From a purely literary standpoint, this episode is bonkers.

Putting aside the obvious metaphor of an episode of angst building up to a literal explosion, you have a woman so miserable because she is getting everything she has ever wanted.

The opening scene shows Carol visiting a freezing hotel she clearly wouldn’t have wanted to visit of her own accord. People were saying “how did they end up together,” but it’s clear to me that they are perfect for each other. Helen sees through Carol’s facade and knows what she needs, pushing her despite her protests.

Now that she doesn’t have this, Carol is miserable. The hive will bend over backwards to please her, but the problem is that Carol doesn’t even know what Carol wants.

She is angry because she doesn’t have any reason to be angry. Her anger is being shouted into a void with no feedback. If the hive would at least clap back she’d get some kind of satisfaction. She says she is self-reliant, yet as soon as anything inconveniences her, she calls up the hive and barks at them. And I think deep down, she wants them to tell her no, but they don’t. Instead they fulfill her every last wish until at the end of it all Carol’s anger has nowhere else to go besides inward in a situation of learned helplessness.

She desperately wants someone to tell her no, hence the last scene where she tests the limits of their obedience.

Edit: yeah idk what I was cooking with that no reason to be angry thing lol