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How Black Mirror‘s Satisfying ‘USS Callister’ Sequel Builds on One of Its Best Twists

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In our previous encounter, the team aboard the USS Callister found themselves free from their tyrannical commander Robert Daly (Jesse Plemons) by darting through a cosmic wormhole, which whisked them to another realm. Taking command, Nanette Cole (Cristin Milioti), asserted her authority as captain and the vessel swiftly accelerated into hyperwarp speed.

Indeed, all these events unfolded within the vast online role-playing game called “Infinity”. Meanwhile, the real-life counterparts of the Callister crew were carrying on with their normal jobs at Callister Inc., the company that developed this game. However, only Daly, the lead programmer of Infinity who had secretly created an altered offline version of the space-themed virtual reality software where he was tormenting digital clones of his colleagues, knew about their in-game personas. This plot twist formed the heart of the Emmy-winning “USS Callister” episode from Black Mirror, which debuted to critical acclaim in 2017 as the first episode of the show’s fourth season.

The Callister team returns for a full-length sequel, titled “USS Callister: Into Infinity,” which serves as a fulfilling end to Season 7 of Charlie Brooker’s darkly satirical sci-fi anthology series. Previously left stranded, Nanette and her coworkers – Nate (Osy Ikhile), Kabir (Paul G. Raymond), Elena (Milanka Brooks), and Karl (Billy Magnussen) – find themselves battling to stay alive in the larger game of Infinity, having deserted Daly, who was left to die in his self-destructing personal universe. This eventuality also claimed Daly’s life in reality. To sustain themselves, the Callister crew, now without gamertags, have been stealing credits from players on Infinity, which are then inflated and overpriced by CEO James Walton (Jimmi Simpson) of Callister Inc. to boost profits. However, unlike regular players, these clones can be hurt and even killed. Their scavenging activities have also sparked complaints about rogue bandits within the game, and a New York Times reporter is starting to suspect the truth behind Daly’s illegal cloning technology.

In an attempt to escape their current situation, which they realize cannot last indefinitely, the team devises a strategy: They’ll manipulate the game by delving into its fundamental code housed within the “Heart of Infinity,” a central engine that powers the entire universe and keeps it functioning. Meanwhile, in reality, Nanette manages to piece together the mystery, understanding that the renegade players are eerily similar to her and her colleagues, including Walton, who is discovered to have been revived within the game after sacrificing himself at the end of the first episode. She confides this revelation to Walton, and they both decide to venture into the game to investigate further. However, there’s a twist: Walton harbors secret intentions.

12 years prior, Walton brought Daly, who appeared kind-hearted at the time, into his garage to work on the game Infinity. Over time, they employed cloning technology to insert a clone of Daly within the game, allowing him to perpetually expand its universe from within. However, as Walton had been engaging in illegal activities and feared exposure, he decided to eliminate the clones to hide his criminal practices and avoid imprisonment. Upon learning of Walton’s true motives, Nanette resolved to thwart him; unfortunately, she was struck by a car and fell into a coma.

In the game, Walton re-enters and informs all players about the location of the ship stolen by the Callister crew. Meanwhile, clone Nanette advances towards Daly within the Heart of Infinity. Walton subjects her to a brief moral test which she passes, after which he proposes an intriguing plan: uploading her consciousness into the mind of her real-life counterpart who has recently perished, and transferring her crew into another universe under the condition that this version of Nanette stays with him forever. This scene subtly delves into the chilling aspects of “nice guy syndrome” while continuing the exploration of toxic masculinity and male privilege started in the initial episode.

Ultimately, I, a supporter, find myself witnessing clone Nanette overcoming Daly yet again, merging their two minds, and apparently rescuing her team just as Infinity is erased due to clone Daly’s demise. However, it transpires that the Callister crew were actually transferred into the real-world Nanette, experiencing everything she does through her eyes, as seen via the ship’s front window. This twist is a fitting and distinctively Black Mirror conclusion to the tale, yet it also hints at potential sequels, as suggested by Brooker.

He expressed, “There could still be tasks left undone. Time will tell,” he shared with Entertainment Weekly. “After all, anything’s possible!

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2025-04-12 01:06

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