The Copenhagen Test Ending Explained: Who Hacked Alexander

Who Really Controlled Alexander’s Mind in The Copenhagen Test?

At first glance, The Copenhagen Test looks like a typical espionage series. But by the end of its eight-episode run, the Peacock show turns into something far darker — and far more personal.

The story follows Alexander Hale, an intelligence analyst whose world collapses when he realizes his brain has been hacked. Unknown people can see what he sees, hear what he hears, and monitor every decision he makes. Nothing in his life is private anymore — not even his thoughts.

Alexander works for a secret oversight group called The Orphanage, an agency designed to investigate compromised missions and traitors within U.S. intelligence. The irony is brutal: while he’s trained to hunt threats, the real danger is already inside his own mind.

The “betrayal” that wasn’t real

In the finale, Alexander appears to turn against his agency after being threatened by a man named Schiff, who claims he will kill Alexander’s parents unless he cooperates. Alexander agrees to lead Schiff to a powerful intelligence figure known as St. George, seemingly confirming everyone’s worst fears.

But it’s all an act.

Alexander intentionally performs his betrayal out loud, knowing his apartment is bugged. This is his way of signaling to the agency that everything is staged. Parker, the only analyst who suspected Alexander was hacked from the start, finally understands the message.

Her suspicions are confirmed when Alexander speaks to his parents in Haka — a language he only uses when something is deeply serious. It’s his final signal that he’s still loyal.

The truth about Michelle and Rachel

Michelle, the woman Alexander believed was a random bartender and later fell in love with, is revealed to be part of a long-running loyalty test. She was placed in his life by The Orphanage to observe him after a traumatic past mission.

The more painful truth comes with Rachel, Alexander’s ex-fiancée. She knowingly gave him anti-anxiety medication that allowed nanotechnology to enter his system and hijack his senses. She had been part of the operation from the very beginning.

Who really hacked Alexander’s brain?

Schiff turns out not to be the mastermind at all. The real person behind the experiment is Victor — Alexander’s mentor and closest ally.

Victor admits he ordered the Copenhagen Test himself. His goal wasn’t punishment, but proof: could a human being remain loyal, functional, and self-aware while living inside a completely fabricated reality?

Alexander wasn’t targeted because he was weak — he was chosen because he was trusted.

In a hidden surveillance room beneath Victor’s restaurant, Alexander sees the truth. He wasn’t the only subject. Others are already hacked and unknowingly being used as assets. Alexander was simply the first one who figured it out.

Is Alexander finally free?

the copenhagen test is out on peacock now!

i wanted to take a moment to shout out all the amazing people who poured themselves into this show. and also remind you that melissa barrera is a fucking badass and deserves to be in absolutely everything.

tune in now! pic.twitter.com/saLI9iAIBG

— Simu Liu (@SimuLiu) December 27, 2025

Not entirely.

After the agency realizes Alexander never truly betrayed them, they intervene and save his life. However, the damage is severe. Alexander suffers a seizure and nearly dies.

To stabilize him, the agency implants a neural “governor” — a device that allows Alexander to control when his senses are broadcast. He’s no longer constantly watched, but he’s also not completely free.

In the final moments, Alexander is given a choice: walk away, or continue working with the agency — this time with control.