Understanding Lumon’s Goat Department in Severance

WARNING! This article contains SPOILERS for Severance season 2, episode 3!

The highly anticipated second season of Severance unveils an intriguing mystery as episode 3 delves into the perplexing goat-raising department at Lumon. This development not only expands our understanding of the show’s universe but raises even more questions. The existence of goats in Lumon’s severed floor was first hinted at in season 1, episode 5, when Mark and Helly stumbled upon a scene where a man was feeding baby goats. His cryptic comment, “You can’t take them yet. They’re not ready, ” left viewers questioning the nature of this peculiar department.

In season 2, this storyline is further explored. As Mark and Helly probe other departments for insights on Ms. Casey/Gemma’s whereabouts, they inadvertently find themselves in a goat-filled hall. This leads them to a lush room teeming with goats, where Lumon employees engage in wrangling duties. Here, they encounter the head of the “Mammalians Nurturable” department, portrayed by Gwendoline Christie, who hints at the deeper purpose behind the goats.

Understanding the Mammalians Nurturable Department

The Goat-Raising Role of Mammalians Nurturable

Goats in the Mammalians Nurturable department

Season 2 confirms that the department dedicated to goat care is indeed Mammalians Nurturable, a significantly larger entity compared to Lumon’s Macrodata Refinement (MDR) department. The primary function of Mammalians Nurturable revolves around nurturing and managing goats. Echoing the earlier clues provided by the Goat Wrangler in season 1, the department appears to prepare these creatures for a specific, albeit mysterious, purpose.

The methods utilized by the employees are intriguing. In addition to bottle-feeding, they employ techniques like dressing in black goat costumes to integrate with the younger goats, placing them in “husbandry tanks, ”and employing grooming tools. The attire of some staff combines traditional farming wear with business attire, hinting at Lumon’s expectations for effective goat care.

Despite their seemingly innocuous activities, much like the ambiguity of MDR’s data processing, it’s likely that Mammalians Nurturable operates without full awareness of Lumon’s true objectives concerning the goats. Instead of a benign exploration of animal husbandry, darker implications about the nature of their work loom large, hinting at the company’s concealed motives.

Examining the Goats’ True Purpose at Lumon

Goats as Precursors to Human Experiments

During their exploration, Mark and Helly are confronted by Gwendoline Christie’s character, who defensively brandishes a pair of shears and provocatively asks, “Are you here to kill me?” This moment could reference the competitive tensions between Lumon’s various departments or, perhaps, a deeper knowledge of Lumon’s unsettling secrets. Mirroring the mysterious data calculations of the MDR, the goats may also play a role in Lumon’s experiments.

It stands to reason that these young goats could be candidates for initial testing before moving on to human subjects, such as Ms. Casey. Lumon may be applying husbandry strategies on goats to understand how these techniques could be adapted for raising severed individuals, reflecting a willingness to experiment on living beings.

Moreover, it’s conceivable that the goats are implanted with severance chips, aligning with Lumon’s ethically questionable history of conducting tests beforehand on animals. If true, the success of Mammalians Nurturable in raising these ‘severed’ goats might inform Lumon’s strategies for child subjects undergoing the severance procedure.

The Use of Husbandry Tanks for Ms. Casey

Developing Ms. Casey in Controlled Conditions

In their inquiry about Ms. Casey, it becomes evident that she had participated in “sessions” within these husbandry tanks. While the exact purpose of the tanks is ambiguous, they are implied to play a role in facilitating the goats’ biological development. If Ms. Casey is subjected to similar “cultivation, ” it raises concerns about the potential overlap in experiments involving both goats and severed humans.

Gwendoline Christie’s character clarifies that, from her perspective, Ms. Casey was merely “retired, ”as per Lumon’s narrative. However, Mark’s pursuit of the Cold Harbor file suggests he is exploring how to refine her identity and psychological stability, while the tanks may serve to enhance her physical development. The implications are staggering: each severed department might be unwittingly contributing to the overarching Cold Harbor project, all while keeping Lumon’s chilling secrets neatly hidden away.

Curious Rumors Among Departments

Reviving the Stomach Pouch Myth

Severance characters discussing in the hallway

An unusual moment occurs during Mark and Helly’s visit to Mammalians Nurturable when Gwendoline Christie’s character instructs them to expose their stomachs. She then remarks, “See? Pouchless, ” to which a colleague counters that such a display proves nothing. This exchange reveals a bizarre propaganda belief within Mammalians Nurturable—that the Macrodata Refinement team possesses kangaroo-like pouches.