What Drug Does Carol Take in Pluribus?
In Pluribus, Carol Sturka (portrayed by Rhea Seehorn) injects herself with sodium thiopental, a powerful barbiturate often referred to in popular culture as a “truth serum.” This pivotal moment unfolds in Episode 4, titled “Please, Carol”.
Understanding Sodium Thiopental: A Real-Life Drug, a Fictional Role
Sodium thiopental (also known as pentothal or Pentothal) is indeed a real, medically used anesthetic. In the show, Carol steals vials of this drug from a hospital pharmacy to administer it intravenously — both to herself and, later, to Zosia.
Historically, thiopental has been used in anesthesia induction. It depresses the central nervous system, which can lower inhibitions and make someone more emotionally uninhibited. In fiction, it’s often repurposed as a “truth serum” — though in real life, its effects are more complex and less reliable than dramatizations suggest.
What Motivates Carol to Use It?
Carol’s motives are deeply rooted in her emotional journey and her obsession with uncovering the truth behind “the Joining” — a mysterious phenomenon that has turned most of humanity into a collective hive mind, known as the Others.
Through her experiments, she learns two critical things:
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The Others cannot lie to her, but they can withhold information.
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She may be able to crack their defenses by chemically nudging someone into a more vulnerable state.
By injecting herself first, Carol confirms that thiopental lowers her inhibitions. She records herself on video, revealing deeply personal truths: grief over her late partner, insecurities about her writing career, and even her attraction to Zosia.
Turning the Truth Serum on Zosia: High Stakes, Higher Risk
Once she sees how the drug affects her, Carol returns to the hospital and administers the thiopental to Zosia via her IV.
Carol wheels Zosia outside to an isolated area, handcuffs herself to her (to prevent interruption), and presses her relentlessly: “How can I reverse the Joining?”
However, as the drug takes hold, Zosia begins to collapse. Her speech slows, and she seems to struggle for clarity. The Others gather around them, chanting “Please, Carol,” a haunting and emotionally charged moment.
Tragically, Zosia goes into cardiac arrest under the influence of the drug — underscoring just how dangerous Carol’s experiment really is.
Thematic Significance: Why This Scene Matters
Carol’s use of thiopental is not just a plot device — it tells us a lot about her character and the show’s deeper themes:
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Truth vs. Control: Carol doesn’t just want the truth — she wants control over the Joining, over the hive mind. By drugging Zosia, she’s literally forcing truth out of someone.
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Isolation and Vulnerability: When Carol watches her own video recording, she’s forced to confront her inner pain, grief, and perhaps repressed love.
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Ethical Boundaries: The scene raises big ethical questions. Is it okay to violate someone’s agency in the name of knowledge?
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Risk and Consequence: Zosia’s collapse underscores the danger. Carol’s experiment is not just psychological — it has life-or-death stakes.
Reality Check: Is This Like Real “Truth Serum”?
In real medicine, sodium thiopental doesn’t work like a Hollywood truth serum. While it can reduce inhibition and make someone more talkative, memories, cognition, and coherence often degrade. Users may slur speech or drift in and out of consciousness, but they don’t reliably tell the unfiltered “truth.”
Moreover, because of the risks (respiratory depression, cardiovascular effects), it’s not commonly used outside medical settings for its sedative properties. The intense interrogation Carol stages would be highly risky in real life, especially given Zosia’s vulnerable condition.
Why U.S. Viewers Should Care
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High-stakes drama: For American audiences who love psychological thrillers or morally ambiguous characters, this plotline brings serious tension. Carol’s choice to experiment with a real anesthetic drug — and her willingness to endanger someone for answers — is pulse-pounding.
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Sci-fi meets human cost: While Pluribus is very much a sci-fi show, it’s grounded in character. Carol’s use of sodium thiopental bridges the surreal (the hive mind) and the very, very real (drug risks and trauma).
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Vince Gilligan pedigree: The show is created by Vince Gilligan — known for Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. The moral complexity is very much in his wheelhouse.
A Risky Gamble
Carol’s decision to use sodium thiopental is a gamble — emotionally, ethically, and physically. She’s not just taking a drug; she’s weaponizing it. And when she turns that weapon on Zosia, the fallout is immediate and terrifying.
Whether she gets the answers she seeks — or whether it all unravels in tragedy — is exactly the kind of “what if” that makes Pluribus binge-worthy. For U.S. viewers who value smart storytelling, character depth, and philosophical stakes, this moment is a standout.