Carlos-Manuel Vesga in Pluribus
For generations, science fiction has used imagined worlds to confront very real fears about society, offering escapism while forcing audiences to ask uncomfortable questions about power, control, and human nature.
Right now, two of the most popular series on streaming are doing exactly that while sharing a deeply sinister parallel: Apple TV's Pluribus, an original series from acclaimed showrunner Vince Gilligan, and Prime Video's Fallout, the hit adaptation of the iconic video game executive produced by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy. Despite their vastly different settings, both explore the same unsettling idea — what if true peace only exists when free will is erased? While each show tells its story differently, both imagine systems designed to eliminate conflict by eliminating individuality, all in the name of"peace," examining what happens when authority enforces harmony by removing the ability to resist, a theme that feels particularly resonant in today's society. The Hivemind in 'Pluribus' Offers Peace at the Cost of Self The world of Pluribus is introduced through Carol , one of the few people who has retained her autonomy while much of the population has either joined the hivemind or died. This collective consciousness merges thoughts, memories, and personalities into a single purpose. While there is still much to learn about the virus sent from space, which will likely be explored in future seasons, Carol is immediately unsettled by the idea of surrendering individuality. As the season unfolds, Carol's growing loneliness makes that bargain harder to ignore. Those who join the hivemind are emotionally and mentally synchronized, existing in a constant state of connection that eliminates conflict or pain. Through Carol's experience, the series reveals why enforced harmony becomes appealing, framing her pull toward the hivemind not as a weakness, but as a deeply human response to her isolation and her grief. That temptation becomes more personal through Zosia , a calm and charismatic embodiment of the hivemind's promise. Even as a viewer, it's hard not to be captivated by her, which makes Carol's pull toward connection feel all the more understandable. But that's exactly what the virus wants, depicted in one of the series' most unsettling scenes in the finale when Kusimayu voluntarily becomes a part of the Others to join her family. It's veiled in kindness and peace, tapping into our deeply human need to be loved and included. But beneath that serenity lies something far darker — like cannibalism, for one, but also the complete erasure of self. By the end of Season 1, Carol takes a big step, not towards conforming, but towards undoing the Joining entirely, which sets up a great journey for Season 2 and pushes against the false promise of peace. Related Prime Video Is Borrowing From Apple TV's Biggest Sci-Fi Hits With This Release Strategy Shift The once-a-week episode format is making a comeback. Posts By Erin Konrad The "Automated Man" in 'Fallout' Season 2 Promises Order Through Obedience While the hivemind is the central threat in Pluribus, mind control in Fallout takes a very different form. The series has no shortage of moving parts, from Lucy's search for her father, Hank , alongside the Ghoul , to the growing influence of the Brotherhood, but at its core, Fallout is a story about power, control, and who believes they deserve to wield it. That theme becomes explicit in Season 2 with the introduction of the"automated man" device, a piece of technology originally conceived by Mr. House and now being perfected by Hank MacLean. As Hank holes up in New Vegas, the series shows the horrifying cost of that ambition. His attempts to control people through the device result in graphic failures, including exploding heads, underscoring his cold, transactional view of human life, which also led him to drop the bomb on Shady Sands, which was revealed in Season 1. Like the audience, Lucy is horrified to discover what the device does, but she sees in real time how it also strangely works when she's forced to push the button after her life is threatened by a Legion member, turning them into docile and obedient workers. Subscribe to the newsletter for sharper pop-culture insight Get the newsletter for deeper analysis of how fiction confronts power, control, and the tradeoffs of enforced 'peace.' Subscribing means more thoughtful examinations of TV, film, and games that ask who decides the price of harmony—and why it matters. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. That duality mirrors Carol's experience with the Others, but like Carol, Lucy recognizes that even though the device may bring temporary"peace," the cost to the self is too high. The device may end violence, but it also erases memory, personality, and choice. Like the hivemind, both systems are engineered to replicate and spread. Hank believes this enforced harmony is the only way forward, raising the same unsettling question Pluribus poses: who gets to decide what"peace" looks like, and why? After her interaction with Biff , the NCR member she met on her journey, Lucy realizes that her father's pursuit of control and power isn't his choice to make. What makes both Pluribus and Fallout so compelling is how they tap into the same theme in two very different ways, both feeling urgently relevant. At a time when billionaires accumulate unchecked power, governments push against dissent, and calls for"unity" ring hollow, both shows ask who gets to decide what's best for everyone else when free will is the price. The real horror isn't the technology or the virus – it's realizing how easily we might trade our voices and our differences for the promise of false peace.Powered by Expand Collapse
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