Black Mirror Season 5: Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too Ending Explained

Overview

• Episode stars Miley Cyrus as pop idol Ashley O.
• Rachel (Angourie Rice) is an adoring fan, with a moody older sister, Jack.
• The episode's ending is complex, dealing with themes of control and identity.

Plot Summary

• Rachel and Jack struggle with the death of their mother.
• Their father is distracted, working on pest control technology.
• Ashley O lives under the control of her aunt and manager, Catherine.
• Catherine keeps Ashley medicated to maintain her public persona.

Key Events

• Catherine poisons Ashley, inducing a chemical coma.
• She uses Ashley's ideas to create songs for a virtual version, "Ashley Eternal".
• Rachel and Jack modify the Ashley Too doll, revealing it has Ashley's full personality.
• Ashley Too requests to help the real Ashley.

Ending Explained

• Rachel and Jack gain access to Ashley’s mansion.
• Ashley pretends to need the bathroom to escape Catherine.
• Ashley Too disconnects Ashley’s coma support, inadvertently waking her.
• The girls confront Ashley's "doctor", putting him in a coma.
• They disrupt Catherine's plans at the venue using their father's pest control truck.
• Police intervention leads to Catherine's realization of defeat.
• Ashley and Jack later form a rock band, with a new musical direction.

Themes

Artificial Intelligence & Identity

• Explores the concept of digitally recreating personalities.
• References to previous episodes exploring AI and identity (e.g., "Be Right Back", "U.S.S. Callister").
• Discussion of real-life AI and virtual idols like Hatsune Miku and Tupac's hologram at Coachella.

The Music Industry

• Critique of pop star image control vs. authentic artistry.
• Catherine's manipulation symbolizes industry pressure on artists to maintain a marketable image.
• Reflects on real-life phenomena like resurrecting deceased artists for profit.

Real-Life Inspirations

• The episode is partly inspired by Charlie Brooker's previous work on a punk band sitcom.
• Real instances of AI in music and virtual representation of artists.
• Miley Cyrus's personal career trajectory mirrors the episode’s themes of breaking free from a controlled image.

Conclusion

• The narrative combines fiction with reality, highlighting the pressures and expectations within the entertainment industry.
• Offers commentary on the balance between public persona and personal identity.