This article contains spoilers for Severance season 2, episode 9, “The After Hours.“Zach Cherry explains why Dylan attempts to resign inSeveranceseason 2, episode 9. The penultimate episode ofSeverancewas released on Friday, March 14, with tensions high as Mark does not show up to work on the severed floor, Helly seeks answers, and Irving fails to make a romantic connection in the outside world. The episode also featured a pivotal moment for Dylan G., marking the culmination of various stressors and high emotions astheSeveranceseason 2 finale looms.
Speaking withGQ, Cherry breaks down one of Dylan G.’s most intense decisions inSeveranceseason 2, episode 9. The actor explained thatthe episode sees Dylan experience “his first big heartbreak.“On top of his innie losing his best friend, Irving, earlier in the season, Cherry believes that Dylan “reaches this breaking point,” causing his resignation attempt in the episode. He likened Dylan’s experience to a kid going through big emotions for the first time. Check out the full quote from Cherry below:
I really thought of it as, the innies, they have all this knowledge, but they have very little life experience, and so this is his first big heartbreak. And I think for a lot of people, that, at the time feels really world-shattering, and it feels likeI’m just done. On top of all the other things that have been happening this season with his innie where he lost his friend, he’s been isolated from his coworkers because of this situation with his wife where he’s not allowed to tell them about it,I think he just reaches this breaking pointwhere he’s like, “I really don’t care if I even come back here, ever.” But yeah, thinking about it as the first heartbreak was a big part of it for me, because those always feel so much more dramatic. As you experience it more and more, you start to be able to regulate your emotions little bit, but as a kid, when you’re first experiencing those things for the first time, they feel so big. And I think that’s what he’s going through.
As for his own reaction to Dylan’s attempted resignation, Cherry added:
Like I said, I think he hasn’t had these life experiences before, sohe has very big emotions and he’s lashing out. That’s someone who he feels safe with, and so this is his opportunity to express his frustration or whatever. I think it’s understandable.
What This Means For Dylan In Severance Season 2
Dylan’s Story Relates To Episode Themes
The “first big heartbreak” to which Cherry refers is Dylan’s rejection of Gretchen George, his outie’s wife, who has been paying visits to his innie. After Gretchen and innie Dylan G. kissed in a previous episode, Gretchen finally admits this infidelity to outie Dylan, who is not happy about it. As such,Gretchen decides to stop seeing innie Dylan, turning him downeven when he tries to propose marriage to her. The scene is one of the most tragic in the episode, and makes further sense with Cherry’s explanation.
Severance Season 2 Episode 9 Ending Explained: How It Sets Up The Finale
Like every Severance season 2 episode, episode 9 ends with a major cliffhanger that perfectly paves the way for the Apple TV+ show’s season 2 finale.
Cherry’s statement also speaks to the themes of the episode as a whole. Love, loss, and heartbreak are all normal things that Dylan hasn’t yet experienced because, while an adult,his consciousness was born when his outie decided to go through the severance procedure. In another part of the episode, Irving reveals to Burt that he has never really experienced love before, though his innie fell in love with innie Burt. While Dylan’s outie has a wife, his innie essentially starts the process over again, mirroring innie Irving’s own experience with falling in love for the first time.
Our Take On Dylan’s Severance Trajectory
Dylan Actually Quitting Would Complicate The Plot
While innieDylan is seen signing his resignationrequest paperwork, the episode never actually showed the end of Dylan G.’s existence. As such,it is completely possible that Dylan G. stays in MDRfor theSeveranceseason 2 finale. With Mark currently outside Lumon as well, and innie Irving terminated multiple episodes earlier, letting Dylan leave could really shake things up on the severed floor, and create a plot challenge for the prospectiveSeveranceseason 3, making him staying seem more likely.
