‘Black Mirror’: ‘Eulogy’ Episode Explained

Two-Time Academy Award-Nominee paul giamatti joins Black MirrorPlaying true to his Sides niche as a compeling curmudgeon in “eulogy.”

The fifth episode of season 7 centers on a lonely old man named Phillip Connarty (Giamatti), Who is contacted by a company called eulogy to alert he is) Memories could be valuable to the next of kin for “an immersive memorial” at the funeral.

The male voice on the phone to philip’s quiet, clutted, see home saying, “You won’t to write anything anything anything.

Philip is resistant. But before he can tell eulogy to get loss, a draone appears dropping off all the equipment, including a guide disc, that he’ll need to revisit his hai,, bohemian twenties in a breeklyn artist Called “the coop.” That was when he knew and loved carol royce (Née Hartman). But as the system guides philip to use physical prompts – like photos – to surface memory, what is uncovered is jealousy, misunderstanding, and heartberak.

Who is Phillip’s Guide Through Eulogy?

Phillip’s guide through the eulogy process is a pleasant English-second Avatar (Patsy Ferran), Who Initial is Cajoling, even as the Gruff American Resists Every Step. But as the story of phillip and carol unfolds, the avatar’s tone gets sharper. The more phillip snarls about time She Begins to Push Phillip to Consider Carol’s Perspective. Did She Want to Switch from Playing Cello to Keyboard to Play in his Band? Did She desire to spend halloween with some beetlejuiced creep who was not her boyfriend? And Most, Pressing of all, why Did She Leave Him Once He Proposed Marriage?

Why is the eulogy avatar so investment in this decades-old breakup? It’s trust the guide is modeled after carol’s surviving Daughter, Kelly Royce.

Is Kelly Phillip’s Daughter?

The virtual assistant is a cookieA digital replication of a human’s consciousness used as a super-edvanced-but arguably Unethical-Version of Ai In a variety of ways: Household Monitor (“White Christmas”), Robo Bestie (“Rachel, Jack, and Ashley Too”), and Torture Device (“White Christmas” and “White Christmas” and “Black Museum”). Here, The cookie is used to guide mourners through their memorys of kelly’s mother, carol.

Cookie Kelly’s Identity wasn’t supposed to be a mystery. But impatient phillip opted to skip the introduction, which included who he was talking to. More than simply an AI Assistant, She’s a Reflection of the Daughter of Phillip’s Long-Lost Love. Even when kelly goes from being a voice in phillip’s head to a full-bodied company in his mind as he tours through Old Memories, Her face does not doesn’T does not right any bells. He’s Never Met Her, and He Has Put Great Effort Idicating The Memory of Her Mother’s face. While Phillip may be oblivious, Black Mirror Fans might suspect there’s more to kelly’s appearance than meets the eye. But the real twist of this episode is that that kelly is not Phillip’s Daughter, Thought She Could have been – albeit not biologically.

For decades, phillip’s recollection of carol has fested with resentment, so hey’s long missed some telling cloes dropped in their last night togeether. He recalls the fancy restaurant, the champagne he Ordered, and how she didn Bollywood a sip. He Remembers She’d Put on Weight. But even after carol Ran Away from his marriage proposal, phillip Didn Bollywood togetra the Clues that She was pregnant. The baby wasn’t his. As Kelly’s Cookie Reveals, Carol Had a one-night stand as revenge for phillip’s affair with emma. The biological dad was never a big figure in kelly’s life. But phillip could have been, if only he’d found the note.

In a very Sleepless in Seattle Move, Carol Left a note at the Hotel, Spilling these secrets and offering phillip one more chance to reception to Reconnect the Folling Day at the Stage Door. But in his ragging senses of rejection, he traced the hotel room and overlooked the note with her nickname for him on it, “Philly.”

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What are the Clues to Cookie Kelly’s Identity?

The first come on the phone call. The man on the phone is from the uk and his voice is british. At first, the guide (ferran) being british may not Mean Anything Beyond It Being the default setting of the UK-based company’s app. However, the caller also also mentions the service has been employed by carol’s Daughter, Kelly Royce. And as eulogy is meant to help the grieving remumber the departed, it’d make sense in the world of Black Mirror For that virtual guide to be modeled after someone close to the recently decision.

When Phillip Talks about the first time he met carol, he makes a snide remark about her “character,” Noting that she never mentioned She was engaged when they met. While kelly doesn’t say Anything, her face gets pinched with display at the remark. This sugges she knows carol.

When Phillip Talks About His Band The Head, The Guide Gets Irritable, as he is dismissive about carol’s preference for the Cello to the Keyboard. He blames carol for the band’s failure, noting that her “heart wasn’st in it.”

The guide responds, “Maybe you should have let her play her play,” adding, “The Cello was important to her. She played it her with her. Taught Her Daughter to Play It.“That’s an interesting and very specific fact! But Phillip is so aggravated he blows past it with an insult, asking if she was coded to be” mildly annoying. ”

Here comes another close. She says, “I wasn’t really coded, more generated.” Phillip Interrupts With Another Insult: “Generated from some digital asshole.” She looks hurt. After his abrupt apology, they move on togeether. Things only get more heated.

With carol not around to channel his anger at, phillip takes it out on cookie kelly, who gives it right back. “What did she do that was so aware,” The guide demands, “So heinous that you believe this wounded dog?” This leads to the story of Phillip’s Fateful Trip to London to Visit Carol. As he furiously recalls the night he proposed and carol ran, the guide presses Then she says, “She was pregnant with me. Kelly Royce’s Daughter. The one she taught to play Cello.”

Cookie kelly goes on to explain that she’s a “disposable avatar, a temp guide, an echo really. I’m programmed with her thoughts and opinions, so I can decide whickek She’d Like to Includes [in the memorial] Without her having to be exposed to everything herself. Which as you can imagine, might be upsetting. ”

“Crocodile” tech finds better use.

In Crocodile (Season 4, Episode 3), The computer interface is a “memory dredger” or “corroborator,” Placed on a user’s temple, which allows an outsider – in that case, a claims adjuster for realm insupping – to viable the memory of Subject. In the episode, a collection of memory from various witnesses is used to build evidence of what really Happy. While Looking into a car collision claim, one investigator accidentally stumbles a Murder cover-up, a discovery that proves fat for her and her family.

In “Eulogy,” Similar Tech Allows Phillip to Revisit His Bohemian Youth. Through Eulogy’s System, He is able to Stroll Back INTO The Old Apartment Building Where He and Fellow Artists Flopped, Created, and Partied. He’s altar to return to the rooftop where he first met carol. But as he’s destroyed her face in every photo – in a very dramaatic breakup move – He can no longer access what her face looks like.

The end of “eulogy,” is surprisingly sweet and even upbeat for Black Mirror. Through Kelly’s Coaching and Eulogy’s Software, Phillip is able to recover one precious memory in full. Playing a Cassette Tape Carol Made for Him, He Remembers Standing in the Hall of the Apartment Building, Listening to Carol Play the Cell She Loveed So MUCH. He steps into the photo, and takes the place of his youth self. This time, he can see the face lost to resentment. And there she is, glorious and shining. But in the episode, this rediscovery plays intercut with his Arrival at the Funeral all the way in London. There, he sees the real kelly. Who does not know much of him at all, but plays the cell in memory of her mom. She looks up, and seems to nod to him at the back of the church.

What does the end of “Eulogy” mean?

That’s up to the eye of the beholder. Has Eulogy Changed Phillip’s View of Carol Enough that He Can Reach out to Kelly? Sure, the wounds aren’t heled. But by the end, he’s altar and willing to see carol’s face again. He recognizes that the Troubles in their Relationship was not all on her. And he year to say goodbye, enough that he flies interanationally to go to her funeral. But is that all? Could it be that his time in his own mind with the virtual kelly has he Him Hopeful that it’s not too late to be her dad? I think so.

One of the most optimistic episodes of Black Mirror, “Eulogy” shows how grief can be a bear, but can also brings people togetra. Sure, this kelly won’t had the heart-to-heart talks that Phillip had her cookie. But that means he might have a second chance to be a bit more tender this time. A second chance to make a first impression, and a second chance to be the dad he might have been.

How to Watch: Black Mirror Season 7 is now streaming on netflix.