In the latest episode of Apple TV+’s hit series Pluribus, Carol Sturka, portrayed by Rhea Seehorn, takes a dangerous step in her quest for answers. In Episode 4, “Please, Carol,” she injects herself with a powerful drug to force the truth from the hive mind.
The episode shows Carol’s growing desperation to understand the “Joining,” the alien consciousness that has connected most of humanity. After a conversation makes her suspect the process can be reversed, she decides to take extreme measures to get a straight answer.
What Is Thiopental Sodium?
The drug Carol steals from a hospital pharmacy is thiopental sodium, also known as sodium pentothal. This substance is a rapid-acting barbiturate used in real medicine as a general anesthetic. It works by slowing down the brain and nervous system, causing unconsciousness within seconds.
Because it lowers a person’s inhibitions, thiopental sodium has a controversial history of being used as a so-called “truth serum.” The idea is that lying requires complex thought, and by relaxing the brain’s filters, the drug might make it harder for a person to conceal the truth.
Why Carol Injected Herself First
Before using the drug on anyone else, Carol conducted a risky experiment on herself. She took the stolen thiopental sodium home, injected it, and recorded the entire experience on her video camera.
Watching the playback, she saw the drug’s effects firsthand. Her recorded self was emotionally unfiltered—sobbing over the death of her wife, Helen, admitting hidden feelings, and even confessing a physical attraction to Zosia. This confirmed for Carol that the drug could work as a truth serum, making people too uninhibited to hide their secrets.
The Plan That Went Horribly Wrong
Confident in her theory, Carol returned to the hospital where Zosia was recovering. She added the thiopental sodium to Zosia’s IV drip and wheeled her outside to question her away from interruptions. Carol pleaded with the drugged Zosia, asking, “How do I reverse the Joining?”
The situation quickly spiraled out of control. Instead of revealing secrets, Zosia began to suffer a severe medical reaction. Other members of the hive mind, feeling Zosia’s distress, surrounded Carol. They chanted “Please, Carol” in unison, their faces streaming with tears. The episode ended with Zosia going into cardiac arrest, leaving her fate unknown and Carol facing the devastating consequences of her actions.
Karolina Wydra, the actor who plays Zosia, described the emotional weight of the scene. > “It’s fascinating, because Zosia is the collective. So it’s not just Zosia, it’s the whole world that feels… betrayed. There’s a level of betrayal, for sure, that happens,” she said. She noted that the chanting from the crowd of actors during filming was “very unsettling.”
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The Aftermath and Lingering Questions
The failed experiment raises serious questions for Carol. Her actions have potentially shattered the trust between her and the Others. If Zosia survives, their relationship will be forever changed by this betrayal. If Zosia dies, Carol will have to live with causing the death of someone who once saved her.
The event also revealed a new layer to the hive mind. While the Others were deeply distressed by what was happening to Zosia, they did not become violent. They pleaded with Carol, demonstrating their primary desire to please her, even as she harmed one of their own.
New episodes of Pluribus premiere Fridays on Apple TV+.
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