Season 3 could reveal a terrifying truth. The apocalypse wasn't an accident. It was planned. Humanity fled to the silos after a nuclear bomb dropped in Atlanta. Supposedly due to a civil war between Iran and the United States, however, should Silo season 3 follow Howie's trilogy, the reality could be much darker than fans once anticipated.
The nuclear attack on Atlanta was orchestrated by Senator Paul Thurman in an attempt to eradicate the rogue nanobots. While nanobots were initially intended to simply aid humans, primarily in the medical field, terrorists began creating biological weapons. But it didn't stop there. These rogue nanobots started evolving and threatening humanity as a whole. So the US leaders decided to take action, stage a nuclear attack in an attempt to wipe out these dangerous nanobots. Sure, the casualties would be devastating, but humanity's last remaining few could live in the silos and await a new world, a clean slate.
While they wait, Thurman allows the bad nanobots to take out the rest of the world, eradicating all humans outside of the silos. Juliet might have one last shot to save Silo 18 by moving everyone to Silo 17. Considering Silo 17's obvious importance to the storyline, it makes sense that Juliet will make an attempt to return in future seasons. In fact, according to the original trilogy, Silo 17 may become a safe haven for Silo 18 citizens.
After encountering the algorithm in season 2, Lucas learned some disturbing things about the silos, including the safeguard, a system set in place to eliminate any citizens from spreading too much information or discovering too much about the outside world. While Lucas may be tempted to share what he's learned from the all-powerful AI, doing so might just lead to the demise of Silo 18.
Whether it is because of Juliet or Lucas, Silo 18 will be in grave danger in season 3 of Silo. Silo 1 will plan to eradicate them altogether by using their version of a nuclear bomb, the safeguard. However, Julia comes up with a brilliant plan. Transfer the citizens from one silo to another. And only one choice is clear. Silo 17 is now the safest place on Earth.
Whether Silo 17 is thought to be completely desolate or better yet blocked off from any outside threats, it makes for the perfect hideaway from Silo 1 and its leaders. Silo 18 has been the location for most of seasons 1 and two. But the reveal of Silo 1 may finally explain where the US leaders have camped out all these years, as well as the fate of the rest of the silos.
The founders of the silos are hidden away in silo 1, frozen in cryo sleep for centuries. While their existence is no doubt cushier than the other silos, they aren't just lying around. They're strategically monitoring each and every one of the silos activities. One of the higher-ups, Donald Keane, is set to awaken in 2345 and make sure that their plan is well on its way to ensure that only one silo is kept alive to repopulate the Earth. What happened to the rest of the silos? Their fate will be similar to the rest of the world, taken out by the rogue nanobots.
However, when Senator Thurman is accidentally woken instead of Keen, he appears to not be as on board with the plan and attempts to find a way to save all 50 silos. With Bernard's presumed death in season 2's closing episode, Silo 18 is left without a mayor. While the interim mayor has certainly lost the trust of his people and the audience for that matter, fans speculate that a redemption arc is possible in season 3, assuming he survived the airlock chamber.
However, if Bernard is in fact deceased, Juliet may have to step up and take his place as mayor of Silo 18 should the book remain faithful to Wool. While it is implied that Camille Sims will be appointed as the new leader of Silo in the TV series, Juliet may have a chance against her thanks to the support of the people.
Season 3 could likely reveal Silo 1's plan to destroy every silo but one, and it's already in motion. While it is unlikely that both seasons 3 and four will be assigned the role of a prequel/spin-off, a few episodes in the very least could provide audiences with a better idea of how these silos came to be and why. As the original trilogy indicates, it may not be as straightforward an answer as some once thought.
According to Shift, the construction of the silos was originally intended for nuclear waste storage and at its worst, a shelter for workers in case of disaster. However, the books indicate that the CAD FAC facility was simply a disguise, a cover-up for the W, the World Order Operation 50 initiative, which was a doomsday plan intended to keep humanity safe for 500 years in the event of an apocalypse. The events of years 2049 to 202 could be the perfect storyline for Silo's third season.
Solo's backstory, portrayed by Steve Zhan in Silo, may just reveal why Silo 17 was eliminated by the higher-ups in Silo 1. At the end of season 2, it is heavily implied that Juliet finally discovers what was inside of the elusive Silo 17. Solo, one of the core survivors, is also introduced, leading audiences to wonder what exactly happened to his fellow citizens.
However, the answer isn't so clear yet, considering there are two routes the series could take. According to Howie's second book, Silo 17 organized a rebellion against the government officials. In response, Silo 1 released a swarm of nanobots, killing almost every single citizen, except for Solo. That is, on the other hand, Apple TV's adaptation appears to be going in a different direction, hinting that the people of Silo 17 somehow managed to block the entrance to their home, stopping the nanobots from destroying everything.
Nevertheless, no matter which route Apple TV decides to take, one thing is for sure. Solo's backstory is the key to uncovering the truth. Yes, it's in here somewhere. Since seasons 1 and two were both inspired by Howie's first book, it makes the most sense for seasons 3 and four to focus primarily on the book's sequel. However, for a truly satisfying conclusion, the writers may choose to pull from the third book as well.
In this third book titled Dust, Juliet realizes that some old, long-forgotten machines found in the lowest level silos are actually machines that can be used to bring them to the seed, a safe zone on Earth's surface. Whether it be by the machines or walking to the seed in hazmat suits, Juliet leads the remaining survivors back to the above. This proves to be a dangerous feat, but a bit easier considering Donald Thurman's self-sacrifice in setting off the demolition within Silo 1. With the oppressive leaders out of the picture, all that's left to do is face the elements and maybe a few nanobots on their way back to the world above.
Once there, they find something that truly puts into perspective just how much wool has covered their eyes all these years. After finally reaching the world above the silos, Juliet and her final survivors discovered the world was healed ages ago and there was really no need for them to have remained in the silos for so long. Utilizing the seed and the resources within it, humanity begins to rebuild. Finally free from the underground prison they occupied for generations.
With the death of their old way of living, the silo franchise has a perfect opportunity to expand in a similar way to another underground apocalypse series, The City of Ember. Like Gian Dupra's young adult dystopian book series, Apple TV silo could very well go in a similar direction in future seasons. As humanity rebuilds above ground, Juliet may be forced to return to the now-abandoned silos to retrieve an important piece of technology where she encounters a group of citizens who chose to stay within the safety of the silos.
On top of that, the citizens above ground may quickly learn that they aren't alone. No matter the case, Silos's upcoming seasons have an exciting future ahead. Apple TV Silo is projected to have a fall 2025 release date, most likely around November. The chilling series isn't just a fantastical display of dystopian themes. It's a deep dive into the brutal politics of survival. Thanks to Hugh Howe's masterful source material, Silo will no doubt leave audiences stunned with their upcoming seasons. What do you think of these Silo theories? Should seasons three and four stick closely to the books? Or has Apple TV done a fair job by straying away? Will the third and fourth season be enough to provide fans with a satisfactory conclusion? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. And don't forget to hit that like button and subscribe for more fairies just like these. Thanks again for watching Screen Rant and I'll see you in the next one.