Oh, how innocent we were at the end of January, only three episodes into the second season of Severance. We didnt even know what Salts Neck was, or where Ms. Caseys been tucked away! We may have a slightly better idea of what the hell is going on as Apple TV+s sci-fi sensation/internet obsession heads into its season two finale next weekbut there are still secrets galore lurking in Lumons hallways. With that in mind, its time to revisit io9s earlier post running through our most burning Severance questions and see where they now standand you know weve got plenty of new ones, too. First, heres a rundown of our early-season questionssome of which weve since learned the answers to. Where is Ms. Casey? In episode seven, Chikhai Bardo, we got a detailed backstory of Gemma (later known as Ms. Casey) and Marks relationship, from their first meet-cute at a blood drive, to their blissful early days of marriage, to their devastating struggles with infertility. We also learned that Gemma has been literally beneath Marks feet the entire time; with a variety of severed personalities activated depending on which room she enters, shes been undergoing a series of highly unpleasant experiences on Lumons testing floor, which is even more underground than the severed floor. Apple TV+ How did Gemma become Ms. Caseyand why? We dont have precise details yet on either of these, though we do have some more clues to go on. We know that Gemma and Mark visited a fertility clinic run by Lumon, and that Gemma remained in contact with the place, or at least received follow-up mail (the Chikhai Bardo card came with some sort of personality test) associated with it. We also saw the night she left alone for an event that Mark did not want to attend and never came home, with a pair of police showing up to deliver the sad (fake) news of her fate. While we dont know exactly how she became Ms. Caseywas she kidnapped? A willing participant until realizing what shed actually agreed to?we have a slightly less foggy idea of why. Based on episode seven, we know shes being held against her will, and that Marks work as a Macrodata Refiner has shaped her experiences on the testing floor. We also know based on this weeks episode, The After Hours, that when Mark finishes his most important work file, the all-important Cold Harbor, Gemmas life will end.We dont know, of course, any of the big-picture stuff, like what exactly Lumon plans to do with the results of this barbaric experiment, and what future implications it may have. What is Cold Harbor? See above. We have no idea whats actually waiting for Gemma in the room, but its going to be way more awful than being on a plane thats seemingly about to crash, a painful afternoon at the dentist, or a passive-aggressive Christmas spent writing inane thank-you notes. After Chikhai Bardo, it seemed plausible Cold Harbor would be where Gemma would re-experience her miscarriage over and over, but now that we know its designed to be fatalcould it be a car crash that actually kills her? What is Ms. Cobels plan and whats in Salts Neck? Thanks to episode eight, Sweet Vitriol, a lot of Ms. Cobels backstory has been fleshed out. We know she grew up in a Lumon company town thats now nearly deserted, and that most everyone who still lives there isthanks to Lumonan ether addict. We learned Cobels mother, who was one of those ether addicts while she was alive, hated Lumon. We also learned Cobel was a gifted student who earned the prestigious Wintertide Fellowship, and that Jame Eagan stole her designs for the severance procedure and passed the invention off as his own.That all certainly explains a lot of her behavior until now: her eerie devotion to the cult of Kier, something shes been entangled with her entire life; her creepy interest in Mark both inside and out of work (since his completion of Cold Harbor is somehow tied into the success of severance), her extreme reaction when she was fired from Lumon, and (as we saw in The After Hours) her apparent decision to help Mark and Devon right as Gemmas time is running out. Where is Kier, PE? Still no idea. But its not just snowy roads: you can take a train far, far away if you need to escape Kier, like Irving does in The After Hours. Apple TV+ Whos on the board? Still no idea. The only Eagans weve met are Jame and Helena. Could there be more? What is the deal with Natalie? Again, no idea. If the season finale reveals Natalie is an innie whose outie is the complete opposite of PR person with a death-ray smile, it wouldnt be entirely surprising. Why does Lumon want Ricken to re-write his book for innies? Yet again, we dont know, other than perhaps it was a way for Lumon to keep its hooks in Marks familysince we now know exactly how valuable he is to the company. Ricken hasnt been seen much in season two, though his portrayal in the Chikhai Bardo flashback suggests his overly mannered personality used to be a lot more charming. The episode was all about Mark and Gemma, but it also showed the audience that Devon and Rickens relationship isnt as mismatched as it appears to be in the shows present day.Why is Miss Huang a kid? This we now know: like Ms. Cobel before her, little Eustace is a Wintertide Fellow. She and Mr. Milchick never worked very well together, but he did allow her to graduate. In The After Hours, we see her being sent away from the Lumon office (and her parents, its pointedly mentioned) for a new posting in Svalbard, probably one of few places on Earth thats colder than Kier. Apple TV+ Why did Helly lie about her Overtime Contingency experience? We learned the answer to that in episode four, Woes Hollow. It wasnt Helly in that scene, it was the duplicitous Helena Eagan. She was faking that she was her innie in order to spy on MDR. Who is outie Irv talking to on pay phones? We dont know, and we may never know, since The After Hours saw Irv and his dog board that train out of Kier, courtesy of Burt, with explicit instructions never to return. The best guess is that he was somehow tied into the anti-severance movement, and was speaking to a contact that probably helped him compile that list of names and addresses of severed workers (including Burt). Whats up with the Exports Hall? We knew it led to the testing floor, since we saw Ms. Casey walking down that long hallway at the end of season one; in season two, its where Dr. Mauer wheels his dental tools, and Ms. Caseys would-be escape route when she tries to find her way out of captivity in Chikhai Bardo. But we dont know why it was haunting Irvings thoughts, so much so that his outie painted images of it over and over. With help from Felicia in Optics and Design, Irvs innie left behind some very convoluted directions to find its entrance, which Helly R. gets ahold of after Dylanthe intended recipientimpulsively quits MDR in The After Hours.How will Marks reintegration go? It hasnt been smooth sailing, with sudden nosebleeds, the persistent couch, what appeared to be a seizure followed by a brief lapse into a coma, and some confusing consciousness blips. The only medical professional who knows his secret, Reghabi, took herself out of the equation when Devon decided to phone Ms. Cobel. So thats not very reassuring. Are the Macrodata Refiners actually doing anything? While the details arent entirely clear, we know their work sorting scary numbers and completing files named for places (Allentown Cold Harbor) has some kind of impact on the testing floor. Apple TV+ THE GOATS We havent seen a goat since episode three, Who Is Alive?unless you count production-design details like the goat statue on the altar belonging to Ms. Cobels Kier-devoted aunt, seen in Sweet Vitriol. The goat represents malice, one of the four tempers mentioned as having been tamed by Kier Eagan as part of his extensive lore. As to what practical purpose the goats in Lumon serve, and why the employees who take care of them are so oddball, we dont yet have an answer. Now, lets dig into the newest questions currently keeping Severance fans up at night, especially now that theres just one episode left to go. Apple TV+ What plan will Cobel, Mark, and Devon come up with? When last we saw this unlikely trio, theyd gathered in one of the severance-rigged cabins at the birthing retreatgreat idea from Devon, by the wayso that Cobel could talk to Marks innie. Mark and Devon want to rescue Gemma from her Cold Harbor fate, and Cobel has some serious explaining to do, both to the Scout siblings and to the very curious audience. So what will their next move be? As weve seen, you cant exactly barge your way onto Lumons severed floor much less infiltrate the testing floor below. But as weve also seen, Lumons security can be surprisingly porous sometimeslike when the innies pulled off the overtime contingency mission in season one, for instance. And speaking of that birthing retreat scene WTF? Well be haunted by Ms. Cobels description of Devon (pretending to be a Lumon employee) as a woman needing discreet entry into the birthing retreat because shes one of James. What does that mean, exactly? One of James what? Willing or unwilling vessels for his Eagan seed? You cant just let that twist in the wind, Severance! Will Mr. Milchick continue to rebel against Mr. Drummond specifically and maybe Lumon at large? Mr. Milchick standing up to Mr. Drummond, correctly pointing out that whatever Mark does when hes not at work isnt something he can controltrue for any job, but especially since Mark is severed and becomes a completely different person when he steps off that elevator and goes homewas an unexpectedly delightful moment in The After Hours. Its felt like Mr. Milchick is on the brink of breaking from his good-soldier routine for a few episodes now (his reaction to the paintings, his performance review ordeal). Could he become an unexpected innie ally as the season draws to a close? Apple TV+ Is this the last weve seen of Dylan, Irving, and Burt? Its pretty clear Miss Huang has departed for goodbut what about these other characters? All had what could be final send-offs in The After Hours. You have to hope well at least see what happens to Dylan and his outies wife, Gretchen, and maybe learn if Burt will face consequences for seemingly breaking Lumon farewell protocol with Irving.Will Mark have to choose between Gemma and Helly R.? It would be a love triangle except one of the points is two different men contained in a single body. Mark S. loves Helly R. and Mark loves Gemma. No matter what, someone is going to get their heart brokenas we saw with Dylans agonizing storyline in The After Hours. How will he choose? Or will the decision be made for him, maybe to the point that nobody ends up happy? Will Gemma die in the Cold Harbor room? Will the sinister Helena Eagan triumph in permanently erasing her much, much cooler innie? And speaking of Helly R why is Jame Eagan creeping on MDR? Who does he think hes confronting in one of the final scenes in The After Hourshis daughter, or her innie, who he considers to be less than human? Why does he want Helena to eat her breakfast eggs raw rather than hard-boiled? No answers. Only questions here. That brings us to the inevitable biggest questions of all. How will Severance set up season threewill fans be left dangling on another cliffhanger like the end of season one? And by the way, when will Apple TV+ confirm season three is on the way? And how long will we have to wait to see more? The Severance season two finale, ominously titled Cold Harbor, arrives next Friday. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.