Karin

Lore & Background

Karin Parke operates within a near-future London where a company called Granular manufactures Autonomous Drone Insects (ADIs) to combat environmental catastrophe. The investigation begins when Karin attends a public enquiry regarding the death of Jo Powers, a controversial journalist found with her throat slashed. Initially suspected as suicide based on her husband's claims and evidence from a teacher who sent a hateful cake, the autopsy reveals an ADI lodged in the victim's brain pain center, causing self-mutilation. As more deaths occur, including rapper Tusk whose eye exploded during an MRI, Karin deduces that a remote hack allows control over the drone swarm. The plot thickens when she learns the ADIs possess facial recognition and were funded with a condition for mass public surveillance. Her investigation leads her to Granular employees Tess Wallander and Garrett Scholes, revealing a manifesto suggesting the true targets are not just those mentioned in the hashtag, but all 387,036 users who participated.

In Their Own Story

The case escalates rapidly when Karin and Blue Coulson attempt to protect Clara Meades, the day's top target of #DeathTo. Despite securing her in a safe house, an ADI infiltrates through an extractor fan, killing Meades. Realizing the system is compromised, Karin objects when National Crime Agency agent Shaun Li attempts to forcibly deactivate the ADIs, correctly deducing this triggers the final kill switch for all hashtag users. Her intuition proves correct as the shutdown fails, resulting in the deaths of 387,036 people, including her colleague Nick Shelton. In the aftermath, Karin concludes her evidence by stating that Coulson is believed dead by suicide. However, a twist reveals she receives a text from Coulson, who has tracked the culprit, Garrett Scholes, down to an unnamed country.

Reader's Guide

Karin Parke represents the grounded, procedural element of the episode, contrasting with the high-tech nature of the ADI threat. Her journey involves moving from standard police work to understanding the complex intersection of technology and social media toxicity. Key moments include her interview with Granular staff where she uncovers Garrett Scholes' backstory involving suicide attempts due to online shaming, and her critical intervention during the system deactivation attempt. She relies on collaboration with Coulson and Shelton, utilizing a geotagged selfie image to locate Scholes before the final tragedy unfolds. Her role is defined by persistence in the face of overwhelming technological odds and the ultimate realization that the conspiracy targeted everyone who engaged with the hate.

Did You Know?

• Karin Parke is played by Kelly Macdonald, who had previously auditioned for a role in the episode 'Men Against Fire'.
• The episode was inspired by creator Charlie Brooker's personal experience receiving violent hate mail after a 2004 Guardian column about George W. Bush.
• Karin's investigation involves the death of 387,036 people who used the #DeathTo hashtag.
• The character Garrett Scholes was inspired by terrorists Ted Kaczynski (the Unabomber) and Anders Behring Breivik.
• The episode runs for 89 minutes, making it the second longest in Black Mirror history.