Explosive Revelations: Pluribus Unleashed

If you didn’t know how unpleasant Carol (Rhea Seehorn) could be, episode 3 of Pluribus makes it crystal clear. The episode starts with a flashback of Carol and her partner Helen (Miriam Shor) on a vacation at an ice hotel in Norway, where Carol can’t stop complaining about the cold. Even when she sees a beautiful aurora borealis, her reaction is less than enthusiastic. However, her cynicism might just be her strength as she gears up to tackle the hive-mind apocalypse that has taken over Earth.

If you thought Carol was grumpy before she became one of the few non-hive mind individuals on the planet, this episode drives that point home. It also highlights the challenges she faces in trying to live independently from the hive, as well as the extreme measures the hive is willing to take to keep her content – including potentially giving her a nuclear weapon. Here are some questions that come to mind:

Being one of the few non-hive members is incredibly isolating, particularly after Carol’s failed attempt to connect with English-speaking survivors in episode 2. However, there might be a glimmer of hope in the form of Manousos, a man in Paraguay who seems to despise the hive even more than Carol does. The language barrier and distance between them pose challenges, but Manousos could be Carol’s best chance at finding someone who shares her perspective on the global happiness issue.

How will Carol navigate coexisting with the hive?

For now, Carol, along with the other unaffected individuals, must share the planet with the hive until a potential “cure” is discovered. This arrangement creates tension for Carol, who values her independence but relies on the hive for necessities like food. A trip to the grocery store highlights this dependency, as Carol must wait for restocking before getting what she needs.

Can the hive refuse Carol’s requests?

On the flip side, it appears that the hive is unable to deny any of Carol’s demands, no matter how unreasonable they may be. This dynamic is evident when the episode concludes with a grenade explosion in Carol’s home, injuring her chaperone Zosia. Before the chaos ensues, Carol tests the hive’s limits by asking if they would provide her with a nuclear weapon. Their response – “We would move heaven and earth to make you happy, Carol. Would you like an atom bomb?” – raises intriguing possibilities for how Carol might leverage this power.