Spoilers for Episode 2 of Severance Season 2 are forward! In case you aren’t caught up, you’ll be able to stream the sequence with an Apple TV+ subscription and catch new episodes each Friday.
Ms. Cobel is an enigma. I can’t determine her motivations out for the lifetime of me, and Episode 2 of Severance Season 2 solely made me extra confused. So, as a result of her conditions with Lumon and Mark had been in flux on the finish of Severance Season 1, I’ve been questioning what her subsequent transfer could be, and being confronted by Adam Scott’s character and nearly working him over was not considered one of my guesses. Nevertheless, that’s what occurred, and listening to Patricia Arquette’s clarification about her character’s mindset at that second has made me see her in a brand new mild.
On the finish of Episode 2, Mark drives house from Lumon and sees Ms. Cobel leaving her home. He instantly confronts her, asking who she actually is and noting that he actually used to belief her. Then, Patricia Arquette’s character tells Adam Scott’s outtie that he’s “really easy to sway,” as she realizes he determined to remain on the mysterious company they each have a historical past with. That’s when Mark runs in entrance of her automotive and begins rattling off aggressive inquiries to attempt to determine what is going on on.
When she doesn’t reply any of these questions, Mark asks if she is aware of one thing about Gemma. In response, Ms. Cobel, breathes, screams, honks her horn and begins driving away. It’s a deeply unsettling and ambiguous response. So, after I interviewed Arquette about her implausible Apple TV+ present, I requested what was going by means of her character’s thoughts when this occurred. In response, she stated:
I believe she’s in battle in that scene, as a result of she’s so offended at Lumon and she or he needs to disclose to him sure issues. And I believe she’s additionally annoyed that she will not be capable of proceed having such an in depth connection to him and see how he is doing. However she’s not all the best way given up on successful again her place. Someplace inside she’s nonetheless nonetheless is loyal to Lumon in that second.
I’ve all the time been very perplexed by Cobel’s relationship with Mark and Lumon. Nevertheless, for essentially the most half, I’ve assumed she’d keep loyal to the corporate, regardless of what they did to her. Nevertheless, Arquette confirmed right here that she does need to inform Adam Scott’s character what’s happening, and it looks like she cares for his or her connection, which I had by no means totally thought-about earlier than.
That blended with the assembly Cobel had with Helena firstly of the episode actually units up a juicy storyline for this character as she revaluates the place her allegiances lie.
Talking of that scene with Helena, in it, Britt Decrease’s character thanks Arquette’s for her work and loyalty and asks if she needs to return again to work. Cobel responds by saying she needs an apology and to run the severed ground. They attain an deadlock on this level, and together with saying she’ll take into consideration Lumon’s provide, Cobel states:
You don’t worth me. You concern me.
So, between this scene and her interplay with Mark, it’s clear that Cobel is making an attempt to determine her subsequent transfer, and it’s so fascinating to have it confirmed that she’s not fairly positive what the correct transfer is.
I’ve all the time seen Cobel as a staunch and decided individual, and I’ve all the time assumed she had a plan. Nevertheless, her response to Mark and Arquette’s clarification about how torn her character is proves that that’s not the case. So, yeah, I’m seeing Ms. Cobel in a very new mild now.
I can’t wait to see how that understanding of her modifications too as Severance continues to air on the 2025 TV schedule. If there’s one factor I learn about this present, it’s that all of us want to arrange for essentially the most sudden prospects.