Severance: Is Milchick’s story about the Grakappan true?

Mr Milchick feeds the Innies a lie about why Helena Eagan went to the Severed Floor in Severance Season 2 Episode 5, ‘Trojan’s Horse’, telling them the story of the “Gråkappan” – but it turns out the tale has roots in real life. Warning: spoilers ahead!

If you remember back to Episode 4, Irving was fired after he nearly drowned Helena during their ORTBO. In other words, his Innie is now dead. In Episode 5, the Innies are back at Lumon, and they demand answers – including Helly, who is back in the room. 

Milchick responds to their cries by claiming Helena Eagan was “conducting valuable research”, before telling them about an ancient Swedish king who went “incognito amongst his people in the hopes of learning their true grievances.” 

“He would don an old grey robe, a Gråkappan, the name for which he was remembered, to disguise his royal vestments,” Milchick continues. “Kier Eagan was known to do so in his ether factories, and Ms Eagan was carrying on this noble tradition.”

The true story behind the Grakappan in Severance Season 2

Surprisingly, this isn’t Lumon propaganda (well, the part about the Gråkappan, anyway). The story traces back to a real Swedish king: Charles XI. According to legend, he wore a Gråkappan as his disguise, earning him the nickname the Greycoat. 

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Charles XI ruled Sweden from 1660 until his death in 1697, but stories of his Greycoat era weren’t published until the 19th century, by historian Arvid August Afzelius. 

It’s said he travelled around the country dressed as a farmer or traveller, but rather than finding out about locals’ “true grievances,” it was to “discover and identify corruption and oppression.”

Perhaps this minor edit was made because, well, Lumon is very much in the business of corruption and oppression. 

In one anecdote, it’s said Charles XI, aka Gråkappan, travelled to two villages: one had a church in amazing condition but the priest lived in poverty, and the other was vice-versa. 

Do you know what he did? He switched the priests around, giving the poor priest the lavish place to live alongside a church he was sure he’d rebuild. Pretty neat, hey?

The MDR team don’t seem to think so, although they’ve got bigger fish to fry. Notably, Irving’s dead, Helly’s body was hijacked, and Mark (unknowingly) had sex with the heir to the Eagan throne.

As Mark rather bluntly puts it after Milchick finishes the story, “Smells like horsesh*t.”

You can find out when the next episode drops with our guide to the Severance Season 2 release schedule. If you want to refresh your memory, we also have recaps of Episode 1, Episode 2, and Episode 3, and you can check out our guides on Cold Harbor and the Glasgow Block. 

Make sure you check out what’s dropping during Dexerto’s We LOVE TV & Movies week too.