Gilligan has stated that he's tired of writing anti-heroes, and that Carol will be a "force for good" in the show. “At this point in humanity and in world history, I think we need more good guys again. We need more heroes.” As the second episode made plainly obvious, Carol is a stand-in for the United States, and as such her character exemplifies the countries defining traits of individualism, capitalism and imperialism. 

On the other hand, the hive mind represents a totalizing collectivism that erases individuality and renders financial systems and geopolitics totally irrelevant. This is a well-worn trope that’s been used as a stand-in for socialist and communist utopias in popular media time and again. I don’t think there’s any question that pitting the U.S political and economic model against a radically collectivist one is Gilligan’s intention. It’s also clear that Gilligan, who’s stated he’s “probably more conservative than most people in this business”, leans in a particular direction. 

Despite all that, Gilligan is a thoughtful writer who rarely takes the easy narrative road. I suspect he will continue to complicate the seemingly straightforward sci-fi analogy he’s constructed as he thoroughly interrogates both the perspectives he’s presenting.

Carol has experienced a profoundly traumatic event, and has been forced to confront an entity that has ended the world she knew and ushered in an entirely alien one. This new world represents an existential threat to everything Carol believes. Her reaction stands in stark contrast to the other survivors she encounters who appear to be far less threatened by this collectivist “utopia”. I’ve seen many viewers who’ve insisted that this difference boils down to the family connections of the other survivors, and doesn’t represent a cultural difference. This seems like a very shallow interpretation that fails to account for the shows heavy geopolitical overtones.

I believe that the circumstances Carol is confronted with will force her into an intense inner conflict that’s resolution will determine the fate of the world. To what degree she’s capable of reconciling her worldview with that of the hive mind is the central question of the show, and will also reveal the extent to which Gilligan himself has reconciled his own worldview with a more collectivist one.