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Severance's second season delivers a pair of complementary sex scenes that add further depth to the show's conversation around bodily autonomy and consent.

Episode 4, titled "Woe's Hollow," sees Innie Mark (Adam Scott) have sex with Helly (Britt Lower) for the first time during the Outdoor Retreat and Team-Building Occurrence (ORTBO). Except he isn't with Helly at all — he's with her Outie Helena Eagan, who is pretending to be Helly in order to keep an eye on the Macrodata Refinement Innies. Severance contrasts their intimacy with a horrifying dream Irving (John Turturro) has, highlighting that something is off even before we get the Helly/Helena reveal.

SEE ALSO: 'Severance' Season 2 may already be the best show of the year: Review

Two episodes later, once Helly has returned to Lumon, she and Mark decide to reclaim the memory Helena has taken from them. They have sex in an unused office, using a tarp to recreate the tent where Helena and Mark slept together. The result is far sweeter than episode 4's — no Irving nightmares here!

Yet each sex scene raises questions about the role of consent in a show where you can sever part of yourself and essentially create a new person within your body. There are so many levels here, from deceit surrounding Innie/Outie identities to the experience of a dormant consciousness during and after sex.

"One of the common mistakes about consent is that it can be understood as a black and white, yes or no decision," Michele Meek, associate professor of communications at Bridgewater State University and author of Consent Culture and Teen Films, told Mashable. "So what this show is really raising are some of the complexities of consent that make us really uncomfortable, but actually get right to the heart of some of the questionable and concerning yellow 'proceed with caution' areas are."

So what are the ethics of sex in a severed world? And is consent even possible in Severance?

Helena and Mark's sex scene raises questions about mistaken identity and informed consent. Adam Scott and Britt Lower in "Severance." Credit: AppleTV+

The Helena and Mark sex scene may feel strange in the moment due to its juxtaposition with Irving's nightmare, but it develops an extra layer of discomfort once we learn that Mark wasn't having sex with Helly at all. Their intimacy was under false pretenses, making it a violation of trust and lessening his agency. According to Planned Parenthood, sexual consent is defined as "freely given, reversible, informed, enthusiastic, and specific," so Helena's deceit makes informed consent an impossibility for Mark in this situation.

While the severance procedure is completely fictional, Meek likens the scene to the real-world possibility of someone thinking they were having sex with one person, only for them to unknowingly be having sex with their twin instead. "Under that circumstance, I could imagine that we would feel really uncomfortable with the fact that this person was consenting at the time, but that wasn't the person who they thought they were," Meek said. "So most of us would read that as non-consent."

The Mark and Helena incident falls under the legal and philosophical term of conditional consent, which specifies that if someone consents to an act under certain conditions. When these are not met — like Mark consenting to have sex with Helly, only for her to actually be Helena — the act is non-consensual. If a place includes conditional consent in their legislation, deceit like Helena's could legally be considered rape, making this scene a legal issue as well as an ethical one.

SEE ALSO: 'Severance's Dieter Eagan story is more important than you think

Another worrying angle to the Severance sex scene is the fact that Helena is using Mark for her own ends. She's surveilling the Innies from within, but she's also taking advantage of Mark's feelings for Helly in order to experience the kind of romantic relationship she may not be afforded in her outside life as a high-level Eagan. There's also a vengeful quality to her actions: In having sex with Mark before Helly, Helena can one-up her Innie, with whom she already has a tumultuous relationship.

"The fact that she's using him makes us really uncomfortable when we think about consent, because it feels unethical to have sex with someone for some other end that they don't know about," Meek said.

The Severance writing team did not take these questions of consent lightly. In an interview with TVLine about the Mark and Helena sex scene, Severance creator and showrunner Dan Erickson said they "talked about it quite extensively."

"In a way, both [Mark and Helly] have been used," he continued. "Mark thought he was with one person when he was actually sort of with a different person. And then for Helly, it's a very troubling thing to know that something like that happened without you being there."

Helly's realization of that fact plays out in devastating fashion in episode 6, "Attila," as she reckons with the fact that while her body may have that memory, she never will. "What sucks is she got to have that, and I didn't," she tells Mark. "That she used me to trick my friends, used my body to get close to you."

This talk spurs the two to have sex and create a memory for Helly. Severance frames the scene as tender, and understandably so: These are the romantic leads of the show! Yet the scene also raises a tricky new dilemma. What does sex between severed individuals mean for their dormant consciousnesses, who are unable to consent?

Helly and Mark's sex scene adds a wrinkle to consent and consciousness. Adam Scott and Britt Lower in "Severance." Credit: AppleTV+

Mark, Helly, and Helena aren't the only Severance characters affected by the "Woe's Hollow" sex scene. Outie Mark is also involved, even if he wasn't awake at the time. The same goes for him and Helena during Mark and Helly's sex scene. They may not be conscious, but they're in these bodies as well. Does this lack of consciousness from one inhabitant of a severed body then render every sexual encounter a severed person has non-consensual? Mark and Helly's encounter is certainly presented as consensual in "Attila," with the two even pausing to verbally confirm that they want to keep going — a key addition, as consent is ongoing and can be withdrawn at any point. But the question of their Outies lingers.

Does this lack of consciousness from one inhabitant of a severed body then render every sexual encounter a severed person has non-consensual?

"One of the major questions of consent has always been, 'Is consent what we say and do? Or is it what we think and feel?''" Meek said. "That's a very complex dichotomy. When we talk about things like affirmative consent, what we're really prioritizing is verbal action-oriented consent. And while that's really important, I think that most of us understand consent as an internal yes or no, so we can imagine a situation where someone says, 'yes' and means 'no,' or vice versa. I think that what Severance is highlighting is this real clear distinction between mind-body consent."

An Innie or Outie having no recollection of their alter ego's sexual past is one thing, but Severance has shown time and again that physical conditions move across the severance barrier. In Season 1, a news report reveals that a Lumon employee became pregnant during her time on the Severed Floor. Sudden pregnancy with no memory of how it happened is a horror story no matter how you spin it.

SEE ALSO: Every time 'Severance' hinted at that huge Helly twist

Similarly, in "Attila," Outie Burt's (Christopher Walken) husband Fields (John Noble) broaches the subject of sex during a dinner with Outie Irving (John Turturro). He's aware that Burt and Irving's Innies had a relationship, but not the extent of it. "Do you think you two ever made love at work?" Fields asks, adding: "There is a non-zero chance that the two of you had unprotected sex, and so I felt the right to ask."

The unspoken worry about STIs lingers, adding to the mind-body dilemma of sex in Severance. Imagine an Innie or Outie waking up in the Lumon elevator with an STI that they couldn't explain, or, like the unnamed Season 1 employee, finding out that they were suddenly pregnant even though they themselves hadn't been sexually active. Would these not constitute a violation of bodily autonomy, no matter how consensual the inciting sex had been?

Perhaps the closest analogy we have in real life to the situation of Severance's sexually active severed characters is sex under the influence to the point of blacking out, where someone may be unable to remember the sex act itself but can still feel its physical impact. But even that isn't a perfect comparison, because in Severance there will always be another consciousness within the body that may have consented to sex.

"If you are not of sound mind or body, then you cannot consent," Meek said. "You can't say yes with a gun to your head. Same thing if you're completely intoxicated or passed out or not conscious in some way, you can't consent. That's where we get the sense that this is an obvious case in the show, because they're not fully conscious, so how could they consent? But of course, there's more complexity here, too. I think that the whole point of it is that Severance is raising the question of, 'where do you draw the line here?'"

Severance has always been about consent, but Season 2's sex scenes bring that conversation to the forefront. Adam Scott, Zach Cherry, John Turturro, and Britt Lower in "Severance." Credit: AppleTV+

While Severance's Season 2 sex scenes have highlighted issues about sexual consent within the series, they're far from the first time that the show has addressed matters of consent in other situations.

In Severance's very first episode, Helly watches a pre-taped video of Helena before undergoing the severance procedure. In it, she reads a statement that says, "I give consent for my perceptual chronologies to be surgically split, separating my memories between my work life and my personal life."

Presumably, Mark, Irving, and Dylan's (Zach Cherry) Outies all had to read the same statement in which they consent to the effects of the severance procedure. But reading one statement and signing one Lumon contract does not make for total consent.

"Consent is a constant and has to be constantly renegotiated and updated. There's no presuming consent," Meek told Mashable.

Yet presuming consent is exactly what Lumon is doing every day. They take the Outies' decision to undergo severance as a cut and dry "yes" to do whatever they want with their bodies and Innies on the Severed Floor.

SEE ALSO: The cast of 'Severance' on getting lost in the ever-expanding hallways of Lumon

Lumon breaches that consent in multiple ways throughout Seasons 1 and 2. In the series premiere, Helly throws a speaker at Mark's forehead. When Mark leaves work that day with a minor head injury, Lumon tells him that he was hurt in a fall. The lie is a violation of Mark's trust and consent to work in an office where he won't come to physical harm. It's also another reminder of the mind-body divide at play: Outie Mark can't remember how he sustained the head injury, but his body bears the mark.

The Overtime Contingency is a further example of Lumon overstepping its bounds, a way to hijack workers' bodies at will. In Season 2, episode 2, Outie Mark claims he never knew about the OTC. Mr. Milchick (Tramell Tillman) informs him that details of the OTC were in his hiring paperwork, but a onetime acknowledgment of the OTC doesn't mean Mark or the other Outies would consent to its use down the line since, again, consent is ongoing, even in non-sexual contexts.

These moments prove that Severance has always questioned the ethics of consent as it pertains to the severance procedure. But the addition of these complicated sex scenes in Season 2 — something the show already toed the line with in Season 1's Waffle Party — allows for a natural heightening of these dilemmas, as we so often place consent in a sexual context.

The intimacy of Severance's sex scenes may also push us to draw hard ethical lines about who is in the wrong and who is a victim, despite the purposeful complexities Severance has built into these scenes. (For her deceit and her role at Lumon, Helena certainly seems like the most clear-cut wrongdoer of the bunch.) But more importantly, these scenes' ethical intricacies force us to think harder about the troubling implications of severance. The concept is already unnerving to start with, but it grows more and more so from episode to episode. With that increased scrutiny, and with Severance's ever-intensifying study of bodily autonomy, the show invites us to further examine Lumon's true motives, and how its control winds itself into even the most personal of situations.

Severance Season 2 is now streaming on Apple TV+, with a new episode every Friday.

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FREE TRADING CARD EVENT: On Feb. 22, Five Below is running a free Pokémon trading card event. Score a free Pikachu promo card with select purchases. Check your nearest location here.

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Calling all Pokémon fans — there's a special event happening at your nearest Five Below store this weekend.

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SEE ALSO: Pokemon Go players are actually training a giant AI model

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There are few other sports that can compete with rugby league when it comes to physicality and skill. It's clever handling and outrageous trickery combined with absolute brutality, and that's why love it.

And if you're looking for all of that and more on a weekly basis, you should check out the NRL. It's an electric competition featuring some of the best players and teams in the world.

If you want to watch the 2025 NRL for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the NRL?

The National Rugby League (NRL) is a professional rugby league competition in Australasia, including clubs from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, and New Zealand.

SEE ALSO: How to watch the 2025 AFL online for free

Each team plays 24 matches in the regular season, with the first-placed team at the end awarded the minor premiership. This is followed by a finals series contested between the eight highest-placed teams from the regular season, culminating in the NRL Grand Final.

The defending champions are the Penrith Panthers.

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When it comes to Google Android OS and Apple iOS, you’re likely one or the other. It's a kind of tech tribalism. In this Bluetooth-synced, device-powered world, being either Android or Apple is more than a preference: It’s a lifestyle choice, a state of mind.

If you prefer Google's Android OS to Apple's iOS, it stands to reason that you'd prefer an Android-powered tablet. And iPads can cost big bucks. It's little wonder that people are switching to Android.

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What is Android?

Android is a Google-owned mobile operating system. The chances of you being an Android user are high. It’s the most popular operating system in the world. Unlike Microsoft and Apple OS, it’s open source, meaning other companies can use it without permission — which is why Android is so widely used. Other operating systems also support Android applications, such as Chrome OS and Windows 11.

Which devices use Android?

You can find the Android OS on most kinds of everyday devices — laptops, smartphones, and tablets. You can also find Android on smartwatches that use Wear OS (which is an Android system) and smart TVs that use Android TV.

What is the Google Play Store?

This is the Android equivalent of Apple’s App Store. You can find tons of Google-approved apps there. Not all Android apps are made by Google though, and the Google Play Store is not the only place to get apps for Android. To support Google apps, your device will need Google Play Services. This is a piece of software that connects your apps, Google services, and Android. Some devices use Android but are distinctly non-Google, such as Amazon’s Android devices.

Is Android OS better than Apple iOS?

Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference. Chances are you’re already an Android diehard if you’re reading this — or perhaps an Apple iOS user looking to make the transition. The truth is, the two systems are not as different as they used to be. The major difference is how tightly controlled Apple’s apps and App Store are.

There are certainly benefits to Android. Because so many manufacturers make devices on the Android OS, you can get devices — including tablets — at a wide range of prices. It’s much harder to shop budget with Apple than it is with Android.

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What is the best Android tablet?

We have lined up an impressive bunch of Android tablets that should suit a wide range of budgets. Built on the Google operating system, all of these tablets look great, run efficiently, and can handle multiple tasks.

These are the best Android tablets in 2025.

Netflix is overflowing with originally produced TV shows that you can't watch anywhere else. Not everything with an exclusive "N" on the artwork will be worth your time, but Netflix has no shortage of binge-worthy titles everybody should watch.

Canva has a collection of neat plug-ins called mini apps for simplifying your design workflows. There are hundreds of them, and they’re always adding more, so you can most likely find some that make your design work easy and fun. Allow me to share a few.

The Smart Lookup feature of Microsoft Word was used to provide information about a word or phrase in a document by searching the internet. I'm using the past tense here because Microsoft has retired this feature and looking to replace it with something not everyone will like.

Total Wireless and Straight Talk are launching new unlimited tablet plans for those who want to stay connected on the go with bigger screens. The cool thing about these plans is they really are “unlimited” without any data caps.

Self-driving technology, while promising on paper, has needed a lot of work to get it right and even today still needs you to look at the road for the most part. Now, Stellantis, the parent company of Jeep and other brands, will start rolling out more capable self-driving technology.

Android Automotive, not to be confused with Android Auto, just received a massive update that will substantially improve the infotainment experience for vehicle owners. Starting this week and expanding in the coming months, owners can find dozens of apps and games compatible with their in-vehicle displays.

There's something about certain games that makes them "feel" good to play, but it's not always easy to figure out why. The reasons differ for every game, but most can attribute their satisfying "game feel" to a mixture of five important qualities.

The Fedora Linux project is “jumping on the RISC-V train,” joining other Linux distributions in supporting the emerging CPU architecture.

I finally got around to building a new gaming PC this year. While the specs are solid, I cheaped out on everything else—minimal RGB, a non-modular PSU, and a budget case. After countless hours of cable management, though, I wish I could go back.

The Dutch consumer group Massaschade & Consument is suing Sony Interactive Entertainment, and Dutch gamers can sign up to join the lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges Sony is taking advantage of its strong market position by selling PlayStation games online.

Amazon is warning customers that its Appstore will no longer work on Android devices after August 20th, 2025. Fire Tablets and Fire TVs are not impacted by this change, though the move away from Android may be reflected in these first-party devices at some point.

Mint Mobile, recently acquired by T-Mobile, made a big change to its wireless service this week. Those with "unlimited" data plans will truly have unlimited data instead of being capped after hitting a certain data usage threshold.

A lot of people using Ubuntu prefer to stick with the old reliable LTS builds. They're not as bleeding edge, but they're supported for a long time—even over a decade if you're willing to pay. Now, Ubuntu is getting a new minor LTS update.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is the biggest, priciest model in the S23 series. If you want to keep your phone looking like the day you took it out of the box, you're going to need a good case.