After getting canned from Lumon, Cobel (Patricia Arquette) is in the driver’s seat now. Literally.
For the second week in a row, fans of Apple TV+‘s hit workplace thriller, Severance, watched the former Severed Floor manager dramatically speed away in her car — first from Mark in Episode 2, and now from Helena in Episode 3.
In both instances, it felt as though Cobel was running away from something — be it Mark’s demands for answers she couldn’t give, or a looming sense of danger associated with Lumon and its CEO in waiting. But now it feels like she could also be running towards something: Salt’s Neck.
Spoilers for Severance Season 2, Episode 3 ahead.
After Season 2, Episode 2 ended with Cobel screaming at Mark and speeding away in her car, Episode 3 opens with her waking up in the driver’s seat on the side of a snowy road. She blasts some music, starts driving again, and the next time we see her she slows her car to a stop right before a “Salt’s Neck” road sign.
So what is Salt’s Neck on Severance? And does it have any connection to the breathing tube Cobel’s carrying around? Here’s what to know about Cobel’s curious road trip in Severance Season 2, Episode 3, “Who Is Alive?”
What Is Salt’s Neck On Severance?
When Cobel stares up at the at the sign, which reads “Salt’s Neck 238,” we get the sense that the mysterious location is of great significance to her. But we’re not yet sure why. Before we have the chance to learn more, Cobel pulls a U-turn and speeds back to Lumon to confront Helly. But something tells us we haven’t seen the last of Salt’s Neck yet, and if it is Cobel’s intended destination, we may get to learn more about her shrouded history.
When unpacking Cobel and Mark’s intense confrontation at the end of Season 2, Episode 2, Patricia Arquette told Decider, “There is something going on that [Cobel] doesn’t really want to not have access to anymore,” referencing her work back at Lumon.
“There’s a thread of her own personal story that she’s projecting onto [Mark’s] experience, and wanting it to turn out a certain way for her own closure of her own unfinished business,” the Severance star continued. So perhaps Salt’s Neck plays a role in that personal story and holds the key to her gaining that closure.
What’s The Deal With Cobel’s Breathing Tube? Is It Connected To Salt’s Neck?
After Cobel stares at the Salt’s Neck sign — but before she heads back to Lumon — she lets out a heavy sigh and looks down at a familiar breathing tube on her passenger seat. As noted in our Season 2, Episode 3 recap, for those who need a refresher, we first saw this breathing tube on Cobelvig’s Eagan shine in Season 1.
In addition to a framed photo of Kier, the candle-lit shrine featured a photo of a young girl in front of Myrtle Eagan School for Girls, a ticket to the 7th Annual “Kiernival,” several diplomas, a mask that’s begging to be worn at a waffle party, and various other company-related keepsakes. The most meaningful items — which Cobel clutched close to her chest as she unleashed her raw emotions — were the breathing tube and a hospital bracelet, which read “Charlotte Cobel.”
Based on the date of birth, fans suspected the items belonged to Harmony’s mother, who may be connected to Lumon and have played a role in Cobel’s deep devotion to the company. As The Severance Podcast with Ben Stiller & Adam Scott confirmed, the breathing tube is almost certainly connected to Salt’s Neck.
“We don’t know what [Cobel’s] thinking, but we get the sense that Salt’s Neck and that breathing tube are connected,” Stiller said in Episode 203. “And we know that breathing tube, if we look closely in last season, had the name Cobel on it.”
While Cobel didn’t drive the 238 miles to get to Salt’s Neck in “Who Is Alive?” perhaps she’ll head back there after she peeled out of the Lumon parking lot following her chilling confrontation with Helena. While we wait for more answers in Episode 4, be sure to check out Decider’s Season 2, Episode 3 recap for more Severance insights.
New episodes of Severance Season 2 premiere Fridays on Apple TV+.
