In the latest episode of Vince Gilligan‘s new Apple TV series, Pluribus, the standoff between the last free woman on Earth and the global hive mind escalated dramatically. The third episode, titled “Grenade,” saw author Carol Sturka accidentally trigger a real explosive, leading to a shocking revelation about the lengths the peaceful collective will go to make her happy.
The episode confirmed that the hive mind, known as the “Joined” or the “Others,” will fulfill any request from one of the immune survivors, even if it means providing them with devastating weapons. This new power could change everything for Carol and the future of humanity.
A Flashback to a Frigid Vacation
The episode begins seven years before the global “Joining” event, with Carol and her wife, Helen, on vacation at a Norwegian ice hotel. While Helen is enchanted by the frozen wonder of their surroundings, Carol is miserable, complaining about the cold and obsessing over her book’s placement on the bestseller list. Helen tells her, “You love feeling bad,” highlighting Carol’s nature long before the world ended. This flashback establishes the deep personal loss Carol is grappling with in the present.
The Limits of Cooperation
Back in the present day in Albuquerque, Carol tries to reassert a sense of normalcy. She attempts to go grocery shopping, only to find her local Sprouts store completely empty. The Joined have consolidated all resources to a central location. At Carol’s demand, they immediately restock the entire store in a massive, coordinated effort, demonstrating both their efficiency and their slavish devotion to her whims.
This theme continues when Carol, frustrated, sarcastically tells her hive-mind companion, Zosia, “There is nothing wrong with me that a fucking hand grenade wouldn’t fix.” Later that night, Zosia delivers a real, live grenade to her doorstep, explaining, “We thought you were probably being sarcastic, but we didn’t want to take the chance.”
A Conversation That Changes Everything
Carol invites Zosia inside for a drink, leading to their most direct conversation yet. Carol asks how long she has until she is forcibly assimilated into the hive mind. Zosia admits it is a “biological imperative,” and could happen in weeks or months. She defends their goal by comparing Carol to a drowning person.
“If you were walking by a lake and you saw somebody drowning, would you throw them a life preserver?” Zosia asks. “Of course you would. You wouldn’t think. You wouldn’t wait. You’d just throw it. You’re drowning, Carol. You just don’t know it.”
This exchange makes it clear that the Joined see their actions as a rescue mission, not an invasion.
The Grenade Blast and Its Aftermath
During their talk, Carol, thinking the grenade must be a fake, pulls the pin. To her horror, it is real. Zosia quickly grabs it and throws it out the window, where it explodes, injuring Zosia and damaging Carol’s home and car. Carol rushes Zosia to the hospital, where a representative of the hive mind, a man in a DHL uniform, assures her Zosia will recover.
Shaken, Carol tests the boundaries of the collective’s promise to make her happy. She asks if they would give her another grenade. The representative says yes. A bazooka? Yes. A tank? Yes. An atomic bomb? After a brief pause, he confirms they would “move heaven and earth” to get her one, though they “wouldn’t necessarily feel good about it.” This confirms that Carol’s power over the hive mind is virtually unlimited, no matter how dangerous her requests.
Also Read:
Carol’s New Realization
The episode ends with Carol processing this new information. She has learned that her anger can cause global seizures in the Joined, and now she knows they will obey her most destructive commands. This gives her a potential weapon, but also a heavy responsibility. With the Joined working to find a way to assimilate her, Carol must decide how to use this power.
Also Read: Tell Me Lies Season 3 Release Date and New Drama Revealed
Dear X Webtoon Gets 40 Times More Popular After HBO Max Drama Release
