It seems like the tide may finally be turning in Pluribus. As the first season nears its conclusion, viewers witness an unfamiliar sight: Carol (played by Rhea Seehorn) genuinely appears to be happy. This is no small feat for someone known as the “most miserable person on Earth,” especially as she grapples with a bizarre apocalyptic situation she is determined to avert. But what does this newfound happiness mean for the series as it heads towards its climax?

Welcome to our weekly Verge subscriber’s discussion of Pluribus, the latest sci-fi sensation on Apple TV crafted by Breaking Bad mastermind Vince Gilligan. The narrative follows Carol, one of the few “survivors” left on Earth after a mysterious virus transforms the majority of humanity into a unified hive mind. While the hive thrives in bliss, Carol remains resolutely unhappy, setting the stage for intense drama. Each week, I highlight key questions from the latest episode to spark conversation, so feel free to share your insights, theories, and queries in the comments. With the finale approaching, be warned: the discussion below contains spoilers for the first eight episodes of Pluribus.

This week’s episode begins with a focus on Manousos (portrayed by Carlos-Manuel Vesga). After a perilous mishap in the rainforest at the close of episode seven, he finds himself awakening in a Panamanian hospital. Despite the hive’s intervention that saved his life, Manousos remains disgruntled. His disdain for the hive is so intense that he previously incinerated his cherished car to keep their influence at bay. In an attempt to repay his medical care, he humorously tries to settle a nonexistent bill before commandeering an ambulance to resume his journey to meet Carol in New Mexico.

Crucially, Carol learns that Zosia’s companionship is partly a strategic distraction, intended to deter her from her mission to save the world from the hive’s grasp. Now, with only one episode left before the finale, several pressing questions linger in my mind as we edge closer to the series’ denouement.

Perhaps most importantly, she learns that one of the reasons Zosia is spending so much time with her is to keep Carol busy and make her forget about saving the world from the hive. So here we are, one episode away from the finale, and I have a few lingering questions I’m thinking about as we approach the end.

How real is Carol’s happiness?

At first, it seemed pretty genuine. After being so lonely, Carol was starving just to get a hug, and having a lot of personal time with Zosia seemed to do her good. But once she learned the hive are trying to distract her, Carol’s behavior changed — at least initially. So now I’m wondering if her current cheerful disposition is a front so that the hive don’t get suspicious that she is once again investigating them. Then again, things take a very unexpected turn at the end, so maybe I’m wrong, and her feelings toward the hive — or at least Zosia — have changed.

Do individuals still exist in the hive?

It sure seemed like the answer was no before, but now it’s a little less clear. After some struggles, Zosia was eventually able to speak using “I” instead of “we,” which points to the possibility that, somewhere deep inside, individual humans still exist within the hive.

Will Carol and Manousos clash?

At the end of the episode, Zosia tells Carol that “you’re going to have a visitor.” So it seems that the finale will finally include the two hive skeptics meeting up. But they also both have very strong personalities, so I wonder how well they’ll actually work together when it comes to saving the world (if Carol even wants to save it anymore).