Silo Season 3 Episode 9 Review: A Perfect Farewell

All eyes are on Bernard Holland as he says his final goodbyes on Silo Season 3 Episode 9, “Farewell.”

Penultimate episodes are often some of the best outings of a season, as they set up the final moments before the end and a long hiatus begins. That sentiment remains true for this episode of Silo.

Not only are we provided with one of the best endings to a character arc that I’ve seen in a long while, but we’re finally at the most captivating part of the Before Times sequence as well.

“Farewell” is one of those penultimate outings for a season that you find yourself coming back to time and time again. One reason is how impactful the episode is to the series’ plot, and another is because of how exquisitely directed it is.

An Unforgettable Goodbye

It’s been a slow but steady buildup to this point, with plenty of foreshadowing that Bernard would not make it out of the season alive.

However, never in my right mind would I imagine myself being so moved by the death of a character who once tried to kill the main protagonist. It’s just yet another shining example of the brilliant minds at work in the writers’ room for the series.

Bernard Holland has irrefutably had one of the best character arcs in the series. We see him go from the morally corrupt ruler following the orders of an unsentient being, who everyone would love to see perish, to this fragile, emotional older man who has secretly been working for the greater good of the silo the entire time.

His death is what allows Shirley, Knox, and the rest of the crew to bust into level 55, where they can attempt to remove the drugs from the water. Without him, their plan would have been a thousand times harder to execute.

Bernard: Three months ago, your friends pulled off a rebellion in your name. Since then, I’ve seen who they are, what they can do. I was able to be a part of it. I’ve never had that in my life. The power that your people have. What they’re capable of given an opportunity, given a chance. My death is a chance.

Not only does Bernard end on a high note as one of the most complex characters in the series, but Tim Robbins delivers a performance of a lifetime. He captivates the screen from the very beginning until he takes his figurative last breath.

The emotional chemistry Robbins and Rebecca Ferguson share on screen is rare, and it’s going to be deeply missed going forward. It’s stirring enough to bring a tear to my eye.

The entire sequence of Bernard’s death is so aesthetically pleasing. From the emotional depth of the framing, the pacing jumping back and forth between spectators and him, to the color grading as he takes his final breaths, it’s simply a masterpiece.

Hailing A New Order

Tim Robbins isn’t alone in delivering an impeccable performance. Alexandria Riley and Common also deserve their moments in the spotlight for how flawlessly they portray Camille and Robert Sims. The two can effortlessly bounce off one another, and they know how to bring the chaotic, emotional depth their characters’ relationship needs.

Right now, Robert and Camille’s partnership is the haziest it’s ever been, as they’ve been working separately toward their own ideas of what safety looks like for their son.

What makes it so hard to vilify Camille, though, is the fact that she’s in the same predicament Bernard was in. Yes, she’s making horrific decisions, but it’s all in an effort to keep the peace within the silo. She believes she’s doing what’s best for the greater good, even if she’s sorely mistaken.

We see this message implied again when she tells Juliette that without her and Robert’s help, her loved ones would have died during the rebellion. It’s an effort to gain sympathy for her actions and prove she’s only looking out for the greater good, but that doesn’t change how cruel what she’s doing is.

Going into the season finale, it’s clear she’s in over her head, as Robert remains locked up, and she continues to battle to control the narrative within the silo.

Here Comes the Boom

Finally! After spending all season long gearing up for this moment, we’re getting a glimpse at what exactly led to the invention of the silos to begin with. And there are so many questions to be asked.

Picking up with a three-year time jump, Daniel and Helen, now happily pregnant, reconvene with Charlotte and Anna ahead of the big unveiling of the silos. During their respective tours of the buildings, tensions begin to rise, though, as Daniel gets the sense that something fishy is going on.

As it turns out, he could be correct. We soon see that on the very day Sen. Thurman and Stenson plan to unveil their new major project, the expected massive, extinction-level explosion takes place minutes after everyone is escorted inside the silos for mealtime.

Daniel and Helen, meanwhile, are looking for one another outside when the explosion happens. Could this mean that this is the fate they meet?

Neither of the two was necessarily near the entrance of their respective silos at detonation, so it feels unlikely that either would have made it out alive. However, if they were destined to die outside the walls of the silo, it feels unlikely the pez dispenser Daniel gave Helen would have made its way inside silo 18.

The major question that arises from this sequence of events is: did they know? Did Stenson, Sen. Thurman, Victor, and Henry somehow know that the blast was coming at that time?

It feels wrong to assume, but Anna was dodgy and ominous throughout her interactions in the back end of the episode.

When Charlotte mentions going on a real honeymoon, Anna shifts in her seat. When Daniel comments on getting breakfast the next day, after the showing of the silos, Anna gets a peculiar look. It’s as if she knows there won’t be a tomorrow for them to enjoy.

Additionally, Henry is pretty adamant about Daniel not getting too far from the silo, moments before the explosion. It’s as if the entire scenario was planned, so they could gather the remaining people they wanted to help maintain the silos and breed new life.

One thing’s for sure, next week’s season finale is going to be one that fans won’t soon forget.

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Silo is available to stream at midnight on Fridays on Apple TV.

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