Warning! This article contains spoilers for Silo season 2 and Hugh Howey’s original Silo books.
It may be too soon to predict how Apple TV+‘sSilowill unfold in its next two seasons, but the show’s season 2 seems to have hinted at how it plans to adapt the next book in the series. In seasons 1 and 2,Siloroughly adapts all the important arcs ofHugh Howey’s firstSilobook,Wool. Although the show significantly changes many story beats and adds many original characters to the mix, it stays loyal to the book’s overarching structure.
Despite stretching some arcs from the source material and taking creative liberties with several others, the show perfectly captures the themes and ideas presented in the original novel. This, however, will seemingly change inSiloseason 3. Although story details surrounding the next installment in the series are under wraps,Siloseason 2’s endingseems to have disclosed how the show will proceed with its adaptation of Hugh Howey’s secondSilobook,Shift.
Silo Season 2’s Ending Hints The Show Will Not Follow The Books’ Structure
Unlike The Second Book, Silo Season 3 Will Balance Two Different Timelines
The secondSilobook,Shift, unfolds more like a spin-off/prequel that introduces a new set of characters and walks readers through the origins of the titular silos. It does not feature any characters, including Juliette, from thepresent Silo 18 timelineuntil its last few arcs. TheApple TV+ sci-fi showcould have taken a similar approach and dedicated almost an entire season to exploring the origins of the silos. However,Siloseason 2’s ending almost confirms the show will not tread the same path as its source material.
Silo Season 2’s 10 Biggest Changes From The Books
Although Apple TV+’s Silo season 2 stays true to many story beats from the original books, it also introduces many major changes to the original plot.
In the closing moments of Hugh Howey’sWool, Bernard dies in the airlock in Silo 18 while Juliette becomes the new mayor soon after returning home. The show, however, intentionally leaves an air of ambiguity surrounding Juliette and Bernard’s fate by not revealing whether they will survive the high temperature of the airlock chamber. If the show were to follow the books' format and focus on the silos' history in season 3,audiences would have to wait for almost an entire season to learn what happened to Juliette and BernardafterSiloseason 2’s events.
By featuring a flashback in its closing moments, which hints at the silos' origins,Siloseason 2 paves the way for season 3 to balance its runtime between the past and the present timelines.
This would not make sense since viewers are heavily invested in Juliette, Bernard, and every other Silo 18 characters' story and would not want to wait for an entire season to find out their fates and future stories. By featuring a flashback in its closing moments, which hints at the silos' origins,Siloseason 2 paves the way for season 3 to balance its runtime between the past and the present timelines. While the present one could focus on the events inside Silo 18, the past one could dig deeper into the silos' history and explore how it connects to the Congressman and Helen.
Why It Makes Sense For Apple TV+’s Silo Season 3 To Change The Books' Chronology
The Books' Approach Cannot Work For The TV Series
Hugh Howey took a massive risk by focusing on a new set of story and character beats in the secondSilobook. It also surprisingly worked wonders for the original series. However, when it comes to TV shows, viewers expect some level of continuity between seasons and a deeper investment in the characters they have gradually grown attached to. Owing to this,Apple TV+‘sSilocould have potentially harmed its momentumby veering into a spin-off/prequel story about the silos’ origins.
Name ofSilobook
Dust
Serves as a singular book.
By balancing story developments from both the second book,Shift, and the third one,Dust,Silo’s seasons 3 and 4 could avoid alienating audiences. SinceShiftreveals the past andDustprogresses the present Silo 18 timeline, the upcomingSiloseasons will not have to sacrifice character development or continuity if they simultaneously unfold both narratives.
Silo
In a dystopian future, men and women reside in a vast underground silo governed by strict regulations, believed to shield them from the hazardous world above. The series delves into the complex social order within the silo and the mysteries surrounding their subterranean existence.
