Last week, I was left wondering whether our reluctant hero, Carol (Rhea Seehorn), would find someone to help her in her quest to save the world from a relentless pursuit of happiness. In episode 4, I got a partial answer. We meet a character who shares her perspective, but how they’ll truly connect remains unclear.
Welcome to our weekly chat about Apple TV’s latest sci-fi series, Pluribus, created by Vince Gilligan, known for Breaking Bad and The X-Files. In this show, most of humanity is caught up in a hive mind that only experiences positive emotions. Meanwhile, Carol is one of the few “survivors,” clinging to the hope of restoring the world to its former state. Each week, I’ll share my biggest questions about the latest episode, and Verge subscribers are encouraged to respond, share their thoughts, and raise other theories. Spoilers ahead for the first four episodes of Pluribus.
This week’s episode kicked off with another slow, mostly dialogue-free scene. We see Manousos (Carlos Manuel Vesga), the only survivor who seems to loathe the hive as much, if not more, than Carol. He’s struggling to survive in a storage facility, refusing any help or contact with the hive. He’s living on old sugar packets and dog food. His commitment to his ideals is impressive. More importantly, his animosity toward the hive could make him a perfect ally for Carol, though they’re literally worlds apart and don’t share a language.
As the reality of her situation sinks in, Carol spends much of the episode trying to learn about the hive. The key takeaway is that they can’t directly lie to her, but they can certainly dance around the truth. This leads Carol to concoct a dangerous sort of truth serum, which doesn’t end well for poor Zosia (Karolina Wydra). Here are my three burning questions right now:
How are Carol and Manousos going to connect?
It seems destined to happen, but there are so many obstacles for traveling from Peru to the US in this new reality. The situation is further complicated by Manousos’s refusal to accept any aid from the hive. Even if they do meet, how will they communicate?
Can Carol uncover the actual truth?
Specifically, is it possible to reverse the “joining” and restore the world? The hive’s reluctance to clarify suggests there’s a chance, but Carol is up against billions of people working together to keep her from “fixing” things. The truth serum seemed like a clever idea, but it backfired and potentially created an even bigger mess.
How long will the hive tolerate Carol?
Even if unintentionally, Carol keeps causing harm to the hive, and at some point, they’ll likely grow tired of it. Their self-preservation instincts will eventually kick in, especially since Carol is actively trying to sever their connection. However, they’re also determined to make her happy at all costs (grenade, anyone?). These opposing forces will surely lead to an intriguing clash.
