Adam Scott reveals why Mark makes that heartbreaking decision at the end of Severance Season 2

With the final episode of Severance Season 2 now streaming, star Adam Scott is talking spoilers, and specifically why Mark makes that major decision at the end of the finale.

Season 2 of Severance has been “generational TV,” and the 10 episodes built to a truly spellbinding climax.

During the finale, we learned more about Lumon’s “grand adendum,” discovered the truth behind Cold Harbor, heard a song that sums up Innie life, and saw a scene that was as shocking as it was funny.

Be sure to check out our Season 2 Episode 10 recap and ending explained, and scroll down for actor Adam Scott’s thoughts on Innie Mark’s big choice, meaning SPOILERS ahead…

Adam Scott calls Mark’s decision a “no-brainer”

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The Severance Season 2 finale was pretty much a heist episode, with the target Mark’s wife Gemma. First Outie Mark had to convince Innie Mark to accept the mission. Then they planned and successfully executed that plan, by first locating Gemma, then transporting her out of the Lumon building.

But that’s when Innie Mark has to make a major choice – exit Lumon too, so Outie Mark can be with his wife, or remain inside the building, so he can be with Helly.

“I mean, for Innie Mark, it’s a no-brainer, right?” Adam Scott tells Entertainment Weekly of the decision. “But it’s difficult – actually, it’s not, because I think emotionally it’s a no-brainer, but logic-wise, they went through logically what’s in front of them and decided, ‘You should go,’ but their hearts told them something else.”

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Before Mark makes that decision, Gemma is on the other side of the exit door, shouting, screaming, and begging him to join her, which Scott acknowledges is hard to witness.

“I think for Innie Mark and Helly, it’s one thing, but then watching it, I feel horribly for Gemma,” says Scott. “Obviously, it’s heartbreaking. And for Outie Mark too, they finally were right there, and it got pulled out from under them. So I don’t know, I have very mixed feelings about it because I think of it as a two-pronged decision. And when you have colliding interests, but you’re in the same body, then it’s going to come to a head at some point.”

Severance creator on “existence vs non-existence” for Mark

Severance creator Dan Erickson has also chimed in on this climactic sequence, calling it when Innie Mark finally values his own existence.

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“In that moment when he’s looking at Gemma and he’s looking at Helly, he’s not just deciding between two women, he’s deciding about existence or non-existence as an Innie,” Erickson tells Rolling Stone. “He realizes that leaving with Gemma means that his life as he knows it is over.

“Over the course of the season, he’s reached this point where he is able to value his own existence as an individual independent of his Outie. Even though getting Gemma out and helping his Outie has been his main goal over the course of the season, when it gets to that moment, he chooses his own life. But I think in that moment, they don’t know what they’re running toward. They may be running toward five more minutes of life, or they may be trying for more. I don’t think they know.”

All episodes of Severance are currently streaming on Apple TV+. Head here for director Ben Stiller on how it all ends, and find out where it places on our list of the best TV shows of all-time.