In the season 2 premiere (episode 1) of Silo, titled The Engineer, we find Juliette finally realising what’s outside the world that she has known thus far. As she navigates her new, lonely identity with the other Silo’s abandoned interior reminding her of the humble beginnings in her own habitat, we are drawn closer to her character than ever before. The first episode serves as a great character development exercise that will help us follow our protagonist along for what lies ahead. While overall uneventful, I really enjoyed how season 2 does not feel like its in a rush to establish a new order, a new mystery and a new path to rebellion just yet. In the following article we will take a detailed look at the first episode of the new season.
Please note that the article contains spoilers; reader’s discretion is advised.
Silo (Season 2) Episode 1 “The Engineer” Recap:
The premiere episode goes back in time to one of the Silos undergoing a rebellion. The sheriff in charge receives a message from the engineering department about the generator flooding, with only 15 minutes left until the flooding begins. As the command and its team prepare for the rebellion attack, we see the residents of this particular silo making their way to the outside world, unaware of what awaits them.
Years later, we see Juliette walking over the decomposed bodies of those same people who tried to break free from the hellbent rule of the Silo, hoping for a better future. Little did they know, the world had undergone an apocalyptic aftermath, and there was literally nothing but impure air and an uninhabitable environment. In the previous season of Silo, Juliette had been sent out for cleaning; however, she abandoned her duties and instead chose to follow her instinct to find the truth that many, like her, had tried to unravel before.
After walking through the rummage of broken bones and decomposed bodies almost turning to dust, Juliette manages to find the entrance of the Silo. Moving aside the bones and bodies, she makes her way to the Silo; however, the main door is sealed shut from the inside, preventing her from getting in. We know Juliette is smart and determined; little hurdles like this are nothing she cannot manage to find answers to.
Using just an iron rod, she somehow manages to open the large, sealed iron capsule gate. As she tries to gather necessary items such as a torch, water bottle, etc., she finds herself struggling to breathe as her suit gets punctured while breaking into the vault. To avoid being poisoned by the toxic elements in the outside environment, she breaks her suit mask, pours disinfectant she found at the entrance, and rips open her bodysuit.
Meanwhile, in the background, we see the silo she has entered is completely out of service, with broken debris everywhere and no lights or ventilation system intact due to the flooding caused by the generator failure. We also notice graffiti reading “All Lies” on the silo screen, reflecting that the rebels must have known how the judicial and command had been brainwashing the residents with years of lies and oppression.
The base and structure of the silo are identical to the one Juliette belonged to, and after finding her way to one of the living quarters, Juliette walks into a room only to find cameras installed behind a mirror, just as she did in her Silo. After finding clothes, she continues with her exploration, finding herself wandering between levels that seem to be below the judicial levels. As she makes her way through the stairs connecting the different levels, a flashback shows how Juliette found her way into the mechanicals when she chose to shadow Martha to avoid her father after losing her mother and baby sister. As she is introduced to her coworkers in the recycling department, she befriends Shirley and others who help her understand her duties.
In the present, as Juliette tries to comprehend her situation, she notices a light coming from one of the levels below her, piquing her interest with hope that she might find someone alive in the silo. She decides to explore the area; however, she realizes that the connecting path to the level is broken. The sound of metal clanking from the other side of the level makes Juliette feel more hopeful, desperate, and invested, so she decides to make her way to the other side. After scanning the area, she decides to use the rope from the bodies she found hanging on the levels. Unfortunately, the ropes, weakened over time by the moist indoor environment, are no longer strong enough to hold her weight, and to Juliette’s horror, she falls deep into the pit of flooded water.
This failure obviously pisses Juliette even more, but as we know, she is not someone who gets discouraged by her setbacks. We’ve seen her get up from her falls many times, only to succeed, and as the episode titled “The Engineer” shows, it brings Juliette’s true spirit to the forefront. What’s amazing is that she not only decides to go back to the broken level again, but she also finds materials and resources to build a sturdy path strong enough to walk back and forth for safety.
Silo (Season 2) Episode 1 “The Engineer” Ending Explained:
Why does the man threaten Juliette?
Another flashback shows Juliette and Shirley hanging out together back in the day, with Shirley taking her to a secret spot where they discover graffiti by the rebellion, not fully understanding what it could mean. However, the two girls are intelligent enough to realize they are rebels on their own because deep down they have the hope that one day they will be free.
After finding herself on the other side successfully this time, Juliette follows the sound of the metal clanking. However, Juliette is disappointed to learn that the sound was from an ID card clanking on the running metal fan. As she considers going back, she hears loud music coming from deep inside. Following the sound, she finds a room with a few dead bodies lying on the floor. She slowly walks past the gate and the bodies, then opens another door to the vault, which is pressure-locked from the inside.
As she tries to open the gate, the music stops, and a person from the inside opens the see-through slider of the gate, calling for her. The person on the other side is shocked and scared but warns Juliette not to attempt to break in because if she does, he will kill her. The premiere episode of Silo (Season 2) ends with a terrified Juliette grappling with the fact that she has just seen a living man talking back to her, after everything she has undergone since leaving her silo for cleaning. Now, the reason why the man threates to kill her is not spelled out, but considering that he must have been down there for a long-long time, I suppose her still feels that the rebels are trying to kill him and Juliette is one of them. For more, we need to wait for the next episode.
