Severance season 2 episode 7 ending explained: Does Gemma escape from the testing floor?
Severance season 2 episode 7 aired on February 27, 2025, on Apple TV+. Titled Chikhai Bardo, the episode is directed by the show's cinematographer, Jessica Lee Gagné, and penned by Dan Erickson along with Mark Friedman.
This episode focuses exclusively on Gemma and Mark's story by weaving through three separate timelines - Mark and Gemma's married life, Mark's recovery from a seizure in the present time, and Gemma's time inside Lumon's testing floor.
By the end of the episode, Gemma grows increasingly frustrated with her solitary confinement and tries to escape from the testing floor, but is caught.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for Severance season 2 episode 7.
A look into Gemma's life on the testing floor in Severance season 2 episode 7
In Severance season 2 episode 7, Gemma is seen on screen for the first time since the start of season 2. She has been living on the testing floor since Ms. Casey was sent there in episode 8 of season 1. At the start of the day, she is interviewed by a nurse, who takes her measurements and asks her routine questions.
Gemma is told she has to visit six rooms, starting with the Wellington room. She walks down a long hallway with rooms labeled Allentown, Siena, Cairns, Loveland, Adelaide, Sopchoppy, Tumwater, Rhodes, Cold Harbor, and Dranesville. Fans of the show will remember these names as the files the MDR workers have been working on since the start of the series.
Mark worked on Allentown in season 1 and has finished 96% of the Cold Harbor file in season 2, as of this episode.
Gemma is seen dressed in a blood-red dress and a short wig before entering the Wellington room, the dentist's office. As soon as she walks in, her innie 'takes over' and she grimaces at having to return to the room so soon, but Dr. Mauer reminds her that her last visit was six weeks ago.
Mauer is the same person seen carrying a tray of dental tools from O&D, while whistling to the tune of The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, at the start of Severance season 2 episode 5.
Gemma visits the remaining rooms wearing different costumes. Each of these rooms has a different setting and seemingly awakens a different part of Gemma's consciousness, hinting that she possibly has more than one innie. However, what she does in these rooms are a mystery to her (outie), as she confirms to Mauer at the end of the day when he visits her room.
During their meeting, she asks if she can see Mark after visiting all of the rooms, including the newly added Cold Harbor. But, Mauer's non-answer leaves her in despair. In their next meeting, Gemma firmly tells him she wants to leave. But, he responds that Mark has remarried and has a daughter with his new wife, suggesting that she do the same.
Gemma, however, does not believe him and abruptly hits him on the head with a chair, knocking him unconscious, before escaping the room. She makes her way through the dark hallways and uses the elevator to reach the entrance to the export hall. Her freedom seems within reach until she finds Milchick standing at the other end of the door.
He instructs her to head back to the testing floor. With no other option, Gemma walks back to the elevator and cries out for Mark as the nurse takes her back to her room.
Severance season 2 episode 7 showcases Mark and Gemma's married life
Mark and Gemma's relationship is shown through flashbacks in Severance season 2 episode 7. After meeting at a blood drive, the two inevitably fall in love and get married, which is depicted through a beautiful montage set to Jacques Brel's La valse à mille temps.
In time Gemma gets pregnant, but she miscarries and Mark consoles her through the loss. The couple visits the Butzemann Fertility Center, where Dr. Mauer works, and goes through at least three rounds of fertility treatments without any success. Moreover, the clinic is affiliated with Lumon as Gemma begins receiving Chikhai Bardo cards from the clinic.
These cards were seen in Severance season 1 episode 6, when Dylan steals one of them from the O&D department. They hold some special significance as Milchick had activated the overtime contingency to retrieve the card from Dylan.
Gemma and Mark feel more disconnected with every failed IVF attempt. She distracts herself with the Chikhai Bardo cards, which annoys her husband.
The last flashback scene of the episode takes place the night Gemma supposedly dies. She goes out without Mark as he is busy finishing up his work. Hours later, he is visited by police officers with news of Gemma's death.
What is the deal with MDR watchers in Severance season 2 episode 7?
One of the more bizarre aspects of Severance season 2 episode 7 is the security room, where the MDR workers are monitored by their corresponding lookalikes. These 'watchers' sit at workstations, similar to the ones seen in the MDR department, and do the same work of refining numbers.
But, they have access to a livestream of their respective Macrodats as well as their files. Mark's watcher has been following his progress through his 24 files, starting from Dranesville to his current file, Cold Harbor.
While keeping a close eye on the watchers, Drummond asks Mauer if the severance barriers are holding. The latter confirms that the technology is working great. Drummond notices Mauer's romantic feelings for Gemma and tells him they will get rid of her after Cold Harbor is complete.
Also read: Severance: What is the Lexington letter? Everything you need to know about the e-book
Mark wakes up in Severance season 2 episode 7
Mark spends the entire episode unconscious and is looked after by Reghabi and Devon, who are surprised to learn that Mark got reintegrated. Reghabi assures her that he will wake up when his mind has fused his memories together.
As they wait, Devon suggests visiting the Damona Birthing Retreat, the 'innie cottage' she spent time at while giving birth to her daughter in season 1. She figures they can wake up Mark's innie faster at the cottage, but Reghabi shoots her down.
Devon gets increasingly worried about Mark and decides to call Harmony Cobel for help, thinking she will help them find Gemma after Lumon fires her. But, Reghabi points out that she is a Lumon loyalist through and through. Devon dials her number regardless, angering Reghabi and prompting her to leave with her instrument out of fear for her safety.
Devon gets frantic at being left alone to deal with the situation, but she calms down after seeing Mark finally open his eyes.
All episodes of Severance are available to stream on Apple TV+.
