Warning! This article contains spoilers for Severance season 2's episode 8.

Severance's characters keep referring to Kier Eagan's 9 principles, making it hard not to wonder what they mean and why characters like Harmony Cobel strive to follow them. With each new episode, Severance expands and enhances its lore by not only revealing new details about what Lumon is trying to achieve but also adding new depth to the company's history and the people who started it. Although the Apple TV+ sci-fi show primarily unfolds in the present timeline, there are story arcs in the series that harken back to the past to reveal how Lumon has gradually grown its influence.

Severance season 2's episode 8 features one of these arcs where Harmony Cobel returns to the location, Salt's Neck, where she was raised. The trip back home not only forces her to confront some of the most traumatic memories from her childhood but also helps her recall how she started her Lumon journey. The episode also features references to Kier's 9 principles, which have been featured in the series on more than one occasion in many previous story beats.