PLURIBUS’ Beautiful Season 1 Finale Gets to the ‘Soul’ of the Show’s Tragedy

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Throughout the first season of Pluribus, I attempted to explain why I found the show so emotionally affecting, and I believed I’d covered everything. However, the season finale proved me wrong. It made me realize I hadn’t fully expressed what deeply bothers me about the show’s central concept – the hive mind. It took the most human character remaining to finally illustrate the true tragedy of joining the collective, with Manousos perfectly delivering the line: “They have stolen everyone’s soul.”

I understand those who believe all life is equally valuable, but I agree with Manousos that it’s wrong to place a human life on the same level as an insect. I would always choose to save a person over an ant. The collective intelligence on Pluribus, however, doesn’t see it that way. It considers everything – even something as simple as an apple – as important as a human being. It believes a piece of fruit is equal to a person capable of feeling, thinking, loving, and experiencing emotions. This collective doesn’t recognize any difference between things, and it’s even incapable of disliking anything, let alone hate. Because of this, it can’t truly love anyone or anything. By connecting to everything equally, it can’t form genuine connections. If you love everything, you end up loving nothing at all. And if you value everything equally, without any discernment, you don’t actually have any values.

In the final moments of Pluribus, Zosia revealed to Carol that the hive mind feels the same affection for Manousos as it does for her. However, this affection is hollow and ultimately doesn’t hold any real meaning. Carol was initially deceived by this empty praise, but then realized the hive doesn’t recognize her individuality at all. The one person who genuinely cares about everyone on Earth, and whose love truly matters, is Manousos. He doesn’t care for people out of instinct, but simply because they are human beings – individuals with souls.

The season finale of Pluribus featured a profoundly moving moment demonstrating genuine love from Manousos. He approached Rick with gentle concern, even holding his hands, and attempted to connect with the person within. This act of compassion and empathy surpassed anything previously seen from the collective consciousness of the billions connected to Pluribus. Manousos wasn’t motivated by a universal love, as the hive mind is; he cared for Rick simply because Rick is an individual deserving of care – and for Manousos, that’s all that mattered.

The powerful final scene of Pluribus, set in Peru and depicting the loss of an entire culture, shows how a collective consciousness eliminates what makes us uniquely human. It doesn’t demand perfection, just individuality. Humans possess souls – the capacity for deep connection, creativity, and the preservation of history and relationships. We experience the full spectrum of emotions, and that emotional depth, whatever its source, is personal and irreplaceable. It’s what defines us, both in life and beyond.

This season, I’ve been thinking about how the hive mind doesn’t just take away our unique traits, but something much deeper – the very core of who we are. All the meaningful moments in our lives – the love, joy, sadness, and even anger – are expressions of our individual spirit. The finale of Pluribus really drove that point home in a powerful way.

While the idea of a soul often feels connected to religion, Pluribus focuses on the simple experience of being human. It’s a story about living in the present moment and finding meaning in our short lives, both the good and the bad. Luckily, Carol and the others find one person who remembers what it means to be alive. He’s a complicated character – angry, frustrating, and stubborn – but also determined and deeply human. He doesn’t hide his feelings, and with genuine affection, he reminds Rick, “I am here.”

He’s also here with a plan he’s working on and researching.

The first season of Pluribus started slowly, but the finale, “La Chica o El Mundo,” delivered a thrilling and satisfying conclusion. Our suspicions were confirmed: the group is up to no good with Carol’s frozen eggs. Manousos’s careful work with radio waves proved valuable; he discovered a specific frequency that disrupts the connection within the hive mind, allowing him to potentially communicate with the people trapped inside. And those people are still in there, as evidenced by “Zosia” recounting her personal memories – specifically, her love for mango ice cream.

People don’t truly disappear; they simply need to be remembered. It’s about connecting with what matters most – the essence of who they are, the same thing loved ones always cherish.

Carol, feeling defeated and furious, reluctantly returned to help Manousos in the final episode of Pluribus, but only after she understood the true horror of the hive mind – a realization I shared. The hive mind’s greatest offense isn’t just its actions, but what it takes from individuals – it strips away the very essence of what makes us human, and that’s why it’s so deeply wrong. It’s a crime worth fighting against, just as Manousos is.

Mikey Walsh writes for TopMob and is a huge fan of Manousos. You can find him on Bluesky at @burgermike, and he’s always involved in discussions about ranking the Targaryen kings.

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2025-12-24 11:12