New Black Mirror Episode Clearly Sets the Stage for “San Junipero”

The new season of Black Mirror finally launched on Netflix this week, giving fans of the sci-fi anthology series three brand new episodes to talk about and dissect. Of course, when watching through the new installments, Black Mirror loyalists will be on the lookout for any connections to past episodes, tying everything together just a little tighter. Well if you’re one of those fans, you’ve got a pleasant surprise waiting for you in the new episode titled “Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too,” as it provides a direct tie to one of the series’ most popular installments, “San Junipero.”

WARNING: This article contains major spoilers from Black Mirror Season 5! Continue reading at your own risk…

In “Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too,” one of the main characters is a pop sensation named Ashley O, played by Miley Cyrus. Her life and career is controlled by her aunt and manager, to the point where she is forced to take drugs to keep her doing as they ask. She eventually tries to break free from this control, only to get sent into an induced coma by her aunt. This is where “San Junipero” comes in.

Ashley is taken to a hospital called Saint Juniper’s, an obvious tie to the virtual world of San Junipero. This hospital has been mentioned once before on Black Mirror during Season 4, but there is another detail in this episode that takes things one step further.

At Saint Juniper’s, Ashley is hooked up to experimental technology that allows her brain to continue functioning and creating music while her body is still in a coma. Sound familiar?

San Junipero is a world that exists on servers that people can hook into after their bodies have died, allowing them to continue living their lives for as long as they choose. This idea is centered around the mind being able to exist and thrive without any help from the physical body.

It seems like the tech in “Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too” is an earlier version of the system that will one day become San Junipero, tying together both stories to the same timeline.

What did you think of the new season of Black Mirror? Let us know in the comments!