“See You in Another Life, Brother”: ‘Severance’ Pays Homage to Iconic Sci-Fi Series

Nearly 15 years after the captivating finale of Lost, its legacy continues to thrive as fans dissect hidden meanings and Easter eggs. Recently, fans of the Dharma Initiative were thrilled to spot the iconic Lost numbers in the Apple TV+ show Severance.

Connecting Two Unique Universes

At first glance, the premise of Severance—focusing on characters confined within an office—might seem worlds apart from the survivors of a mysterious tropical island in Lost. However, both series evoke a distinct sense of eeriness, suggesting that their characters may be entangled in a purgatorial-like existence. A notable mention on social media by X user sitcommusings highlighted that the locker numbers of Dylan, Irving, and Helena at Lumon Industries echo the famed sequence: 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42—revealed in season 2, episode 2 of Severance.

Dylan, Irving, and Helena’s lockers are a reference to The Numbers in #LOST: Dylan is 23, Irving is 4, and Helena is 16.#Severance pic.twitter.com/ldtDTBzhSi

— sav? (@sitcommusings) January 24, 2025

This isn’t the first time the significant Lost numbers have appeared elsewhere. Series like Veronica Mars, Fringe, and Superstore have also incorporated them. Yet, Severance carries an air of mystique reminiscent of Lost.

Mark’s Locker Puzzle in Severance

In the latest episode, we learn specific locker assignments: Irving’s is “4, ” Helena’s is “15, ” and Dylan’s is “23.” However, Mark’s locker number remains obscured, though it is strategically placed among the nine lockers in each row:

1	2	3	4 (Irving)	5	6	7	8 (?)	9
10	11	12	13	14	15 (?)	16 (Helena)	17	18
19	20	21	22	23 (Dylan)	24	25	26	27
28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36
37	38	39	40	41	42 (?)	43	44	45

Ep.2 confirms that Irving’s locker is the fourth from the left, Helena’s is the third from the right, and Dylan’s is centered. Mark’s options likely include “5, ” “14, ” “32, ” and “41” —none of which are among the Lost numbers. An unviewed row could potentially push Mark’s number to “42, ” but it’s more plausible he shares a row with Helly, suggesting he is likely at “14.” Alas!

Do The Lost Numbers Indicate a Deeper Connection in Severance?

Warning: Spoilers for Lost Season 6 Ahead! Towards the conclusion of Lost, survivors uncover a list of candidates for guardianship of the island, overseen by the enigmatic Jacob. On this list, the number “4” represents Locke, “8” stands for Hurley, “15” for Sawyer, “16” for Sayid, “23” for Jack, and “42” for either Sun or Jin—all key figures from Lost.

Speculations abound that these numbers link locker digits to character profiles in Severance. While it’s tempting to connect Helena to the torturous nature of Sayid or liken Irving to the faithfulness of Locke, the correlation for Dylan and Mark seems tenuous at best. The hypothetical numbers for Mark—”5, ” “14, ” “32, ” and “41” —represent characters with minimal influence, apart from Shannon Rutherford. To suggest Mark is akin to Shannon feels far-fetched.

Ultimately, this Easter egg serves as an homage to diehard fans who perceive the same enigmatic qualities in Severance that captivated them in Lost. It encourages viewers to engage in speculative thinking and embrace the multilayered narratives. As followers of show-runner Damon Lindelof’s work in The Leftovers would appreciate, sometimes the best approach is to let the mystery be.

Source & Images