There are plenty of new characters to take note of in Severance Season 2 Episode 1, but one caught our attention before the premiere: Lumon’s new deputy manager (and a literal child), Miss Huang.
She’s not the most likeable newcomer on the severed floor, although she does fit right in with her deadpan delivery. While playing the ball game, Mark W (a newcomer at MDR) asks why she’s a child, to which Miss Huang replies, “Because of when I was born.”
The reason she’s joined Lumon is because of Ms Cobel’s departure. Milchick’s assumed her position, while Miss Huang is taking his place. But that doesn’t explain why she’s a child, whether she’s been severed, or how she learned to play the theremin.
Hopefully we’ll get answers as new episodes of Severance Season 2 drop, but until then, some fans think they’ve figured it out: she’s Mark S and Ms Casey/Gemma’s child. But this theory can’t be correct for a simple reason.
Why Miss Huang can’t be Mark and Gemma’s child
The timelines don’t appear to add up. Now, there are some issues with this reasoning, notably that the backstories of the Severance characters are pretty murky. However, what we know is that Mark was born in 1978, and Adam Scott confirmed the character’s in his 40s.
The actress who plays Miss Huang, Sarah Bock, is 18 years old as of January 2025, but it’s believed her character’s somewhere between 14-16 years old in Severance Season 2. Regardless, Gemma only died around two years before Severance Season 1.
Unless we’re thrown an absolute curveball or Lumon has eradicated Mark and his family’s memories, it’s safe to say Mark and Gemma definitely didn’t have a child when the latter died. In fact, in Episode 7, Mark’s outie admitted that Gemma wanted kids but couldn’t conceive.
So, the only way it would be possible is if Gemma had been pregnant when she “died” (aka got swiped by Lumon and turned into Ms Casey). The Lumon bosses would’ve had to take her unborn child and raise them.
But Miss Huang is far too old for this. By Severance Season 2, they’d still only be a toddler.
That hasn’t stopped the theories from theorizing, however. As one Redditor said: “Maybe Gemma was pregnant when she ‘died’ (and her body was seized by Lumon). Mark, and Gemma didn’t know about the pregnancy because it was so early on.
“When Lumon took Gemma’s body, they kept her alive, and helped deliver the baby. Making her the first child to be born into a life at Lumon and sent to work until she was old enough.”
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However, another pointed out, “I had that thought too for a second… but the timing doesn’t work. Gemma died two years before Season 1 starts. Sarah Bock is 18 years old. So unless Lumon has rapid aging/development pods, the timing doesn’t work.”
Severance Season 2 character sparks even more theories
Of course, there are no definites when it comes to the plot. We’re still in the dark about what Lumon’s really up to when it comes to the severed employees – and why they want Gemma.
Ultimately, anything is possible, including the rapid age theory. But for now, it remains unlikely.
An additional clue to indicate she’s not Mark and Gemma’s child is her high-up position in the company, with the first-look image of Miss Huang showing her with a black badge.
“Feel like the fact she’s on the same level as Grainer was is more of an indication she’s not their child than age,” said one.
“If she has a black badge she’s probably someone who comes and goes despite her age so maybe she’s from the same school as Cobel and is on some sort of internship or the school is located within Lumon.”
Another theory is that Miss Huang is a student from the Myrtle Eagan School for Girls, the same school Ms Cobel attended.
Then there’s the clone concept, although Adam Scott himself debunked the idea, describing it as “boring” – which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Severance Season 2 Episode 1 is streaming on Apple TV+. Find out when the next episode drops with our guide to the release schedule. You can also check out what’s going on at the O&D department and the secret reason you find Severance so disturbing.
