Sumith Prasad
The first episode of the second season of Apple TV+’s science fiction series ‘Silo,’ titled ‘The Engineer,’ follows the aftermath of Juliette Nichols’ departure from her silo. She ventures into the outside world and comes across the remains of thousands of individuals spread across the wasteland. Her brief journey takes her to another silo that resembles her “home.” The engineer sets out to discover whether anybody lives in this unfamiliar establishment. The episode also offers glimpses into the protagonist’s past, tracing her growth to become a commendable engineer. The season 2 premiere concludes with a startling development that leaves Juliette speechless! SPOILERS AHEAD.
Rebellions in the Past Caused Mass Deaths Inside and Outside the Silos
‘The Engineer’ begins with a few flashback scenes depicting a rebellion that happened during an unspecified period in the distant past. A husband and wife, with their son named Tim, led a group of survivors to rebel against their silo’s leadership. The rebels wanted to know the truth about their “home” and the outside world from the Founders. This indicates that the uprising happened soon after the mysterious apocalypse that paved the way for the creation of underground bunkers for the survivors to reside. The husband and wife particularly fought against Russell Conroy, an authoritarian figure who ruled the establishment for the Founders or as part of the Founders, reminding us of Bernard Holland.
After the rebellion, the leaders of the uprising decided to leave their silo and step out to the outside world. They believed that the region beyond the walls of their home was habitable, even though they didn’t have any evidence to prove it. Still, they left their silo in search of a better future, only to die inhaling the toxic air outside. They fell dead on the premises of their underground bunker like flies and became mere skeletons. Seemingly decades later, Juliette Nichols walks to their silo, stepping on their remains after leaving behind her family, friends, and enemies. She enters the deserted establishment and starts looking for survivors inside.
Juliette Grew Up as a Protégé of Martha Walker
‘The Engineer’ offers more flashback scenes to trace the past of Juliette, who arrived on the lower levels of her silo as a child. Even though her father, Pete Nichols, was a reputed doctor in the establishment who lived on the middle levels, she ended up on the bottom part while dealing with the suicide of her mother, Hanna Nichols. She quickly befriended Shirley Campbell, a young girl who worked for an old duo. The two children helped the man and woman sort the garbage collected from the silo to find useful materials to repair and recycle. These items were then taken to Martha Walker for repair.
Even then, Walker was a no-nonsense woman. She reminded Juliette that her mother, Hanna, killed herself rather than simply die. The electrical engineer wanted the young girl to grow up confronting the truths and reality surrounding her. During one workday, Juliette came across a toy. Even though Shirley warned her that Walker didn’t like toys, she repaired the piece and gifted it to the former for befriending her. The two girls gradually formed an endearing bond, allowing them to share their plights. Whatever Juliette learned during this period eventually helps her survive in the new silo she ends up in.
Juliette roams through the silo to find out whether any other living soul exists in the establishment apart from her. When she comes across a broken bridge, she becomes curious about the other side, which motivates her to explore the region. The engineer uses whatever scrap she can find around her to set up a makeshift bridge and goes to the other side, only to meet none. On her way back, she listens to a song that emerges from the same place, which leads her back to this mysterious part of the silo. Her curiosity takes her to a closed chamber. When she tries to open its large door, two eyes appear out of nowhere, confirming that a man lives inside.
The Last Surviving Resident of the New Silo May Help Juliette Return to Her Home
After encountering Juliette out of nowhere, the mysterious man becomes talkative. He acknowledges her curiosity to explore his chamber, but the warm welcome ends there. The man threatens to kill her if she tries to open the door and confront him, which is understandable since he doesn’t know whether she is a friend or foe. From the credits of ‘The Engineer,’ it is evident that the mysterious man is Steve Zahn’s new character, Solo. He appears to be the silo’s last surviving resident who saved his life likely by not participating in the rebellion that caused the death of hundreds, if not thousands, of individuals, as the opening scene depicts.
Solo must have been a child when the rebellion paved the way for the mass deaths of the residents of the establishment. He might have survived the turbulent period of the uprising using the resources the families left behind. However, that doesn’t explain how he has managed to stay alive for years, if not decades, alone. He must have developed a system inside the silo to grow food for his survival. Since he is not surprised to see another survivor out of the blue, Solo can be aware of the existence of other silos and their residents.
If that’s the case, Solo may even have found a way to receive their help for his survival. Considering these factors and possibilities, he appears to have several connections and tricks up his sleeve to help Juliette. If she can convince him that she is not a threat or an enemy, Solo may help her to return to her original silo to explain the mysteries of the outside world.
Read More: What Book is Apple TV+’s Silo Based on?
