'Pluribus' Episode 4 finally reveals a long-guarded mystery, but the answer leads to more questions
Carol Seehorn's (Carol Sturka) quest to keep her humanity alive takes a dark turn in 'Pluribus' Episode 4. Trying to find the antidote to separate people from the Joining, Carol risks Zosia's (Karolina Wydra) life in the latest episode, making it clear that her interests now outweigh everything, even a human life. Written by Alison Tatlock, the newest episode also finally shares hints in answering what others do when not interacting with unjoined like Carol.
Notably, the Joining in Pluribus originates from an unknown extraterrestrial source. Creator Vince Gilligan intentionally keeps its cause mysterious, choosing instead to explore its impact on humanity, as per MovieWeb. While the sci-fi concept is simple, it raises big questions, especially about what the others do when they aren't interacting with independent people like Carol.
While the premiere showed their first mission being cleaning up the catastrophic aftermath of the psychic event that killed many during the transition, the Others were seen clearing debris and tending to bodies. Episode 4 finally revealed a longer-term responsibility. When Carol asks for heroin as a ruse, an Other warns her that a whole hospital wing is filled with bodies recovering from addiction, some in critical condition. This shows that even within the hive mind, the physical consequences of substance abuse persist, and healthier members are now caring for those whose bodies are struggling.
Because withdrawal and physical healing take time, this caregiving effort is ongoing and likely massive, as more individuals enter hospitals to detox. The Joining's stance on drug use is clear, as it's something they aim to eliminate. This suggests that, beyond cleanup tasks, a significant portion of the hive mind is dedicated to restoring addicted bodies and working toward eradicating drug dependence across the entire planet.
While caring for recovering addicts offers some purpose, there clearly aren't enough cases to occupy an entire planet of hive-minded people. Most of the time, the Others are simply seen wandering around, offering support, or trying to keep individuals content, which indicates how little seems meaningful when everyone shares the same memories, motivations, and identity. This raises a larger uncertainty of what happens if the Joining eventually becomes universal. With no unjoined humans left, verbal communication and individual experiences would become pointless.