Picture: Netflix
Episode 5 of Black Mirror requires a tissue box at the ready. Directed by Christopher Barrett and Luke Taylor, this episode is one of the quieter ones, with few connections to previous episodes or Easter eggs. Nevertheless, let’s dive into the story and break down the somewhat bittersweet yet understated ending.
The episode feels like a blend of The Entire History of You and White Christmas, utilizing the Nubbin device — a piece of tech featured throughout most of Season 7. Philip, described as an isolated man, is informed that a former friend has passed away. He’s invited to use a device to submit enhanced photographs and memories for the funeral service. He reluctantly agrees but only has a handful of photos with Carol — none of which show her face. Any images that once did have been thoroughly defaced, whether by pen marks, burns, or pierced holes.
The reason for this vandalism? Carol is a painful subject for Philip. In their younger years, they were considered a couple, but — due to life circumstances — their relationship soured. Whether it was Carol getting a new job abroad or Philip cheating on her with Emma, their relationship came to a definitive end.
Of course, the episode’s big twist is that the AI character guiding Philip through his memories — known as The Guide — is actually Kelly, Carol’s daughter. She’s also the person who called him at the start of the episode to inform him of Carol’s death. This revelation comes when Philip revisits a London restaurant where he once planned to propose to Carol — only to learn she left him because she was pregnant with someone else’s child. He wouldn’t know the full story until The Guide reveals her true identity, filling in details Philip had misinterpreted for years, lost in his anger and regret.
Picture: Netflix
Why did The Guide / Kelly smile and nod at Philip at the funeral at the end?
If the “echo” technology works as we’ve seen in the past (such as in White Christmas or more recently in USS Callister: Into Infinity), it captures a snapshot of a person’s mind and places it within a device. However, in both of those episodes, this process is known to be illegal. So, there must be some other iteration of the technology at play here.
Early in the episode, Kelly says she’s been generated — like an AI — and explains that she’s adapted from Kelly herself to help ensure the accuracy of her owner’s true thoughts and characteristics.
Still, why would Carol’s daughter smile at Philip at the funeral, after performing on the cello, if she was just an echo?
Well, there are a couple of theories. First, it could be that Kelly rewatched the recording of Philip’s interaction with her AI version. Alternatively — and this is my personal favorite theory — The Guide was actually Kelly herself all along, communicating through a live link at first. By presenting herself as an AI, she could elicit a more neutral response from Philip. After all, if she had introduced herself outright, he may not have cooperated.
What was the purpose of getting Philip involved beyond inviting him to the funeral?
Another big question is: What was the point of getting Philip involved specifically with the Eulogy? By this point in their lives, he hadn’t been involved with Carol for decades.
Ultimately, that’s up to the viewer’s interpretation. My take — or theory, if you will — is that one of Carol’s final wishes was to provide closure for Philip after all those years. Perhaps she discovered, in some way, that he was racked with guilt, loneliness, and regret. She presented him with a branching path (insert Black Mirror branching symbol here!) when she discovered she was pregnant — a chance for him to step up — but from Philip’s perspective, that choice was never offered. He missed a crucial note from Carol because it was swept into his bag by a maid, an accident that changed the course of his life.
Alternatively, it may have been Kelly’s own decision to help fill in the gaps of her mother’s life story. We’ll never truly know the motive — and that’s half the fun of this episode. Either way, the use of the Eulogy device ultimately benefited Philip far more than it did the family or the funeral service, I’d argue. That said, Philip’s major contribution from his memory to the funeral was the piece of music that the daughter was playing as he walked in—a beautiful touch.
This story is about death and the brutality of life’s decisions. It also explores the what-ifs and how humans tend to warp our perspectives of past events and stew on potential wrong decisions. If only Philip had read that note, his entire life trajectory would’ve changed.
Those are my thoughts on Eulogy. What are yours? Let us know in the comments below.
Rating: TV-MA
