The Events Leading to Cobel’s Decision in Severance: Episode 8 Explained

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Warning: This post contains spoilers for Episode 8 of Severance Season 2.

Much has happened in Severance since Harmony Cobel was last seen leaving Helena Eagan in episode three of Season 2.

Episode 8, titled “Sweet Vitriol,” marks Patricia Arquette’s character’s return. The 38-minute episode begins with Harmony arriving in Salt’s Neck, the town she was driving towards in Episode 3 before returning to Lumon.

Salt’s Neck is revealed as Harmony’s hometown and a former Lumon company town devastated by the corporation. Many residents are addicted to ether, seemingly introduced by Lumon and now sold by Hampton (James Le Gros), Harmony’s childhood friend. Despite hard feelings, a strong loyalty remains between them. Harmony asks him to drive her to Celestine “Sissy” Cobel (Jane Alexander), her estranged relative who raised her.

Sissy is a “pariah” and a radical Kier follower, adhering to his nine principles. She made young Harmony’s life difficult, forcing her to work at Lumon’s factory with Hampton.

Harmony, fired by Lumon, seeks access to her late mother’s locked room, believing it contains a valuable possession. The breathing tube Harmony carries belonged to her mother, Charlotte Cobel, who disliked Lumon and Kier. Harmony accuses Sissy of removing the tube and causing her mother’s death. However, Sissy claims Charlotte removed the tube herself.

Interestingly, a written to expand the show’s world mentions Lumon’s “feeding tube devices” and a Nashville newspaper that was “sued into oblivion” after attempting to expose them.

Harmony finds a notebook of her Lumon designs in a basement outside Sissy’s home. Young Harmony was chosen by the Eagans to attend the Myrtle Eagan School for Girls and receive the Jame Eagan Wintertide Fellowship. The episode reveals that Harmony, not Jame, invented the severance procedure. She identifies her circuit blueprint, base code, overtime contingency, and Glasgow block.

Harmony says the Eagans threatened her with banishment if she took credit for her work. A car, likely belonging to Lumon, appears. Harmony escapes with Hampton, but Lumon will likely pursue her.

Driving away, Harmony speaks with Devon (Jen Tullock), who has been calling her. Learning that Mark (Adam Scott) has under Reghabi (Karen Aldridge)’s guidance, Harmony decides to help Mark and potentially bring down Lumon.

As the inventor of the severance procedure, Harmony may be the only one who knows how to reverse it safely. However, her makes her loyalty unpredictable. Her shifting allegiances could determine the fate of Mark, Gemma, and the other innies.