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Whatever life holds in store for me, I will never forget these words: "With great power comes great responsibility."
Spider-Man has declared that this article is still under construction. |
| “ | I'm not f*cking a pig. | „ |
| ~ Callow calling out the absurdity of the kidnapper's demands. |
| “ | I won't have to do anything. | „ |
| ~ Callow trying to reassure his wife. |
Michael Callow is the main protagonist of "The National Anthem," the pilot episode of the British anthology series Black Mirror.
He is portrayed by Rory Kinnear.
Biography[]
Callow, the British prime minister, is woken at night to learn that Princess Susannah, a beloved royal, has been kidnapped. As ransom, the kidnapper demands that the prime minister have sexual intercourse with a pig, live on national television. These demands were posted on YouTube and have been viewed by tens of thousands of people, whilst the topic is trending on Twitter. In the morning, news media stop complying with a D-Notice issued by the government which requested that they not broadcast the story. Within hours, tens of millions have seen the video.
Unbeknownst to Callow, Home Secretary Alex Cairns (Lindsay Duncan) orders Special Agent Callett to arrange for footage to be fabricated. Callett plans for Callow's head to be digitally composited on porn star Rod Senseless, a difficult task given the kidnapper's technical specifications for the broadcast. After a person at the studio tweets an image of Senseless, the kidnapper sends a news channel a severed finger and a video of Susannah writhing in pain as punishment. In a sharp change of opinion, a majority of the public now expect Callow to follow the kidnapper's demands, to the distress of Callow's wife Jane.
Meanwhile, an armed team raid a building from where the YouTube video was first uploaded, but it is a decoy. The journalist Malaika learned of the raid from a government staff member to whom she has sent sexually explicit selfies. Having filmed the scene, Malaika is shot in the leg as she tries to flee.
Cairns tells Callow that he will jeopardise his public image and family's safety if he refuses to comply with the kidnapper. He reluctantly agrees. As a deterrent to viewers, a painful tone plays before the broadcast begins; possession of a recording will become illegal at midnight. Gravely, Callow has intercourse with a pig while 1.3 billion people watch.
Cairns is informed that Princess Susannah was released unharmed in London on the Millennium Bridge 30 minutes before the broadcast, a fact she keeps secret from Callow. The finger sent to the news station was actually the kidnapper's—Turner Prize-winning artist Carlton Bloom, who hanged himself during the broadcast. As Callow vomits in a toilet, ignoring Jane's phone calls, Cairns tells him that Susannah is safe. A year later, Susannah is pregnant and Callow's approval rating has improved. However, behind closed doors, he begs Jane to speak to him as she silently walks away.
Quotes[]
| “ | YOU SENT IN A STRIKE TEAM TO RESCUE A MANNEQUIN!!! | „ |
| ~ Callow furiously berating his team for their failure. |
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Season 1 Season 3 Season 4 Season 5 Season 6 Season 7 Black Mirror: Bandersnatch |
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