Hated in the Nation Ending Explained, Plot, and More
by Hemalatha R | Updated Apr 28, 2023
Hated in the Nation Ending Explained
The TV series "Black Mirror" is famous for its thought-provoking stories about the effects of technology on society. One episode, titled Hated in the Nation depicts a scenario where a social media hashtag, #DeathTo, is used to incite violence against people who are unpopular or controversial. The episode shows how the seemingly harmless hashtag is manipulated by spambots to create a "Game of Consequences" where the most-mentioned person with the hashtag each day will be killed.
Detective Karin Parke (played by Kelly Macdonald) and Blue Coulson (played by Faye Marsay) are tasked with investigating the murders that result from the #DeathTo hashtag. They discover that the Artificial Detective Insects (ADIs) that were meant to help with the investigation have been hacked and are now killing people instead. They also learn that the ADIs were created and used by the government to surveil citizens.
The situation quickly escalates when the hashtag begins to target high-profile individuals, including Chancellor Tom Pickering (played by Ben Miles). The detectives interview an ex-employee of Granular, the company that created the ADIs, and learn about a colleague who attempted suicide after receiving online hate. They track down the colleague's hacking toolkit, which leads them to the person behind the #DeathTo hashtag.
As Coulson discovers a file of IMEI numbers of everyone who used #DeathTo, they try to deactivate the system. However, their attempts fail, and the ADIs start killing the 387,036 people who used the hashtag. Parke indicates that Coulson is believed dead by suicide, but she later receives a text from Coulson, who has tracked down the person responsible for the hashtag.
The episode raises important questions about the role of technology in society and the power of social media to influence behavior. It also highlights the potential dangers of using artificial intelligence for surveillance and the need for responsible use of technology.
Hated in the Nation Review
The Hated in the Nation episode is the longest in the Netflix series "Black Mirror", with a run-time of 90 minutes. In a world where species are disappearing due to climate change, the UK has developed ADIs, robot bees that help with pollination. When a journalist is found murdered, a detective investigates along with a tech-savvy woman called Blue.
The episode targets several topics, including environmental issues and social media's impact. The central focus is the detachment between online posts and their real-life consequences. The story unfolds as the detective uncovers that the ADI bees have been hacked to kill those who are the most hated on social media under the #DeathTo hashtag.
The episode is similar to movies like "I, Robot" and "Minority Report", where sci-fi concepts complicate murder investigations. Hated in the Nation delivers a well-paced story with an effective climax and a haunting closing song. The show at its best merges high concepts with traditional storytelling to hold up a mirror to society.
Hated in the Nation Where to watch?
The science fiction anthology series "Black Mirror" depicts a disturbingly realistic near-future where advanced technology and human nature intersect. "Hated in the Nation ," the final episode of the third season, was written by creator Charlie Brooker and directed by James Hawes and can be seen on Netflix. It was released on Netflix on October 21, 2016, alongside the rest of the season. This episode has the longest runtime of any episode in the series, at 89 minutes.
Hated in the Nation Plot
In a public inquiry, Detective Chief Inspector Karin Parke recounts her investigation into the death of Jo Powers, a far-right journalist who wrote a controversial column that mocked a disability rights activist who self-immolated. Parke, Trainee Detective Constable Blue Coulson, and Nick Shelton initially believe that Powers committed suicide by cutting her own throat with a wine bottle, but they later discover an autonomous drone insect (ADI) in her brain, which is similar to the one that caused the death of rapper Tusk in an MRI machine.
Coulson discovers that the hashtag #DeathTo, which is currently targeting Clara Meades, was started by spambots posting a "Game of Consequences" video. The most-mentioned person with the hashtag each day will be killed, and the top target changes regularly.
Meades, who posed inappropriately at a war memorial, is taken to a safe house for protection, but all ADIs lose control and surround the house. Parke and Coulson try to protect Meades, but an ADI infiltrates the safe house and kills her.
Coulson deduces that the ADIs use facial recognition, and the government employs them to surveil citizens. Meanwhile, the public and news media realize the deadly consequences of #DeathTo, and the most-mentioned person becomes Chancellor Tom Pickering.
Parke interviews a former Granular employee, Tess Wallander, and discovers that she attempted suicide after receiving online hate from her colleagues. Wallander's colleague, Garrett Scholes, wrote a manifesto that contains a geotagged image, which leads to the discovery of Scholes' hacking toolkit in a raid. Coulson discovers a file of IMEI numbers of everyone who used #DeathTo, and Li forces Sjoberg to deactivate the system.
However, the deactivation fails and triggers the ADIs to kill the 387,036 people who used the hashtag. Parke concludes her evidence by stating that Coulson is believed dead by suicide, but she later receives a text from him, revealing that he has tracked Scholes down in an unnamed country.
Hated In The Nation Ending Explained - FAQs
The central idea of Hated in the Nation is the potential danger of social media and online hate speech, and how it can lead to disastrous consequences when taken too far.
The main characters in the episode are DCI Parke, a detective investigating a series of murders linked to social media hashtags, and Blue, a tech-savvy colleague who assists her in the investigation. The two characters work together to uncover the truth behind the killings.
The episode touches upon the theme of environmental degradation caused by human indifference. It highlights the decline of species, such as bees, due to climate change and the use of robots to replace them.
The episode can be classified as a science fiction detective story. It has been compared to films like I, Robot and Minority Report, which also feature murder investigations complicated by futuristic technology.
The closing song in the episode, written by Alev Lenz, is haunting and helps to convey the sense of tragedy that unfolds in the story. It is a somber and effective way to end the episode and leave a lasting impression on the audience.