'Black Mirror' Season 7 Episode Guide: Every Ending Explained

Black Mirror season 7 just dropped, and its dystopian themes hit a little too close to home. The Netflix series continues to deliver nightmarish and heartbreaking tales that explore society’s growing dependency on so-called innovative technology.

Black Mirror season 7 explores the dark side of AI and questionable innovations. (Photo from: Netflix)

This season continues the anthology's tradition of exploring the dark facets of technology and society while introducing fresh narratives and revisiting familiar ones. Here’s our guide to the latest episodes of Black Mirror season 7 and their endings explained. Warning: spoilers ahead!

Black Mirror Season 7, Episode 1: Common People

“Common People” explores the exploitation of subscription-based services. (Photo from: Netflix)

The season opens with one of its most heartbreaking stories. Schoolteacher Amanda (Rashida Jones) is diagnosed with a brain tumour, prompting her husband Mike (Chris O'Dowd) to sign her up for an experimental procedure called Rivermind to keep her alive digitally. The catch? While the surgery is free, there’s a monthly subscription fee to maintain Amanda’s consciousness.

As the fees skyrocket and ads invade their lives, Mike becomes increasingly desperate to keep Amanda “alive.”

Ending Explained: In one of Black Mirror’s bleakest conclusions, Mike assists Amanda in ending her existence. It’s implied he may also take his own life, broadcasting it online. The true horror? In a world where survival is transactional, dignity comes with a price tag, and escape means becoming a spectacle — or disappearing entirely.

Black Mirror Season 7, Episode 2: Bête Noire

“Bête Noire” is about gaslighting and how you can literally manipulate people. (Photo from: Netflix)

This workplace dark comedy takes a sinister turn. Maria (Siena Kelly), a high-flying chocolate company executive, is unsettled when Verity (Rosy McEwen), a former schoolmate, reappears in her life during a focus group. What starts as a coincidence unravels into a mind-bending nightmare. Verity gaslights Maria in bizarre ways — warping reality with a mysterious necklace.

Her motive? Revenge. Maria had spread a false rumour about Verity in school, leading to years of bullying.

Ending Explained: Maria kills Verity in a final confrontation and takes possession of the reality-altering necklace. She uses it to declare herself Empress of the Universe. The episode doesn’t ask whether power corrupts — it questions if anyone can wield it without being corrupted.

Black Mirror Season 7, Episode 3: Hotel Reverie

“Hotel Reverie” walks a thin line between reality and fiction thanks to AI. (Photo from: Netflix)

The third episode draws a chilling parallel to real-world concerns raised during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA actors' strike. A central issue of the strike was the use of artificial intelligence to replicate actors' likenesses. The plot follows this episode stars Brandy Friday (Issa Rae), an A-list actress cast in an AI-generated remake of a 1949 romance film.

Starring alongside her favourite actress from the 1940s, Dorothy Chambers (Emma Corrin), Brandy quickly realises the simulation is far too immersive. When she misses a cue, she disrupts the storyline and risks being trapped in the AI-rendered reality forever.

Ending Explained: Brandy completes the film but struggles to move on, having fallen for Dorothy during the simulation. Her struggle to return to reality and stay connected to Dorothy reflects how deeply we can become attached to online experiences, much like how people form connections through social media.

Black Mirror Season 7, Episode 4: Plaything

“Plaything” is more than just a story about a game, it’s a digital obsession. (Photo from: Netflix)

Eccentric loner Cameron (Peter Capaldi) becomes obsessed with a mysterious 1990s video game, leading to his arrest for a grisly cold case. Reintroducing Colin Ritman (Will Poulter) from Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, the episode follows Cameron as he discovers Thronglets — sentient digital lifeforms hidden in the game.

Cameron believes in merging humans and Thronglets into a utopia free of conflict. When his friend destroys them, thinking it's just a game, Cameron spirals into madness.

Ending Explained: The episode warns of the dangers of sacrificing humanity for digital innovation. Cameron wasn’t just seeking technological advancement — he was chasing absolute power, no matter the cost.

Black Mirror Season 7, Episode 5: Eulogy

“Eulogy” takes us on an immersive journey down memory lane. (Photo from: Netflix)

Phillip (Paul Giamatti), a lonely man, uses an experimental system that lets users step into photographic memories. While the program can process up to 1,500 photos and recommends a minimum of six images, Phillip selects just three Polaroids from a shoebox full of old photographs hidden away in his attic. He embarks on an immersive journey through the fragmented memories of his late ex-girlfriend, Carol.

However, Phillip cannot recall what Carol looked like, since he vandalised them, trying to erase her from his life. As he relives each moment, long-repressed memories resurface, forcing him to confront the truth he tried to forget.

Ending Explained: With newfound clarity, Phillip listens to Carol’s cello recording. As the music plays, her image comes into focus. Smiling through fresh tears, he rediscovers their connection. The episode poignantly explores how memories shape our emotional truths.

Black Mirror Season 7, Episode 6: USS Callister: Into Infinity

“USS Callister: Into Infinity” is the first and only sequel to a Black Mirror episode. (Photo from: Netflix)

The highly anticipated sequel to Black Mirror season 4 episode, USS Callister: Into Infinity sees Nanette (Cristin Milioti) take the captain’s chair after Robert Daly’s death. However, newfound freedom comes with a catch: The crew can now die permanently in their digital universe. Worse, their survival hinges on stealing in-game credits, making them targets.

Meanwhile, in the real world, the original Nanette falls into a coma, revealing Daly had cloned her consciousness. The digital Nanette now has a new mission: transfer her mind into real-world Nanette’s body.

Ending Explained: Nanette wakes up in her real body, with the Callister crew now living inside her consciousness. The finale challenges the idea that freedom is absolute, blurring the lines between human consciousness and digital existence.

Where to watch Black Mirror season 7 in Singapore?

You can catch all six episodes of Black Mirror Season 7 on Netflix. If you want a refresher on what happened in season 6, you can check out our quick recap.

(Cover photos from: Netflix Media Center)

What to watch next? Check out our article about Weak Hero Class here.