WARNING: This article contains spoilers from seasons 1 and 2 of Severance
After a hiatus of two-and-a-half years, the much-anticipated second season of Severance has finally landed, plunging viewers back into the enigmatic world of Lumon Industries.
The first episode of the new series of the TV+ drama, intriguingly titled Hello, Ms Cobel, was conspicuous by the absence of the former head of the severed floor (played by Patricia Arquette) at Lumon Industries.
Instead, the reins were firmly in the hands of Mr Milchick (Tramell Tillman), who took over the helm following the Macrodat Uprising and is now leading the so-called Severance Reform at Lumon.
Despite her noticeable absence in the first episode, the title of the second episode – Goodbye, Mrs Selvig – suggests that Ms Cobel remains a significant character, reports .
Ms’ Cobel’s Kier shrine and Charlotte Cobel’s breathing tube (Image: APPLE TV)
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Furthermore, fans are eager to delve deeper into Ms Cobel’s past and uncover some of her hidden secrets.
In the first season, viewers discovered that Ms Cobel had a shrine dedicated to the deity-like figure of Lumon founder Kier Egan (Marc Gellar), complete with his nail clippings, various other memorabilia, and notably, a piece of medical equipment.
This medical device bore the label ‘Charlotte Cobel’ and included the date of birth ‘3-17-44’. Charlotte was born in 1944, during the throes of World War II and just as the seeds of the ensuing Cold War were being sown.
Speculation abounds that Charlotte could be Ms. Cobel’s deceased mother, whom the Lumon executive has previously described as both a Catholic and an atheist.
Charlotte Cobels breathing tube in Severance (Image: APPLE TV)
Both Ms. Cobel and her Outie Mrs Selvig mentioned their mother in the first episode, hinting that Charlotte played a pivotal role in their lives.
The references to Charlotte Cobel might reveal insights into Lumon and Ms Cobel’s character.
In the first season, Ms Cobel confides in Mark S (Adam Scott), saying: “You know, my mother was an atheist. She used to say that there was good news and bad news about hell.”
Actress Patricia Arquette as Ms. Cobel in Severance (Image: APPLE TV)
“The good news is, hell is just the product of a morbid human imagination. The bad news is, whatever humans can imagine, they can usually create.”
Subsequently, Mrs Selvig remarked: “You know, my mother was a Catholic. She used to say it takes the saints eight hours to bless a sleeping child.”
Severance’s Series Set Decorator Andrew Baseman, in a 2023 interview with , illuminated the significance of the shrine, hinting Charlotte was indeed the late mother of Ms. Cobel.
Ms Cobel was a mysterious figure in Severance (Image: APPLE TV)
He revealed: “The centrepiece in the centre – that blue thing in the middle is like an oxygen tube from her mother’s last breath.”
“I think after she goes nuts and destroys this, she clutches it. So there’s tonnes of meaningful things that are in there that are part of her crazy world that we may never know what they all are.”
The story of Charlotte Cobel, her demise, and how she ties into Lumon could be delved into more deeply in the show’s second season, potentially through flashbacks.
Severance season 2 episodes drop weekly on Fridays on Apple TV+