Netflix’s Black Mirror shows the connection of how technology and humanity are intertwining. Striking Vipers blurs the lines even more.
Affection- a feeling of liking and caring for someone or something: tender attachment: fondness.
Striking Vipers is a Black Mirror tale that digs into the comfort zone of certain relationships. Whether it’s a friendship, marriage or partnership we compartmentalize people in our lives. What if you create a different reality with this person in the virtual world, are you still bound by the same relationship parameters?
Danny (Anthony Mackie) and Karl (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) are longtime friends who became disconnected through the years. Danny is married to Theo (Nicole Beharie) and they have one child and are trying to conceive again.
The episode centers around Danny and Karl’s friendship, this friendship is multilayered and not clear cut.
The beginning scenes we see Danny and Theo do a little role playing in the club. During these first scenes we find out Danny, Karl and Theo are all roommates, but Danny and Theo are dating. An important scene happens after the club, we see Danny and Karl are playing Striking Vipers. Striking Vipers is one of their favorite video games. Danny always picks a character named Lance (Ludi Lin), while Karl’s favorite is Roxette (Pom Klementieff). Karl drops so much innuendo during this very quick scene.
Time flies and we are at Danny’s 38th birthday party and his old friend Karl shows up with a present that will change everything. Danny’s very much the suburban dad and Theo is the dutiful wife. Karl is the bachelor and Danny is the settled husband with a very mundane existence. Karl’s gift, Striking Vipers X the VR Edition was so nostalgic and thoughtful.
Black Mirror handles duality well. We can see the drastic differences between Danny and Karl’s dating/marriage lives. Karl is on a date with a younger woman. While Danny is trying to unwind and rest from his birthday action. Theo tried to ignite some sexy time, but he’s tired, and we also learn that they are trying to have another child. Karl seems satisfied and then turned off once his date turned to her phone after their intimate encounter.
Was I the only one who thought the “Dennis Rodman” bartender was cute?
Both Danny and Karl were in the mood for some escapism. Karl invites Danny to play their old favorite, Striking Vipers. The game world is impressive. Very sleek and sensation filled, and the guys are completely enjoying their battle. During the battle Roxette straddles Lance and they subsequently kiss. It was mutual and intense, then Karl stops the encounter and they exit the game.
After the game encounter the men are snapped back into the reality of their lives. A small scene of Danny looking at a woman walk to her car was interesting. It was almost like he was trying to resolve with himself, like look I find her attractive. Karl’s alone in his apartment playing pinball and Danny is alone with his son while Theo is away.
Karl is Online.
Karl invites Danny to play and the guys attempt to have a serious game. Not a single punch was thrown, and they are all over each other. Beautiful backdrop and beautifully coordinated yellow outfits. Lance/Karl jokingly says, “So I guess that’s us gay now.” Danny doesn’t feel like it’s a gay thing and gets jolted out of the game by his son. Theo returns home and Danny has changed.
Danny’s mundane life continues, but behind the locked door in his house he escapes into the VR world with Karl. They aren’t just escaping to go on an adventure or to solve a mystery. They are escaping into an intensely passionate relationship. Having virtual sex with someone you know, and you’ve already compartmentalized as a friend is dicey.
Their reality is now beginning to feel strained. Theo feels the change and Danny is no longer interested to have sex with his wife. Karl is constantly thinking about the VR relationship that he’s formed with Danny and yearns for it. Roxette/Karl explains how being a woman in the game is so exhilarating and stimulating. Lance/Danny is very tender and sweet when he’s with Roxette/Karl.
Wedding Anniversary …Thanks for that.
Danny why didn’t you put xoxo at the end of that message to Karl? He negated the xoxo because he’s a married man and he’s not actually having an intimate relationship with his best friend.
Theo gets flattered by a gentleman hitting on her at the bar and at dinner she bares herself to Danny. They want to have another child and Danny hasn’t kissed or had sex with her for weeks. She knows her husband and knows someone else has him occupied. Theo knows that family life is boring, but her loyalty is to her family and husband. Danny tells her a half truth that nothing is going on, but he knows something is going on just not in reality.
The question is always in the back of your head, “Does it count as cheating if you’re not doing it in the real world, just in VR?” Karl is having an unsatisfying sex life with the woman he’s dating. Danny disconnects and Karl tries to reason and negotiate with Danny about their VR relationship.
Seven Months…
Karl is despondent and Theo is pregnant. They have an uncomfortable dinner and Karl tells Danny his truth. It’s about Danny as Lance, that is the integral piece. He explored his sexual appetite, and nothing compared to his experience with Danny as Lance. Karl is finessing the idea to Danny to come into the VR world one more time.
They meet at midnight and have an intense intimate encounter and Roxette/Karl says, “I love you.” Danny wants to meet in person, and they kiss. Danny’s nervous but wants to know if it’s an us thing that they have so they can deal with it. Karl kisses him and they are both in denial. They say it’s nothing, but you can feel the tenderness there, the affection of intimacy is there.
Karl is like this doesn’t change anything because in the game they still have a thing. Danny tries to say he has to stop it, but Karl can’t stop, and they fight and get detained by the police. Danny finally comes clean to Theo.
Time Passes.
Karl has a kitty and Danny and Theo welcome a new baby. They made an agreement, once a month Danny and Karl can have their VR fun and Theo can go and have a fling.
Danny and Karl are no longer hiding and have created an alternate reality that only involve them. They can agree that it’s just a VR thing and that in reality there is nothing there. No one is culpable for their tryst, it’s now in the open.
The person holding the shortest stick is Theo. Theo was steadfast in her beliefs on marriage and loyalty. Danny’s revelation leaves Theo trying to salvage her marriage. Once a month she has a casual encounter, that’s the workable balance she creates to save her marriage and her reality.
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