Apple TV+’s dark sci-fi drama Pluribus has delivered its most disturbing twist yet. Episode 6 confirms one of the show’s most chilling theories — and pays explicit tribute to a legendary piece of science fiction history in the process. The episode builds on the cliffhanger ending from Episode 5, hinting that the mysterious liquid consumed by the hive-minded Others may have a horrifying origin. That suspicion becomes reality when Carol Sturka (played brilliantly by Rhea Seehorn) uncovers a massive cold storage facility filled with processed human remains. These remains are repurposed into the nutrient “milk” distributed among the Others.
The gruesome reveal directly echoes the iconic sci-fi thriller Soylent Green (1973), in which Charlton Heston discovers a globally-relied-upon food supply secretly manufactured from human bodies. Episode 6 seems to intentionally mirror the film’s most famous twist — and Carol’s shock is comparable to Heston’s unforgettable outcry, “Soylent Green is people!”
A Twisted Survival Strategy
In the world of Pluribus, the Others reluctantly rely on recycled human remains not as cannibalism but as a desperate nutrition source. As explained through a brief video presentation by hive-member John Cena, the collective avoids killing animals or plants due to their evolved ethics. Instead, they use bodies of the deceased — especially after widespread casualties connected to the Joining process.
The reveal reframes the moral landscape of the show. While disturbing, the practice highlights the fragile ecosystem the Others inhabit — and raises ominous questions about sustainability. As food supplies dwindle and death rates slow, what happens when there are no bodies left to harvest?
Carol’s Discovery Raises Tension
For Carol, the revelation becomes a turning point. Her relentless investigation has already placed her at odds with the hive, and after Episode 4’s confrontation, the Others become increasingly uneasy, even hostile, toward her presence. Episode 6 amplifies that tension, setting up major conflict as Carol now holds information powerful enough to reshape or destroy the fragile coexistence.
Though the hive appears peaceful and unified, episode 6 hints that under severe pressure — such as starvation — their benevolence may fracture. If the emotional stability enforced by their shared consciousness breaks, Season 1 could end in catastrophic chaos.
A Clever Tribute to Sci-Fi Legacy
Fans are widely applauding the precision of this homage. Rather than simply referencing Soylent Green, the storyline integrates its theme — the horror of utilitarian survival — into a modern narrative about identity, ethics, and collective psychology. Combined with earlier comparisons to Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Pluribus is rapidly becoming a contemporary successor to classic dystopian science fiction.
With two episodes remaining, viewers are left wondering:
How far will the hive mind go to survive?
Will Carol expose the truth — or be silenced?
And is this peace already hanging by a thread?
