Exploring the Complicated World of Silo Series

The Origins of Silo Series

Silo's Rebecca Ferguson looking stoic.

Silo tells the story of a community that lives underground in a vertical safe haven due to the poisonous conditions of the outside world. The inhabitants of the silo believe that an apocalyptic event occurred on Earth centuries ago, making it impossible for human life to continue on the surface. The series stars Rebecca Ferguson as Juliette, who finds herself taking over as Sheriff after Sheriff Holston decides to leave the silo to learn the truth about the outside world. While the series hasn't revealed much information about the function and creation of the silo, the truth can be found within the Silo book trilogy for those who can't wait.

Rashida Jones looking up in Silo on Apple TV+

The Location of the Silo

Based on the information provided in the Silo books, the silo is likely located underground somewhere in the continental United States. This can also be deduced by the English-speaking actors with American accents in the Apple TV+ series. The exact location of the silo is not specified in the books, but the Westernized themes of the underground society point to the implication that the silo takes place on what was formerly the territory of the United States before the apocalypse. Although there is no absolute confirmation that the silo takes place in the US, the context clues make it seem like the most accurate prediction.

Silo looking around a field in Silo

The World Outside the Silo

The inhabitants are made to believe that the world outside the silo is deadly and poisonous, which is true. When workers are sent out to clean the camera at the silo's surface, they are only able to survive for a few moments before ultimately suffocating and dying from the poisonous air. This is because the suits that are meant to protect them from hazardous toxins do not protect them at all, meaning even those who keep their suits on aren't safe from the toxic fumes.

Robert looking on in Silo

The world of Silo is also truly hostile and post-apocalyptic as it is shown through the main surface-level camera. Both Holston's and Allison's visors on their suits were manipulated to show them a pleasant, verdant outside world, but this was a deception. Holston believed that Allison was right in thinking that the world wasn't really poisoned and that a beautiful landscape awaited them above. Once he took the helmet off, Holston realizes that they had not been lied to and that leaving the silo was a grave mistake.

Bernard talking to Juliette in Silo

The Size and Structure of the Silo

The entire height of the silo is roughly 5,760 feet, which is equivalent to four Empire State Buildings stacked on top of each other. The social class systems within the silo are so distinctly divided due to the great distance that the bottom-level inhabitants would have to climb to reach the upper levels. The walk would be especially tiring due to the incline and the number of stairs one would have to traverse. The lack of an elevator in the massive structure implies that the separation was deliberately designed to maintain a distinct caste system within the silo between the mechanical workers at the bottom and the authorities at the top.

Allison and Holton looking at a monitor in Silo

The silo extends approximately more than a mile deep into the Earth with 144 levels that are each 40 feet tall. The Apple TV+ series kept the same dimensions as the original silo in the book to capture the immense size of the underground civilization. While some, including Mayor Ruth in Silo episode 3, may choose to make the trek up or down the silo by foot, it is typically only done on the rarest or most urgent of occasions. Although it is certainly possible to walk the full length of the silo, it would likely exhaust most people who would try to do so.

Holston looking at something in Silo

The Creation of the Silo

The reveal of who created the silo isn't discussed until the second book Dust, which explains that a multitude of silos were ordered to be constructed by the United States federal government in the event of a catastrophic attack that risks the future of humanity. Dust states that in the year 2049, Congressman Donald Keene is appointed to create the first-ever silo due to his expertise in architectural design. Donald completes the project in 2052 by crafting an underground shelter system that consists of 50 individual silos. That same year, nuclear explosions took place on Earth which made the world uninhabitable.

Juliette and Lukas in Silo's cafeteria, observing the stars

Life Beyond the Silo

All that was known about leaving the silo was that people would ultimately die due to the poisonous air. Juliette becomes the first person who successfully manipulates her suit and goes out into the hostile world with the necessary protection to explore the post-apocalyptic wasteland. Juliette soon discovers through her travels that there is more than just one silo. There are at least 18 different silos all at various levels of civilization. The Apple series will likely unfold the events that bring Juliette to Silo 17, where she breaks in and finds out about an uprising that ended terribly for the inhabitants.

The Listeneres looking at Juliette in Silo episode 6's ending

Hugh Howey's books Wool, as well as Dust and Shift, so far seem to possess the exact blueprint of how the Apple TV+ series Silo will play out. Although there is a possibility that the creator of the television series Graham Yost could change some key elements of the book trilogy, so far the show has stayed true to the plot of the original version. Howey has reportedly been very pleased with the television adaptation of his celebrated Silo books and will likely play a major part in the development of the next season and perhaps even a season 3 sometime in the near future.

Tim Robbins' Bernard smiling in Silo