Warning! This article contains spoilers for Severance season 2’s episode 4.
Severanceseason 2’s episode 4 seems to secretly feature a reference to a real conspiracy theory, hinting at what Lumon’s purpose is and what it is working on. The fourth installment ofSeveranceseason 2 not only confirms a massive Helena theorybut also marks the end of Irving’s innie’s story. Its shocking story developments have prompted viewers to come up with a wave of theories and speculations, raising many questions about Mark’s reintegration, Kier Eagan’s backstory, and Irving’s future in the series.
At the same time,Severanceseason 2 episode 4’s endingalso makes it hard not to wonder how Irv’s departure from Lumon will impact the MDR workers and encourage them to turn even more defiant towards the company. While only time will tell how these story beats will unfold, one hidden detail in theSeveranceseason 2 episodecomes off as a nod to a real conspiracy. This real-world reference might have subtly given away what Lumon is trying to achieve.
Severance Season 2 Episode 4’s Montauk Detail Could Be A Nod To A Real Conspiracy
Montauk Is The Name Of The File Irv Works On Severance Season 2’s Episode 4
Although a lot goes on inSeveranceseason 2’s episode 4, one of the most intriguing sequences revolves around Irving and his pursuit of finding the truth about Helena. Before Irv has his “Eureka moment” in the episode, he ends up sleeping outside in the blistering cold where he has a strange dream. In the dream, he works on a file, titled “Montauk,” on his Lumon computer, which seemingly helps him refine his own memories and connect the dots surrounding Helena’s true identity.
Severance’s Parallels With A 207-Year-Old Classic Gothic Horror Story Might Have Revealed Lumon’s Purpose
Apple TV+’s Severance draws subtle parallels to a 207-year-old classic gothic horror story, which seemingly hints at Lumon’s overarching purpose.
While “Montauk” could mean many things, it is hard not to see it as a subtle reference to the Montauk Project conspiracy. Little is known about the legitimacy of the Montauk Project. However, as the real-life conspiracy suggests, the secret military project, conducted at Camp Hero or Montauk Air Force Station in Montauk, New York,was used for conducting unethical experiments to develop tools for psychological warfare and even researching time travel.
What The Montauk Project Nod Could Reveal About Lumon’s Work In Severance
It Could Hint Lumon Is Developing Psychological Weapons
Preston Nichols, who has written a series of books about the Montauk Project, has claimed to have recovered his repressed memories of his involvement in the government program. Although his books are classified as fiction, they come with a note that says, “Whether you read this as science fiction or non-fiction you are in for an amazing story.” Regardless of whether the Montauk Project was real, the mention of “Montauk” inSeverancemakes it hard not to believe that the show might be drawing from the real-life conspiracy.
97%
84%
Streaming On
Apple TV+
Like the Montauk Project, Lumon, too, might be developing psychological warfare techniques through their experiments surrounding human memory and consciousness. Similar to Preston Nichols,Mark might be able to recover some of his repressed innie memories as an outie and outie memories as an innie after reintegration. Given howThe Lexington Lettershints that a terrorist attack might have something to do with an innie’s work on an MDR project, Lumon might already be using its psychological warfare tools inSeveranceto advance covert operations in the outside world.
Severance
Severance is a psychological thriller series featuring Adam Scott as Mark Scout, an employee at Lumon Industries who undergoes a “severance” procedure to separate his work and personal memories. However, as work and life personas mysteriously begin to collide, it quickly becomes clear that not all is as it seems. Created by Dan Erickson and directed by Ben Stiller and Aoife McArdle.
