{"id":33742,"date":"2023-06-15T10:00:17","date_gmt":"2023-06-15T08:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1845229"},"modified":"2023-06-15T11:00:41","modified_gmt":"2023-06-15T09:00:41","slug":"black-mirror-beyond-the-sea-ending-explained-what-did-david-do-2","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/black-mirror-beyond-the-sea-ending-explained-what-did-david-do-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Black Mirror: Beyond the Sea ending explained \u2013 what did David do?"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s left off screen, but what did David do at the end of Beyond the Sea? <\/p>

By Morgan Cormack\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Thursday, 15 June 2023 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

Warning: This article contains full spoilers for Black Mirror season 6 episode 3, Beyond the Sea.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Standing at 1 hour and 20 minutes, Beyond the Sea is the longest Black Mirror season 6<\/a> episode in the bunch. It certainly doesn\u2019t feel like it, as the episode blends high technology, the past and some of the strongest human emotions for an unforgettable tale.<\/p>\n

Josh Hartnett and Aaron Paul lead the cast<\/a> of this episode as David Ross and Cliff Stanfield respectively. They\u2019re two years into a six year deep space mission, both with wives and children back at home on earth.<\/p>\n

The synopsis for Beyond the Sea reads: \u201cIn an alternative 1969, two men on a perilous high-tech mission wrestle with the consequences of an unimaginable tragedy.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve watched it and are still struggling to regain composure after what was one epic episode, read on for a breakdown of what happened at the end and what unfolded. But be warned, there are full spoilers<\/strong> for Beyond the Sea ahead so only scroll on if you\u2019ve watched it.<\/p>\n

Black Mirror: Beyond the Sea ending explained \u2013 what did David do?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\""Black\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Black Mirror season 6<\/span><\/figcaption> Cr. Daniel Escale\/Netflix <\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

For much of the episode, you watch on thinking you\u2019ll know exactly what will happen. After the tragic murders of David\u2019s wife and children at the beginning of the episode, he\u2019s doomed to a life in deep space with his replica also having been destroyed by cult leader Kappa (Rory Culkin).<\/p>\n

In an act of kindness, Cliff\u2019s wife Lana (Kate Mara) suggests allowing David to come back to earth to breath some fresh air and take some time out via Cliff\u2019s replica. David accepts the offer and the first time he goes to Cliff\u2019s countryside home, he breaks down crying in Lana\u2019s arms.<\/p>\n

It seems likely, then, that an affair could be on the cards but, actually, when David returns in Cliff\u2019s body multiple times more to complete a painting for the family, he makes an advance on Lana. She pushes him away, saying that he\u2019s confusing her while being in her husband\u2019s body and later that day, she tries telling Cliff that she doesn\u2019t want David to return anymore after he hit their son.<\/p>\n

Cliff says David can come back one last time, so Lana makes her excuses and leaves the house for the day with her son. While David is using Cliff\u2019s replica, though, Cliff finds David\u2019s drawings in his bunker. They\u2019re all of Lana and many of them are of her naked and posing. Cliff is angry because David has stated he can only draw from memory so he starts to question whether the two are having an affair.<\/p>\n

Cliff calls David back via an onboard alert and asks him about the drawings but they get into a physical fight after David admits he finds Lana beautiful. David states that Cliff doesn\u2019t know what he\u2019s got and that Lana is unappreciated, but Cliff says he knows \u201cdamn well\u201d what he has.<\/p>\n

Once back at home, Lana is confronted by an angry Cliff who questions her about posing for David. She confesses that although Cliff\u2019s replica is here, she feels lonely after being put in the house and left to roam around by herself. \u201cHe didn\u2019t touch me, but I wished he did,\u201d she says. \u201cFor a moment, it felt like my husband was back and he saw that I\u2019m real.\u201d The pair embrace, seemingly coming to a silent agreement with one another.<\/p>

Back in the spaceship, David apologises to Cliff about overstepping the mark and says nothing happened. But then, Cliff says he knows that because Lana wasn\u2019t interested. Cliff says Lana feels offended by David\u2019s visits and the thought of him returning to apologise \u201cmakes her vomit\u201d. Cliff continues calling David \u201carrogant\u201d, \u201ca snake\u201d, \u201ca conman\u201d before saying that Lana is \u201cmine, for all time\u201d.<\/p>\n

Clearly upset, we then see David shave his overgrown beard off and he then stands over Cliff in his bunker. Cliff\u2019s replica then gets an emergency alert and back on the ship, David says their coolant tubing took a hit, meaning that Cliff has to don his spacesuit and check on it.<\/p>\n

Suited up, David then leaves the chamber and gives him the thumbs up. Whilst investigating the problem out in the dark depths of space, Cliff reports back to David that everything\u2019s alright but doesn\u2019t get a reply. He\u2019s stressed as David is silent so rushes back to the door, banging for David to let him in.<\/p>\n

The door light eventually turns green as David lets Cliff back in and when Cliff asks where he was, he says simply \u201cBathroom\u201d. David looks stern and blank faced, but when holding the tray with Cliff\u2019s belongings, Cliff asks where his tag is. David pulls it out of his pocket slowly and hands it to him.<\/p>\n

Cliff runs back to his bunker and plugs in his tag, but when his replica awakes back on earth, he\u2019s horrified to see blood covering his hands and blood spatter on his head. As he makes his way through his home, he sees bloody handprints streaked across the walls and breaks down crying in the kitchen as he slowly makes his way inside.<\/p>\n

Everything is kept off camera but what we do see is a pool of blood which Cliff cries beside, intimating that the blood is of Lana and his son and that David, while using the replica of Cliff, has killed them both.<\/p>\n

What happened to Cliff?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\""Aaron\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Aaron Paul stars in Black Mirror season 6<\/span><\/figcaption> Netflix<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

After finding out what has happened to his family, Cliff returns to the ship. The ending scene is simple as he slowly walks back into the common area he shares with David.<\/p>\n

Cliff is crying and David looks as though he has been but is slowly subtly nodding. He sits at the table and as Cliff sobs, David kicks out the chair to Cliff and gestures for him to sit down beside him. The final shot is of the spaceship with Charles Trenet\u2019s Le Mer playing in the background.<\/p>\n

While the ending obviously leaves the episode on a bit of an open-ended note, it\u2019s obvious to see what will happen. With Cliff\u2019s replica being the one that\u2019s killed his wife and son, it\u2019s highly likely that he would be unable to return to earth in the replica, as he\u2019d risk being arrested or risk the replica being switched off altogether.<\/p>\n

Both without families and without a reason to return to earth in any replica, Cliff and David are now in the same position of loss and solitude. And while harsh, it seems as though Cliff will have to deal with that in much of the same way that David had to while confined.<\/p>\n

Caught up on Black Mirror season 6? Read our episode breakdowns below:<\/strong><\/p>\n