Season 5 of Black Mirror has just dropped on Netflix and the new show has a hell of a lot to unpack from it.
Throughout this, I’ll be breaking down Rachel, Jack And Ashley Too starring Miley Cyrus and giving my thoughts on the meaning behind it’s ending.
This is full spoilers ahead, so if you haven’t seen the show yet and don’t want anything ruined for yourself then I highly recommend that you turn off now.
With that out the way I just wanna give a huge thank you for clicking this video, I hope you enjoy it, now sit back, relax and let’s get into my Ending Explained Breakdown Of Rachel, Jack And Ashley Too!
Rachel, Jack And Ashley Too Plot Recap
We follow Rachel, impressionable teenager, Who is obsessed with Ashley O, Role Model who is literally on a roll, achieving her goals something something selling you a doll that eats your soul.
Her intelligent companion Ashley Too is sweeping across America inspiring all to live their best life but everything isn’t as it seems.
Similar to those purchasing the doll, Ashley is depressed, on medication, feeling isolated and needs a pick me up. Maybe she should buy an Ashley Too doll eh?
Anyway, this is reflected by Rachel who too is struggling to make new friends due to her recent family relocation and both really come across as disconnected and willing to pour their heart into anything that will give them have some attention no matter how shallow.
Rachel, after getting an Ashley Too for her birthday pours her heart into the doll, fixating on it as the only positive thing in her life. Rachel begins to mimic Ashley in every way, even performing a dance based off the singer that goes disastrously.
She soon discovers however that in trying to live her life as someone else that she will never be able to.
Ashley O’s Got To Go
Mirroring this, Ashley begins having an identity crisis and realising that she is living a lie in order to please those around her who see her as a commodity rather than a person.
To me, the persona of Ashley O represents how we can believe that others are living perfect lives and use this facade to find fault in our own. Ashley and Rachel are both as unhappy as one another, however, the latter is unable to see this and thus does not recognise the reality of the situation which is that she should not be idolising her as she will only end up once more in a spiral of unhappiness.
Personally, I think it’s a comment on #LivingMyBestLife and how we often only show people aspects of our lives if we are showing off. Rachel aspires to this and ultimately ends up disappointed when she’s not as loved as she is with Ashley O.
In trying to live our lives as others we will inevitably fail and thus only end up disappointed. Jack, Rachel’s sister, realising this, hides the Ashley Too doll just as the real Ashley begins to cut out the poisonous aspects of her life.
However, it’s too late and Ashley is put into a chemical coma by her overly possessive aunt that will mean that she can’t breach contract. To me, this symbolises that often breaking out of our routines of obsession is never easy and we must first in a way kill our fake online selves in order to have a rebirth which is what happens to the character throughout the latter part of the episode.
After Rachels Ashley Too reactivates, her and her sister discover that the doll contains Ashley’s entire consciousness is within the machine. After discovering Ashley’s real personality they also unravel the truth and journey to Ashley’s to rescue her.
Ashley No
Honestly, at this point, the episode kinda lost me a bit and knowing that it was the last episode of Season 5 it left me slightly disappointed at how the run had been overall. I really hope the Child’s play reboot is better than this cos there’s nothing worse than seeing an Alexa on wheels roll round a house creating mischief.
Anyway, Ashley Too turns off the life support Machine on Ashley and thus destabilises the coma allowing her to awaken and rush to the launch of Ashley’s latest reincarnation…Ashley 3? Wait Ashley Eternal. Basically 2pac at Coachella.
Ashley manages to stop the launch dead in its track and we see Ashley’s career reborn as the rockstar that she was always meant to be.
Rachel, Jack And Ashley Ending Explained
In the end, this is about following the path that’s best for us rather than what others want who are purely out to manipulate us and how those who appear to be happy with their perfect image often aren’t.
Whilst it is an issue that I can agree with, overall I found this episode poorly handled and overall it was one of the most disappointing episodes from the series that I’ve ever watched.
It just didn’t have the Black Mirror aspect to it that I’ve come to love and overall it felt like a teen pop drama that whilst fit for Netflix isn’t right for this show in my opinion.
This was a huge disappointment as a whole and I feel like Season 5 will be regarded as the dud in the show that many will look back on with disdain.
In the end this is probably one of the worst Black Mirror episodes that I’ve ever seen and thus it gets a low
4/10
Your Thoughts
Obviously, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the episode and what you took from it. Comment below and let me know and if you enjoyed this video then please like it and make sure you check out my breakdown of Smithereens which will be linked at the end.
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