Since I've seen the episode, I've been thinking about the story he told, and I don't think it's "canonical" like the handbook. I'm almost certain that it's either:
- a Lumon "fairy tale", either only for use in team building exercises like the ORTBO, or possibly also told outside (did Helena know it?)
- or a story made by Milchick specifically for our group, possibly AI generated (since "Dieter Eagan" is an anagram for "AI generated")
It felt very much like a scavenger hunt for a child's birthday or something similar, only in corporate form. Milchick thought that he could fulfill the groups desire for "adventure", and thus make them focus on work once more.
What do you think?
I am guessing “The board” is either:
An AI, A genetically modified mega-brain in a jar, Elder Egans in lich form.
To me, Severance in general is about trauma and control. I mean, trauma in the modern neuroscience concept.
Trauma makes people easier to control and Lumon has elevated that to a global research programme.
They are trying to understand trauma and memory to further their ambitions of total control.
So where did Milchicks story come from? Probably his own shapely butt.
The truth doesn’t matter to Lumon, compliance does. Given the nature of MDRs work, they can’t get good results using direct threats and coercion. So they use a ‘religion’ tailor made to further this most mysterious and important work.
My two cents