Severance: This mind-blowing detail in a single frame reveals everything about the show, but most fans missed it

Severance is a multi-faceted sci-fi odyssey on Apple TV+ fueled by identity, control, and reality; themes that shape the story. The show has been standing out for its unique setting and deeply entwined storytelling but also contains important visual details that are often overlooked. One frame showing a white Volkswagen Rabbit captures the deepest philosophy of the entire series. If you do not have a deep understanding of Alice in Wonderland or The Matrix, chances are you missed this.

Severance is deeply connected to these iconic tales. When one hears of the Matrix, the idea of Neo following a white rabbit tattoo is bound to come to mind, a tattoo that leads him to uncover shocking truths about his reality. Alice in Wonderland takes things deeper with Alice following a white rabbit to a dream-like world where everything is topsy-turvy. In Severance, the rabbit takes the form of a vehicle; the vehicle in question is being driven by Harmony Cobel, the enigmatic neighbor and secret Lumon executive. Mark Scout is in pursuit of a white rabbit, and what the pursuit will reveal stands to change everything.

The White Rabbit isn’t just symbolism—it’s a map

The significance of the White Rabbit in the show highlights what is most important about a character undergoing a deep realization. In the same way Neo was coming to understand deeper notions of his reality in The Matrix, Mark appears to be coming to grips with the fact that orderly-looking worlds are not as straightforward as they may seem. In these worlds, time is frozen, like in Lumon.

Everything outside seems free from tracking advancements in modern technology, which makes it look as if it’s stuck in the 80s or 90s, where German-looking cars are still ubiquitous. The intention behind this temporal slippage, which was confirmed by Dan Erickson, is to bewilder both viewers and characters alike. The Rabbit serves as evidence of peak disorientation and reality distortion.

In this case, Cobel is perhaps the most revealing of all. On the face of it, a nice and pleasant neighbor. What we find out more recently is that she is also Mark’s superior and one of the people who pioneered severance. Her Rabbit is a marker for the audience: this is where your attention needs to go. She does have all the important answers, and, like Wonderland's White Rabbit, she is leading Mark to a frightening reality—one that connects his innie and outie lives more intimately than he has ever thought possible.

Other hidden Matrix parallels make the picture clear

The show is not devoid of visual relation to The Matrix, as Cobel’s Rabbit isn’t the only one. The nefarious fish in Mark’s apartment, in addition to the rabbit drawing witnessed at Burt’s retirement celebration, serve as stunning visual references to blue and red pills. It's easy to interpret these as more than mere signs of creativity.

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They serve as telling clues that inform Severance is about awakening from a delusional existence defined by an automation of day-to-day living, shredding the ruthless grasp of capitalism, and reclaiming the authentic self.

Severance, like The Matrix, raises questions that make us interrogate the reality presented to the characters and everything that unfolds in front of the camera. It has no reliance on advanced technology; rather, it is a concoction of innovative storytelling, emotionally rich philosophy, and an intricate riddle to solve at the heart. With layered writing and expertly done direction, even in the most mundane things, like a parked vehicle, there is room for a deeper narrative.

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