The staff of Lumon Industries, a sinister business empire that submits its people to the titular treatment, are the focus of ‘Severance.’ Employees who have been severed are unable to access work-related memories outside of the severed floors and vice versa. Employees in the Macro Data Refinement (MDR) department gradually become more aware of the true nature of their positions and the layoff process.
MDR’s Irving meets Burt, the department’s Head of Optics and Design, along the route. The two have become a fan-favorite couple among the show’s viewers, with sparks flying between them. The season finale, however, raises a big question mark over a future union between the two. So, if you’re curious about the chances of Irving and Burt getting together in ‘Severance,’ here are our thoughts on the subject! WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!
What Happened to Irving and Burt’s Relationship?
In the second episode of ‘Severance,’ titled ‘Half Loop,’ Irving and Burt meet for the first time. Irving stumbles across Burt, who is just concluding his session at the wellness center, while on his way to see Ms. Casey. In the corridor, the two guys debate a picture and soon bond over their common love of art. The couple meets again in the following episodes to share their admiration for Lumon’s ideology and work.
Irving and Burt are also vital in helping their coworkers overcome their mutual distrust. Irving and Burt eventually fall in love, but the limits of being Innies confined on the severed floors prove to be a huge stumbling block in their relationship. Irving learns that Burt is retiring in the eighth episode. Despite his disappointment at the news, Irving vows to meet Burt outside Lumon.
Is it possible that Irving and Burt will end up together?
Irving’s Innie awakens outside Lumon after Dylan triggers the Overtime Contingency in the first season finale of ‘Severance.’ Irving discovers Burt’s address and a map with directions to his home inside a trunk. Irving’s possession of the map suggests he has some sort of relationship with Burt outside of Lumon. When Irving gets at Burt’s residence, however, he finds Burt happily married to another guy. Just when the Overtime Contingency is about to be turned off, Irving knocks on Burt’s door.
Burt and Irving are expected to reunite at the episode’s conclusion. They’re unlikely to recognise each other because they’re both in their Outie forms. Burt’s Outie has moved on and has no recollection of his feelings for Irving. As a result, Burt and Irving’s romantic future appears to be doomed. Furthermore, because Irving’s Innie form can only live outside Lumon for a limited time, keeping in touch with Burt will be tough.
There is still a chance that the two will remember their affections for each other. Certain specific circumstances in the series seem to remind Innies of their existence outside of Lumon. During a wellness meeting with Ms. Casey, for example, Mark begins sculpting a tree. Mark gets exposed to a scented candle belonging to Mark’s wife, Gemma, during this scenario. Ms. Casey’s true identity is later revealed to be Gemma. She’s thought to have perished in an automobile accident after colliding with a tree. As a result, it’s safe to assume that specific sensory experiences can elicit personal memories in the Innies.
The Innies of Burt and Irving fell in love while pursuing their passion for art. Their hands gently contact in one scenario as Burt is showing Irving a painting. They experience romantic feelings as a result of the situation. As a result, if the two are ever in a similar scenario outside of Lumon, memories of their time together may resurface.
Second, despite his retirement, Burt is likely to still have his severance chip implanted in his brain. As a result, Irving might be able to reactivate Burt’s Innie and bring them back together romantically. The Innies have already used the Overtime Contingency, thus such a scenario isn’t completely out of the realm of possibility. As a result, despite the odds being stacked against them, viewers should not give up hope that Irving and Burt will be reunited.
Also Read: Severance Theories: Will Mark and Helly End Up Together?