"Like to keep the audience guessing": Pluribus creator Vince Gilligan explains the "cannibalism turn" & John Cena's cameo in Episode 6

John Cena's cameo in the latest episode of Pluribus became one of the mot talked about parts of the show, and creator Vince Gilligan is opening up on why the actor was the best choice for the "cannibalism" turn the show has taken now. In recent episodes, protagonist Carol is exploring more and more about The Others, and the ir mysterious food sources.

Episode 6 showed Cena telling Carol about how the plurbs eat dead humans, which technically doesn't break their law about not harming living things. With the land's atmosphere, human remains are one of the rare sources of protein out there, and it's what they consume.

Speaking to TV Insider about this storyline of Pluribus, Gilligan said,

“It felt like at that point in the show we were starting to to be more and more in the side of The Others and maybe perhaps less and less feeling like the character Carol was right about the world being this being a post-apocalyptic landscape. So we like to mix it up. We like to keep the audience guessing, kind of keep them off balance. Is this a good thing? Is it not a good thing? And who better than to to explain why they eat people than, you know, John Cena?”

During the scene, Cena skillfully explains how human-derived protein, ak HDP is the reason why the peple consume human meat. He explains the laws of their morals, and reassures Carol that she never has to consume it unless she wants to. He ends his explanation by telling her she can leave a voicemail anytime she seeks further questions, and also tells her that the Others need space as of now.

Part of his speech says,

As of this taping, there are 7,348,292,411 of us. That’s a lot of mouths to feed. We’re facing a caloric deficit, and to make up for it, we’ve had to take certain measures...Nearly 100,000 people pass away each day due to natural causes and accidents. Those human remains, which would otherwise go to waste, are our source of HDP. We cherish the memory of these people and appreciate their sacrifice.

More details about Pluribus

Pluribus, known on screen as PLUR1BUS, arrives as Vince Gilligan’s bold leap into post apocalyptic science fiction for Apple TV. Shot across the familiar landscapes of Albuquerque, New Mexico, the series builds a world reshaped by an alien virus that has fused nearly all of humanity into a single, harmonious hive mind.

At the edge of that strange new existence stands Carol Sturka, played by Rhea Seehorn, an author who suddenly becomes one of the few people on Earth who can no longer blend into the collective. For her, the quiet streets and open desert are no longer peaceful. They are reminders that she is one of the last individuals left.

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Pluribus is available to stream on Apple TV.

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