Carol seeks the truth (serum) in Pluribus episode 4
Last week, one of my big questions about Pluribus was whether our reluctant heroine Carol (Rhea Seehorn) would find someone to help her save the world from the scourge of happiness. In episode 4, I got an answer – sort of. We’re clearly introduced to a character who thinks a lot like her, but how they’ll actually connect remains a big question mark.
Welcome to our weekly discussion of Apple TV’s latest sci-fi series Pluribuswhich comes via Break the bad creator (and former X-Files writer) Vince Gilligan. In the series, most of humanity has become part of a hive mind that only seems capable of positive emotions, while the perpetually miserable Carol is one of the few “survivors”, and also someone who desperately wants the world to return to the way it was. Each week, I share some of my biggest questions about the latest episode, and Edge Subscribers can use comments to respond, ask their own questions, and offer other theories and ideas. Naturally, spoilers ahead for the first four episodes of Pluribus.
This week’s episode once again started with a slow sequence, mostly without dialogue. This time, we saw Manousos (Carlos Manuel Vesga) – notably the sole survivor who seems to hate the hive as much, if not more, than Carol – living a disastrous existence inside a warehouse. He refuses any help, or even any contact with the hive, and therefore finds himself forced to eat old sugar packets and cans of dog food to survive. It seems that he is very dedicated to his principles. More importantly, his anger for the Hive makes him seem like an ideal companion for Carol. Except that they live on opposite sides of the world and don’t speak the same language.
Meanwhile, now that the reality of the situation seems to have sunk in for Carol, she ended up spending a lot of this episode trying to learn as much as possible about the hive. The most important thing to remember is that they can’t lie to him directly, but they can avoid telling him the truth. Unfortunately, this led Carol to create a sort of truth serum that is also incredibly dangerous. Poor Zosia (Karolina Wydra). Anyway, here are my three biggest questions at the moment:
How will Carol and Manousos connect?
It seems inevitable. But there are so many logistical problems between Peru and the United States in this new world that it is difficult to see how this will happen. The problems are further exacerbated by the fact that Manousos does not accept any help from the hive. And even once they meet, how will they communicate?
Will Carol manage to discover the real truth?
And by that I mean, if it is possible to undo the “joining,” as it is called, and return the world to the way it was. The hive’s reluctance to tell her one way or another suggests that it is indeed possible, but Carol is also faced with a few billion people all working together to stop her from “fixing” things. The truth serum was a good idea that didn’t completely work…and may have created an even bigger problem.
How long will the hive support Carol?
Even though it’s sometimes unintentional, Carol continues to harm the hive, and one would have to think that at some point they will have enough and their self-preservation instincts will kick in. Especially since Carol is actively working to undo their connection. Then again, they intend to make her happy, whatever the cost (grenade, anyone?). These two elements are in direct conflict – and it will be fascinating to see how they clash.
