Black Mirror's USS Callister sequel features shock return – Charlie Brooker explains new approach to character

The season 7 episode, titled Into Infinity, follows the crew of USS Callister, now captained by Nanette Cole (Cristin Milioti), as they fight for survival in an infinite virtual universe against 30 million players.

The crew realise they need to head to the Heart of Infinity to make their own private build, sealing themselves off from other players in their own universe.

But it's down to Walton (Jimmi Simpson) to explain the horrifying secret of what lies within the Heart of Infinity and what has been powering the game all this time... a digital clone of Robert Daly (Jesse Plemons) stuck as his younger self in the garage where he created Infinity, forced to create world after world and constantly expand the game forever.

When she enters the Heart of Infinity, Nanette comes face-to-face with this other version of Daly, with Plemons reprising his role, initially feeling a little sorry for him - but it soon becomes clear that even this clone has the dark side of Daly that she knows all too well.

Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker reflected on that reveal, saying: "We’ve been keeping that very tightly under wraps.

"We knew early on that we sort of wanted... certainly we thought, 'Well, what's powering this universe that they're in?' And so as soon as you get into that, it's a way that you can honour the story of the first one - that he's dead. He dies.

"But also we can sort of meet him again, and it's a slightly different version of him. It's almost like a prequel version of him, which was an interesting way to approach the character, and it made perfect sense, and it just keeps things fresh and interesting in a way that's hopefully unique to our premise."

Brooker added: "The two of them together, that scene is great. It's great that we intercut from a giant space battle to two people talking in a garage, and I don't think the tension drops at all, which is testament to what good performers they are."

As for the different dimensions to Robert Daly that Plemons shows in that scene, Brooker said: "In many ways, he’s messed up, but you feel quite sorry for him when you meet him in that because he's in a terrible situation. He's been exploited by his his boss, and so on and so on.

"But he's also... he's clearly a troubled guy."

As well as USS Callister: Into Infinity, Black Mirror season 7 features episodes including: Hotel Reverie, which stars Emma Corrin and Issa Rae and follows a high-tech remake of a vintage film; Eulogy, which follows a man played by Paul Giamatti who's given the opportunity to step into photographs from his past; and Common People, starring Chris O'Dowd and Rashida Jones, which sees a couple left desperate after a medical emergency changes their lives.

Black Mirror season 7 is available to stream now. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

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