Pluribus’ The Joining explained: what is it, why is Carol [spoiler], and more on the Apple TV show’s big mystery

Pluribus, the new TV show from Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, has made its Apple TV debut – and it wastes no time laying the foundations for its overarching mystery.

Indeed, while many sci-fi dramas withhold their secrets for a number of episodes and/or seasons, Pluribus’ two-episode premiere explains what’s happened to almost every human from the get-go.

Full spoilers immediately follow for Pluribus episodes 1 and 2. You have been warned.

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Okay, so what’s caused all but 13 humans in the world, including protagonist Carol Sturka (Rhea Seehorn), to suddenly form some kind of hive mind? Thankfully, Pluribus forgoes the traditional ‘alien takeover/invasion’ storytelling trope, but that doesn’t mean extraterrestrials or cosmic matter aren’t part of its plot.

Essentially, the mysterious signal first discovered by astronomers at the start of ‘We Is Us’ contains a recipe for a nucleotide sequence that can make a molecule known as ribonucleic acid (RNA). These single-strand polymers play a crucial role in numerous biological functions, as well as acting as the genetic material for some viruses.

It’s the latter that appears to be to blame in Pluribus. Indeed, as Davis Taffler, the in-universe US government’s undersecretary for agriculture, explains to Carol – and us, by proxy – the aforementioned signal, which lies 600 light years from Earth, was discovered 14 months before the apocalyptic events that transpire in episode 1’s latter half.

Unlike conventional radio broadcasts, it comprises 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.

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Carol is only one of 13 people who doesn’t succumb to the RNA-based substance (Image credit: Apple TV)

After recreating the sequence in a lab, scientists began testing the sequence on rats using a gaseous substance.

Unsurprisingly, said experiment goes awry when one of the scientists is bitten by a rat. The substance enters the unlucky boffin’s system via the rat’s bite, which turns them into a happy-go-lucky human running on autopilot who soon sets about infecting the rest of the lab’s human workforce.

Long story short: billions get infected and becomes linked by what Taffler describes as a “psychic glue” in a process that, as episode 2, titled ‘Pirate Lady’ reveals, is referred to as “The Joining”.

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There are people who die as a result of said contagion, though. Individuals who succumb to it include Carol’s partner Helen, the US President, and various other members of the government he assembled. Meanwhile, hundreds of millions of people worldwide also perished via accidental means, such as crashing the vehicle they were driving, when they became infected.

In total, as Zosia confirms in ‘Pirate Lady, over 886 million people died when those who were already part of ‘The Joining’ accelerated their plans to infect the rest of humanity after they were discovered by the military. Throw in the 11 million people that Carol inadvertently kills during her temper tantrum in episode 2, and almost 900 million have lost their lives so far.

Helen (left) doesn’t survive after being infected (Image credit: Apple TV/Sonic Pictures Television)

Predictably, not every question is answered about “The Joining”, whatever caused it, and the infected’s true purpose in Pluribus‘ two-episode premiere.

How did the RNA sequence/signal/organism spread across the globe? Why did some individuals die after being infected? Why are Carol and only 12 other people immune to it? And how will the rest of humanity attempt to assimilate Carol and her seemingly invulnerable fellows?

I think the RNA-infused gas has something to do with the first question. As for the rest, I fully expect answers to emerge throughout this season and/or Pluribus‘ sophomore outing, which was greenlit alongside its debut season in September 2022.

Pluribus episodes 1 and 2 are out now on Apple TV, aka one of the world’s best streaming services. New chapters air weekly.

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