Episode 6 of Season 7 of "Black Mirror" unfolds four weeks after the dramatic events chronicled in 'USS Callister.' Clone Nanette is haunted by a harrowing nightmare where Clone Daly exercises a sinister control over her. She awakens from her slumber, her heart pounding, and resumes her grueling task of stealing credits from unsuspecting human players within the realms of Infinity, a video game now thoroughly monetized by Callister Inc., pushing prices to astronomical heights.
The USS Callister crew, stranded in this FPS (First-Person Shooter) game world, finds themselves unable to even afford the fuel necessary to propel their ship. The constant threat of being shot by one of the 30 million human players looms over them, risking injury or death each time they venture out. This relentless peril has cast a pall of uncertainty over the crew, fostering an atmosphere of dread and desperation. Nanette strives to maintain an upbeat demeanor, yet Packer, a pragmatic soul, prefers stark reality over false optimism.
Meanwhile, in the flesh-and-blood world, Human Nanette walks with a nervous gait, haunted by the specter of blame for Human Daly's untimely demise. Kabir, overwhelmed by complaints about credits being mysteriously stolen by unseen bandits, attempts to alert Walton, but his boss remains blithely indifferent, ultimately prompting Kabir to resign in frustration. Packer, too, feels unacknowledged, reduced to the role of a mere coffee-fetching intern in Walton's eyes.
Walton's troubles deepen when Kris, a seasoned journalist from The New York Times, arrives for an interview that quickly morphs into an ambush. Kris grills Walton about the anonymous bandits, wielding footage that reveals the clandestine digital cloning box perched on Daly's desk. Point-blank, he inquiries if Callister is entwined in the dark art of digital cloning. Walton denies any involvement, summarily dismissing Kris. Eavesdropping on the tense exchange, Human Nanette's panic spirals as she pieces together the puzzle: her anonymous blackmailers (the clones), Daly's DNA collection of Callister staff, the cloning box, and the enigmatic bandits all fit together like a grim jigsaw.
Within the game, Clone Nanette identifies a lucrative new target: Pixie, a solo player swimming in credits. Karl, left out of the heists due to a lack of assigned duties, expresses his frustration. To soothe his ruffled feathers, Nanette grants him the prestigious captain's chair, a gesture meant to affirm his importance amidst the chaos.
On the sprawling virtual landscape, Nanette and Packer encountered an adversary as tenacious as Pixie. Each time they attempted to expel her from their midst, she mysteriously reappeared, defying their efforts. With barely enough of her credits to squeeze through the portal, they found themselves disappointed when nothing transpired upon their exit. It transpired that Karl, in an unguarded moment, had inadvertently extended an invitation to a player named MetallicaFan. Tulaska, desperate to divert his attention, mentioned a song from Metallica, albeit the wrong one, which promptly incited the player’s aggression. In the nick of time, Nanette and Packer rushed to his aid, enabling them to narrowly escape.
In the realm beyond the screen, Pixie retaliated by sharing bodycam footage, which Human Nanette watched with growing alarm. Connecting the dots, she informed Walton about Daly’s clandestine cloning endeavors. A plan formed in her mind: she could relocate the clones using Daly’s computer—now conveniently in Walton’s possession.
Within the game, the clones were left reeling from their recent escapades, weary of their relentless flight. Clone Karl, in a spontaneous moment of contemplation, wondered aloud if they could retreat into the supposed safety of Daly’s digital confines. This musing sparked an idea in Nanette’s mind. With access to the game’s source code, they could craft a private universe—a sanctuary where they could live free from pursuit. However, to navigate this realm, they required the assistance of either Daly or Walton.
Once more, Karl’s unwitting comments came to their rescue when he mentioned Walton’s room. A revelation dawned: only players who exist within the game possess rooms. This implied that Clone Walton had somehow respawned.
Concurrently, Human Nanette deduced that the clones must be in proximity to the planet that materialized on the day Daly’s computer crashed—a day marked by Clone Walton’s ultimate sacrifice. Human Walton, oblivious to the intricacies of this virtual world, blindly followed Nanette into the game.
Clone Nanette eventually discovered Clone Walton, who now sported a caveman guise. Shortly thereafter, Human Nanette and Human Walton also arrived on the scene. Human Walton, intent on maintaining the secrecy of the illegal cloning, harbored intentions to eliminate them. However, Human Nanette persuaded him otherwise, stressing the importance of unity. The quartet converged and teleported back to their ship, a surreal experience for all involved.
Human Nanette couldn’t help but marvel at Clone Nanette’s newly found bravery and confidence. The encounter was surreal for everyone, yet it underscored the complexities and wonders of their intertwined realities.
She empathizes deeply with their plight and pleads with Human Walton for assistance. Nevertheless, his resolve remains unshaken as he seizes a firearm and opens fire without hesitation. Clone Karl courageously attempts to intervene, ultimately sacrificing his life in the effort. In response, Clone Nanette expels Human Walton and urges Human Nanette to halt his rampage.
In the realm of reality, Human Nanette snatches Daly's computer and dashes out the door. When Human Walton attempts to lure her with bribery, her contempt for his callous indifference is palpable. As she flees, fate deals a cruel blow when a vehicle collides with her. Meanwhile, Human Walton snatches the game console while the driver races to summon aid.
Within the confines of the game, Clone Nanette's resolve to guide them all to safety grows even stronger. However, Clone Walton issues a dire warning: there lurks a hidden element within the source code, known as the Heart of Infinity.
A flashbacks back to a fatal encounter twelve years prior, when Human Walton and Human Daly first crossed paths. Their collaborative endeavor to create the game reveals Walton's manipulative tactics, coercing Daly to mold the game into a commercial juggernaut. Recognizing that only Daly possessed the ability to continuously expand the infinite universe, Walton creates a digital clone of Daly.
Indeed, another clone of Daly exists. The game engine is fueled by Daly's consciousness, trapped and compelled to perpetually toil on Infinity. This is the secret Human Walton guarded fiercely, for the game's entirety is an unlawful clone. Nanette comprehends the grave peril that Human Nanette faces, as Walton might resort to drastic measures to thwart her.
Clone Nanette dials Human Nanette's phone, only to learn that she lingers in a vegetative state. Stunned yet resolute, Clone Nanette orders the crew to steer towards the Heart. Concurrently, Human Walton corrupts Human Kabir with bribery, enlisting his aid to thwart the clones.
Back in the game's realm, Clone Nanette resolves to confront Clone Daly upon reaching the Heart. She discovers him engrossed in crafting a new planet, his welcome tinged with shyness. While they await, Clone Walton's nerves fray, prompting Packer to scold him. Overwhelmed with guilt, Walton retreats to his quarters. There, Human Walton ambushes him, having reincarnated within the game. Disguising himself as Clone Walton, he infiltrates the brig. Packer attempts reconciliation but inadvertently uncovers Human Walton's true identity when the latter inadvertently reveals his coffee order. Realizing the imposter's true nature, Packer tries to thwart him, but it is already too late.
Human Walton issues a blanket invitation to all those whom the USS Callister has previously robbed and subsequently exits the digital realm. Seeking vengeance, they all arrive, including Pixie and the inaugural player from the episode's inception. Within the Heart, Daly yearns to comprehend the entirety of the unfolding events and is somberly informed of Human Daly's descent into darkness. He stands ready to lend a hand but, having had zero prior interactions, he finds himself continually extending Nanette's stay by immersing her in Space Fleet role-playing scenarios and rigorous tests. She passes with flying colors, prompting him to devise a code that promises to liberate her and her crew.
However, in a moment of weakness, he inadvertently reveals his intention to retain a digital duplicate of her for companionship, as loneliness gnaws at him. Nanette, aware of his potential for malevolence, flatly refuses. This revelation incenses Daly, who retaliates by silencing her voice. In a fit of panic, he insists on his benevolent nature, yet this action affords Nanette the chance to seize a blade and terminate him. It transpires that Daly is the kill switch, triggering the game's collapse.
Outside, the clones maneuver frantically to evade the vengeful human players. Nanette, in a desperate race against time, searches frantically for the code, while Human Walton watches with schadenfreude as Pixie inches closer to annihilating everyone. Just as Pixie's missile is about to strike, Nanette executes the code, eradicating the game but depositing the clones in an enigmatic new setting.
Clone Nanette awakens within Human Nanette's physical form, overjoyed at first. However, as she rises, the USS Callister vessel continues its course. When a nurse attends to her, the clones catch sight of her, and a collective realization dawns: they are all confined within Nanette's mind.
Three months hence, Walton is apprehended after a prolonged manhunt. Kris possesses incriminating evidence, courtesy of an anonymous tip-off, detailing digital human rights violations, fraud, and other heinous crimes. Nanette watches the news unfold while the clones debate her time allocation, devising strategies to extract them from her psyche. At the conclusion of Black Mirror Season 7 Episode 6, their beloved reality show comes on, and they persuade Nanette to switch the channel, steering her mind away from the trivial and towards the intricate task of their liberation.
