SPOILER ALERT: This article delves into key plot points from Severance season 2, episode 6 - Attila. This week's Severance episode took an unexpected turn, leaving viewers on the edge of their seats. The highly anticipated dinner between Outie Irving, portrayed by John Turturro, and Outie Burt (Christopher Walken), along with his husband Fields (John Noble) finally unfolded. Meanwhile, Reghabi (Karen Aldridge) grew impatient with Mark's (Adam Scott) reintegration process and decided to accelerate it.
Back at Lumon, things took a steamy turn for Mark and Helly (Britt Lower), while Dylan (Zach Cherry) received another visit from his Outie's wife Gretchen (Merritt Wever). Following his disastrous performance review, Milchick (Trammell Tillman) attempted to make amends.
His review was marred by the misuse of paperclips, overly complex vocabulary, and a near-fatal incident involving the future company head. Let's explore some of the burning questions raised by Attila and what they could signify. Who is the real Burt Goodman?.
Irving's dinner with Burt and Fields revealed the retired O&D worker was a "scoundrel" in his past, prompting him to join Lumon so his Innie could ascend to heaven alongside his husband, Fields. Despite fans' desire to believe this heartwarming explanation, it's clear Irving is aware of some shady dealings, reports the Express.
This raises questions about the extent of Burt's past wrongdoings, which both he and his husband seem to acknowledge. Fans have been speculating about a character who appears to be more than meets the eye. One Redditor shared their theory, saying: "Burt is the one who's been reintegrated. I see a lot of people talking about Irv being reintegrated in the ep4 s2 for some reason, when there was no indication of that. But I have another theory and I didn't really see anyone discussing it. To me it's kind of obvious that Burt is the one who was reintegrated, but I still might be wrong, so don't come at me, I'm open to an honest discussion, but don't be rude, please [sic].".
The fan pointed out Burt's emotional reaction while watching Irving on the phone as further evidence of his reintegration and awareness of the situation. Another Severance enthusiast chimed in: "To me the biggest clue to this being true is the way Burt spoke in his exit video, mentioning so many times that he doesn't really know the colleagues he was making the tape for. It really felt like he was trying to convince us he didn't know them.".
A third fan speculated: "I think Burt and Iriving were previously together. When we see the door open finally, we will see Burt questioning what Irving is doing there. I think Burt is the heartbroken one [sic].". There have also been theories suggesting Burt is the real puppet master at Lumon. This idea gained traction in an episode where he emphasised to Irving that he hadn't been with the company before the Severance procedure and the opening of the Severed floors.
This would imply Burt was part of Lumon before he was severed. One fan previously speculated: "Is it possible that with Burt everything is not so simple? Could he also be from a higher council in Lumon, like Helly? In the first season, he lied to Irving that there were only 2 people working in their department, although this is far from true. Yes, then there was an explanation that Burt did not trust Irving's department, but still it is quite strange.".
After this episode, it seems fairly clear Burt is some sort of evil figure but the extent remains unknown. What's the history of Attila the Hun?. Burt and Fields used to call each other "Hun" as a term of endearment before switching to "Attila", as their original shared pet name was a derogatory term for Germans during the inter-war years.
Attila the Hun was a 5th century king and the most successful barbarian ruler of the Hunnic Empire, causing chaos across the Roman Empire in Europe. He earned the nickname 'Scourge of God' due to his acts of cruelty inflicted upon his enemies, according to Biography.com. Attila the Hun was relentless in his pursuit of power, ruling his empire from 440 to 453 AD.
Did Burt help Mr Drummond break into Irving's home?. In essence, Burt and Fields' choice of nickname for each other raises eyebrows. This leads to speculation about whether Burt invited Irving over to his house, allowing Lumon Board member Mr Drummond (Ólafur Darri Ólafsson) to have a snoop around.
Given the previous evidence and Burt's tears, it suggests he could well have aided Mr Dummond, yet feels conflicted about his decision. Once again, it would imply that Burt was very much onto Irving and is trying to thwart his investigations. Why did Mark and Helly say 'yes'?.
As the Lumon saga unfolded, Mark S and Helly's romance appeared to be reignited following the dramatic fallout from the Helena Woe's Hollow twist. In a bold move, Helly decided to create a new memory with Mark by sleeping with him in a deserted office.
The encounter began with a subtle exchange of consent, as Mark simply asked "yes? " and Helly replied with a firm "yes". This moment drew a stark contrast to Mark's earlier tryst with Helena, where consent was glaringly absent as he unknowingly slept with the head of Lumon instead of Helly.
