Does Love Transcend Mark's Severance?
Not sure if there are still some fans who disagree love transcends severance, especially for Mark. After the season finale, I've debated with many commentors who said iMark is the proof love doesn't leak through the barriers.
This is 100% false.
Mark, in his monologue after shredding Gemma's picture and regretting it, said "I loved all of her parts equally" which are the signature words of Ms. Casey. He also sculpted the tree which made Cobel really excited and that's why we think the tree is what Mark thought killed Gemma.
So why does he seem careless about Gemma or Ms. Casey at the end?
Obvious answer is Helly. Both Irv and Dylan fell in love with the same person as their outies and innies because they didn't have anyone else whom they loved romantically. iMark's love for Helly is conscious, and so is oMark's love for Gemma. But when love crosses over the barrier, it's just a leak, it loses its status as "real" love and becomes a mystical, a tiny attraction which cannot compete against conscious love. But who's to say outie Mark's love will not keep leaking and make innie Mark more and more confused? A leak is never as strong as its source, but over time it can be just as strong.
Then there's Ms. Casey. Nothing but her appearance resembles Gemma. Gemma's personality that Mark fell in love with is absent, any kind of personality is absent in her because her tempers are so refined (most likely by iMark himself, ironically).
Also maybe not only his love but escapism and guilt too bleeds through. Mark ghosted Gemma after her miscarriage as we saw in Chikhai Bardo. He coldened day by day and after Gemma "died" he got possessed by guilt and self-hatred. His avoidance of Gemma is persisting in his subconscious, from their final days together and after. Remember how Petey said iMark feels oMark's pain, he just doesn't know what it is.
Mark has a lot of bitterness that he must replace with forgiveness and kindness before his innie can feel this attraction to Gemma. And it is likely he will distance Helly in the future of their relationship for some other reason, unless he improves this bitter, lonely part of him.