Pluribus episode 4 reveals a game-changing hint about the Others
In the latest episode of *Pluribus*, titled “Please, Carol,” Carol Sturka, portrayed by Rhea Seehorn, steps into the role of a detective as she navigates the complexities of grief and the enigmatic hive mind of the Others. This episode reveals a pivotal breakthrough: the Joining of the Others can be reversed, a revelation that opens up new avenues for character development and plot progression. The episode centers around Carol’s intense conversation with Larry, played by Emmy-winning Jeff Hiller, where she confronts painful truths about her late partner, Helen (Miriam Shor). Through Larry, who is bound by the Others’ inability to lie, Carol learns that Helen viewed her works—*Winds of Wycaro* and *Bitter Chrysalis*—with indifference, a painful realization that forces Carol to confront her own insecurities and grief.
Determined to uncover more about the Joining, Carol cleverly deduces that the Others’ truth-telling nature can be exploited. When she questions Zosia (Karolina Wydra), who is recovering in the hospital from a grenade explosion, Carol’s probing leads to a tense standoff. Zosia’s evasive responses hint at the possibility of reversing the Joining, prompting Carol to take drastic measures. In a bold move, she decides to use sodium thiopental, a drug known for lowering inhibitions, as a makeshift truth serum. This leads to a series of humorous yet poignant moments, including Carol’s own drug-induced revelations about her feelings towards Zosia. However, the plan backfires when Zosia goes into cardiac arrest, providing Carol with a chilling indication that the Joining can indeed be undone, even if the specifics remain elusive.
As the episode unfolds, it becomes clear that Carol’s detective work is just beginning. The emotional stakes are high, and the implications of her discovery could change everything for her and the Others. With new episodes streaming weekly on Apple TV, viewers are left eagerly anticipating how Carol will continue to unravel this mystery and confront the painful truths of her past. This episode not only deepens the narrative but also showcases Seehorn’s impressive range as she balances humor and heartache, making *Pluribus* a must-watch series for fans of character-driven storytelling.
Carol Sturka (Rhea Seehorn) goes full detective mode in episode 4 of
Pluribus
. Armed with blunt questioning (but tragically no deerstalker hat or magnifying glass), she uncovers a major revelation: The Joining of the Others’ hive mind can be reversed.
SEE ALSO:
‘Pluribus’ episode 3: Can you actually stay at that ice hotel?
So, how did Carol find this out, and what does this mean going forward? Let’s break it down.
Carol learns that the Others cannot lie.
In episode 4, titled “Please, Carol,” Carol sits down for a frank chat with one of the Others named Larry (
Somebody Somewhere
‘s Emmy–winning Jeff Hiller). Throughout the scene, she asks him some tough questions about her relationship with her partner, Helen (Miriam Shor). What did Helen think of her
Winds of Wycaro
books? Did she think Carol’s unpublished novel
Bitter Chrysalis
was actually any good?
Drawing on the Others’ hive mind, which contains all of Helen’s memories, Larry reluctantly gives Carol some hard truths. Helen thought that Winds of Wycaro
was “harmless,” the literary equivalent of “cotton candy.” She also only thought
Bitter Chrysalis
was “fine.” In fact, she hadn’t even finished reading Carol’s draft.
The conversation with Larry is a painful one, with Carol picking away at her grief about Helen. Yet it’s also useful: Thanks to Carol’s insistence that Larry answer her, even if it’s an answer that will harm her, she learns that the Others are incapable of telling a lie.
She decides to use that discovery against Zosia (Karolina Wydra), still in the hospital following episode 3’s grenade explosion. Carol flat-out asks whether there’s a way to reverse the Joining. When Zosia waffles, telling Carol the Others “can’t answer questions like that,” Carol knows she’s onto something.
“Your non-answer is my answer,” Carol reasons. But how can she get Zosia to spill the Others’ secrets?
Carol uses sodium thiopental, aka “truth serum,” against Zosia.
The answer to Carol’s quandary? Drugs!
She raids the hospital stash for sodium thiopental, a barbiturate that serves as a general anesthetic. The drug lowers inhibition, making it a kind of “truth serum,” as evidenced by Carol’s test injection on herself. Within minutes, Carol loses any of her composed grouchiness. She begins dancing around her living room, sobbing about Helen, and even doing dramatic readings of the Wycaro
books. (She’s right,
these books
should
be a movie
.)
But most fascinating of all is when she reveals what she truly thinks of Zosia — that she’s “so goddamn fuckable.” If the sodium thiopental can get Carol to reveal her deep-kept secret that she’s attracted to one of the Others, then surely it can get Zosia to tell her how to reverse the Joining, right?
Not quite. A drugged Zosia manages to hold off on telling Carol the truth, instead going into cardiac arrest. But her panic, and that of all the Others begging Carol to stop, is proof enough that the Joining can be undone. The “how” remains a mystery, though. But don’t worry! After all her sleuthing in this episode, you can bet Detective Carol isn’t done with this case.
Pluribus
is now streaming on Apple TV, with a new episode every Friday.
