Pluribus Recap: Leaving Albuquerque

by

At the Marrakech Film Festival last week, acclaimed Korean director Bong Joon Ho (known for Parasite) jokingly offered two sides to his view on AI. He said officially that AI is a positive thing because it forces us to consider what makes humans unique. But personally, he quipped, he’d form a team to destroy it! This idea connects to the show Pluribus, which isn’t about AI, but does make us think about what’s valuable about humanity when faced with something that could make everything the same. A small moment in one episode perfectly highlights this theme.

It’s morning in the “Elvis Suite” on the 30th floor of the Westgate hotel in Las Vegas, and Koumba Diabaté is still enjoying the elaborate lifestyle provided by the Others. Despite indulging in many pleasures, Koumba has proven to be more understanding and forgiving towards Carol than other immune humans, who are less convinced by her pleas for rebellion. When Carol wakes up, Koumba offers her a simple breakfast of eggs, bacon, avocado, and toast – a straightforward meal, not a carefully recreated version of something she might have enjoyed at a fancy New England inn years ago. Carol then combines everything on her plate into a messy avocado toast, mashing it all together. Koumba does the same.

Though no one said anything at the time, Carol’s simple avocado toast might be her most convincing demonstration of what makes humanity worthwhile. She’s tried much harder to persuade the other twelve immune survivors – with heated debates on Air Force One and in Spain, and through countless videos sent from her home in Albuquerque – but those efforts often felt forced. The Others can create a flawless, idyllic world, but they wouldn’t think to quickly throw together something as simple and satisfying as a breakfast sandwich like Carol and Koumba do. Humans are capable of such unrefined creativity, and the fact that these two individuals can create it instinctively speaks to the wonderfully chaotic nature of humankind. Despite their collective consciousness, The Others just wouldn’t come up with something like that.

Last week’s episode ended with a huge surprise, and it’s almost a relief to see the tension ease as the truth comes out. Carol’s excellent detective work led her to a warehouse in Albuquerque, where she made the horrifying discovery that the food being stored isn’t what it seems – it’s actually human remains. Just like in the classic film ‘Soylent Green,’ Carol now has to warn people about a terrible alien conspiracy that’s been happening right under their noses. However, after thinking it through, she realizes this information is so dangerous and secret that the people behind it wouldn’t want it revealed. So, she sets off on an eight-hour drive to Las Vegas, hoping to find Koumba at the Elvis Suite, as he previously indicated. Fortunately, his predictable desires prove to be true.

Carol, frantically searching for a way to connect her video camera, has no idea that Koumba already knows what she’s about to reveal: the Others’ strange diet. It turns out John Cena has already explained it to the other immune survivors. The situation is unsettling, but there’s a logical explanation. According to Cena, the Others sustain themselves with a “milk” that contains 8-12% HDP – a protein derived from deceased humans, like those Carol discovered in the warehouse. The Others avoid killing anything, even plants, for food, so they rely on existing supplies and accidental deaths to feed their massive population of over 7 billion people. They don’t like having to use HDP, but it’s better than the alternative, and Koumba warns Carol that their current supply will only last about ten years, after which widespread starvation could occur.

The Others have a consistent, though still difficult to accept, view of what’s acceptable to eat. Carol reacts with sarcasm when Koumba points out their preference for vegetarianism (“Great, so all the lawyers survived”) and dismisses their refusal to farm. (“Maybe they should just pick an apple!”). However, their choice not to eat humans, a common trope in science fiction films like Peter Jackson’s Bad Taste and Jonathan Glazer’s Under the Skin, highlights a logical point: we shouldn’t expect to be treated any differently than the animals we routinely eat. The fact that the Others obtain sustenance without killing anyone is actually a kindness—in Bad Taste, humans are literally turned into food for an alien fast-food chain. Ultimately, it comes down to where each species draws the ethical line.

Beyond feeling embarrassed and disgusted, Carol is deeply lonely. She asks to be excused to the bathroom, wanting to cry privately, but Koumba senses her isolation. She’d wanted to unite those unaffected by whatever is happening, to fight for humanity, but they not only turned her away, they excluded her from their regular Zoom meetings. She pictured herself as a heroic figure like Charlton Heston in Soylent Green, but she actually feels more like the last survivor, like Charlton Heston in The Omega Man. It’s infuriating, but mostly, it just really hurts.

Okay, so things just got a little more interesting. Manousos, our guy down in Paraguay, is still refusing help, preferring to sift through canned goods and desperately listen for any sign of life on the radio. He turned down another food drop, naturally, but he did perk up when Carol sent a VHS tape. It seems she’s convinced “the joining” – whatever that is – can be undone, and she wants the others to think about whether they really want to lose themselves completely. Honestly, the moment he saw that tape, he bolted! He abandoned his post, raced home, and jumped in that beat-up car of his. Carol finally has someone listening, and maybe, just maybe, she’s found an ally in this whole mess.

“Don’t call me son,” Manousos scolds the friendly being currently inhabiting a body he knows well. “You aren’t my mother, and my mother is…difficult.” Carol would be pleased to witness this exchange.

Mizzenmasts

Koumba is currently staying in the Elvis Suite, but the scene opens with him engaged in a wildly exaggerated game of poker, reminiscent of the high-stakes showdown in the James Bond film Casino Royale. While a straight flush would normally be a winning hand, Koumba is dealt a royal flush. The gathering of onlookers raises a question: will Koumba eventually become bored with always getting exactly what he wants, and with the artificiality of these manufactured scenarios?

Koumba is very dedicated to his role-playing games. He’s so committed that when an opponent, even one wearing an eyepatch and playing a villain, breaks character to applaud his win, Koumba reminds them to stay in role. It’s a nice touch that the other players subtly tidy up the game area after he’s finished playing.

It’s interesting that even the John Cena video includes a message asking people to respect others’ boundaries and avoid direct contact. It seems she creates a negative impression with people everywhere.

A major discovery this week is that the Others need access to people’s stem cells to fully integrate them into their group, and getting those cells requires a painful procedure. Because they won’t perform the procedure without consent, Carol gains more power, and Koumba is able to maintain his current situation for the foreseeable future. According to sources, the Others were quite unhappy about this limitation.

Read More

2025-12-05 07:55