The show Silo has been garnering significant attention despite only being out for a short time. As a result, plenty of Silo fan theories have been circulating around. Fans have been asking all kinds of questions regarding the plotline of the show. However, there have been no clear answers to these questions. What’s outside? Is there actually a toxin killing them? And what do the overbearing forces above the people have to hide? Theories about what the Silo is, why the characters are stuck in it, and what prospects exist in the outside world range from believable to pretty out there.
For those who have read the book under the same name, the answers may not be as clouded in mystery as they are for the show watchers. However, those who are simply watching the dystopian show as it releases episodes have much to speculate about, leading to myriad fan theories on the internet. Despite the fact that the show is based on a trilogy titled the Wool Trilogy, there are many fans out there who are theorizing things with fresh eyes, despite not reading the books. Places like Reddit and Twitter are buzzing with new takes on where the show will go and how the world functions. In this article, we’ll get into a few theories about the outside world in Silo.
1) The Outside World Is Actually Fine
One theory that’s definitely making the rounds on the internet concerning Silo is that the world is fine. No poison, no toxins deadly to man – just the Silo and those who run it who are causing problems. There are plenty of in-scene moments that back up this claim. For example, during a specific scene, while the power went out, the screen in the dining room seemed to show a green landscape. This landscape may be the actual world that exists outside. Many fans have suggested that the screens showing the desolate world outside are made up to look that way.
Whether or not you acknowledge the validity of the books, this theory holds weight with those as well. The final book, Dust, correlates to this theory in the ending. For those alright with spoilers, in that title, Juliette proves that a nuclear event did happen once upon a time. So, the fact that the Earth was uninhabitable was once true. However, later on in the story, Juliette leads people to a safe area of green – one that is far away from the Silo (or in the book’s case, Silos, plural).
2) The Silo Is a Spaceship
Another theory that’s been circulating is the idea that the Silo is a spaceship. Considering both the interior and exterior design of it all, that would make plenty of sense. A silo would make a great structure for a space vessel. Even the living spaces have a futuristic design to them. Comparing the interior to other aspects of spaceships, you’ll find that this theory makes plenty of sense, especially if you watch the currently available episodes a second time.
This theory also establishes the idea that the Silo is not underground. The images on the screens are just illusions. The old footage inhabitants see is simply an old recording of the planet they left behind, presumably Earth. The paradise screen, in this theory’s case, is a CGI interpretation of the planet they hope to one day inhabit. While this theory has plenty of plausible roots, there are also some similar kickbacks. For example, the occupants would have to, at some point, be subject to null gravity. As far as we know, they haven’t.
3) The Outside World Is Actually Just the Silo
The theory that thematically makes sense is the idea that there is no outside world at all. That’s right – all the characters have is the inside of that Silo. This theory stems from the question ‘Just how deep is the Silo?’ Is it miles underground or just under the surface? Going outside has proven to be fatal, but is it fatal for uncontrollable reasons, or is it all some orchestrated act? Those on forums discussing the show have further fleshed out this theory to have fans believe that the outside is simply another chamber of the Silo. And that chamber, as it would seem, has no oxygen. So, the ‘outside world’ is, truthfully, uninhabitable.
This theory mostly stems from the fact that fans believe you can’t rely on what the Silo’s screens show of the outside. Because the show is set up for some kind of major twist concerning what the Silo actually is, this theory makes a lot of sense. Everything on the screens can easily be fabricated, making the Silo a world unto itself. Theorists that follow this fan theory are of the opinion that the surface and hill where Holston and Allison died are just alternate chambers to the Silo. According to this theory, the inhabitants know nothing, or next to nothing, about the real earth.
4) The Outside World Isn’t Earth
One of the wildest, but still most respected theories out there, is that the Silo is on a planet other than Earth. While theorists haven’t agreed on what planet it is, they suggest that terraforming attempts were made. According to these theorists, the Silo is a temporary home. The Silo was apparently supposed to last hundreds of years. However, the terraforming meant for the planet failed, making it a permanent solution. While this theory is popular, its validity remains completely up in the air. Many contextual clues from season one heavily imply that the Silo is based on Earth.
While this theory might be a swing-and-miss, it’s still an interesting one. For any fan of the show, it’s an interesting idea to toss around and discuss. According to the base principles of the theory, the authorities that be are justified to hide the terraforming failure from the rest of the occupants. This theory also helps explain why the artifacts from Earth are illegal. The authorities in place likely ban these artifacts to prevent any kind of false hope from spouting among the occupants of the Silo.
5) It’s All an Experiment
The least popular of the fan theories is that the Silo is just an elaborate experiment. Thankfully, this one has little evidence. This ending rings true with a lot of shows and movies that are akin to Silo. The reason this is one of the most popular Silo theories out there is not because it’s actually plausible, but because it thematically aligns with the show. Having multiple hidden elements definitely plays into this kind of ending. The miniseries, Ascension, from 2014, had a similar ending.
Fans are happy to come up with plenty of devil’s advocate reasons against this theory. This is for good reason. Viewers would be pretty disappointed if this were the case. Luckily, we can say with certainty that this is not the place the book goes. So, it’s unlikely that the show will veer in that direction. The biggest evidence against the theory that the Silo is a psychological experiment is the Silo’s age. It’d be quite difficult to run an experiment with humans for that long.
