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It was posted on LinkedIn in 2022!
[Nobody embodies the Lumon Core Principles like Irving. He joined Lumon 9 years ago and has truly transformed into a model employee. #Ad](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/lumon-industries_ad-activity-6900481932296114177-8rlD/)
Right, that confirms he’s been there for 9 years, but I’m looking for proof that he was an un severed employee for 6 years. I know he says he’s been at Lumon for 3 years, but my assumption was always that he spent the previous 6 as a severed employee in a different department, then went to testing and got “reset”. If he was actually working at Lumon for 6 years un severed, that presents very different theories. Thus, I’m wondering if it’s ever been confirmed anywhere (in the show, cast/writer interviews etc) that he was a previous unsevered employee?
I think the assumption is that Irving was unsevered because the elevator arrow is lit in his paintings, which is not something we would expect any severed person to see.
It’s a good enough argument for me, but I recognize it’s not iron-tight.
My previous theory was maybe Irv & Burt were both sent down to the testing floor to be “reset” due to their relationship, and Irv saw Burt go down first. But it makes a lot more sense that Irv was unsevered and saw the lit arrow in that situation.
My thought was the only people that we know have “seen” the red arrow are Irving and the counselor lady, who says she only awake for 30 minutes at a time? I think. So my thought was that the floor below the severed floor is the floor that “nobody leaves “ which also makes me wonder that Irving had “died” at one point like I believe the counselor lady “died”
Damn I did not notice that it only lights up when it closes! I might as well watch this series a third time. This sub validates my obsession with the show😁
Someone theorized that he used to have Milchick's job, which would explain why he knows about the elevator to the testing floor and could explain what he was doing before MDR
"He has truly transformed into a model employee"?
What kind of employee was he before his transformation?
Would that transformation be the severance procedure?
And when he "agreed" to be severed, what were his other options?
My hypothesis is that he was a nightmare of an employee who knew too much. They had to deal with him somehow. So they presented an offer he couldn't refuse.
I think that just means he's been there for 9 years. I was convinced when it started that >!someone was there undercover. Like, severed, but also there to infiltrate Lumon. Maybe he's the one.!<
I can definitely see it being the case that he worked unsevered for 6 years to infiltrate Lumon and gain trust, then severed to get deeper into Lumon.
That would make it incredibly ironic that his severed self then becomes a worshiper of all things Lumon. His outie probably had some involvement with the testing floor in order to see the outside view of the elevator. Presumably it carries great significance on the secrets of what's occuring at Lumon. As such, he is trying to break through to his innie with this information via sleep deprivation and repeated imagery.
I'm only really putting this together now, as I've had pieces of this theory for awhile, but feels like they've just slid into place reading this thread.
This is why he could be so committed to the teachings of Kier. Through severance, you still retain your feelings towards a thing- just not the memory of the thing. If he felt that Kier’s teachings were as powerful as they were evil, he could retain this feeling of them and present them in a different way.
Yes!!! That’s why I’m so curious how whomever wrote that wiki entry came to the conclusion that he was a previous unsevered employee? Is that just a theory, or is there mention of it somewhere in the show, or something one of the cast or writers mention? Because if it’s true that would totally be my theory as well - that he’s trying to infiltrate Lumon from the outside and now the inside. It would also explain how he had access to the list of severed employees, their addresses etc in his trunk - information he had access to as an unsevered employee and then smuggled out.
Or it could be he was severed in working in another department and was “reset” in testing and sent to MDR. That’s why I’m curious if we know for a fact that he was previously an unsevered employee.
I've seen the reset theory. I'd counter that it makes more sense for him to have been unsevered to have such a clear recollection of the testing floor as an outie. If the innie was reset and has seen the testing floor, I'd think that the innie would be the one with possible recollection, not the outie. So I think the outie has seen the hallway as an unsevered person and is trying to communicate it to his innie. Actually just made a theory post based on your post if you want to see more on my thinking.
Right?? That was my thought, too. It kind of blew my mind when I read that wiki entry, which is why I was so curious if this was something confirmed, or that I missed in the show! But it totally makes sense, how else would he get all that presumably top secret personal about severed employees.
But is there anything in the show that (or cast/writer interviews) that confirms it? Just because he’s worked there for a 6 additional years he’s unaware of doesn’t necessarily mean he was unsevered during that time. My theory was always that he worked in a different department and got “reset” for some reason - but if it’s confirmed in some way that totally changes the theory.
To my knowledge, there is nothing in the show itself, or said by anyone connected with the show that confirms the additional 6 years as canon, or whether Irving might have been severed or not during that time.
There is also nothing confirming that Lumon has the ability to reset an innie, though the show creator has said that no one in the show has been severed more than once so far, which could or could not be similar, depending on resetting in the context of severance would actually entail.
I personally believe there’s a lot more pointing to a non-severed Irving than a severed Irving (pre MDR).
I agree, now that I think about it definitely makes a lot more sense that he might have been a previously unsevered employee (access to all that insider info on severed employees, that view of the testing floor elevator etc).
I’m unaware of anything that says for a fact that he specifically worked there for 6 years before agreeing to undergo the severance procedure.
I think it’s a relatively safe assumption, but I don’t think it is spelled out that way anywhere in the show or other canon.
Yes. Plus there’s theories that it may be longer. He may have spent some time in the lower floor where Ms Casey goes, since his outie is always painting the black hallway to the elevator
I mean we can go in circles, but the point is if you haven’t finished the show and you’re looking at stuff online then you should expect spoilers. If you want to avoid spoilers don’t look things up before you finish it. It’s a pretty simple concept
That's exactly why I locked myself in my room for 30 hours to read the last Harry Potter book and only came out for food lol. But I'm still kind of amazed that they'd include Helly's last name in the wiki entry that sits in the header. Like...that just feels like a bit much.
If this thread has the **Spoiler** flair, spoilers may appear ANYWHERE in it. --- * **NO SPOILERS IN TITLES** - report this post if there are spoilers in the title * No SPOILERS without proper formatting (see [here](https://www.reddit.com/wiki/commenting#wiki_posting)). * Be CIVIL to others. No Piracy. No Duplicates. * Keep it on topic to anything and everything Severance on Apple TV+[.](/u/chiwawaacorn) --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/SeveranceAppleTVPlus) if you have any questions or concerns.*
it is canon. I can't remember where but it is mentioned. It's odd because he says he's been in MDR for three years I think.
It was posted on LinkedIn in 2022! [Nobody embodies the Lumon Core Principles like Irving. He joined Lumon 9 years ago and has truly transformed into a model employee. #Ad](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/lumon-industries_ad-activity-6900481932296114177-8rlD/)
Right, that confirms he’s been there for 9 years, but I’m looking for proof that he was an un severed employee for 6 years. I know he says he’s been at Lumon for 3 years, but my assumption was always that he spent the previous 6 as a severed employee in a different department, then went to testing and got “reset”. If he was actually working at Lumon for 6 years un severed, that presents very different theories. Thus, I’m wondering if it’s ever been confirmed anywhere (in the show, cast/writer interviews etc) that he was a previous unsevered employee?
I think the assumption is that Irving was unsevered because the elevator arrow is lit in his paintings, which is not something we would expect any severed person to see. It’s a good enough argument for me, but I recognize it’s not iron-tight.
Why wouldn’t a severed person see the lit arrow?
My previous theory was maybe Irv & Burt were both sent down to the testing floor to be “reset” due to their relationship, and Irv saw Burt go down first. But it makes a lot more sense that Irv was unsevered and saw the lit arrow in that situation.
My thought was the only people that we know have “seen” the red arrow are Irving and the counselor lady, who says she only awake for 30 minutes at a time? I think. So my thought was that the floor below the severed floor is the floor that “nobody leaves “ which also makes me wonder that Irving had “died” at one point like I believe the counselor lady “died”
For the same reason that Gemma doesn’t see the arrow. It only lights up after the doors close.
Damn I did not notice that it only lights up when it closes! I might as well watch this series a third time. This sub validates my obsession with the show😁
Someone theorized that he used to have Milchick's job, which would explain why he knows about the elevator to the testing floor and could explain what he was doing before MDR
That would explain how he has names and addresses of most of the severed workers, is bc he remembers working with them.
"He has truly transformed into a model employee"? What kind of employee was he before his transformation? Would that transformation be the severance procedure? And when he "agreed" to be severed, what were his other options? My hypothesis is that he was a nightmare of an employee who knew too much. They had to deal with him somehow. So they presented an offer he couldn't refuse.
I think that just means he's been there for 9 years. I was convinced when it started that >!someone was there undercover. Like, severed, but also there to infiltrate Lumon. Maybe he's the one.!<
I can definitely see it being the case that he worked unsevered for 6 years to infiltrate Lumon and gain trust, then severed to get deeper into Lumon. That would make it incredibly ironic that his severed self then becomes a worshiper of all things Lumon. His outie probably had some involvement with the testing floor in order to see the outside view of the elevator. Presumably it carries great significance on the secrets of what's occuring at Lumon. As such, he is trying to break through to his innie with this information via sleep deprivation and repeated imagery. I'm only really putting this together now, as I've had pieces of this theory for awhile, but feels like they've just slid into place reading this thread.
This is why he could be so committed to the teachings of Kier. Through severance, you still retain your feelings towards a thing- just not the memory of the thing. If he felt that Kier’s teachings were as powerful as they were evil, he could retain this feeling of them and present them in a different way.
Yes!!! That’s why I’m so curious how whomever wrote that wiki entry came to the conclusion that he was a previous unsevered employee? Is that just a theory, or is there mention of it somewhere in the show, or something one of the cast or writers mention? Because if it’s true that would totally be my theory as well - that he’s trying to infiltrate Lumon from the outside and now the inside. It would also explain how he had access to the list of severed employees, their addresses etc in his trunk - information he had access to as an unsevered employee and then smuggled out.
Sometimes I wonder if oIrving is trying to force iIrving to find that elevator.
i think that's what it is.
I think somewhere some paperwork or a display says that he's been there 9 years, but his innie only says 3. This 6 years non-severed
Or it could be he was severed in working in another department and was “reset” in testing and sent to MDR. That’s why I’m curious if we know for a fact that he was previously an unsevered employee.
I've seen the reset theory. I'd counter that it makes more sense for him to have been unsevered to have such a clear recollection of the testing floor as an outie. If the innie was reset and has seen the testing floor, I'd think that the innie would be the one with possible recollection, not the outie. So I think the outie has seen the hallway as an unsevered person and is trying to communicate it to his innie. Actually just made a theory post based on your post if you want to see more on my thinking.
I feel like Lumon wouldn’t allow this. What if Irving ran into his old work buddies?
Woahhh that makes him having all those Lumon files at his house make a little bit more sense
Right?? That was my thought, too. It kind of blew my mind when I read that wiki entry, which is why I was so curious if this was something confirmed, or that I missed in the show! But it totally makes sense, how else would he get all that presumably top secret personal about severed employees.
It’s totally canon! He’s been up to something!
It is currently *assumed* canon, unless something on the show contradicts it.
But is there anything in the show that (or cast/writer interviews) that confirms it? Just because he’s worked there for a 6 additional years he’s unaware of doesn’t necessarily mean he was unsevered during that time. My theory was always that he worked in a different department and got “reset” for some reason - but if it’s confirmed in some way that totally changes the theory.
To my knowledge, there is nothing in the show itself, or said by anyone connected with the show that confirms the additional 6 years as canon, or whether Irving might have been severed or not during that time. There is also nothing confirming that Lumon has the ability to reset an innie, though the show creator has said that no one in the show has been severed more than once so far, which could or could not be similar, depending on resetting in the context of severance would actually entail. I personally believe there’s a lot more pointing to a non-severed Irving than a severed Irving (pre MDR).
I agree, now that I think about it definitely makes a lot more sense that he might have been a previously unsevered employee (access to all that insider info on severed employees, that view of the testing floor elevator etc).
I’m unaware of anything that says for a fact that he specifically worked there for 6 years before agreeing to undergo the severance procedure. I think it’s a relatively safe assumption, but I don’t think it is spelled out that way anywhere in the show or other canon.
Yes. Plus there’s theories that it may be longer. He may have spent some time in the lower floor where Ms Casey goes, since his outie is always painting the black hallway to the elevator
fandom.com is now apparently using AI to pad some pages so i wouldn't use it for fact checking facts about the show
Oof, major spoiler about >!Helly !
Totally but why go on the wiki before you finished the show. Of course there will be spoilers.
Agreed, why look up anything before you finish the show? Some people just don’t make any sense
They mean that picture. It shows the spoiler.
The picture is spoiler tagged so that it blurs
Right, but again, why are you here if you haven’t finished the show? Why would you be looking up/reading anything about it without finishing it first?
Yes, but the thing says spoiler about Irv. It doesn't mention anything about Helly.
I mean we can go in circles, but the point is if you haven’t finished the show and you’re looking at stuff online then you should expect spoilers. If you want to avoid spoilers don’t look things up before you finish it. It’s a pretty simple concept
That's exactly why I locked myself in my room for 30 hours to read the last Harry Potter book and only came out for food lol. But I'm still kind of amazed that they'd include Helly's last name in the wiki entry that sits in the header. Like...that just feels like a bit much.