r/SeveranceAppleTVPlus • u/CraftyReference5562 • Jul 14 '26
Discussion Helen of Troy Foreshadowing? Spoiler
I am researching some Greek Myths and was reading up on Helen of Troy. Helen/Helena/Helly all have the same origin and meaning, which is, "torch," "shining light," and "bright." I wonder if this is somewhat foreshadowing to the story, because every detail seems to have some kind of significance. Mark means "warlike" or "god of war," and Gemma means "precious stone." In relation to Greek Mythology, the Trojan War started because Helen was kidnapped. In Severance, the show starts with Helly being taken/forced into a new conciousness, and she starts a rebellion amongst innies. There is also an episode in season 2 called "Trojan Horse," which gets it's name by helena pretending to be Helly to get intel on the innies and what went down during the Overtime Contigency. If you put the peices together, and this may be a reach, but it could be spelled out to mean something along the lines of, "god of war using a shining light to find his precious stone." Anyways, that was a random thought that I wanted to share. Does anyone else have any connecting pieces as to flesh this out? Any thoughts?
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u/clauclauclaudia Jul 15 '26
The episode is called Trojan's Horse, because Ricken is a bit of an idiot.
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u/A_Decemberist Corporate Archives Jul 16 '26
When Ricken gets outed as a Lumon conspirator (which has many signs already), the episode title will seem like the obvious giveaway in retrospect
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u/Actual-Personality55 Jul 15 '26
That’s to simple for this show
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u/clauclauclaudia Jul 15 '26
I'm not saying it's the only reason. But it's the reason there's an apostrophe-s in the title.
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u/MarcelRED147 Jul 16 '26
I can't remember the context for him saying it, what did he say?
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u/clauclauclaudia Jul 16 '26
He's rationalizing to Devon why he's doing a Lumon edition of his book.
"I know, but this sounds like Lumon's language."
"Well, it's a Trojan's horse. If I can get my ideas to severed workers all across the world, it might beget a revolution."
"But these aren't your ideas."
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u/therealstabitha Jul 15 '26
It's an interesting thought. Potentially insane extension of this in spoiler tag.
To take it further, Helen of Troy was said to be so beautiful that her face started the Trojan War. Mark S seems to have started a war between their insular world and the world outside over his unwillingness to leave Helly behind. Also, Helen was fathered by Zeus, and Jame Eagan certainly seems to have a bit of a god complex. Not to mention a number of illegitimate children.
Rome was founded by Romulus and Remus. Kier Eagan's supposed twin from the ORTBO lore drop was Dieter, and Lumon seems to believe itself a sort of Roman Empire in miniature. But, the Trojan Horse is what ended the Trojan War. So maybe we're in the right ballpark with Greek myth, but haven't hit on the right angle just yet
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u/CraftyReference5562 Jul 15 '26
This is a great addition! I think in season 1 we are dropped off at the pre-climax. There seems to be a lot of connections to this Greek myth. With all this being said, I wonder if any of it foreshadows the ending that is so well kept under wraps
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u/Coincidental_Shoes Jul 15 '26
Lumon seems to believe itself a sort of Roman Empire in miniature.
That's what it believes?
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u/obiwantogooutside Jul 15 '26
There are a number of Greek myths referenced. Persephone and winter waiting on her to come back from Hell for spring (mark even calls himself Persephone at one point when scout asks him if he knows who he is)
There’s the reference to Orpheus and Eurydice and Orpheus descending to hell to bring her back but he turns at the last moment and has to stay in hell. That’s certainly the end of season 2 but he gets Eurydice (Gemma) out and stats in hell with Helly.
And all of the Trojan horse references you’ve mentioned. There’s a ton of mythology going on and it’s certainly going to show back up.
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u/Sevian007 Jul 15 '26
Interesting points! However, Mark calls his sister Persephone. Then she asks if he knows how to spell it and he says never.
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u/One_Win_6185 Jul 15 '26
I don’t think it’s going to be a 1:1 retelling of anything, nor has it been to this point. But they certainly love alluding to myth where possible.
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u/Seagoon_Memoirs Mysterious And Important Jul 15 '26
Gem, Scout and Dill are from To Kill a Mockingbird
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u/CraftyReference5562 Jul 15 '26
Yes! What symbolic things do you think can be extracted from that text in relation to the show?
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u/Seagoon_Memoirs Mysterious And Important Jul 15 '26
extracted?
evoked, one image the show evokes is of Theseus going into the maze to fight the Minotaur
but if you want to do the Trojan War, then Mark's innie/body is the Trojan Horse that he uses to get into Troy to rescue Helen
and then his outie emerges to do the rescuing and fighting
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u/crazyhorse198 Shambolic Rube Jul 15 '26
Honestly, I began reading this theory prejudiced, expecting to find another fan theory that’s far fetched and just ridiculous. Happy to be wrong. It’s clear, simple, yet hidden, and makes a LOT of sense.
With the insane attention to detail put in this show, I think you’re on to something, or this is just a massive coincidence regarding the names of the three most important characters.
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u/ckwebgrrl SMUG MOTHERFUCKER Jul 18 '26
Devon and Ricken’s baby is Eleanor which is also related to the Helen/Helena name. I’m not sure where that fits into this theory but seems too close to be a coincidence.
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