The 5 Biggest Questions We Have After the Pluribus Season 1 Finale

by

It looked for a moment like Carol might join the Others and become part of their collective consciousness, but the Season 1 finale of Pluribus revealed that wasn’t the case.

The final episode of Vince Gilligan’s sci-fi series, released on Apple TV a few days early on December 24th, saw Carol return to Albuquerque after a disappointing attempt at a relationship with Zosia (Karolina Wydra), who had initially been her caretaker. She also reunited with Manousos (Carlos-Manuel Vesga), another person immune to the virus. Carol arrived with an atomic bomb and a stronger resolve to break the hive mind’s control over the Earth, which encouraged the increasingly determined Manousos.

After the finale finished, we still have five major questions on our minds.

Why are Carol, Manousos, and the rest immune from the hive-mind virus?

With only thirteen people worldwide naturally immune to the “Joining” virus, this immunity is an extremely unusual occurrence, and we still don’t understand what causes it. While the Others have learned to overcome immunity by modifying the virus to target individual stem cells, the original reason for immunity remains a mystery. As revealed in the finale, they’ve obtained Carol’s stem cells from her previously frozen eggs and plan to use them to convert her, even though she doesn’t want them to. Understanding what originally protected these thirteen people – whether it’s a psychological trait or something else – could be crucial for Carol and Manousos right now.

How would a cure for the virus work?

The hive mind originated from a virus that inserts its genetic code into its hosts. It spreads through bodily fluids – things like kissing, sharing food, or contaminated water. Initially, the virus spread slowly and secretly, but attempts by the military to intervene forced a quicker response. In Episode 4, Carol discovered a possible way to reverse the virus’s effects. However, distributing a cure to everyone infected worldwide presents a huge challenge. Even if they succeed, the world would face the difficult task of rebuilding after such a devastating event.

Is there any of the real Zosia left inside the hive-mind version of her?

As a fan, I’m still reeling from the reveal that Carol’s connection with Zosia was just the hive mind trying to manipulate her. But I can’t help but wonder if the real Zosia is still in there, fighting to break free. It makes you think – if Zosia ever did get her own mind back, would Carol even know her? After everything Carol’s done to Zosia while she was under the virus’s control, it’s entirely possible the real Zosia wouldn’t even want to know Carol, and might even be pretty angry with her.

What are Carol’s plans for the atom bomb?

The Season 1 finale’s ending showed that Carole had broken free from the temporary groupthink caused by her loneliness, and was actively pursuing her plan from earlier in the season: getting a nuclear weapon from the Others. It’s now clear she doesn’t believe killing the infected is the answer, so it’s still a mystery how she intends to use the bomb. It’s possible she’s hoping the threat of it will be enough to force the Others to reveal what they know about the cure they’ve been hiding.

What is the ultimate goal of the beings who engineered the virus?

In the latest episode, we discovered that the hive mind is programmed to construct a massive antenna. This antenna will broadcast the same RNA signal that initially caused the Joining on Earth to lifeforms on other worlds. Zosia explains to Carol that, given the signal traveled from 600 light-years away, it’s unlikely Earth’s Others will ever encounter the extraterrestrial beings who sent the virus. However, she also believes the Others know these beings care for them and feel compelled to share the “gift” of the Joining with any other potential recipients out there.

We’re still left wondering what the purpose of all this is within the larger universe. One possibility is that the virus was created to keep powerful civilizations from becoming a threat to others. Another is that the aliens who created it can travel vast distances quickly and are already heading to Earth. Or, the answer could be something we haven’t even considered. Whatever it is, we’ll have to wait until Season 2—or even later—to find out for sure.

Read More

2025-12-24 12:06