Pluribusthe new TV show Break the bad Creator Vince Gilligan made his debut on Apple TV – and he’s wasting no time laying the groundwork for his overarching mystery.
Indeed, while many sci-fi dramas hide their secrets for a number of episodes and/or seasons, Pluribus’ two-episode premiere explains what happened to almost every human from the start.
Okay, so what caused all but 13 humans in the world, including protagonist Carol Sturka (Rhea Seehorn), to suddenly form a hive mind of sorts? Fortunately, Pluribus forgoes the traditional “alien takeover/invasion” narrative trope, but that doesn’t mean aliens or cosmic matter aren’t part of its plot.
Essentially, the mysterious signal first discovered by astronomers at the beginning of “We Is Us” contains a recipe for a nucleotide sequence that can make a molecule known as ribonucleic acid (RNA). These single-stranded polymers play a crucial role in many biological functions and also serve as the genetic material of certain viruses.
It is the latter who seems to be to blame Pluribus. Indeed, as Davis Taffler, in-universe Undersecretary of Agriculture for the US government, explains to Carol – and to us, by proxy – the aforementioned signal, which is 600 light years from Earth, was discovered 14 months before the apocalyptic events that occur in the second half of Episode 1.
Unlike conventional radio broadcasts, it includes four “tones” that correspond to different amino acids – proteins that are the building blocks of all life – called adenine, cytosine, guanine and uracil. This quartet forms a type of RNA that exists as part of the radio signal.
After recreating the sequence in the laboratory, the scientists began testing it on rats using a gaseous substance.
Unsurprisingly, this experiment goes wrong when one of the scientists is bitten by a rat. The substance enters the unlucky boffin’s system via the rat’s bite, transforming him into a carefree human running on autopilot who soon sets about infecting the rest of the lab’s human workforce.
Long story short: Billions of people are infected and are bonded by what Taffler describes as “psychic glue” in a process that, as revealed in Episode 2, titled “Pirate Lady,” is called “The Joining.”
However, there are people who die because of this contagion. Among those who succumb to it are Helen, Carol’s partner, the American president, and various other members of the government he has assembled. At the same time, hundreds of millions of people around the world have also died accidentally, for example when the vehicle they were driving crashed when they became infected.
In total, as Zosia confirms in “Pirate Lady”, over 886 million people died when those already part of “The Joining” accelerated their plans to infect the rest of humanity after being discovered by the military. Add to that the 11 million people Carol inadvertently kills during her tantrum in Episode 2, and nearly 900 million have lost their lives so far.
As might be expected, not all questions regarding “membership”, whatever the cause, and the true purpose of the infected in Pluribus‘ premiere in two episodes.
How did the RNA sequence/signal/organism spread across the world? Why did some people die after being infected? Why are Carol and only 12 other people immune to this virus? And how will the rest of humanity attempt to assimilate Carol and her seemingly invulnerable ilk?
I think the RNA-infused gas has something to do with the first question. For the rest, I hope that answers emerge throughout this season and/or Pluribus‘ sophomore release, which was greenlit alongside its debut season in September 2022.
Episodes 1 and 2 of Pluribus are now available on Apple TV, one of the best streaming services. New chapters are released every week.
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