Episode 6 of Apple TV’s Pluribus, titled “HDP,” delivers a shocking reveal that makes viewers question everything they thought they knew about the story. The discovery that the hive mind is consuming “Human Derived Protein” to survive sets Carol on a path to Las Vegas and a confrontation with fellow survivor Koumba Diabatรฉ. This episode shifts the moral ground, painting Carol’s mission to save humanity in a new, more complicated light and leaving fans to wonder if they’re rooting for the wrong person.
The Shocking HDP Discovery and a Trip to Vegas
The episode picks up immediately from the cliffhanger of Episode 5, “Got Milk,” where Carol discovered a warehouse full of mysterious milk cartons. She lifts a tarp to find a freezer containing frozen human body parts, a horrifying revelation she captures on her camcorder. The hive mind, unable to kill any living thingโincluding plantsโfor sustenance, has resorted to consuming processed human remains to solve its caloric crisis. This substance is officially called Human Derived Protein, or HDP.
Driven by this nightmare, Carol drives to Las Vegas to warn the other known immune survivor, Koumba Diabatรฉ, played by Samba Schutte. Her journey is briefly delayed by a darkly comic moment where she must vacuum HDP powder she accidentally spilled on her rug. She finds Diabatรฉ living in a manufactured fantasy inside a casino, using members of the hive mind as actors to play out scenes of high-stakes poker and glamorous parties for his own amusement.
Koumba Diabatรฉ’s Artificial Kingdom
In Vegas, Carol finds a world completely orchestrated by Diabatรฉ’s desires. He has convinced hive members to stay in character, dressing up and performing elaborate scenes so he can live out cinematic clichรฉs. The scene is unsettling, not comedic, highlighting a deep loneliness and a delusion the show treats with surprising sadness.
“We landed on the name Koumba Diabatรฉ. Koumba is a female name, but in my culture a man takes on the name of his mother if she passes during childbirth, which we found fascinating for his backstory,” wrote actor Samba Schutte in an Instagram post about his character’s name.
This episode marks a major cameo, with John Cena appearing as a hive-minded version of himself. He delivers a monologue to Carol, calmly confirming the grim reality of the HDP and explaining the hive’s ethical dilemma. Creator Vince Gilligan described Cena’s appearance as a purposeful “non sequitur”.
A Game-Changing Rule and Carol’s New Power
The most significant twist of the episode is not about food, but about consent. Diabatรฉ explains a crucial rule to Carol: the hive mind cannot force the remaining immune survivors to join them. To tailor the virus to an individual’s biology, it needs a sample of their stem cells, which requires a painful and invasive procedure.
“The only way to make the virus work on us is to tailor it to our individual stem cells, but in order to obtain those stem cells, they must collect them from our bodies,” Mr. Diabatรฉ explained to Carol. “Something they can’t do without our permission.”
After a call to the hive’s help line to confirm this rule, Carol realizes she is essentially untouchable. This revelation grants her unprecedented freedom to act against the hive, but also positions her as a uniquely dangerous and disruptive force in this fragile new world.
The Other Survivors and a Shifting Perspective
The episode reveals that Carol is notably isolated, even among the other immune people. Diabatรฉ informs her that the other survivors hold twice-weekly meetings to communicate with the hive mind, a group Carol is not invited to join. This is because her actions and anger are seen as a profound threat.
Her impulsive anger has already caused catastrophic consequences. In Episode 2, “Pirate Lady,” an outburst from Carol triggered a cascade of seizures through the connected hive, resulting in an estimated eight-figure death toll. From the perspective of the billions in the hive, and the immune people who still care for their loved ones within it, Carol is not a savior but a deadly villain.
The episode suggests the other survivors, like Laxmi and Koumba, are actively working on a peaceful solution to help the hive survive its food crisis. Carol, however, remains single-mindedly focused on destroying it to restore the old world, seemingly with little regard for the cost. This moral ambiguity is a hallmark of creator Vince Gilligan’s work, drawing comparisons to the gradual transformation of Walter White in Breaking Bad.
Manousos Embarks on a Dangerous Journey
The final act of the episode shifts to Paraguay, checking in on Manousos, another immune survivor played by Carlos Manuel Vesga. Isolated in his office, he has been scanning radio frequencies, finding mostly static except for a mysterious pulsing signal on frequency 8.613.0.
He receives and watches the VHS tape Carol made for the other survivors, learning he is not alone. This knowledge prompts him to finally leave his office for the first time in nine days. He returns home and packs a bag with supplies, maps of South America and the southwestern United States, gasoline, and an English-language learning course.
The episode ends with him preparing to leave, telling a hive-minded woman who resembles his mother and calls him “son” to stop. “Don’t call me son. You’re not my mother. My mother’s a bitch!” he says, revealing a troubled past the hive mind may not fully understand.
The official description for Episode 7, “The Gap,” states: “Manousos begins a dangerous trek to meet Carol.” Based on the maps he packed and the episode’s title, fans speculate his journey may involve crossing the treacherous, roadless jungle known as the Dariรฉn Gap in Panama.
Fan Reactions and the “Real Villain” Debate
The episode has sparked intense discussion among viewers about who the true protagonistโor antagonistโof the story might be. Many are reassessing Carol’s actions in light of her new immunity and the revealed cooperation of the other survivors.
Some viewers find themselves sympathizing more with Koumba Diabatรฉ’s point of view, or looking toward the quiet determination of Manousos as a potential hero. Online discussions reflect a struggle with Carol’s character, as one forum user noted: “I am, of course, rooting for Carol. I care about this character deeply, but especially because she is not beyond reproach.”
Another analysis directly questions the audience’s allegiance: “Pluribus Episode 6 Suggests We May Be Rooting For The Wrong Character After All,” arguing that Carol’s combination of destructive power, moral certainty, and now, legal immunity, makes her the world’s greatest threat.
The season, which has received a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, continues with Episode 7, “The Gap,” releasing on December 12, 2025. The first season will conclude with Episode 9 on December 26.
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