Rat Room

And last but not least, never forget to smile!

This page specifically makes us incredibly unnerved because the framing of Beldaruit's hands and Deanreldy's arm in the panels. signifying how much of a physical difference both of them have then the middle art of Deanreldy literally being above Beldaruit while he merely lays there with a somber look on his face.

and i have been going insane about it ever since! kamome shirahama your attention to details will be the death of me /pos

hands are the most expressive non-verbal tool humans have, and since it's also quite literally the tool that gives the witches their magic, watching hands in witch hat atelier is beyond important. implied spoilers up to ch93 under cut! [don't mind the language of half the screenshots, that's beside the point]

As viewers, we like to individualise Zosia. It's difficult for us to remember that, at this point, that individual is simply a vessel of the hivemind like everyone else is. Even Carol keeps turning to her when talking to the hive at the dinner, even though she could easily address someone closer to her. So imagine how difficult it is for the other immune to remember that their loved ones are not their loved ones, when the hive is so good at maintaining a semblance of normality.

Everything is so carefully crafted to manipulate them. Look at Laxmi's mother and husband -- two hive vessels! -- talking to each other. Otgonbayar's daughter and Xiu Mei's husband having normal conversations with them. Ravi grinning at his nuggets and chips like any 9-year-old would (the food choices are a deliberate part of the show, of course), reacting to Laxmi's smiles and encouragement. Kusimayu positioned between her aunt and cousin, under her aunt's maternal gaze, to encourage her desire to join them.

For us humans, it is near impossible not to fall for this. To not cling to the illusion, the hope, despite knowing the reality. Our brains have a hard time grasping the concept of consciousness as it is, and we're not wired to see individuals and think of them as one being! The loved ones are behaving exactly like themselves. Maybe there's a bit of uncanny valley there, but for the most part the act is entirely convincing. So the other survivors' reactions are not only understandable, they're inevitable, and it doesn't really have to do with their cultures.

As parents, Laxmi and Otgonbayar would believe absolutely anything if it means holding onto the idea that their children are still alive. Xiu Mei can't bear to consider herself a widow when her husband is right there laughing with her. Kusimayu is a frightened teenager who just wants to be with her family.

Just like Carol, they have lost everything and everyone to the joining, but unlike her, they have been given the horribly cruel and devastatingly kind illusion that they haven't.

Koumba is another matter. He hasn't lost anyone, because he never had anyone in the first place. You can find a more detailed discussion of this on my blog or in the Pluribus community, but, in short: we know his mother died in childbirth because of his name, and he's obviously not mourning, yet has no loved ones with him. While Carol is reacting to the murder of her wife and the violation of everything they had together, and the others are trying to maintain their past realities, Koumba is going through the sudden high of being offered everything he could ever want, and never had.