Reintegration isn't an exact science. Mark had one experience where he saw a memory of waking up for the first time as an Innie. It wasn't a clear image. His mind was still jumbled while enduring it. The divide still exists between Outie and Innie. Mark still goes to work at Lumon. He remains at the mercy of this massive corporation. He's desperate for answers because he now knows Gemma is alive. Reghabi provided him with that clarity. However, he's not letting anyone in on what he is doing. Reghabi is living with Mark now because it's too dangerous to be seen coming and going all the time. It's better for her to remain hidden. Moreover, Devon remains in the dark. She believes Mark is still trying to figure out how to burn an image onto his retinas. That plan was discarded. Mark aims for new progress in this mission. He learns Lumon has connections with the morgue. That's how they fooled him with the ashes he thought belonged to Gemma. Reghabi doesn't know if his wife is being tortured. Mark is determined to get to the truth. He also has to accept that all the progress he makes with reintegration may not entirely be clear. Innie Mark experiences the lines being blurred as well. That's just as important. They exist as two separate people. They each have their own independence and agency.
Innie Mark is absolutely defeated after the ORTBO. He was completely fooled by Helena. He couldn't tell the difference between her and Helly. Her Innie is astonished by that possibility. She clearly sees them as two separate individuals. She doesn't have anything in common with the cold and calculating woman destined to inherit this company. Helly feels violated. She lost control of her body. That privacy was ripped away from her. She had no choice but to comply. She participated in the deceit of her friends. And now, they are left reeling. They don't know if they can trust her. She's catching up on everything that has happened since the Overtime Contingency. Her friends know who she is in the outside world. She doesn't have to drop that bombshell. Helena was reluctant to return to the severed floor. The workers there are monsters. That switch happens the moment they enter the elevator. They arrive to work as humans. They become something else during their employment. They aren't deserving of any basic kindness or compassion. They are tasked to do one thing. Mark is close to completing Cold Harbor. Once done, the company can move forward on what they proclaim to be the greatest innovation on the planet. They won't have to deal with this drama much longer.
Innie Mark can't trust anyone or anything. It's all a lie. The Innies have operated that way for awhile. And yet, they were still given the guise of freedom. They returned to work with the promises of reforms. Ultimately, nothing has changed. They are still being closely monitored. Mark can't tell Helly he slept with Helena. He feels betrayed. He wants to reunite his Outie with his wife. He was motivated on that mission. He saw the two sides of his life as one. They deserve to help one another. That's futile now. Lumon is monitoring everything. Nothing Mark does is a secret. Helena was reporting everything. Even Milchick knows about Mark and Helena having sex. He intimidates his employee with that information. Of course, the leadership is only human. They make mistakes. They don't control everything. It's easy to feel like they do because of the influence they wield over this workplace. Everything in the office is carefully designed to warp reality for the severed employees. They have work to accomplish. Anything that distracts from that job is a mistake that needs to be corrected. The Innies have plenty of agency. Dylan demands a funeral for Irving. In doing so, he discovers a hidden meaning behind his friend's final message. Dylan finds the map to the exports hall. Deliveries are still being made to that location. Dylan carries the responsibility on behalf of his fallen friend now.
Irving sacrificed everything for his team. And now, his Outie believes he was fired because the company discovered what he was doing. Lumon has never treated him as a threat. They only measure his time spent working for them. Everything else was irrelevant. Irving painted the same picture over and over again in the hopes of it seeping into his Innie's memory. It worked. Irving was determined to find the exports hall. He succeeded. He was fired before discovering what lies below. Moreover, the viewer is still in the unknown about who Irving is working with. It remains a secretive mission. Instead, more insight is provided into why Burt keeps following him. Burt was fired. He didn't retire. He was let go because of his relationship with Irving. That romance was a threat to the company's bottomline. That was the reason. Burt wants that clarity. He needs to know why a man was banging on his door one night. Irving can't provide any answers. Yet they agree to spend time together. Burt was given a clue as to what he was like on the severed floor. Irving tries to motivate how he acts down there. He is surprised too. He has access to one crucial piece of information. That's all that is revealed about him for now. It's not the only detail that matters. He chose to undergo severance for a reason. These answers should come sooner rather than later. But the narrative remains very closely guarded in that regard.
Everyone ultimately must acknowledge the limitations they face in implementing this work. Milchick experiences his first performance review as manager of the severed floor. He implemented kindness initiatives in the hope of boosting productivity. He reacted out of compassion. That's not what Lumon wants from him. He grows strained and angry. He wants to know he is right to feel complicated by the paintings he received from the company. He doesn't trust his own instincts. He gives so much of himself to the work. It all seems to be going awry for him. Drummond asks him to tighten the reins. They mustn't lose sight on what truly matters. Mark is so close to finishing Cold Harbor. He reaches 85%. That's impressive. Ensuring Mark completes the task is crucial. That's why Helly returns to work. That's why Milchick believes he must provide a funeral. It breaks from protocol. Lumon has all of these scenarios lined out for what could happen. It offers the perception of grief and fulfillment. It accomplishes very little. Milchick exerts control. It's an action taken to prove his own worth. He remains a complicated figure. He's loyal to the company for some deeper meaning. He's realizing the company doesn't extend the same affection towards him. He wishes to implement what's required of him. That's exactly what Cobel did last season though. She locked down the floor. The refiners still managed to quickly escape their desks. It may all be futile. Yet the characters continue to drive the story forward in the hopes of accomplishing their desires. Mark seeing Gemma is enough to keep him focused despite the million questions he has. Lumon has the potential to change so many lives. They are experts at manipulation. Some are willing to go along with it at face value. The deceit is transparent. The workers taking agency over the directives is enough to inspire so much more.
