Severance continues to push boundaries in the eighth installment of Season 2, “Sweet Vitriol.” Directed by Ben Stiller and written by Adam Countee and K.C. Perry, the episode delves into Cobel’s backstory, providing more context to her motives and revealing more of Lumon’s influence.
The episode opens with Cobel arriving in her hometown of Salt’s Neck and the factory, where Kier Eagan met his wife Imogene. Many of the residents, including Cobel’s old friend Hampton, are struggling with ether addiction, a consequence of the factory’s operations. Cobel, a former child laborer at Lumon, meets Hampton at a local cafe and pleads for his help. Their history is revealed as they both share the painful experience of working at the factory as children.
Hampton reluctantly agrees to help Cobel and the two journey to the abandoned factory. Along the way, Cobel hides in the flatbed of Hampton’s truck to avoid detection by Lumon. Also important to note is the call Cobel receives from Mark’s sister Devon.
Once reaching her aunt Sissy’s home, Cobel is met with resistance. Sissy refuses to share details of her interactions with Mr. Drummond and Lumon. Cobel explores the house, finding that her childhood belongings have been removed and her mother’s room remains locked. She then confronts Sissy over her mother’s death, revealing Cobel’s unresolved grief and complicated relationship with her family. Cobel then finds the key to her mother’s room, where she lies on the bed, placing her mother’s breathing tube in her mouth before falling asleep in tears, embodying the weight of her past.
Hampton wakes Cobel, and the two share a moment of connection, bonding over a hit of ether and a kiss. He urges Cobel to leave before Lumon catches up with her, but Cobel remains determined. She believes there is something important that Sissy wouldn’t have thrown away, that being her old yearbook and a trophy marking her achievement of securing the prestigious Wintertide Lumon fellowship, which she finds. Inside the trophy, she discovers a notebook that reveals she was the true inventor of the severance procedure, despite Lumon’s claims that James Eagan developed the technology.
Hampton warns Cobel of an approaching car, prompting her to flee with him. During their departure, Cobel answers a call from Devon, who informs her that Mark has been reintegrated.
The episode’s conclusion emphasizes the complex motivations behind Cobel’s actions. It clarifies why she fought so hard for control over the Severance floor, showing that her drive to succeed was not only born from ambition but from a deeper need for recognition and self-assertion. Furthermore, the episode suggests that if Cobel can be turned, she might be Mark’s best hope and the key to dismantling Lumon entirely. In contrast to Helena, who was born into her position of influence, Cobel worked for it, giving her a compelling personal arc fans of the show can now connect with.
While “Sweet Vitriol” may not have reached the emotional highs of earlier episodes, such as episodes four or seven, it nonetheless succeeds in expanding on themes established in previous installments.
Rating: 7/10