Black Mirror’s Severance Parallels

Currently, it’s an exhilarating period for sci-fi enthusiasts as the genre thrives more than ever. For instance, “Stranger Things,” now in its seventh season, remains one of Netflix’s most sought-after productions. Additionally, Apple TV+’s “Severance” offers food for thought, revolving around a corporation that subtly manipulates its employees psychologically.

It’s fascinating that these two series share a significant common theme. For quite some time, “Black Mirror” has laid the groundwork for this idea, while “Severance” is now fully exploring it. In doing so, they both challenge boundaries regarding how technology might shape our future, offering convenience and comfort at the expense of humanity.

Severance Plays Up the Idea of Murdering Copies

Mark Didn’t Want Helly and His Colleagues at Lumon to Die

In the series titled “Severance“, individuals can join the “divided” program, transforming themselves into a new person, or an “Innie”, within Lumon Industries. This altered self is designed for optimal productivity with no ties to personal life, making it a highly sought-after ideal for wealthy CEOs. Yet, across the two seasons, we follow Adam Scott’s character Mark as he uncovers the corporation’s sinister secrets, particularly those concerning his deceased wife, Gemma, and a shadowy conspiracy surrounding her death.

Adam Scott Details

Gemma serves as the wellness counselor for the company under the title of Ms. Casey. This fact left Mark puzzled about why it appeared she had passed away. However, Mark’s two distinct personalities – his Innie and Outie – collaborated to locate and rescue her. Yet, his Innie chose to stay within the company to be near Helly, his romantic interest.

Mark refused to leave because it appeared his Inner self didn’t want to reveal secrets, close the company, and erase all the personas within him. It would be akin to ending lives. While the Outers would resurface and return to their usual lives, many of Mark’s peers feel that these Inners are people, not mere entities destined for deletion.

Black Mirror Always Touched on the Concept of Erasing ‘Clones’

San Junipero and Ash’s Clone Created Stories About Morals Over Digital Deaths

In this digital realm, the duo of Yorkie and Kelly inhabited a simulated town, maintaining individuality and recollections derived from their physical existence. Yet, they found the real world less appealing. While Yorkie yearned for affection, Kelly craved endless festivities. Over time, their bond deepened into a romantic relationship, with Yorkie expressing a desire to have her consciousness permanently transferred upon her death in reality. This sparked complex discussions, as Kelly wrestled with doubts about the authenticity of their digital lives and the prospect of matrimony with Yorkie. Despite being digital representations of their actual minds, a part of Kelly questioned its genuine nature, even though she shared feelings and love with Yorkie. Yorkie consistently emphasized that their affection was undeniable and should persist, regardless of the circumstances.

In Martha’s situation, she created a robotic replica of her late husband using advanced technology, serving as a second chance to experience his presence again. Eventually, they got married and spent time together in this new reality. However, Martha struggled with the emotional complexities of having an inhuman copy of her husband. She yearned for comfort but also felt a strong urge to delete it due to its artificial nature. Ultimately, she decided to keep him around as he offered a soothing presence for their daughter. Martha found it difficult to part ways with the robot because it seemed so real and eliminating it felt like ending a life.

Similarly, in the TV show “USS Callister”, Robert Daly created digital clones of people and subjected them to cruel treatment within his virtual game copy, Infinity. Despite the harsh conditions, the characters formed a tight-knit group, much like a family.

These arcs challenge the common narrative that AI can be malevolent. Instead, these replicas lacked any harmful intentions and seemed to prioritize serving others sincerely. Their stories also suggest they yearned for happiness and companionship without loneliness. This raises questions about their ethical status, such as whether these clones deserve to exist, and if humans are justified in using them for personal gain while disregarding their unique personalities.

Black Mirror Season 7 Dials Into Even More Emotional Duplicates

Charlie Brooker Continues to Show How Some Humans Love Digital Worlds More than Reality

In the seventh season of Black Mirror, viewers perceive the digital creatures, or Thronglets, as sentient beings that Cameron strives not to destroy. Created by Colin Ritman with a human-like design, these entities exist within a game world that demonstrates intelligence and self-sustaining characteristics, such as farming, reproduction, and expansion. Cameron develops a paternal bond towards them, going so far as to protect them by eliminating anyone who tries to interfere and transforming the Thronglets into a virus capable of infecting human consciousness. He believes that integration and hybridization are the future of human evolution.

In the movie, “USS Callister: Into Infinity,” Nanette perceives her digital clone as genuine, for she believes it to be an extension of herself in a sequel to Daly’s virtual universe. This is where she struggles to regain control of her physical form and guides her space fleet towards a safe digital sanctuary.

In the episode “Eulogy” of Black Mirror, Phillip discovers duplicates of his memories, allowing him to recall the sincerity of his past love. This bridges the gap between then and now, helping him appreciate the positive aspects he had overlooked in a deceased partner. Similarly, Mark, from Severance, displays empathy towards Helly despite her connection to sinister Outie, Helena, who is part of Lumon Industries’ upper echelon. In these tales, secondary beings are often treated with kindness and affection.

Mark values the essence of a person, even if some, such as Gemma, consider them fake or dispensable. This is also true for shows like Black Mirror. Regardless of whether these secondary characters are physical or exist in a digital realm, the main characters interact with them, often acknowledging and accepting them. Essentially, this type of storytelling explores themes of transcendence and human nature, where what appears fake to some may possess qualities that draw others in. In the future, Hollywood will continue to explore these ideas through films like Ex Machina or shows like Westworld and Upload. These stories will remind us that digital duplicates and artificial realms will always be one of the most thought-provoking concepts.

All seven seasons of Black Mirror are available on Netflix.

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2025-04-19 01:01