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When it comes to disturbing stories, black mirror Is it better than most. We’ve seen all kinds of tech-related horror stories on the Netflix anthology series, and black mirror Season 6 added some more disturbing ones. in this season, black mirror Discover things like true crime, the broadcasting industry, and artificial intelligence. As usual, there was criticism of modern technology and its potential, but there was also criticism of the human condition.
However, one episode stood out from the rest: “Beyond the Sea.” Here’s why it’s the most annoying.
home cult invasion
Set in the alternative America of 1969, Cliff, played by Aaron Paul, gives one of the best performances black mirror Of the shows, he and David are both astronauts. However, we quickly learn that these are not the true versions of her. They are replicas of their original bodies on a ship in space. This instantly adds an eerie feel to the episode. The idea that replicants can exist, not live in your body, the kind of problems they can cause. And it won’t take long for us to figure out what kind of problem it can cause.
At the beginning of the episode, David and his family are going to the movies, where he is approached by curious members of the audience who are in awe of how realistic his replica looks. But shortly after the family returns home, a group of cult members break into their home while David is still in the replicant’s body.
It becomes clear very early on that they are not there just out of curiosity. David tries to fight them off but finds himself tied up. The cult leader, played by the terrifying Rory Culkin, cuts off the replica’s hand to see machinery and an oil-like substance. Afterwards, David is knocked out with a hammer. He then awakens in his original body on the spaceship and frantically uses his Master Mark to return to the replica body.
When he wakes up, he is restrained. His family is being held hostage. The cult leader makes a speech about how an imitator is unnatural and an abomination. But it doesn’t stop at just copying David. In his eyes and in the eyes of the cult, the family is equally guilty of allowing this unnatural symbiont to walk the earth.
Therefore, David is forced to watch as the cult members kill his wife and children. This results in David being trapped in space, with no way home, left years on his mission, and traumatized by the events he is forced to witness.
This early twist is one of the most disturbing scenes overall black mirror series. It wasn’t just horrific to witness the murder of a family. It was a look at the crazy members of society who reject advanced modern technology. Something close to our reality, but to a lesser degree. And maybe something we could see in the future as technology advances. It was a moment that showed exactly what black mirror around.
grim end
David’s mental state rapidly deteriorates after the tragic loss of his family. Cliff is worried because he is the only person with him in space. It is a two man job. Cliff’s anxiety causes him to come up with the idea of letting David use his master tag and duplicate to get a break from the spaceship’s solitude, hoping that seeing the real world and real people can get David to come along for a bit. Of course, this sets off alarm bells for the viewer. It is almost expected that what will happen will happen.
From this point on, it seems inevitable that David will take Cliff’s life. Earlier in the episode, we see that Cliff and his wife Lana are getting a bit cold towards each other. There is no spark. There is no common ground. But as David becomes more comfortable in Cliff’s replica, we see chemistry develop between him and Lana.
David seems to be everything Cliff is not. He has interest in drawing, reading and music. He’s just a charming guy in general. Lana notices and allows herself to enjoy him. There is even some flirtation. But as soon as David makes a move, Lana comes to her senses and rejects him.
However, Lana keeps this from Cliff. But she tries to tell him that she doesn’t want David to use the replica again. Cliff shuts it down, believing David needs this to be stable and perform his duties in space. It wasn’t until Cliff saw the drawings that he understood why his wife never wanted to see David again. David took to painting his infatuation with Lana. And Cliff finds these while on the ship alone.
An argument ensues between the pair, and Cliff hits David. David goes on to say how he has lost everything and how Cliff doesn’t know how to feel. It also suggests that Cliff does not value his wife and family. Cliff returns home and initially believes something happened between David and Lana. But they end up having a deep conversation about their issues. David’s words sparked a realization in Cliff and eventually brought him closer to his family.
When Cliff returns to the spaceship, he makes it very clear that David will never be able to use his copy again. He adds that Lana is disgusted with him. So, when Cliff had to get off the ship and leave his belongings behind and, most of all, his flagship, it seemed to be expected.
but black mirror He had one final twist. While off the ship Cliff searches to see what damage has been done to it. Damage reported by David. We see the ship is fine. Cliff calls out to David but gets no response, which leads us to believe that David is not coming back. In a panic, he bangs on the ship’s hatch door, and eventually, David answers.
David says he went to the bathroom and handed out the tray with Cliff’s belongings. But the main tag is missing. After a delay, David takes the key from his pocket, and all Cliff can do is ask him what he did. Cliff rushes to use his key tag to get home and wakes up with blood on his replica hands. The walls of his house are stained with blood, like David’s. His wife and child were killed, just as David was.
Cliff returns to his true body on the ship, the only place he can go. Trapped with the man who killed his family. David kicks a chair to get Cliff to sit up, which finally makes Cliff feel the pain he felt.
Throughout the episode, there was a sense of inevitability about what would happen. Like watching a car crash in slow motion, we watched these characters slowly approach their tragic fate. But this shocking development made for one of Season 6’s best and most disturbing episodes of all time black mirror series. Show how instead of advancing humans, technology has the power to open up the darkest corners of the human mind, leading to loss of family, loss of self, and a future spent staring into an abyss.
