Pluribus
Created by: Vince Gilligan
Stars: Rhea Seehorn (Carol Sturka), Karolina Wydra (Zosia), Carlos Manuel Vesga (Manousos)
Premise: Set in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the series follows author Carol Sturka, who is one of only thirteen people in the world immune to the effects of “the Joining”, resulting from an extraterrestrial virus that had transformed the world’s human population into a peaceful and content hive mind (the “Others”).
Season 1 – Episode 7
Episode title: The Gap
Original air date: December 12, 2025
Episode plot: Carol returns to Albuquerque and exploits luxuries abandoned by, or requested from, the hive mind in their absence, including a Rolls-Royce Phantom, an indulgent meal incorporating her favourite dishes from the past, and a real Georgia O’Keeffe artwork. Despite running low on fuel, food and water, Manousos refuses the help of the Others to venture across South America alone, during which he learns English through tape recordings. Upon reaching the Darién Gap, the Others urge Manousos to not hike the journey, but Manousos defiantly burns his car and tells the Others that nothing on Earth will ever belong to them. Hampered by the extreme conditions of the Darién, Manousos trips and is impaled by a poisonous chunga palm tree, but after attempting to heal his wounds, he collapses and ends up being rescued. After over a month in isolation, Carol succumbs to depression and nearly intentionally lets herself be hit in the head by a firework, although it misses and sets a neighbouring house on fire. Carol pleads with the Others to come back to her, leading to a tearful embrace with Zosia.
* * *
Pluribus – S01E07 – The Gap | Transcript
[humming “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It”]
[tires screeching]
[continues humming]
[humming]
[buttons beep]
[line ringing]
[automated voice] Hello, Carol. This is a recording. At the tone, you can leave a message to request anything you might need. We’ll do our best to provide it. Our feelings for you haven’t changed, Carol, but after everything that’s happened, we just need a little space.
[tone beeps]
[Carol] I need pump number one turned on.
[electricity humming]
[’80s pop music crackles through speaker]
[buttons beep]
[line ringing]
[automated voice] Hello, Carol. This is a recording. At the tone, you can leave a message to request anything you might need. We’ll do our best to provide it. Our feelings for you haven’t changed, Carol, but after everything that’s happened, we just need a little space.
[tone beeps]
[Carol] I want a Gatorade. The red one. Um, fruit punch, I think it’s called. Uh, real sugar, not fake, and I want it ice-cold.
[music continues]
[humming]
[drone whirring]
[“Tarzan Boy” playing on speaker]
[line ringing]
[automated voice] Hello, Carol. This is a recording. At the tone, you can leave a message to request anything you might need. We’ll do our best to provide it. Our feelings for you haven’t changed, Carol, but after everything that’s happened, we just need a little space.
[tone beeps]
[Carol] [smacks lips] I didn’t say tepid. I didn’t say lukewarm. I didn’t even just say cold. I said ice-cold. Do better next time.
Yeah.
[engine revving]
[tires squealing]
♪ It’s the end of the world ♪
♪ As we know it ♪
♪ It’s the end of the world
♪ As we know it ♪
♪ It’s the end of the world ♪
♪ As we know it ♪
♪ And I feel f… ♪
[crickets chirping]
[vocalizing “The Stars and Stripes Forever”]
[wolves howling in distance]
[howls]
[wolf howling nearby]
[howls]
[wolves continue howling]
[howling]
[chuckles]
[birds chirping]
♪ I’m all right ♪
♪ Don’t nobody worry ’bout me ♪
♪ You got to give me a fight… ♪
[bison huffs]
♪ Why don’t you just let me be? ♪
♪ I’m all right, I’m all right ♪
♪ Don’t nobody worry ’bout me ♪
♪ You got to give me a fight ♪
♪ Why don’t you just let me be? ♪
♪ I’m all right ♪
[engine sputtering]
[sighs]
[engine sputtering]
[sighs heavily]
[sighs]
[car engine starts]
♪ Head out on the highway ♪
♪ Looking for adventure ♪
♪ In whatever comes our way ♪
♪ And I know I gotta make it happen ♪
♪ Take the world in a love embrace ♪
♪ Fire all of your guns at once
And explode… ♪
[vocalizing]
♪ It’s gettin’ hot in here
So hot ♪
♪ So take off all your clothes ♪
♪ I am getting so hot
I wanna take my clothes off ♪
♪ It’s gettin’ hot in here ♪
♪ So take off all your clothes ♪
♪ I am getting so hot
I wanna take my clothes off ♪
♪ Georgia ♪
♪ Georgia ♪
♪ The whole night through ♪
♪ With that old sweet song ♪
♪ Georgia’s on my mind ♪
♪ I said Georgia ♪
♪ Georgia ♪
[humming]
[sighs heavily]
[chuckles]
[line ringing]
[automated voice] Hello, Carol. This is a recording. At the tone, you can leave a message to request anything you might need. We’ll do our best to provide it. Our feelings for you haven’t changed, Carol, but after everything that’s happened, we just need a little space.
[tone beeps]
[Carol] I want to dine out tonight. Someplace special. I know you remember where Helen and I had our anniversary, so there. And, um, for the food…
[Carol] [chuckles] Martha’s Vineyard, 1999. [chuckles] Helen’s birthday, 2008. [chuckles] Oh. Maritozzi. And… yes! Mmm. [humming] I’ll give ’em this. Those crazy bastards sure can cook. [chuckles]
[piano starts playing “I Will Survive”]
[Carol inhales deeply]
[song stops]
[canister clanking]
[Manousos] The cat. The cat is gray. The cat…
[vehicle approaching]
Manousos. [in Spanish] Manousos. We can give you a lift. How about some water? We’re sure you don’t want to get dehydrated. Losing just five percent of your body’s water content could lead to fatigue and headaches. Even kidney stones! Well, we’ll leave you to it. There’s a scenic viewpoint up ahead that is particularly breathtaking. It might be a good spot to rest. You take care. And if you need anything at all, just wave to the sky. Bye bye!
[Manousos] [in English] Yellow. The dog. [sighs] The… The dog… is yellow. [spits, grunts] Yellow. [sighs] [spits] The dog is… yellow. [groans] [sighs]
[engine sputtering]
[Manousos] [sighs] Yellow dog. Dog yellow? [in Spanish] What was it? [sighs]
[engine starts]
[Manousos] [in English] The yellow dog.
[instructor on tape] …chases the gray cat.
[Manousos] [speaks Spanish]
[Manousos] [in English] Yellow… [groans] The yellow dog chases the gray cat.
[Spanish-style instrumental music playing]
[Manousos] Monday. Monday is today. Tuesday is tomorrow. Monday is today. Tuesday is tomorrow. Tuesday. Monday is today.
[bystander] Hola, Manousos.
Hola, Manousos.
Hola, Manousos.
Hola.
Hola, Manousos.
Hola, Manousos.
Hola, Manousos.
Hola, Manousos.
[Manousos] [slurps, spits] [clears throat]
[instructor speaking Spanish]
[Manousos] [in English] The world is big. Big the world? The world is big? The world is big.
[Manousos] Today, I am not going to the library. Tomorrow, yes. To the library, I will go. Today, I’m not going to the library.
[seagulls squawking]
[instrumental music continues]
[Manousos] To whom do the coats belong? The coats belong to them. To whom do the coats belong? To whom… To whom… To whom do the coats belong? The coats belong to them.
[instructor speaking Spanish]
[in English] The girl saves the mouse from the trap.
[Manousos] The girl saves the mouse from the trap. The girl saves the mouse from the trap. The girl saves the mouse from the trap. The girl saves the mouse from the trap.
[instrumental music continues]
[music ends]
[Manousos] [sighs] [sighs]
[leaves rustling]
Manousos. [in Spanish] Please don’t do this. The Darién is too dangerous. It’s over 100 kilometers to Panama. And there are no marked trails. The forecast for this week is not conducive to hiking. It’s going to be over 38 degrees with 98 percent humidity. And we don’t mean to harp on hydration but clean water is not going to be easy to come by. The tropical forest hosts a remarkable diversity of snakes, spiders and insects and many are quite venomous. And then there are the chunga palms. The spines can grow up to twenty centimeters long and they’re covered in bacteria. Even the smallest cut could lead to a fatal infection. Look around you. All these items were left by people who could carry them no farther. Please, Manousos. We can take you anywhere you want to go. How about New Mexico? Isn’t that where you’re going, to visit Carol Sturka? We could get you there by nightfall. We can even transport your car. We know how much it means to you.
[Manousos]Â Nothing… on this planet on this planet is yours. Nothing. You cannot give me anything, because all that you have is stolen. You…
[lighter clicks]
[Manousos] …don’t belong here.
[Manousos] [in English] My name is Manousos Oviedo. I am not one of them. I wish to save the world. My name is Manousos Oviedo.
[insect buzzing]
[Manousos] I am not one of them. I wish to save the world. My name is Manousos Oviedo.
I am not one of them. I wish to save the world. My name is Manousos Oviedo. I am not one of them. I wish to save the world.
My name is Manousos Oviedo. I am not one of them. I wish to save the world.
My name is Manousos Oviedo. I am not one of them. I wish to save the world.
My name is Manousos Oviedo. I am not one of them. [chewing] I wish to save the world.
My name is Manousos Oviedo. [sniffs, sighs] I am not one of them. I wish to save the world.
My name is Manousos Oviedo. I am not one of them. I wish to save the world. [grunts] My name… [sighs] …is Manousos Oviedo. I am not one of them. I wish to save the world.
My name is Manousos Oviedo. I am not one of them. I wish to save the world.
My name is Manousos Oviedo. I am not one of them. I wish to save the world.
My name is Manousos Oviedo. I am not one of them. I wish to save the world.
My name is Manousos Oviedo. I am not one of them. I wish to save the world. [grunts]
[clears throat]
[grunts]
[screams, breathing shakily]
[speaking Spanish, inhales sharply]
[screaming]
[grunts]
[suspenseful music playing]
[breathing heavily]
[heavy panting]
[flesh sizzling]
[groaning]
[breathing shakily]
[continues breathing shakily]
My name is Manousos Oviedo. [inhales sharply] I am not one of them. I wish…
[grunts]
[groans]
[whispering] Carol Sturka.
Carol Sturka.
Carol Sturka.
[helicopter whirring]
[breathing heavily]
[“You’ve Got Another Thing Comin'” playing]
[song ends abruptly]
[“The Stars And Stripes Forever” playing]
[fireworks exploding]
[sighs]
[vehicle approaching]
[engine idling]
[engine stops]
[sobbing]
[breathing heavily]
[continues breathing heavily]
[pensive music playing]
