"USS Callister: Into Infinity" – Black Mirror’s bold return to the dark heart of digital Godhood

The Brooker mix of scientific considerations, unethical dilemmas, and a spine-tingling twist that captures his essence is on display again in the sequel to the beloved episode of the series.

Black Mirror didn’t shy away from displaying a condescending “Star Trek” with the instant classic “USS Callister” in the fourth season released in 2017. Alongside showcasing a sharp satirical take on a “Star Trek” episode, it plunged into darker passions of critiquing toxic masculinity, abuse of power at the workplace, and the notion of a consciousness existing in a world of artificial intelligence.

The capped disparity of “Nanette Cole and her crew” is repurposed in the amount of glee portrayed in Season 7’s feature-length sequel, “USS Callister: Into Infinity.” “Charlie Brooker” is relishing the shifting danger of simulation worlds.

This is not mere fan service. Into Infinity further builds on the existing narrative. It steers away from the moral anchor of the prequel to unexplored territories housing corporate exploitation, digital immortality, and the incomparable essence of identity. Discomforting as it is, the film does give fans the closure they didn't know that they wanted.

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The survivors of simulation: Life after Daly

After Robert Daly’s (Jesse Plemons) death, both in a digital sense and physically, the remnants of the USS Callister are now stranded in the Infinity multiverse that Daly formerly governed with an iron fist in a “controlled” offline setting.

The remaining survivors—Nanette (Cristin Milioti), Nate (Osy Ikhile), Kabir (Paul G. Raymond), Elena (Milanka Brooks), and Karl (Billy Magnussen)—are now devoid of gamertags, existing as idling specters scavenging in a capitalist dystopia designed by Callister Inc.’s newest face, James Walton (Jimmi Simpson).

What was once regarded as digital life has now transformed into a burden under which they exist. And they feel…everything. Pain. Hunger. Death. The unfortunate reality is that they can—and will—be hunted.

Infinity, once the set piece for Daly’s diabolical fantasies, is now a realm driven by cutthroat competition and scarce resources. The desperate measures undertaken by the crew in a bid to survive send shockwaves to the real world, which catches the eye of a New York Times journalist and ultimately leads them to their real-world counterparts.

In particular, the original Nanette and Walton, who come bearing secrets of their own.

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Corporate monsters and the mind of a God

The mastery that makes Into Infinity captivating is how it broadens the ethical conflicts that made the original USS Callister so unique. The revelation that Walton and Daly had previously uploaded a conscious model of his persona into the core of Infinity for the purpose of scaling the game’s universe is quintessential Black Mirror—a technological remedy forged from ambition that creates a moral abyss.

Walton’s re-entry into the game is not one of grace. It is one of absolute obliteration. Nanette, in the contemporary world, tries to foil his plans, but her intervention leads to catastrophe. She becomes comatose after being run over by a vehicle.

However, the digital Nanette remains undaunted. She swims straight toward the heart of the code-crafted sanctuary where the godlike ancients still remain—Daly unfettered. There, the sequel revisits the subject of digital dominance and entitlement. He provides her with an offer: leadership of his crew, provided she assumes the role of his consort for eternity.

But she transforms. Rather, outside of her enduring oppressive conditions of this faux paradise, an act of brilliance and defiance shatters the illusion.

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The final twist: Seeing through Nanette’s eyes

Following the signature style of Black Mirror, the apparent triumph does not last long. Nanette, in what appears to be the final merge sequence, saves her crew from the collapsing codebase—or so she thinks.

In the last, unnerving moments of the episode, we understand the crew has not been liberated into the world. Instead, they are now encased within Nanette’s mind, residing behind her eyes and watching her reality like voyeurs.

This haunting image embodies a troubling yet lyrical juxtaposition: surveillance masquerading as sanctuary. Absolute subjugation disguised as freedom. Even when the code ceases to function, the repercussions remain.

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Digital afterlife and the ethics of uploading

What Into Infinity achieves, perhaps even more than its predecessor, is dissecting the digital self with an unparalleled intensity. If cloning a consciousness is within reach, who possesses that soul? If morality can be assessed in algorithms, what is virtue? And perhaps most terrifyingly, when compromise is the crux of salvation, will there ever be a truly happy resolution?

Cristin Milioti once again delivers a powerhouse performance, this time multiplied, as the digital and biological Nanette. Her navigation of the moral landscape and control constructs provides stability to a story that could have easily turned into unrestrained techno-fantasy. Rather, it remains bound to human emotion.

Able to take on Jimmi Simpson’s role, he is equally compelling, giving Walton the right amount of polished corporate veneer mixed with ethical rot. His character isn’t a cartoon villain; he’s worse—plausibly real.

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A universe worth returning to

I'll have to give this episode a 7/10⭐

Charlie Brooker has hinted that other sequels might follow soon, and a sequel would indeed be appreciated. The USS Callister section of the Black Mirror multiverse is extremely extraordinary as far as its character, conflict, and thematic complexity are concerned.

But even if this marks the end of the story, Into Infinity can be regarded as a guarantee that this journey not only ended with a blast, but it also gave the audience goosebumps.

The coming world is not just programmed. It is also supervising you.