“ Striking Vipers , ” the first sequence ofBlack Mirror ’s 5th season , keeps with the series ’ custom of hitting the pause push button on its nightmarish depictions of near - next realities in favor of explore intimate , human story about the positive emotional connections our technical innovations make possible . But , like all of Black Mirror , this episode takes its characters into chartless psychological and emotional territory that challenge them to confront matter about themselves and the human race that are deeply formidable .
In “ Striking Vipers , ” we ’re introduced to longtime friend Danny ( Anthony Mackie ) , Theo ( Nicole Beharie ) , and Karl ( Yahya Abdul - Mateen II ) , who drift apart in the ways people do as they mature and move into new phases of their lives . As adults , Danny and Theo marry , have kids , and adjudicate into the steady rhythms of domesticity , and Karl pass his down time gaming and dating , apparently well-chosen .
The trio come up together again to celebrate Danny ’s birthday over a decade in the futurity , and Karl ’s talent to his buddy — the latest generation of a classic scrap game they used to play with one another — is whatsets the events of the episodeinto motion .
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Karl.Image: (Netflix)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssr40U3-do0
Unlike the old version of Striking Vipers Karl and Danny used to bet , the latest iteration of the battler transports players into the plot itself through a neural connection , allowing them to experience gameplay as if they were characters . At first , the friends fight and revelry in their power to sense every sensation as if it were real . And then , because they can sense every esthesis as if it were existent , the inevitable happens , and they begin experimenting with one another sexually .
While Danny and Karl ’s emotional affair is what drives much of the drama in “ Striking Vipers ” forward , their moral force is further elaborate by the characters the men pick out to play in the plot . Roxette ( Guardians of the Galaxy’sPom Klementieff ) , a kicking - heavy fighter who is definitely not Chun - Li , is Karl ’s brawler of option , and neither he nor Danny are exactly indisputable what to make of what that mean for their relationship and sexualities .
In a late consultation withthe Hollywood Reporter , Abdul - Mateen discourse the multiple ideas at work in the narration and how the episode unfolds in such a fashion that its events are for the most part open to interpretation . As Roxette and Lance ( Ludi Lin ) , Danny and Karl are having a distinctly intimate relationship , even if it is n’t physical , and they share moments in the game when all they do is lie with one another and blab out . But , harmonise to Abdul - Mateen , whether Danny and Karl are in love is something that he is n’t entirely certain of :
I do n’t do it . At meter I do , and then at clip I do n’t . What ’s fun is that you kind of get to trifle it both ways . They ’re definitely research for a connection . And look , Karl does not require an sexual link with Anthony outside of that world . He ’s always say , ‘ Meet me inside of this plot . Because you ’re someone that I can talk to ; you understand me . And , if this is what it take to find someone who gets me , then that ’s where I ’m going to get it . ’
He does n’t want anything from him in the real world , or at least that ’s what Karl tells himself . But they both do require that connection , so I imagine it makes sense that Anthony ’s role would fall in love with that connection and that he would feel it ’s appropriate to send an ‘ x ’ at the end of the text because , in a manner , he has taken on another buff . He absolutely has taken on another buff no matter which way you geld it . Maybe I ’m biased to say , ‘ Well , Karl has n’t but Anthony has . ’ I ’m trusted raft of people would argue otherwise .
Though Black Mirror has center queer fiber in former storylines , “ Striking viper ” stand out for focusing on two center - aged black Man grappling with their sex and rethinking how they understand themselves . The fact that you’re able to interpret Danny and Karl ’s relationship in a number of unlike ways , Abdul - Mateen said , is important :
We need more conversation about masculinity . I remember wondering how this story was become to encounter in a barber shop class . How the narrative would spiel out with citizenry receive a conversation saying , ‘ Are they mirthful because they wreak the video plot ? Yes , and then , no . ’ I think it ’s always a unspoiled time to check our understanding of relationships and gender and manifestation , and how we relate to one another , whether you ’re black or white or whatever your background may be . The story is universal , but it ’s in the sci - fi public where you have black leads and that ’s always something really cool to keep pose onscreen .
“ Striking viper ” is now streaming on Netflix , along with therest of Black Mirror ’s Modern time of year .
Correction : An former version of this military post stated that it ’d been over a decade since Danny , Theo , and Karl had seen one another , when in reality the episode had simply jumped 11 year into the future .
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