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TheSeveranceepisodeChikhai Bardois a lot of things.
Its a love story about a couple separated by time and space.
Its an untraditional narrative that dispenses with chronological storytelling.
Its a Christmas episode.
(One probably coincidental but maybe not?
Eventually, he gets pinballed between the two decades long enough to understand how and why they intersect.
If the wordsreintegratingandbifurcatedare setting off alarm bells, they should.
What happens to Lumons severed employees is sort of a twist on what happens to Desmond in The Constant.
Yes, they want to understand whats really going on at Lumon.
Shes led to believe by those guiding her that she can return to a normal life.
What happens once I am done with all the rooms?
she asks the doctor who supervises her, as played by Robby Benson.
(You know what, lets call him Dr. Robby, as an homage toThe Pitt.)
You will see the world again, Dr. Robby tells her.
And the world will see you.
It sounds like a promise that someday shell get to leave Lumon.
But Dr. Robby sucks at keeping promises.
(Potential time loop, anyone?)
I told you, Dr. Robby says.
But Christmas has a funny way of coming back around each year.
She also seems to briefly gain awareness that Mark was told she had died in an accident.
In the episodes final scene, Mark opens his eyes, finally awake and integrated.
He sees an image of Gemmas eyes, and then tears well up in his own.
Chikhai Bardo is a love story, but its a sad one, unlike The Constant.
But I was just here, she insists.
Two hours, the nurse replies.
Are all of the innies on a timeline out of sync with the outside world?
Is it just Gemma?
These are questions that the episode raises without coming close to answering.
And sometimes, time is simply not on your side.
