Warning: Spoilers ahead for Black Mirror season 7, episode 4, "Plaything."

cast of Black Mirror season 7, the series unexpectedly discards several endings in Bandersnatch.

Despite not surviving some Bandersnatch versions, Colin Ritman plays an essential role in Reviews for Black Mirror season 7 have agreed that "Plaything" is a great sequel episode, featuring Cameron, a game journalist who gets possession of the Thronglets software and helps them carry out their purpose. Additionally, the events in "Plaything" offer a new glimpse into how Stefan's Bandersnatch story really ended.

"Plaything" Confirms The Bandersnatch Ending Of Killing Colin & Your Dad Isn't The Real One

"Plaything" Discards The Ending Where Stefan Goes To Prison For Murder

While the movie has technically five official endings, one stood out to viewers as the best Bandersnatch ending. In it, Stefan (Fionn Whitehead) makes Colin jump to his death, kills his father, and, depending on several choices, he also murders Mohan, Kitty, and Colin (again). Then, he may or may not finish developing his game and earn a 5/5 rating. No matter what, Stefan ends up in prison for the murders. A post-credits scene shows Colin's daughter developing a Bandersnatch project for Netflix, only to fall into the same mind-bending trap that Stefan fell for.

Since Colin and Mohan are still working at Tuckersoft in "Plaything," it's safe to assume no one actually died, not even Stefan. The episode confirms Colin had a mental breakdown sometime in the past and returned to work in 1994, though it's unclear if his crisis was even related to Stefan. "Plaything" never specifies when Colin "went gaga," and he clearly had issues of his own in the movie. Still, Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker confirms the sequel to Bandersnatch reveals its real ending, as he states the season 7 episode is "canon."

Which Bandersnatch Ending Is Most Likely The "Real" One In Black Mirror's Movie

Black Mirror Creator Confirmed "Plaything" Offers A Parallel Reality

Colin's return in "Plaything" rules out several of Bandersnatch's darker endings, particularly the ones where Stefan kills someone, is killed by meta characters from his game, or realizes he's an actor in a movie. While there's a version where Stefan lets Colin go even after he discovers he killed his father, it's unlikely that's what happened. Even the possibility that Colin was arrested for drug use in 1984 doesn't quite fit, since that path typically overlaps with Stefan murdering his dad, which wouldn't align with Bandersnatch being featured in a magazine in Black Mirror season 3's Playtest.

Alternatively, instead of going to Colin's apartment, Stefan could have chosen to take his medication — an ending where Bandersnatch only earns a two-out-of-five score. While this version feels real enough, it lacks the show's signature dark twists that make up for Black Mirror's best episodes. A more plausible ending might be the one where Stefan jumps off Colin's balcony, as it would explain both his crisis and allow Tuckersoft to finish and release the game. Still, Brooker's comments suggest "Plaything" is presenting a new and alternate ending to Bandersnatch.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly about "Plaything," the Black Mirror creator confessed he was driven to "write the best version of" Colin's ending in Bandersnatch. He notes that the film sets up that "there's parallel realities," a concept Black Mirror season 7 embraces. Brooker sees all Bandersnatch's endings as existing within a kind of "Black Mirror multiverse," and he would like to leave the door open for the viewer to decide what that means. This is good news for humanity, at least, as the ending to "Plaything" suggests the Thronglets might have ended humans for good.

Sources: Entertainment Weekly