Black Mirror Beyond The Sea's horrific ending leaves viewers traumatised

19 June 2023, 16:11

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By Katie Louise Smith

"Beyond The Sea is so f---ed up wow, I was expecting the ending to be sad but that’s just on another level."

After four years, Black Mirror returned to Netflix last week (June 15) with five brand new episodes and each one is as twisted as the next. (What do you expect? It's Black Mirror, babyyyy!)

After binging the new season, viewers have now selected their faves and their flops, and the one that people cannot stop thinking about is 'Beyond the Sea'.

'Beyond The Sea' takes place in an alternate 1969 and follows David (Josh Harnett) and Cliff (Aaron Paul), two astronauts who are part of a 6-year space programme. They both have their own 'Earth Replica' that allows them to visit their families at home while remaining in space.

For those that love the sci-fi concept Black Mirror episodes, Beyond The Sea is a great entry. But viewers were apparently NOT ready for the absolutely brutal and harrowing plot twist that happens at the end of the episode.

WARNING: Spoilers ahead for Black Mirror's 'Beyond The Sea' episode!

Shortly after the start of the episode, viewers find out that David's entire family – including his earth replica – is killed by a group of anti-robot cult members. As a result, he is no longer able to return to Earth in his own body.

Cliff then offers to let him return to earth for brief stints in his robot duplicate, allowing David time to socialise with spend time with other people – namely Cliff's wife and son – in the hopes it will help with his depression.

As the earth visits continue, Cliff becomes suspicious that David is forming a romantic attachment to his wife Lana after he finds nude sketches of her in his space bunk. Cliff lies to David and tells him that Lana finds him repulsive, and then refuses to let him travel back to apologise and say goodbye.

The end of the episode then includes one of the darkest plot twists that Black Mirror has ever given viewers.

After Cliff puts a stop to David's earth visits, David tricks Cliff into heading outside the spaceship to fix a malfunction. While he's out there, David travels back to earth in Cliff's body...

Viewers assume that David has locked Cliff out in space and has no intention of ever returning. But when David returns and acts like nothing is wrong, Cliff realises what he's done.

Cliff returns to earth to find a horrific blood bath in his home. David has murdered his wife and son while inhabiting Cliff's own body, essentially punishing him for withdrawing his earth visits and forcing him to feels the same pain that he does.

The shocking twist has left viewers reeling, and countless people are calling it one of the most horrific and fucked up Black Mirror twists of all time.

In other Black Mirror news, viewers are absolutely slating Mazey Day and have labelled it the 'worst episode of Black Mirror ever'. Ouch.

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