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Dhruv Sharma
Published 30 minutes ago
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After high school, he was on his way to become a Civil Engineer. However, he soon realized that writing was his true calling. As a result, he took a leap and never looked back.
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This article contains major spoilers for Pluribus episode 5.
Pluribus episode 5's ending hints at a dark twist that was brilliantly foreshadowed by two previous scenes in the Apple TV series.
In Pluribus' episode 5, the main character, Carol, initially tries to reach out to other immune individuals, hoping that they will find her new findings about the hivemind intriguing. To her dismay, no one responds. However, in the episode's ending arc, she follows a few leads and learns the infected people drink a mysterious liquid out of milk cartons.
As she dives deeper into this mystery and tries to find out what they are consuming, she finds herself in a cold storage where the infected humans seemingly produce food. Before the episode of the Apple TV sci-fi show ends, Carol notices something that shocks her to the core, hinting that the infected humans might be cannibals.
Pluribus’ Hinted Cannibalism Twist Was Right Before Our Eyes Since Episode 2
Rhea Seehorn as Carol looking intently at a shelf in PluribusApple TV
Pluribus has not yet explicitly confirmed that the infected humans are cannibals, but the clues are all out there. As soon as the pandemic reached its peak in the series, the infected started collecting the bodies of the dead to take them somewhere. Given how the infected have always preached about the value of efficiency, it would not be surprising if they were using the dead humans as fuel to sustain themselves.
Interestingly, in Pluribus' episode 2, the infected can be seen carrying dead bodies into a milk company's truck in the sequence that introduces Zosia. Similarly, there is a scene in episode 4 where Carol visits Zosia at the hospital and finds her drinking something from a milk carton, implying how the mysterious fluid is helping her recover.
Even in episode 5, the camera particularly focuses on the "reuse" posters at the supermarket before Carol finds the bar code that leads her to cold storage in the final scene. While it has not been confirmed that the infected humans are cannibals, even the "reuse" clue seems to suggest they are recycling the dead and using them to nourish themselves.
When Mr. Diabate asked the infected if they would kill animals, they claimed they would never hurt a living soul. Diabate then found a workaround, claiming that he could kill while they could cook for him. The fact that they agreed to this was also a clue that they were already using the dead as food.
Episode 5 also features a harrowing sequence in which Carol protects Helen's grave from a pack of wolves. In this scene, the wolves can be seen as a representation of the infected and their loss of humanity as they shed their morality in the name of efficiency and the perceived greater good. Meanwhile, Carol can be seen as the sole protector of humanity, fighting against the wolves to hold on to her grief that makes her human.
Vince Gilligan Has Been Masterfully Foreshadowing His Best Twists Since Breaking Bad
Walt looking up at a plane crash in Breaking Bad season 2
Viewers familiar with Vince Gilligan's line of work will know that this is not the first time he has masterfully foreshadowed some of his best twists. Even in Breaking Bad, the entire storyline about the plane crash was so masterfully executed that one could help but stay glued to the screen as it gradually unfolded and revealed the truth.
Interestingly, though, the truth turned out to be far more layered and complex even in the Breaking Bad storyline. Since Vince Gilligan is also known for ingeniously throwing red herrings at viewers and misguiding them, the Pluribus twist could lead to something completely unpredictable.
Pluribus
TV-MA
Drama
Thriller
Sci-Fi
8/10
19
8.7/10
Release Date
November 6, 2025
Network
Apple TV
Cast
Rhea Seehorn, Karolina Wydra, Carlos Manuel Vesga, Miriam Shor, Samba Schutte, Peter Bergman, Karan Soni, Allan McLeod, Jack Mikesell, Woody Fu, Blair Beeken, Eric Steinig, Sam Quinn, Dennis W. Milliken, Adam Harvey, Kacie LaCombe, Michael Toby Sanchez, Isak Tufic, Menik Gooneratne, Anna MacDonald, Max Reeves, Olivia Rouyre, Viji Nathan, Sharon Gee, Elena Estér
Directors
Adam Bernstein, Zetna Fuentes, Melissa Bernstein
Writers
Ariel Levine
Main Genre
Sci-Fi
Genres
Drama, Thriller, Sci-Fi
Creator(s)
Vince Gilligan
Executive Producer(s)
Diane Mercer, Vince Gilligan, Alison Tatlock, Allyce Ozarski, Gordon Smith, Jeff Frost
Producers
Chris Smirnoff, Juan Antonio Cano Trujillo, Andreas Wentz
Seasons
1
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