one in five before they expire. That's better than it used to be before Mark's freshman fluke. As Dylan explains that, Irving starts to nod off at his station. He dreams of black ooze spilling onto his station. He screams, which wakes him up. Milchick comes in and calls to him.

Mark explores the area, which is filled with abandoned greenhouses. Finally, he spots Petey.

Milchick explains that they'll deduct the time Irving spent sleeping from his outie's paycheck. But it'll be hard to fix his and Cobel's trust in him. He says he's sorry. Milchick says they don't want to send him to the Break Room, so he'll do a wellness check with Ms. Casey and they'll go from there. Milchick sends him into the Wellness room.

Helly looks through her file, but hasn't found anything scary yet. Dylan tells her to be patient, that she'll understand when she sees it. She asks what the numbers even are. Dylan's theory is that they're cleaning the sea. If their outies are severing their brains, things must have gotten pretty bad. Humanity's desperate, so they're cleaning up the sea so they can populate it. Irving thinks they're cutting swear words out of movies.

Mark asks what they're actually working on on the severed floor. Petey doesn't know. He thought it would make more sense without severance, but it doesn't. They separate them from the other departments and he doesn't even know how many there are. He's been reintegrated for two weeks now and he's been mapping out the floor. He points to a nearby map and says he hid the original for Mark when he left. Petey starts to cry and holds his head. Mark asks if he's okay and he says it's reintegration sickness. He's the first person who's ever had it. Living in the greenhouse isn't helping, but he can't go home. Mark asks what happens on the severed floor that's so bad. Petey says there's a room where they go when they don't act right. Petey pulls out a tape recorder and plays a tape. It's him and Milchick. Milchick doesn't believe Petey's truly sorry despite Petey saying he is. He has Petey read the statement again. Petey recites a statement about his wrongdoing and how he was grateful to have been caught and allowed to make amends. Milchick still doesn't believe him and has him recite it again. Petey turns off the tape and Mark asks what that is. Petey says that's the break room.

Irving waits on a couch then gets up and paces. He looks at a painting of Kier Eagan standing above some people and a goat. A man exits the Wellness room and apologizes because he didn't know anyone was out there. Irving says he was just admiring the art while he waited. The man tells him that piece hung in the Perpetuity Wing for many years. Irving knows and says it broke his heart when they took it down. The man says it's better there because it's calming. Irving introduces himself and asks if the man is a department head. The man says it's Optics and Design, a two-person operation, so it's barely a department. The man says they don't make the paintings, but they hang them. Irving loved that they did the Ambrose Cycle in the team-building space last quarter. The man says most people only think of OD when the new handbook totes come in. Irving loves those, too. The man says there are new ones coming next month and he thinks they're the best design yet. Irving looks forward to it. Ms. Casey opens the door and calls Irving in. The two men look at each other for a moment and then Irving walks in.

Ms. Casey starts Irving's wellness session by sharing some facts about his outie with him. His outie is an exemplary person, so these facts should be pleasing to him. She tells him to relax and try to enjoy each fact equally. She starts to recite facts about his outie. When she says his outie can swim well, he laughs and she tells him to enjoy each fact equally. She deducts ten points, leaving him with ninety. She continues reciting facts. When she says his outie is skilled at kissing and lovemaking, he makes a sound. She deducts another ten points and then warns him that speaking again will result in his remaining points being deducted and his session ending.

Dylan takes a token out of a jar that has a sign next to it limiting them to two tokens per person per day. He puts the token into a vending machine full of Lumon food and selects raisins. Helly comes up to him and asks if the code detectors are only in the elevators or are they in the stairwells as well. She questions if the resignation requests are even being delivered if no one accepts them. He tells her to let it go. Irving comes in with his classic greeting. Helly asks him how Wellness was. He found it very restorative and says he met the OD department head. Dylan says he's Burt. Dylan met him before and says he's a fuck. Irving says he's not a fuck. Dylan is concerned for the safety of their department. Meanwhile, at her station, Helly calls to them, saying she finally found her first set of numbers to refine. Dylan tells her to fence it off and bin it like he showed her. She does that and he says it's been refined. She's shaken because the numbers were scary.

Mark shows Petey to a couch in his basement and says he'll find a sleeping bag for him to use. Petey thanks him for doing this. Mark figures his work self would be angry if he let Petey sleep in a greenhouse. Petey goes to the bathroom. Mark finds a sleeping bag and checks on Petey, who says he's okay. His phone rings and he faces another bout of symptoms. He starts to hallucinate, seeing himself. He slumps against the shower wall as Mark asks him through the wall if he's okay.

Half Loop

Mark asks if Petey's okay. Petey lies and says he just slipped. Mark says the robe was a gift from his brother-in-law and he's never worn it. He also has pillows. Mark asks if he needs anything else. He asks if Mark is sure that no one can see anything inside his house. He says yes and everything upstairs is locked. Petey asks about the unit next door and Mark says no one lives on that side. On the other side is Mrs. Selvig. The neighborhood never really filled up, so it's quiet. Petey has a flash of memory of being at Lumon, talking to Irving, Mark, and Dylan. After a moment, he comes out of it. Mark asks if he's okay and Petey says the sickness disorients him, but it's temporary. Mark asks him about Sunset Park and he says Petey doesn't know what it is. Mark goes upstairs, leaving Petey alone.

Cobel, as Mrs. Selvig, pours herself a glass of milk and sits down with it.

Petey says it's like having two lives suddenly stitched together but the relativity is messed up. It blurs the past and the present. But they said it would get better. Mark asks who they are. Petey says it's a group of people who know severance is a blight on mankind and have a plan to do something about it. Mark asks if he means the Whole Mind Collective. Petey says no, it's not them. It's someone else. Mark asks what Petey wants from him. Petey asks if he doesn't want to know what he's doing at work. Mark says he's not going to unsever. Petey says he doesn't want that and it's called reintegration. Mark says it hasn't been a blight for him. It's helped him. Petey asks what if the cost is that he's murdering people all day and doesn't know it. He asks if he is. Petey says he found a department they don't tell them about, one where they don't get to leave. Mark says none of them get to leave, but Petey means they truly don't leave and they're at Lumon right now. Petey suddenly gets quiet and says he won't talk about it there. He doesn't know if the monitors are bugged or if Irving will walk in. Mark reminds him they're not at Lumon. Petey asks where June is if that's the case. Mark asks who June is and Petey says June is his daughter.

Cobel watches Mark from her home. She wonders if he's all right.

Mark watches a debate about severance on the TV. Natalie Kalen is representing Lumon in support of the procedure. Finally, he changes the channel.

Mark wakes up on the couch to a weather report on the television. He goes downstairs to check on Petey. He wakes Petey up and tells him he's going to work, but Petey can stay there if he wants. He tells Petey he won't be reintegrating. He lost his wife a few years ago in a car accident and it helps him. Petey says he's sorry, but Mark brushes it off. Petey then says at work, he'd come in with red eyes and they joked that he was allergic to elevators. They even had a song about it. He always wondered if it was more than that. He tells Mark he carries the hurt down there, but he doesn't know what it is. Mark tells Petey he can have whatever he wants from the fridge and leaves.

Cobel as Mrs. Selvig leans outside as Mark goes toward his car. She's deicing her stoop. He says it's okay and thanks her again for the cookies. She offers to bring him more. He gets in his car and leaves. Once he's gone, she stops what she's doing and goes back inside.

Mark stores his things and Judd checks him with the wand, then sends him to the elevator.

Mark finds an envelope with the new group photos when he arrives. Helly comes up to him and tells him she finally deleted the scary numbers while he was gone. He wasn't aware he was gone. Irving tells him Dylan took over the training and did well. Mark goes to put out the new pictures, but Helly tells him he can skip it because she put in her resignation request. She says it's good because he won't get sent to the break room anymore. Milchick comes in and says he spoke to Mark's outie yesterday and he was upset not to be at work. But now that he's there, he can read his first morning announcements as department head. Mark pulls them out and Milchick takes pictures as he says there's been garbage in the recycling, so they need not to do that. And post-it notes aren't to go on faces. Dylan tells Helly that's about him and his character Sticky Head. Mark says to refrain from boasting about previously earned waffle parties. Lastly, Helly's resignation request was denied. Helly is upset to hear that and doesn't think it's right. She runs out of the room and Milchick follows her.

Ricken and Devon pull up outside Mark's place. Ricken has a wrapped package in his hand. He questions if he should sneak up to the door, but Devon says it doesn't matter because Mark's at work. She knows this because his car is gone. Ricken gets out and puts the package on Mark's porch. He perseverates over how to place it. Ricken is excited as he gets back to the car. Once they've pulled away, Cobel exits her house and goes over to Mark's porch.

Petey works on the map of the severed floor.

Cobel grabs the package.

Petey flashes back to being at Lumon, drawing the map. He snaps out of it after a second.

Cobel enters Mark's house and looks around. She goes downstairs, where she opens the box of Gemma's crafts and pulls out a candle. She puts it back and moves to check something else, but her phone rings and she takes it. Petey watches her and flashes back to Cobel at Lumon. He sneaks up the stairs.

Cobel leaves while Petey watches from the bushes. He again flashes back to being at Lumon, trying to navigate with the map. He finds himself on a bridge.

Mark checks on Helly, who is in the bathroom. He warns her and then comes in. He finds her writing the note directly on her skin. He says the code detectors can pick up lettering anywhere, even though she's written it so she has to put her arms together to read it. It reads, "Let me out." Mark thought she was starting to be okay there. She got a win, which brings a lot of people joy. She says she doesn't want to work there. He says he'll give her five minutes to scrub her arms. When she challenges him, he asks if she wants Graner to use the bad soap. Mark exits the bathroom and finds Irving waiting outside the door. He heard the conversation and is troubled by Mark's high-stress conversations fresh off the food poisoning he thinks Mark had. Mark says acclimating takes time. He asks what's on Irving's mind. Irving says Dylan kept talking about incentives yesterday as though that's why they're there. If Helly wants deeper meaning, she should see the Perpetuity Wing. Mark says she can read about it in the handbook, but it's different to be there. Mark says that place is a lot, but Irving thinks it's everything.

Cobel comes in and Milchick asks her how the check went. She shows Milchick the package left at Mark's door. He opens it and sees that it's Ricken's book. Cobel recognizes him as Mark's brother-in-law and says it's his fifth book. Milchick opens the book to the middle and reads a bit aloud. Cobel tells him to check it for messages just to be safe. Mark comes in and asks if Cobel has a moment. Milchick asks if he filled out an official request to speak to her. He didn't, but Cobel tells him to come in. He goes in and tells her about Irving's idea to take Helly to the Perpetuity Wing. Cobel makes a joke about Irving being department chief. He rephrases it as his idea and she asks if he's filled out the form to reserve it. He says no. It's been weird since Petey left. He set the tone. Cobel says if Petey were the tone-setter, he'd still be there. Mark asks what that means, but she won't answer. She throws a mug at him and tells him to get MDR to its numbers. Then she tells him what she just did was painful for her, but she knew he could handle it and grow from it. She hopes he'll let it help him. He asks if she wants her door open or closed and she says both. He leaves it open as he goes.

Dylan speculates about his outie doing muscle shows. Irving thinks if that were true, Dylan wouldn't have to work at Lumon. While they talk, Helly writes her outie a note and sticks in a pen cap. She tapes the end and then walks toward the kitchenette, where she fills a glass with water and prepares to swallow it. Mark catches her right after she puts it in her mouth. Mark says the code detectors can read messages hidden inside her body as well. And when that happens, it's Milchick's job to extract the message from her. It's to her advantage to tell him the truth about how long ago she swallowed it, so he knows which end to start from. He holds out his hand and Helly spits out the cap. Then he tells her they're going on a trip.

As they walk to the Perpetuity Wing, Irving explains that all eight CEOs have been from the Eagan lineage, dating back to the founder. Irving has a mnemonic to help remember their names which he wrote himself. Dylan quietly passes Helly a paper that she opens to reveal "Eagan Bingo." Dylan gives one to Mark as well. Helly asks what it is and Dylan says it's how you don't die of boredom in the Perpetuity Wing. It's a great opportunity for everyone except Irving to bond. As they get to a corner, they run into Burt and Felicia. Burt asks about Irving's session and Irving was it was restorative. Mark is surprised the know each other. Dylan asks what they're doing out of their hole. Felicia explains there was an egg-drop challenge in the team-building space. They have to keep their synergy up. Dylan doesn't believe them. Mark says they're on their way to the Perpetuity Wing to show it to Helly, their new refiner. Burt says they need to get back. Irving watches them walk away, then catches up with the others.

Cobel is looking for Milchick and finds him plugging in the speaker. Natalie is in the office with him. She asks if this is about Helena. Natalie says no, it's about Petey and the Board is joining them. Milchick leaves and Natalie says the board wants Cobel to speak first. She greets them and says the search for Petey continues. Prior to his departure, he showed signs of possible reintegration. Natalie relays a message from the board, saying that severance is irreversible. Cobel should know that. She also wants Cobel to get MDR to make their quarterly numbers. Cobel says they will with their new refiner. Natalie interrupts to say the board ended the call. Natalie gets up and leaves.

Helly asks if Optics and Design is really only two people who only see each other. Irving says yes and he suspects it's lonely. Dylan doesn't like them and says they don't share their values. Kier sorted the departments by virtue. MDR is full of people who are clever and true while Optics and Design is cruelty-centered. Helly asks how many departments there are, but no one really knows. Dylan says O&D tried a violent coup on the others years ago and that's why it's only two people and why they're all so far apart. Mark says there was no coup and no one killed anyone. He's 99% sure of that. Helly thinks they should kill Mark if they come back, so they think they're crazy and will leave them alone. They arrive at the Perpetuity Wing and go inside. Irving quotes Jame Eagan, current CEO, as they look at a statue of him. They go out to the top of a staircase which looks down over statues of past CEOs as Irving explains that the center displays are for past CEOs while the whole back part is devoted to Kier. They go down the stairs.

Petey walks around in the robe, hearing Kier's voice in his head as he looks at his map.

As they walk around, they see statues of Baird Eagan, Phillip Eagan, Gerhardt Eagan, and Myrtle Eagan. As they listen to Myrtle's statue speak, Helly pulls out her bingo card and marks off a space. Irving says that Myrtle was five CEOs ago. They'd never had a woman, but she told her father at age seven that she would be the first. It almost makes Helly wish she remembered her own childhood. Irving says it's unnatural for a person to have no history. It gives them context for themselves. Irving was shapeless when he woke up on the table, but then he learned he was working for a woman that had been taking care of people since 1866. They are surrounded by pictures of people smiling. Each one is a real smile from someone on the outside Lumon has helped. And they rotate them out, so there could be millions, Helly asks if they're a dental company. Irving says no, the point is that she's part of a history now. Dylan asks if they're ready to go, but Irving objects that Helly hasn't seen the Kier part yet.

They enter the back room, which contains a perfect replica of Kier's house. Irving leads them inside.

They stand in Kier's bedroom, just as he might have left it. Dylan hates it, saying it smells. Irving is upset that Dylan is being disrespectful. Irving notices something in Mark's pocket and pulls out the bingo card. Mark says it's for fun. Irving says this is everything Lumon was built on, not a game. He asks if Mark gave one to Helly. He knows Mark did, which upsets him because Mark is his department chief. Mark didn't ask for the job or for Petey to disappear. Mark realizes Helly has disappeared and goes to look for her.

Helly runs down a series of hallways and Mark chases her.

Milchick reads Ricken's book.

Helly continues running. She finds a door, but it won't open. So she grabs a fire extinguisher and uses it to break the glass, seeing off an alarm.

Milchick sees the alarm and gets up.

Helly reaches her arm through the window hole, extending the note out. Mark grabs her and pulls her back. Graner comes to them and tells Helly to come with him. Mark watches as Helly follows him.

Graner leads Helly, who is nursing her scratched arm, to the Break Room. Milchick greets her inside and cleans and bandages her cut. He expresses regret that she's unhappy. Then he has her sit down and put her hands on two handprints on the table. He starts recording and has her read a compunction statement, expressing regret for her wrongdoing. She doesn't want her to read it, but he tells her to do it. She reads it and when she's done, he says she doesn't mean it and has her read it again. Then he has her read it a third time.

Back in MDR, Dylan leaves for the day and turns off the lights, leaving Mark in darkness. Mark takes out the new group photos and pulls the old photos out of the storage closet. He starts to replace the pictures in the frames one at a time. When he opens the last one, he finds a map hidden behind the picture laying out the severed floor.

Petey struggles at a convenience store.

Mark replaces the framed photos.

Petey says he doesn't have any tokens and he can't eat without tokens.

Mark leaves MDR.

Petey says he needs tokens so he can eat.

Mark enters the elevator.

A checkout girl finds Petey bleeding from his mouth.

Mark leaves Lumon and walks to his car in the nearly-empty lot.

Mark goes home and calls for Petey as he goes downstairs. He finds that he's gone.

Mark drives around, looking for Petey. He watches an ambulance drive past him and follows it to the convenience store, where he sees EMTs leading Petey out of the building. Petey looks up and Mark and collapses to the ground. The EMTs rush to his aid. Petey's not breathing. Mark gets back in his car and leaves.

Back at home, Mark goes into his basement. He starts putting things back, removing evidence that Petey was there. As he goes upstairs, he hears Petey's phone vibrating with a phone call.

In Perpetuity

Helly reads her compunction statement. After a long pause, Milchick says she still doesn't mean it. A clock reads 17: 15, so Milchick says they'll try again in the morning. He leads Helly out to the elevator and sends her home, saying he'll see her tomorrow.

When the doors open, Helly has returned in a new outfit. It's 9:08 when they get back to the Break Room. Helly says she read it 300 times yesterday and he corrects that it was 259 and orders her to read it again. She hears something and asks what the voice is. Milchick doesn't answer and she reads the compunction statement. When she goes off script and starts crying and saying she's sorry, Milchick makes her start over.

Petey's phone rings again. Mark picks it up and sees that he has multiple missed calls from a blocked number. He hides the phone in a box of camping equipment.

In the bathroom at work, Mark looks at the map from Petey.

Irving tells Mark it's past 1100 and Helly's been in the Break Room since yesterday. He wonders if Mark should check on her as department chief. Dylan says Mark doesn't have that power, but Irving wants him to try anyway. Burt comes in and Dylan picks up his stapler to use as a weapon. Burt apologizes for interrupting and says his predecessor, Alice K. came to MDR once when they still did the summits and she left directions. Mark asks what Burt needs. Burt says he kept thinking about what Irving said about being excited for the new handbook totes and wanted to bring them to Irving so he wouldn't be distracted thinking about them. He also wants to invite them to take a tour of O&D. He left directions in one of the totes. Irving thanks him, while Dylan refuses.

Mark sees Irving putting on his jacket and says it's soon to take Burt up on his offer. Irving finds it absurd that they've never visited before since Kier's vision included them all working together. He leaves, saying hell be back by 1:00. As Irving leaves, Helly comes in. Mark asks her how many times and she says 1,072.

Irving walks to O&D, following the directions Burt left.

Helly eats peanuts and asks about the voice behind the door. Dylan asks if she heard a crying baby and she says it's an angry, mumbly guy. Mark reminds him they're not supposed to talk about the Break Room. The important thing is that she apologized correctly and now she's out. Dylan says she can trick the machine by thinking about something she's actually sorry about.

Irving continues his trip, but seems to have gotten lost.

Mark says the Break Room sucks, which is why they have protocols to avoid ending up there. Helly will learn.

Irving finally makes it to Optics and Design, where Felicia greets him and directs him to Burt, warning him not to touch anything.

Burt talks to Irving about his work. Irving says he cried when they put up The Youthful Convalescence of Kier. He never thought he'd see it. It was only up for a month, but it was a great month. Burt tells Irving that art that has circulated through all the departments comes back to O&D and pulls out the painting Irving liked. Irving can't believe he has it. Burt moves his hand over to cover Irving's. Irving quickly excuses himself and leaves.

Helly goes to see Mark, who shoves the map into his drawer and closes it. She tells him she got to 4% and he celebrates that with her. She's not as enthusiastic as he is about it.

Irving walks back to MDR. He sees a room and goes inside, where he finds "The You You Are" on a chair. He peeks out into the hallway.

Helly finds Mark's map and asks him what it is. She shows it to Dylan. Mark says he didn't make it. It's just something he found. He thinks Petey made it. Dylan is surprised he didn't turn it in. Helly calls him a hypocrite for lecturing her about following the rules. Mark says he was just trying to keep her out of the Break Room. Dylan looks at all the departments on the map. It's all the places they know exist. When Helly asks about them not being allowed to make maps, Mark cites an Eagan rule. Dylan points at some houses on the side of the map and questions what they are. Mark thinks they're just bored doodles. Helly thinks it's more than that and Petey knew something they don't and was trying to tell Mark something. She's upset that he's more loyal to Lumon than to Petey. Mark liked how things were before Helly arrived, when they could balance doing work and having fun. Helly says Mark's best friend left the map for him and he doesn't care at all. Mark takes the map from Helly and shreds it. Then he says they can get back to work.

Irving comes in and tells Mark there's an emergency.

Mark, Irving, and Dylan all look down at the book. Irving says he was going to get Milchick but he thought it was best not to break the chain of command. Mark asks if anyone has seen anything like this before. Irving cites a rule about there being no books except the handbook. Mark opens the book and finds it signed to him. Dylan thinks it might be another message from Petey while Irving thinks it's a loyalty test. Mark says he's going to turn it in to Milchick. Irving agrees.

Helly sits alone at her desk, looking over at the shredder. She gets up and opens the copier, revealing a paper cutter.

As they walk back to MDR, Dylan asks Irving about O&D. Irving says it's nice and welcoming. They get back to MDR to find Helly missing.

Helly bursts into Cobel's office with her fingers in the paper cutter, ready to be cut off. She demands a camera. Milchick comes in as she demands a video camera to record a resignation for her outie. Otherwise, they'll have to explain why she's missing fingers. She makes it clear that she's serious. Mark comes in just then and Cobel tells Milchick to get the video camera.

Milchick records Helly, who is still holding her fingers in the paper cutter. She puts it down and starts talking to her outie.

Mark, Irving, Helly, Cobel, Milchick, and Dylan walk back to MDR. Helly has the disk with the message in her hand. She tells Mark she'd tell him to go to hell except he's already there. She gets on the elevator and says she was never sorry. The doors close and she looks at the disk in her hand. When the doors open again, she has a different disk in her hand and the others are waiting for her.

Helly, Mark, Irving, and Dylan watch the video. Her outie says that she understands that Helly is unhappy, but this is reality. Her outie is a person and she isn't. She makes the decision and Helly doesn't. If she ever does anything to her outie's fingers, she'll keep Helly alive long enough to regret that. Her request is denied. Milchick turns the video off.

At home, Mark looks at the website for a birthing retreat she's considering to give birth. He says it looks more like a bad ski resort than a birthing center to him. Devon says regardless, it'll be awesome and he's going to like it. Mark knows it was Ricken's idea. As Mark hangs up, his phone chimes. He has a notification about an article reporting on Petey's death. He looks toward his basement, where Petey's phone continues to ring.

Graner asks Cobel if she's heard from the Board yet. Cobel says no. Graner says Petey's death wasn't her fault and certainly wasn't his, so the board will understand. Cobel says since Petey reintegrated - Graner cuts her off and says the Board has never acknowledged reintegration. Cobel says they have to get Petey's chip. Graner tells her Petey's corpse is scheduled to be cremated after his funeral on Sunday. He leaves the office and Cobel recites the nine core Lumon principles: vision, verve, wit, cheer, humility, benevolence, nimbleness, probity, and wiles. She looks at a picture from her desk as she repeats Wiles.

Mark looks at a picture of Petey at his funeral. Cobel comes in, as Mrs. Selvig, and asks what he's doing there. Mark says the news report said he worked at Lumon, so he thought he might know him. He asks what she's doing there and she says Petey used to come to her shop. Mark excuses himself to use the bathroom before the service. He goes to the bar and orders a drink. He sees a picture of Petey with a young woman.

Cobel steps up behind that woman, who is standing at the coffin, and asks if she's a friend. The woman, June, says Petey was her dad. Cobel asks if they were close.

At the bar, Mark sees a woman order wine. She introduces herself as Nina after realizing she doesn't know Mark. She's Petey's ex-wife. He says he's sorry. Nina realizes Mark is from Lumon and so didn't really know Petey at all. Mark tries to explain, but June comes up and says they want to start. Mark asks if she's June and she says she is.

Mark looks at the funeral program. June sits in the pew behind him and asks if he knew her dad. He says yes, at work. She realizes he's severed and asks if he ever thinks maybe the best way to deal with his life isn't to shut off his brain half the time. Mark admits he's not sure. The service starts with a video of Petey and June playing music together. While everyone is watching that, Cobel opens the coffin and uses a hand drill to drill into his head and remove his chip. Mark has flashes of Petey and gets up to leave. Mark sees Cobel as he leaves and tells her it was a mistake to come and he needs to leave.

Outside their homes, Cobel asks if the funeral was just too sad. She offers to walk if he wants to. He thanks her for being his funeral buddy and goes to his door. He opens it, but then closes it again.

Mark drives out to a remote location. He gets out of his car and walks up to a tree. He touches it and starts crying.

At Lumon, Cobel presents Petey's chip to Milchick. He asks how, but she ignores the question and just asks him to run it up to diagnostics for her. He pockets it as there's a knock on the door. It's Ms. Casey, who is there on Cobel's request. Cobel asks Ms. Casey to run a special wellness session with Mark. Milchick asks what the problem with Mark is and Cobel just tells him Mark needs it.

Burt adjusts a painting in a hallway. Irving comes around a corner and talks to him. Felicia told him where to find Burt. He admits he doesn't care for the painting Burt just hung. It makes Burt nervous, too. It's a lovely vista, but he keeps thinking about Kier slipping. Burt was thrilled to have Irving visit from MDR. He's worried he embarrassed himself. Irving asks if he was embarrassed and he says no. Burt has four more stops to make and invites Irving to join him. Irving agrees.

As they walk, they talk about Irving falling asleep at work. Burt wishes he could nap like that, but he must sleep well on the outside. Burt thinks it says good things about Irving's outie, but Irving is upset to violate the handbook. Burt quotes the original word of Kier, which says, "And I shall whisper to ye dutiful through the ages. In your noblest thoughts and epiphanies shall be my voice. You are my mouth and through ye, I will whisper on when I am ten centuries demised." Kier doesn't only speak to them through the handbook and paintings, but finds other ways.

Mark reads The You You Are in the bathroom, a passage about Ricken saying your job needs you rather than you needing your job.

Burt wishes Irving a safe trip back as they part.

Mark waits outside the Wellness room. Ms. Casey calls him into the room.

Helly tells Dylan she's leaving. He tells her he's going to work right up to the bell because he thinks he can finish tonight. Helly hopes he does. She says she'll see him soon and walks out. She walks to the elevator carrying an extension cord.

Dylan gets up and walks to another station.

Helly grabs a trash can as she walks through the hallway.

Dylan looks through Mark's files and finds The You You Are. He starts flipping through it.

Ms. Casey asks Mark if she wants to sculpt his feelings out of clay. He says he will.

Cobel watches Mark's session on her computer screen.

Ms. Casey gives Mark a ball of clay.

Irving walks back to MDR.

Helly waits for the elevator with the cord and trash can.

Dylan reads a poem from Ricken's book.

Irving looks around O&D. He hears a noise behind a door.

Mark molds his clay.

Helly enters the elevator.

Dylan reads out the poem.

Irving opens the door and finds many more employees working.

Helly opens a grate at the top of the elevator.

Mark continues molding.

Helly tests that the center beam can hold her weight.

Irving walks back out.

Helly ties the cord around the beam.

Cobel watches as Mark molds a tree.

Irving walks back to MDR.

Helly fashions a noose for herself and puts it around her neck, then knocks the trash can out from under her feet, hanging herself.

The You You Are

Helly hangs by the noose she's made, trying to get traction with her feet.

Mark walks down the hallway.

The elevator opens by the security desk and Helly remains hanging. The doors close again.

Mark comes into MDR, where Dylan is reading The You You Are and asks if Helly left. Dylan says she did. Mark suggests that maybe Dylan should leave, but Dylan says he's just wrapping up. Mark walks out to the elevator and inserts his card.

Graner runs down the hallway.

When the elevator opens, Mark sees Helly and immediately steps forward to hold her body up and call for help. Graner arrives soon after and unties the cord, freeing Helly. They lower her to the ground outside the elevator and Graner restores the elevator to its previous state, then orders Mark to get in it.

Judd tells Mark to have a good evening as he leaves for the day, unaware of what his innie just experienced.

Mark shows Florence his ID at the desk. After a moment, she nods him through. He rides the elevator down to the severed floor.

Mark steps off the elevator and looks for Helly. He finds Cobel and Milchick waiting for him. He asks if Helly is alive. Cobel tells him to sit down and then tells Mark Helly's in the hospital. She has some severe bruising, but no permanent damage. Mark asks if they're letting her go. Cobel says Helly's outie has no intention of letting her go. Mark points out that Helly nearly died because she doesn't want to be there. Cobel says she'll be back at her desk in a few days. He asks if that's enough. Cobel says it happened on his watch, implying it's his fault and saying he should be thankful to Kier that she didn't die. Cobel tells him to have a productive day and she and Milchick leave.

Mark pulls The You You Are out of his desk drawer and hides it in his jacket.

Mark hides in a bathroom stall and reads.

Over the course of several days, Mark continues reading the book.

Graner gives Petey's chip back to Cobel, saying he ran the diagnostics. It showed that Petey had successfully reintegrated. Cobel was right. He suggests celebrating. He figures she'll wait a minute before telling the Board, especially after what happened with Helly. He realizes after a moment that she hasn't told them. She gives him the chip back and tells him to comb it for source signatures. He gives it back, saying he saved the data, so she can keep that. She wants to know who did this so she can deliver everything to the Board at once.

Mark leaves work and sees that he has several missed calls from Ricken. He curses and rushes to leave work. He plays Ricken's voicemails, which tell him that Devon has gone into labor and they're at the retreat. They get increasingly frantic as they go on. Mark drives to the retreat and follows a map to their cabin. Mark gets to the door just as Alexa is exiting. She asks if he forgot that she was going to be there. He admits that he did a little bit. He apologizes for the night of their date, but she says it's fine. She tells Mark that Devon is doing great. They still have some time before she'll give birth. Ricken is doing a thing where he cries over her, so Alexa is giving them privacy. Mark thanks Alexa for taking care of Devon.

Ricken cries and says he doesn't want to be like his father. Devon thinks it's good he's getting it out now. Mark comes in and says he saw the message when he got out of work. He likes the cabin. Devon asks if he saw the one next door, which is much larger and more ornate. She hates whoever is in there. Devon has another contraction and Ricken tells Mark to say a secret because the fetus is drawn to clear air. Purging secrets can speed the labor. Ricken decides to start. He tells Mark he loves him and he's hurt that Mark hasn't called to thank him for the book yet. Mark has no idea what Ricken is talking about until Devon says they left a copy of Ricken's new book by his door. Mark tells them he hasn't seen it. He guesses it was stolen. Ricken is upset because it was an advanced copy. The contraction passes and Devon goes to get coffee. Ricken says that's good because he and Mark can finish setting up the room. He asks Mark to help him hang the kelp. Mark asks why and Ricken asks if he really wants him to explain it.

Outside, Devon sees Gabby Arteta walking inside the cabin next door. She sees a man exit and calls out to him, but he ignores her and keeps walking. She looks in and talks to Gabby through the window, saying she's just out for a coffee run and noticed Gabby has some. She was hoping Gabby could hook her up. Gabby says okay and Devon goes to the door. Gabby lets her inside and Devon has some coffee and vents about Mark and Ricken. Gabby asks if it's Devon's first child. She says it is and Gabby says hers is her third. She's naming him William. Devon can't imagine having three because she's so scared of ruining one. Gabby says she has a lot of help. Devon points out how nice the cabin is and asks if Gabby is rich. Gabby laughs.

Ricken talks about his book as he and Mark hang kelp. Ricken knows the last time Mark was in a medical facility was for Gemma. He thinks the baby's middle name could have been a wonderful tribute to Gemma, but he understands that Mark wasn't comfortable with it. Mark says their kid deserves her own name without baggage. Devon comes back with coffee and says she made friends with the richest lady in baby camp. She was quiet, but nice. She thinks she should send Mark to that cabin, but Mark imagines the lady is spoken for. Devon thinks Alexa would give him another chance, but Mark isn't so sure. Devon has another contraction and squeezes Mark's hand to get through it. Mark offers to tell a secret. When Devon says to do it, Mark admits he thinks Lumon is up to something. He's been hearing things. Devon asks who he's been talking to. He asks if she remembers the businessman. Before Devon can answer, she cries out in pain, which wakes Ricken. Mark goes to get Alexa.

Mark sits by the water, thinking.

Petey's phone continues to ring in Mark's basement.

Mark has flashes of watching Petey collapse as he listens to Devon giving birth.

Milchick says that Helly was her outie when she woke up, so this will be Helly's first conscious moment since the hanging. He tells Mark it's important his eyes are kind when Helly sees him and asks if Mark knows how to do that. Mark attempts it.

Milchick and Mark stand by the elevator. Milchick nods at Mark and leaves him. When the elevator opens, Mark finds Helly gasping for air and tells her she's okay. Mark attempts to make his eyes kind again.

Mark tells Helly they locked away the extension cords and other dangerous items so she should be safe. And she can focus on looking for happy numbers for a while if she wants. Then he quickly asks if she wants to talk about it. She gets up and walks away.

Irving says they should hide inspirational handbook quotes around the office for Helly to find. Dylan thinks she just needs to start earning perks because he'd also end his life if he didn't have any finger traps yet. They think one of them should lend her one until she has one of her own. While they talk about that, Mark pulls The You You Are out of his drawer. Ms. Casey suddenly appears behind him, saying she's there to observe Helly. On Cobel's orders, she's supposed to observe Helly for signs of sadness and give verbal encouragement. She can also give a hug upon request. Dylan says he's been sad and asks if he could have one. Ms. Casey says no.

Ms. Casey sits a few feet away from Helly's desk while Helly works. Helly watches her write something down in her notebook. Ms. Casey asks if she's upset and she says no. Ms. Casey reminds her she can request a hug, but Helly says she's good.

Irving starts to dream about black goo seeping in through the ceiling. He suddenly startles awake when Mark talks to him. Irving says he needs to go to O&D because something has come up and he wants to see Burt's counsel. Mark tells him it's fine, but has Irving make a copy of the map so they can find him if they need to.

Irving attempts to copy the map, but what comes out is two graphic drawings of two groups of Lumon employees attacking each other. He turns to see Milchick, who apologizes, saying they must have sent the print job there by mistake and Irving wasn't meant to see that. Irving asks what they are and Milchick says they were a joke for Cobel. Irving thinks it's the O&D coup that Dylan talks about and asks if it really happened. Milchick says it didn't. Nothing like that could happen at Lumon.

Dylan thinks the pictures are ironclad proof, despite Irving telling him that Milchick said it was impossible. Irving offers to ask Burt about it, but Dylan reminds Irving that Burt lied about the size of his department already.

Milchick walks back to Cobel's office, who asks him about running a 266 on Irving. Milchick says he thought it might dissuade Irving from spending so much time with Burt and asks if he should have consulted Cobel first. Cobel says no, it was good initiative. Milchick says he saw Ms. Casey in MDR and knows Cobel is having her watch Helly. He asks why. She says she's trying something new with Ms. Casey and asks him to keep it between them.

Helly washes her neck in the bathroom, but can't remove the bruising.

Helly returns to MDR, where Ms. Casey asks her to describe her time in the bathroom. To distract her, Mark spills his drink on the desk and on Ms. Casey's notebook. Ms. Casey tells Helly she needs to go with her to Distribution Supply to get materials to clean up. Mark offers to help Helly while she's gone since it'll only be a few minutes. Ms. Casey says it'll be eight minutes round-trip, but decides to go alone anyway. Helly is relieved to have an eight-minute break from Ms. Casey. Mark offers to show Helly where they keep the extra pen caps. She initially declines, but then realizes Mark's intention and goes along.

Ms. Casey walks with cleaning supplies. She passes a room where Burt appears to be talking to himself. She pauses for a moment before continuing.

Mark and Helly walk and Mark asks Helly how she's doing that. He says he just wants to talk. Helly says she's really bad. He leads her into a room where the furniture is covered in plastic. He shows her Petey's map, which he's been trying to recreate. He thought if they worked on it together, they could finish it. She tells him she's not his new Petey and walks away. Mark follows her.

Ms. Casey returns to MDR and Irving tells her that Mark took Helly to look at pen caps. She asks where. He says it's at the end of the storage wing. Ms. Casey tells Irving that Burt is in the conference room.

Irving walks to the conference room and goes inside. He asks Burt what he's doing there and Burt says he was turned around. He was looking for Irving because he hadn't heard from him. Dylan suddenly comes up and closes and locks the door with Irving on the outside. He claims that Burt was coming at Irving. Irving tells Dylan to let Burt out, but Dylan refuses and asks Burt about the people Burt has been hiding. Irving walks away as Dylan and Burt keep arguing.

Mark follows Helly through some hallways. She wonders where they are. When Mark talks to her, she says that she told her outie she wanted out and her outie told her she wasn't a person. Mark says that's horrible, but encourages Helly to think about herself and what she wants inside Lumon. Helly wants her outie to wake up as the life bleeds out of her and know that Helly did it. They hear a cry and look toward the source.

Burt wants to complain. Irving returns, having been unable to find Mark. Dylan thinks O&D has killed them. Irving asks if Burt knows where Mark and Helly are. Burt says no, he just came to see Irving. The rest of the department is back in O&D. He knows he lied when he said it was just him and Felicia. Irving asks why he's in the conference room if he was coming to see Irving instead of coming right to the office. Burt says he didn't know why Irving hadn't come back and didn't want to scare him again, like when their hands touched. Irving says Burt didn't scare him. Burt was trying to work out a joke, but hadn't worked it out yet. Irving asks why Burt lied about the size of his department. Burt says they don't trust MDR. People talk about them, saying they have pouches. According to some, they have a larval offspring that will jump out and attack if they get too close. In this theory, the larva eventually eats and replaces the hosts. Dylan calls for Irving to step away. He asks if Irving likes Burt. He disapproves. Irving admits the handbook prohibits it, but Dylan is more concerned with the safety.

Mark and Helly follow the noise and find a goat. They open a door that's slightly ajar and find Wyatt, who is feeding a goat and says they're not ready, so they can't take them yet. The goat in his arms cries out as Wyatt tells them to get out.

As they walk together with Burt's hands tied behind his hands with a belt, Burt tells Irving that there isn't a painting in their collection called The Grim Barbarity of Optics and Design, despite Irving seeing that name on the picture on the printer. Dylan follows behind them as Irving expresses doubt that the painting was real. Irving reminds Burt that relationships beyond the platonic are frowned upon. Burt asks if that's what they are, but when Dylan clears his throat, Irving doesn't answer and simply unties Burt, releasing him from their supervision to return to O&D. Burt invites Irving in to see something in the storeroom. He says Dylan can come as well. Dylan shakes his head.

Irving and Burt look at The Courtship of Kier and Imogene. Kier met his wife while he was a stewman in an ether factory and she was a swab girl.

Dylan finds being in O&D dumb.

Irving says the handbook says they were bonded by the spirit of industry. Burt knows that, but if the painting's interpretation is correct, they met and bonded as colleagues.

Dylan opens a drawer and pulls out a painting.

Irving wonders how something could be wrong if Kier did it. He brushes his fingers over Burt's hand until Dylan comes in and tells Burt to get away. He shows them a version of the painting, despite claiming it didn't exist. Irving says the painting isn't the same. In this version, MDR is the aggressors. Burt says it's never gone into the hallway rotation. It's called The Macrodata Refinement Calamity. Dylan asks why there would be two versions of the same painting.

Helly wonders if the goats are the numbers and they're deciding which ones live and which die. Mark doubts it's that. He knows Helly doesn't want to be there, but he's glad she is and he's sorry that this is the best he can do for now. Helly agrees to clean up the map if he gives it to her because his drawing is bad. Ms. Casey finds them and Mark says they're on a mental health walk and on their way back. Ms. Casey is relieved that they're not hurt. She was scared. She leads them back to MDR.

In her office, Cobel watches them on her monitor. Graner comes in and asks if she knows what MDR is up to. She says that's what he's paid for. Graner asks if she's not going to stop it. She says, "The surest way to tame a prisoner is to let him believe he's free," quoting Kier Eagan. Graner asks how many more departments she's going to let them find. Cobel says she'll have a word with Mark. Graner warns her to be careful as upstairs won't like this. Cobel says he can talk to her when he figures out how hacked Petey's chip.

Burt leads Irving and Dylan into the storeroom and calls everyone's attention. He introduces them to Irving and Dylan from MDR. They're friends, he says. Felicia, Elizabeth, and the others just look at them.

The Grim Barbarity of Optics and Design

Cobel makes Petey's chip into a necklace and puts it on. She gets a call from Graner, telling her that the data from the chip gave them the name of the hacker: Asal Reghabi. He says he'll find her. Cobel hangs up and then prays to Kier.

Mark retrieves Petey's phone from his basement and looks at the missed calls.

Mark gets in his car and pulls out of his driveway. He drives a little down the street, then backs up and throws Petey's phone and the battery separately into the trash can.

Burt welcomes Irving into a plant-filled room. Burt found it a while ago. He comes there alone sometimes and wanted to show it to Irving. Irving finds it beautiful and Burt says it could be their secret place. Irving is relieved to have a place where they can be alone. Burt holds Irving's hand and asks if it's okay. Irving says it is and Burt reminds him that the handbook doesn't say anything about lip-to-lip contact. Irving says it discourages romantic fraternization. Burt says it can't be romantic then. As they lean in, Irving says he's sorry, but he's not ready. They stand with their foreheads pressed together. Burt says it's fine, but asks Irving to stay with him.

Devon walks through a park with her baby. She tells the baby she did good and now they'll go home and see if the baby will eat. Devon spots Gabby nearby, carrying her own baby, and waves to her. Gabby ignores her and turns away. Devon walks closer to her and says it looks like they both made it through. Devon reminds Gabby of who she is. Devon says the baby is beautiful and he looks like a William. Gabby corrects that he's named Bradley. Devon is confused. Their conversation is interrupted by Gabby's husband, Angelo Arteta. Devon says they met at the birthing cottage. As they walk away, Angelo calls for their other two children, Declan and Kai, to come along. Devon watches them go, confused.

Mark continues reading The You You Are, sitting on the kitchenette floor.

Irving tells Dylan, Helly, and Mark he wants to return to O&D immediately, all of them. He wants them to unite the departments as Kier intended. Mark asks Irving about the items O&D were making. Irving doesn't know what they are, but Dylan thinks they're the clubs they use to kill the goats. Helly agrees with Irving. Once they've mapped the floor - Irving doesn't approve of mapping. Helly suggests going on another mental health walk. Mark says they still have a lot of work to do. Helly jokes around with Mark and then tells them all to get back to work. Dylan asks if Mark and Helly are fraternizing, too. Mark denies it. Milchick comes in and asks what they're talking about. They pretend to be talking about Ms. Casey and then Mark wonders where she is.

Cobel says part-time innies may not be as sophisticated as Mark is, but they still need to be held accountable for their actions. Ms. Casey was supposed to supervise Helly and she failed. Mark says that's because he sneaked Helly out. If anyone should be in the Break Room, it's him. Cobel finds his valiance sweet and asks if there's anyone he won't go to the Break Room for. Ms. Casey is just a wellness counselor. Mark doesn't think Ms. Casey deserves to be punished when Mark thought she needed a walk. Cobel asks if it was just a walk and he says yes. Cobel shows him the recording and asks if they were sniffing around other departments while theirs is failing to meet their quota. It's not his job to play nursemaid. He asks what his job is. He wants to know what they actually do there. She tells him they serve Kier. Until he understands that and hits quota, MDR's hallway privileges are revoked. She sends him back to his desk and warns him to stay there.

Helly draws a picture of a lamp. Dylan says the loss of Ms. Casey is profound. MDR will struggle with the loss of the will they or won't they between the two of them. Dylan asks about Helly and Mark and if they enjoyed sneaking off together the other day. He doesn't believe her when she says nothing happened. Mark comes in and tells them Ms. Casey is in the break room and they're not allowed in the hallway anymore until they hit their quota. So no more interdepartmental visits. Irving says he's sorry. He's been setting a bad example as the senior refiner. Mark asks which way it is to O&D.

Mark, Irving, Dylan, and Helly walk to O&D.

Cobel sees them in the hallway and calls for Michick, who says he's on it.

Burt leads the MDR team to the storeroom. Helly remarks that there are more people in there than she's ever seen. Mark is the same. Burt tells his team it's okay. Change can be disorienting, but MDR is there now. Burt welcomes them and hopes his team would be just as welcome to visit them. Burt invites them to ask questions. Elizabeth asks them about what they refine. Instead of answering, Irving asks if the object she's holding is a watering can. She looks at Burt, who says they think it might be supplies for the executive wing upstairs. Last week's output had a more aggressive feel. Elizabeth says the hatchets weren't aggressive and Felicia shushes her. Mark says they're trying to figure out how it all fits together. They found a department in the opposite direction that is raising baby goats. Burt says a lot is unknown to them as well, but it's important work, so they keep plugging along. Mark suggests working together and Felicia asks what that means exactly. He suggests figuring out why there are goats or how big Lumon is and how many employees there are. He wonders what Lumon is so afraid of that they won't tell any of them what they're actually doing. If the Eagen philosophy is illumination beyond all, why doesn't that include them. Why are they working in the dark? Burt agrees. He thinks he and Mark, as department heads, should make contact with the goat department and see what they know. Dylan finds some cards with pictograms on them just as Milchick comes in. Dylan slips one of the cards into his pocket.

Milchick leads Helly, Mark, Dylan, and Irving back to MDR. Mark says they're not children and didn't do anything wrong. Cobel is waiting for them in MDR. She sings a song about Kier. She trusted Mark and he abused that trust. Graner comes in and she tells him to take Mark to the Break Room.

Graner lets Mark into the break room. In the hallway, Mark sees Ms. Casey. They walk toward each other. As they pass, Mark tells Ms. Casey he's sorry.

Mark is out with Alexa, who notices his bruised knuckles. She asks what happened and he says apparently he jammed his hand while replacing a water cooler. When a server comes to the table, Mark declines a drink. Mark asks if Alexa's seen the baby. Alexa says not since her birth, but Devon did call and they talked about her difficulties getting the baby to latch, so Alexa recommended a lactation consultant. Alexa says it's very common. She asks if Mark ever thought about having kids. He says they tried for a while, but it wasn't working. They also talked about adopting, but then they thought that was the life they were given and they saw that as another life they didn't get to have. Alexa finds that healthy, but he admits it was mostly Gemma. She was very pragmatic. Always had a plan B. He starts to tell Alexa about a camping trip, then asks if it's weird to talk about his wife. Alexa says no, it's healthy. Mark sometimes thinks Gemma would want him to get off his ass and sometimes, she's not thinking about him at all. Alexa says Gemma is part of him and he can't just separate himself. She realizes her error when he reminds her that he can and did.

Devon looks up Gabby on social media and finds that her profile is private. She finds an article online about Gabby and Angelo celebrating his reelection and their support for the legalization of severance. She looks at another article about his support during the fight for legalization. Ricken comes in and tells her that the lactation consultant is there. Devon picks up baby Eleanor as Ricken leads Mrs. Selvig into the basement. She says it's a privilege to work with them. She coos over Eleanor and says they'll talk about different positions. She also brought salve for Devon's nipples. Eleanor starts to cry and Mrs. Selvig offers to take her. After a few seconds, Eleanor stops crying in her arms.

Jim George counts as he covers his eyes in front of a television screen.

Dylan wakes up outside of Lumon. Milchick is standing in front of him, asking him where he put it. When Dylan asks what he means, Milchick says he's talking about the idiographic card Dylan took from O&D. He saw footage of Dylan taking it and asks if he smuggled it out. Dylan looks around the closet they're in and asks if it's his house. Milchick asks him to listen because he doesn't know how sensitive the information is. He asks if someone paid him to smuggle it out. Dylan says no, he put it in the bathroom, in the second stall behind the toilet. He didn't even know where it was. The closet door opens and Jim comes in and hugs him. Milchick grabs him and tells him they told him to count to 1000 and wait outside. Dylan asks if that's his kid. Milchick calls someone and tells them to end it and Dylan becomes his outie self again. Jim then runs back into Dylan's arms and hugs him. Dylan asks if they're good and walks out of the closet.

Mark tells Alex they should probably call their cars. Mark sees a poster for a band and recognizes June. He asks Alexa if she wants to go see the band perform. They can leave if it's lame.

They go inside the venue. Mark immediately feels very old, but Alexa tells him they totally fit in. Mark orders them beers. A new song starts and Mark watches June play. He starts recording the band until someone else tells him not to film it. The lead singer starts singing about how they hate Lumon for taking their first love. The crowd starts to sing along and after a bit, Mark does as well.

After the show, Mark goes to June and asks how she's holding up. She doesn't answer. Mark introduces June and Alexa and Alexa compliments the music. June thinks they suck. Mark says the last song was great and June says she wrote what she knew. Mark thinks her dad would have liked it, but she asks how he could possibly know that. A fight breaks out nearby and Mark decides to leave.

Away from the venue, Mark explains that June is the daughter or someone he worked with who died. Alexa interrupts him with a kiss.

Graner comes to Cobel's door and she asks if he found Asal. He says he got a tip from a cop on the Ganz College campus. When Graner asks about Cobel's outfit, she claims she was doing some private research. She's trying to figure out what part of the conversation couldn't have been done over the phone. Graner says someone is holed up in a lab on campus and the dean has told security to look the other way. It's probably Asal. He invites her to come with him to find out for sure. She declines to go and says to let her know when he has her.

Mark wakes up and has a flash of memory of Petey collapsing. He gets up, leaving Alexa in the bed, and goes out to the garbage can. He digs through it to find Petey's phone and the battery. He puts the battery back in and turns on the phone. It immediately starts ringing. Mark answers it and says he's a friend of Petey's when asked who he is. After a long silence, the person asks if he's Mark Scout and what Petey told him before he died. Mark says nothing but he wants to understand. The person asks if he can meet her right now.

A van sits outside Lumon.

Inside, workers put a new door on MDR.

Mark walks toward the meeting spot.

The installation is completed, leaving MDR with a door that requires badge access.

Asal Reghabi approaches Mark and asks if he's alone. He says he is and he used to teach at the school. She knows that already. He asks who she is. She tells him to come with her and walks away.

Hide and Seek

Asal Reghabi tells Mark to come with her. He follows her as she leads him inside the Ganz college lab building and down some stairs. She asks him why he didn't throw Petey's phone away weeks ago. He asks who she is. She says she helped his friend. Mark points out that reintegration killed Petey. Asal says the procedure didn't kill Petey. If he'd followed her post-op instructions instead of running away - Mark asks if she's a doctor. She tells him she put the chip in Mark's head and she's still the only one who can deactivate it. He says maybe he doesn't want it deactivated. Asal says maybe his innie does and asks if Mark ever thinks about his innie and if he's happy. Mark says his innie lives his own life and that allows Mark to live his. Asal says his innie only exists because he does. For all intents and purposes, he is Mark. She asks if he thinks he's different down there. Maybe he loves his life, but maybe he doesn't, Maybe he dreams of crawling to the surface, but Mark will never know. Mark brought him into the world without his permission, based on his own desire for emotional convenience. Mark says he's not a person. Asal believes he wants to do what's right, both of him.

Suddenly, Graner enters the room and greets a nervous Mark. He asks if they know each other. Graner tells him that they work together "down there." Frightened, Mark gives away Reghabi's presence, which Graner questions, assuring him that they are friends. Suddenly, Reghabi runs up behind Graner and smashes a metal baseball bat into the back of his head. After he falls, she hits him two more times, audibly cracking his skull open. She orders Mark to help her move him, which he reluctantly does while panicking at the sight of Graner's corpse, leaving behind a massive pool of blood as they drag him. Mark stresses to Reghabi that he works with Graner, but she assures him he doesn't, horrifying him upon learning that Graner is the head of security on the severed floor. Mark prepares to throw up from witnessing the murder, but Reghabi forces him to hold it in, warning that his DNA would be splattered all over a murder scene. She gives him Graner's security keycard, which gives him full, untraceable access at Lumon. She tells him to take it to work tomorrow because his innie will know what to do. Taking Petey's phone from him, she says she will take care of the body and orders him to get rid of his clothes. Still in shock, Mark hesitates. Reghabi tells him that she'll be in touch and they will finish what Petey started, before screaming at him to escape. He rushes out of the building and vomits outside, then flees.

At home, Mark gets a trash bag and puts all his clothes into it. He hears a sound and quietly ties off the bag, which he hides under the sink. Alexa appears and asks where he was. He says he was just getting water. She heard his car. Mark plays dumb and she says he's being weird. He says maybe it was a dream, but she's been awake for an hour and he was gone the whole time. Mark says he's sorry, that he just needed to drive a little. She asks if he's okay and he says their relationship is kind of a big deal for him. She asks if he wants her to go and he says maybe.

The next morning, Mark sees the badge on the counter and pockets it. He takes the trash bag out and throws it in his trash can outside. Mrs. Selvig notices this as she exits her house and notes that he usually takes out his trash in the early afternoon. He says he's getting a head start. She notices he's troubled and offers to talk over a cup of tea. He says he's going to see how the day goes.

At 8:06, Milchick tests the new door at MDR. It works. He steps inside and tests the door from the inside, which also works. Then he turns on the department lights and goes into the bathroom, where he retrieves the card Dylan stole.

Milchick comes to O&D, where Burt and Felicia are working at separate stations. He goes to Burt and gives him the missing card. Burt says Oswald will be delighted. Now they can focus on final preparations. Milchick looks at Burt's work and says it's outstanding. He says Burt has been a good leader for the department and deserves something special. Burt hopes it's not a trip to the Break Room. His trip from yesterday was enough. Milchick says it's something else and tells him to stay tuned.

Milchick welcomes Dylan to work. Dylan asks what that was. Milchick has Dylan walk with him and explains that what happened is called the Overtime Contingency, which allows them to wake up workers off-site occasionally. Dylan asks if the boy was his son. Milchick says he agreed to count to 1000, an agreement he violated. He pressures Dylan not to tell his colleagues. Dylan asks if Milchick can tell him his son's name. Milchick says it's probably better not to know. Milchick offers to find some special perks for Dylan since it's been a rough quarter.

Mark arrives at work and gets ready. He looks at Graner's badge and then looks at Judd, who isn't paying attention to him. He puts the badge in his pocket.

Mark enters the elevator and is greeted by Milchick when he arrives at work. Milchick is there to escort him to his desk, saying it's a new protocol. Mark is surprised by the new door and asks if they're locked in now. Milchick says the doors will ensure they're tucked nicely into the work spaces. Mark asks if Graner ordered this. Helly, Irving, and Dylan are already at their work stations. Helly asks Mark what this is. Mark just asks Irving and Dylan how they are and turns on his monitor.

Milchick teils someone on the phone that Graner didn't come him. He says everything is fine, but he's wondering where they are.

Mrs. Selvig demonstrates a pose for breastfeeding, then has Devon try it with Eleanor. It works and Eleanor latches.

Mrs. Selvig and Devon laugh over a story Mrs. Selvig tells of someone trying to hand express with toilet paper. Devon thanks her for her help. Devon asks if she needs to get to the store. Mrs. Selvig says they can do without her because she's having fun. It's not like she has a fleet of helpers. Devon admits that she doesn't. She tells Mrs. Selvig about meeting Gabby. She thinks maybe Gabby was severed to give birth, like Lumon does for people going to work. Mrs. Selvig thinks maybe it was just the birth that made her forget. Mrs. Selvig asks Devon why she thinks Mark severed. Devon says it was right after he lost Gemma. He tried to keep teaching, but he couldn't. Mrs. Selvig asks if he ever talks about his wife. Devon wishes he would more. When Mrs. Selvig's husband died, she thought she saw him everywhere and it was hard. She asks if Mark ever thinks he sees his wife.

Dylan works on Eminence, which is 33% complete. Irving comes to Mark and asks what happened to the soap labels. Dylan says they all know it's soap. Irving thinks it's a question for O&D. Mark reminds him they can't go anywhere. He gets that Irving is worried about Burt. Irving is worried that Burt is being punished for their visit. Dylan says if only someone told him it was a bad idea from the start. Milchick wheels in a cart for a five-minute Music Dance Experience as a perk for Helly reaching 75% on Siena. Irving says Helly's actually at 73%. Milchick says it's been a tough month for all of them and he thought a little frivolity would help. He says she can choose one genre and one accessory. She chooses defiant jazz and a maraca. Milchick urges them all to participate even thought it's Helly's experience. Dylan stays at his desk and continues working. The music starts and Milhcick starts flashing lights. He and Helly dance together. Irving also starts to dance and then Mark does as well. Mark looks at the card in his pocket briefly as they dance. Milchick dances near Dylan, who keeps working for a while, but then turns and pushes Milchick into the music cart, asking him what his son's name is and biting him. The others pull Dylan off Milchick. Milchick stands and says that Dylan broke the skin. He promises to report it to Cobel. Dylan is unfazed by that and offers to go see them together. Milchick leaves, saying the Music Dance Experience is officially cancelled. Once Milchick is gone, Dylan explains the Overtime Contingency to the others and how Milchick woke him up at home and he saw his son and his son hugged him and was happy to see him. Then Milchick pulled him off and it was over. Now Dylan is supposed to have that in his head and never get to see his son again. Helly says they could use this. If Lumon can wake them up on the outside, they can do it themselves. They can find what they use to control it and see the outside, find out who they are. Irving is sure the controls are somewhere they can't access. Mark pulls the black card out of his pocket and asks if Irving means the security office. He says he found the key card in his pocket during the Music Dance Experience. He must have had it when he came in. Helly asks why his outie had it, but he doesn't know. Helly thinks it's time for a field trip. Dylan is worried about other security guards, but Helly's only ever seen Graner. And Milchick can't be everywhere at once. Helly asks if Mark knows where the office is. Mark says he does because Petey saw it during a fire alarm and showed him. They can do this. Mark tells Dylan to stall Milchick if he shows up. Then he uses the card to open the door. It works and the door opens. As soon as they're out, Irving heads for O&D to make sure Burt's okay. He says he'll be back. Mark and Helly go in the opposite direction toward the security office. Mark uses the card to enter it. It's a room filled with monitors. Helly finds what they're looking for, a panel with names on it, including theirs. She finds a binder with security protocols as Mark sees a monitor showing that Cobel is on the elevator. Helly isn't worried, but Mark wants to leave. Helly pulls the Overtime Contingency page out of the binder and puts it back on the shelf.

Cobel walks through a hallway.

Irving walks through a hallway.

Cobel runs into Natalie Kalen, who was looking for her. She has the Board on and tells Cobel that Graner is dead. Cobel is shocked. Natalie says the Board finds this troubling and wants to know if Cobel knew he was missing or if she'd spoken to the police. Cobel thinks the person who killed him is the same person who reintegrated Petey. Natalie reminds her that the Board has not acknowledged reintegration as possible. Cobel says it has happened and she has the data to prove it. She'd be happy to share those in person without intermediaries. Natalie says the Board agrees and will be available to meet with her at the Eagan Family Gala next week to discuss it further. Cobel looks forward to receiving further details.

Irving arrives at O&D to find them having a party. He sees Elizabeth and Felicia among the happily chatting employees.

Dylan is upset that no one was in the security office. Mark says it's probably enough that they think they're being constantly watched. Helly is reading the page she pulled out and says there are a lot of steps, but it's straight-forward. Dylan quickly memorizes the pattern, which he attributes to him being smart. Mark says doing it means one of them has to stay behind after work. Dylan volunteers to be the one since he's already been out. Helly says it seems to be a two-person operation, but Dylan has the strength of two men. Helly shows him there are two switches to hold open on opposite sides of the door. Dylan insists he can do it.

Milchick wheels in a television and the O&D employees applaud Burt. Milchick notices Irving and says he'll have to get the doors looked at. In the meantime, he plays a bye bye video Burt's outie recorded. He talks about coming home feeling satisfied and fulfilled. They've left an impression on him, even though he doesn't know any of them. He thanks them and congratulates his innie on retirement. Irving is horrified that they're just going to let Burt's innie die. He asks if they're being punished for defying the guidance of their founder. Milchick says that Burt's outie is retiring, which will happen to Irving someday. Irving says Milchick isn't severed. He walks out with his memories and no one can take them from him and make it like he never existed. Milchick orders Irving to go back to MDR. Burt says it's wonderful to having Irving there and asks Milchick to let him stay. Milchick says Irving can stay for Burt's party if he behaves himself. Irving agrees and Milchick prompts them all to say goodbye to Burt. He puts on a record and they take turns shaking Burt's hand, ending with Irving. Then they all enjoy watermelon.

Milchick escorts Irving back to MDR and drops him off. Once Milchick is gone, Irving tells the others they should burn Lumon to the ground. They look at each other.

Mark drinks and reads articles about Ganz College. There's a knock at his door and find finds Alexa there. She left her phone there. Mark tells her to make herself at home and says he found her phone between the wall and the bed. He would have dropped it off, but he doesn't know where she lives. She asks if he's okay and he claims he is. She decides to go, saying he's not ready for a relationship despite his insistence that he is. He thinks it was too much to talk bout Gemma. He tries to prove to Alexa that he's over her by ripping up a picture of Gemma and throwing the pieces. Alexa leaves anyway. Mark follows her outside, saying they can talk about Gemma all they want. Alexa says goodbye and gets in her car to leave. Mark watches her go and says Gemma was extraordinary.

Mark goes back inside, collects the pieces of the picture, and tapes them back together. Once he's done, he looks at the picture, which reveals that Gemma is Ms. Casey.

Defiant Jazz

Irving sits on a bench reading The Emperor's Handbook. His dog, Radar, sits on the ground in front of him. He gets up and starts walking with Radar.

They drive home at Leonora Lake Apartments and go inside. Irving pours himself a cup of coffee and looks at a series of paintings, all of the same long, dark hallway. He sets up a new board and begins painting.

Mark, Dylan, Helly, and Irving all arrive at work. Helly gets a category to 100%. Mark leans over to check on her and she says she's doing well and will get it finished.

Dylan worries that Helly's not going to finish. He and Irving are already done with theirs. Mark tells them they should be at their desks and assures them Helly will make it. Irving says it might help to stand behind her and chant her name. Mark tells them to let her focus.

Cobel paces and asks Michick how Helly is doing. Milchick says it'll be down to the wire. They watch Helly work and Cobel says Helly will make it. She tells him to prep for when she makes it. And she wants to schedule an end-of-the-quarter wellness session for Mark, one last time. When Milchick asks if she's sure, Cobel says that it's been a trying quarter, but she's sure Graner and Kier are both pleased with Milchick's work.

Mark fidgets while Helly works. She calls him over to have him watch her do the final piece to complete Siena. Irving and Dylan rush in from the kitchenette to watch the animation celebrating her achievement, including Kier telling her he loves her. Dylan is happy they made quota. Irving says it's on now.

Mark and Cobel laugh in her office. Mark says they made it despite the staffing changes. She adds them spending time wandering the halls. She asks if he has decided whom he wants to have stay for the waffle party. He says Dylan. Cobel asks if he knows he can choose himself or someone else. Mark says it's his thing and he worked really hard. Cobel says she'll make the arrangements and tells him to drop by wellness. She says all department heads are doing it for the end of the quarter, with all the stress of Graner retiring and everything else. She thanks him, saying Lumon needed them making quota.

Mark waits for his wellness session. Ms. Casey peeks out the door and calls him in. He asks where the tree went. She doesn't answer. He notices everything's in boxes and asks about it. She says Lumon has a new wellness director, so she'll be retiring at the end of this session. Mark asks when they told her and she says they just told her. She turns on sounds of nature and tells him he's eligible for a special, augmented wellness session because he led his department to meeting their quota. Mark says he didn't think she'd get fired. She starts reading facts about his outie. He interrupts and offers to talk to someone for her. She says she liked being in the office with him that day. She knows she annoyed him, but her life has only been 107 hours long, mostly in the form of half-hour sessions. Her favorite time was the eight hours she spent watching Helly because it was the longest she was ever awake. Mark thinks there must be something they can do. She asks why he cares what happens to her. He says they're people, not parts of people. These are their lives and no one gets to turn her off. Ms. Casey tells him he's nice. Then she continues reading the facts about his outie.

Cobel watches Mark's session on her monitor. Milchick says it's good that Mark and Ms. Casey don't remember each other. It means the chips work, which is a win. Cobel tells him to take Ms. Casey back down to the Testing Floor.

Milchick escorts Ms. Casey to a door. He opens it and has her enter. She walks down a long, dark hallway. She turns around and asks if she's happy up there. He says yes, she does all sorts of wonderful things. She turns and continues walking. She stops and turns again, but when she starts to ask a question, Milchick says he has a lot to do today and sends her on her way. She enters an elevator at the end of the hallway that sends her down.

Mark goes back to MDR and tells Irving, Helly, and Dylan that he had a wellness check and Dylan is all set for the waffle party. He also tells Dylan that they fired Ms. Casey. Helly asks if there's anything they can do. Mark doesn't know. He asks if they're sure they want to do this. Before they can answer, Milchick comes in with their pre-waffle party egg bar social. They deserve it for reaching quota. But before they begin, he has a special gift for Dylan, their three-time refiner of the quarter. He hands Dylan a box. Helly tells Dylan to open it, but he wants to open it alone. Milchick says he should show them, so Dylan opens it. They're impressed by what they see in the box.

They enjoy their egg bar social as Milchick takes pictures. Helly offers to stay behind instead of Dylan, so he can see his kid again. He says what they're doing tonight is just the first step. She asks if he's sure.

Cobel goes into her office, where Natalie is waiting. In Natalie's hand are two pictures of Helly during her suicide attempt. She asks Cobel about it and Cobel admits it. Natalie asks why she didn't tell the Board. Cobel asks if Milchick gave Natalie the pictures. Natalie tells her to answer the question. Cobel asks if she's speaking with the Board. Natalie says they also know she's been spending time at Mark's sister's house. Natalie tells her it's been decided that she's being suspended from her job effective immediately. She's fired. Cobel asks if the Board is even there. After a moment, a voice says, "yes" over the speaker, shocking Cobel. Cobel apologizes for being rude and says she'll explain everything to the Board tonight. Natalie tells her the Board has ended the call.

Irving pulls out a compliance handbook and reads aloud from it. He puts an egg in the book and closes it.

Mark finds Helly in the kitchenette and Helly says she thinks the goats lay the eggs. Helly asks if he's scared about their plan. He admits that he's scared of getting caught. Helly says they left them unattended and thought they'd be too dumb to notice. They won't see it coming. He says they might not wake up. Or they'll be assholes out there. Helly says that's a given for her. Mark just hopes he has things he cares about. Helly says he pretended to care about her pretty well. He says she's easy to pretend to care about and she says the same of him. Milchick suddenly turns the lights on, saying the party is over because he needs to attend to a management issue. He says he'll leave the food and he'll be back soon to escort Dylan to Perpetuity.

Milchick escorts Cobel to the stairwell. He takes her key card and hands her a box of her things, then sends her out.

Mark tells Dylan not to mess with any other departments. Helly reminds him the process is meant to be done by two people, but Dylan assures her he'll be fine. They give him the key card and the directions. Mark says it's likely they'll wake up around people. They could be doing anything, so they need to be ready for anything as they go up the elevator. It's important to find someone you think you can trust and tell them everything. They don't know how long Dylan will be able to give them so they can't get distracted digging into their lives. The mission is the priority. Mark pulls The You You Are out of a drawer. He tells them he kept it and reads part of it to them. Dylan starts to recite it with him, revealing that he also read it.

Irving, Mark, and Helly wait at the elevator. Irving gets on and tells them it's time to find out what's for dinner. As the door close, Helly asks Mark if he thinks they're about to meet their spouses. He says maybe. Helly says it'd be a hoot if they're married to each other. They might be mid-argument even. Helly puts in her key card next. Then she stops the doors from closing and kisses Mark, in case they don't come back or maybe in case they do. Then she leaves, wishing him good luck. Mark looks around the area and then gets on the elevator himself.

Dylan practices the steps he has to take.

Milchick comes to MDR to get Dylan, but finds it empty. Dylan calls that he'll be out in a minute, then folds up the directions and takes a deep breath.

Mark leaves Lumon. Outside, workers are active, chasing things outside.

Milchick escorts Dylan to the Perpetuity Wing. He tells Dylan to enjoy and leaves him outside Kier's home. Dylan enters Kier's bedroom and finds a stack of waffles waiting for him. He sits down to eat them.

Cobel rants about Natalie as she drives.

Dylan finishes his waffles and sees that the plate is instructing him to go to the founder's bed. There's a mask of Kier on it. Dylan puts it on and dancers dressed as the four tempers come in and perform a sensual dance.

Cobel gets home and rages. She rips decorations off the wall and destroys her shrine to Kier. Then she embraces some medical tubing and a hospital bracelet with the name Charlotte Cobel.

The dancers finish and look at the bed but Dylan is no longer there.

Dylan takes his present and walks to the security room.

Cobel is crying on the floor when her doorbell rings. She finds Mark there. He says he's headed to Devon and Ricken's for their party. Devon asked if she wanted to go. Cobel says she's not feeling herself this evening. He understands and turns to leave. She says maybe she could drive her own car, leaving her free to go if she wants to leave.

Irving goes home, pets his dog, and gets coffee.

Mark enters Devon and Ricken's party. Ricken greets him and says the reading starts in eight minutes. He asks if Mark has his copy to read along. Mark left it by his bed. Ricken says it's fine. Devon comes over with Eleanor and tells Mark there's food. Ricken says Rebeck might share her copy of the book with Mark. Ricken goes to ask her about it, leaving Mark and Devon alone. They banter and Mark says they should talk later because he's been pondering a life change. Devon thanks him for coming and leaves to play host. Cobel comes up and hugs Devon.

Dylan makes it to the security room and puts in the key card.

Irving puts a finished painting aside then starts another.

Cobel apologizes to Mark and says she had a bad day at the shop. He is sorry to hear that and tells her that work is just work. She agrees.

Dylan uses his belt to secure the door so no one can come in. He pulls out his gift, which is a block engraved with the MDR team. He puts it in front of him, then pulls out the directions to get started. He works through the steps.

Irving plays music and paints.

Dylan starts the process, giving himself 19 seconds to open the circuit.

Cobel asks Mark about the life change he was telling Devon about. Mark says he was going to talk to Devon about his job. He's thinking he might quit. She asks if he's serious.

Dylan navigates to the overtime function.

Mark says he's not sure he needs severance anymore.

The computer counts down and Dylan looks for his next step.

Cobel encourages Mark to do it, to get way from Lumon.

Dylan struggles to reach to activate both switches. Finally, he's able to do it.

What's for Dinner?

Severance

Gemma's room-by-room journey through Lumon converges with Mark's work percentage, pulling both toward the same physical destination: Cold Harbor.

Gemma Shown Cold Harbor Nameplate

Mark Stalled at 96 Percent

Cold Harbor Named as Last Room

Gemma Asks About Seeing Mark

Parallel Completion Tracking

Cold Harbor is a single mechanism with Mark and Gemma on opposite sides of the severance boundary, with his stalled 96% figure tracking her room-by-room progression rather than any work output he controls. Gemma entering Cold Harbor and Mark reaching 100% completion are the same event, rendered unrecognizable to both of them by Lumon's design. Mark's grief was not incidental to this architecture. It was the operational condition Lumon required to hold the process in place until Gemma's conditioning reached terminal stage.

Cold Harbor Is Gemma's Final Destination

Lumon identified Gemma through a controlled fertility clinic and used grief as the lever to pull her toward the testing floor.

Dr. Mauer at the Fertility Clinic

Chikhai Bardo Mailing List Origin

Lumon Clinic Ownership Pattern

Fertility Treatments as Testing Preparation

Targeting Grief and Vulnerability

Testing Floor Cards at Home

Lumon embedded its own medical personnel inside a fertility clinic to identify and recruit psychologically vulnerable candidates, moving Gemma from patient to captive through a mechanism she would have experienced as gradual mercy rather than coercion. Once enrolled, she was subjected to room-by-room emotional extraction designed from a pre-enrollment psychological profile, producing calibrated data for a commercial identity-replacement technology. The program's intended recipient is Mark, meaning Lumon did not exploit a private tragedy but engineered it as the opening move in a product development cycle.

Lumon Used Grief to Harvest Gemma

Lumon Manufactured the Grief It Now Sells Back

Lumon's severance chip isn't punishment technology; it's a consumer product being perfected through worker exploitation on the Testing Floor.

Eagan's 'Everyone Will Have One'

Gemma's Compartmentalized Memory Tests

Small Discomforts as Product Targets

Workplace Severance as Normalization Step

Lumon's Expansion Beyond Office Context

The severance chip is Lumon's actual product, with the corporate program functioning as a deliberate normalization phase before mass consumer deployment marketed as relief from pain, tedium, and discomfort. The split consciousness the chip produces is not a side effect but the mechanism's core feature, because a self that cannot remember cannot resist or withdraw consent. What Gemma endures on the Testing Floor is product development, and she is the benchmark the chip must clear before it scales to millions.

The Chip Is the Product, Not the Worker

Reintegration destroys both versions of Mark and births a third consciousness that Lumon cannot predict, control, or ever separate again.

Reintegration Framed as Death

Merged Memory Access Confirmed

New Entity Replacing Former Selves

Lumon Containment Assumptions Broken

Mark's reintegration destroys both the innie and the outie, producing a third entity with simultaneous access to memories neither version was designed to hold, leaving no clean seam at which re-severance can occur. If that is true, Lumon has already lost the ability to contain or reclaim him using any protocol currently in their system. The specific test of this theory is whether a re-severance attempt on the merged Mark fails or produces something unrecognizable rather than restoring either prior self.

Reintegration Kills Both Marks, Creates One

The Bardo cards Dylan stole are Lumon's consciousness transfer apparatus, making his theft a sabotage of their entire severing operation.

Dylan's O&D Bardo Card Theft

Gemma Holds Chikai Card Inside Lumon

Lumon Sent Bardo Cards to Gemma

Episode Title Echoes Bardo Theme

The Bardo cards Lumon sent to Gemma and the cards Dylan stole from O&D are the same class of operational instrument, forming a single continuous pipeline that connects Lumon's external recruitment to the internal processing of severed consciousness. Dylan's theft was not a minor infraction but an inadvertent breach of the mechanism Lumon uses to move subjects from prospect to captive. If the cards are personalized rather than interchangeable, his theft may have directly disrupted Gemma's processing.