It's only after Carol has spent the night guarding Helen's grave that, when she wakes up, she has the clarity to finally see how to free herself from the handcuff that imo represents the deceptive false connection she'd formed with the hive.

The music in the next scene, as she goes about honoring Helen--including making art for what must be the first time since the takeover: Helen's gravestone is possibly the only art that has been made post-hive and it is art to honor someone the hive killed--is gentle, expressive, and comforting.

Regardless of how the hive intended its ostracism/ "icing out" (after "love bombing") behavior, I think Carol needed that space alone to process and begin to grieve. I think loneliness will become an issue for her, but she was able to connect to something grounding and actually grieve in this episode. As well as having the gumption and smarts to engage in an investigation where she found something important.

How annoying is that chick?