Episode 6 of Clickbait's maiden season kicks off with a fleeting glimpse into Sacramento, six months in the past's mist. Simon's voice echoes with urgency, cautioning Emma about the depths of her digital romance, his eyes beseeching her to tread carefully. This fleeting flashback swiftly fades into the present, where Simon remains entrenched in his role as a content moderator, his actions cloaked in an air of suspicion.
Detective Amiri's arrival cuts through the veil, interrogating Simon on the intricacies of Nick's life and his entanglements with Sarah. As the narrative unfolds, it transpires that Simon claimed to be out fishing with his companion Daryl during the fateful incident, a tale that Amiri meticulously dissects with skepticism, sensing a hidden agenda beneath Simon's every word.
Back at his desk, Simon's fingers dance across the keyboard, crafting a message to Daryl that all but confirms our suspicions. He urgently whispers a warning, urging the man to steer clear of his abode and ignore the call of his phone, a stark contrast to the alibi he had just spun for the police, revealing it to be a fragile facade.
The tapestry of the past weaves its way back, four months prior, where Sarah's voice quivers with remorse as she reaches out to Simon, tears streaming down her cheeks. It's a poignant prelude to her tragic end, as we learn that Simon was the unwitting discoverer of her lifeless form. Moreover, he stumbled upon the cryptic messages from "Jeremy" on her phone, planting the seeds of a formidable motive deep within his heart.
Recall our mention from the previous episode about delving into the realms of imagery? It seems Jeremy is the lone navigator who navigated those treacherous waters, ultimately stumbling across a photograph that would alter the course of events—Nick, captured in a moment of camaraderie with the Oakland volleyball team. Armed with this revelation, Simon and Daryl embark on a hunt, tracking Jeremy down and administering a mysterious substance through a syringe, their intentions shrouded in mystery.
Meanwhile, in Oakland, Pia's agitation continues to boil over, fueled by the revelation that Matt has erased Nick's photographs from existence. Despite the odds stacked against her, Pia clings to a glimmer of hope, though the horizon remains bleak and uncertain.
The bizarre entanglement between Amiri and Pia culminates dramatically when Pia ventures into Amiri's abode, sparking a chain of events that leads Amiri astray from his companion, albeit momentarily, as their lips meet but their bond falters. The simmering anxiety surrounding Simon boils over, driving Amiri to give chase on foot. Concurrently, Pia encounters Daryl but nimbly evades his grasp.
As Simon's arrest unfolds, the narrative rewinds by eleven days, shedding light on the true origins of the ordeal. Simon and Daryl emerge as the architects behind the video fiasco, coercing Nick into holding incriminating signs. This iniquitous ploy escalates, compelling Nick to hold a second sign, falsely confessing to a woman's murder. Nick, visibly shaken and profoundly distressed, pleads his innocence, adamantly denying any involvement in creating the controversial dating profile. He seeks to resonate with Simon's grief, reminding him of their shared tragedy—the suicide of Simon's father. Furthermore, Nick uncovers discrepancies in the photos, alluding to their manipulation, as the horizon lines betray an artificial harmony.
However, Daryl's sensational claim to Amiri—that Simon slayed Nick—unravels as a fabrication. In reality, that fateful night, Nick's resourcefulness freed him from his captors' bonds, and he fled. Simon, realizing his mistake, let Nick escape, mercy prevailing over malice as he withheld the trigger. With Simon's innocence in the murder seemingly established, the stage shifts to Ethan, who clandestinely exchanges messages with an enigmatic figure named Al. They boast of their prowess in concealing secrets, but beneath the veil of anonymity, their true identities and intentions remain shrouded in mystery.
