Silo Season 3 Episode 10 Review: The Ultimate Deception

In a world built on control and manipulation, Silo Season 3 Episode 10, “Troy,” is the darkest outing yet of the whole series. This episode is a paradigm shift in what viewers thought they knew, changing everything from here on.

I think it’s safe to say that Silo is peak television and has delivered one of the best season finales that we’ve seen in a long time.

For those who have read the books, the series’ big twist might not come as much of a shock. But for those of us who are only watching the TV series? It’s a complete game-changer.

Everything we know to be true about who controls the silos, even if only to a limited extent, is tossed out the window with “Troy.” This episode will be discussed for years to come as what a season finale should embody.

I’ve said it before, and I’m going to say it again: the team behind Silo is absolutely superb. From the writers and directors to the actors, producers, and lighting directors, everyone is spectacularly exquisite at their jobs.

A Dark Twist

While the fate of Helen is not yet known and is sure to be explored in season four, we now know that Daniel is a vital element in silo 1. That said, Victor and Senator Thurman have taken it upon themselves to wipe his memories and now call him Troy.

It’s a sickening backstab in the developing relationship we saw the trio foster before the bombings. Instead of getting to live his life as himself, he’s forced to endure being put on cryo and removed multiple times for dire moments within the silos.

And the person behind the AI voice in each of the silos? None other than Victor himself. However, rather than being the one to make the hard choices, like when it comes to seeing a Safeguard through, Victor leaves that to Daniel.

“Troy” as a whole takes Daniel’s character and strips away everything that he stands for. The character fans have come to love would never order the execution of thousands of people, and yet, here we watch him casually sitting back and, dare I say, almost enjoying the actions of slaughtering silo 17.

On top of that, he and Charlotte no longer remember their relationship as brother and sister, with her now being referred to as Susan. Thankfully, Senator Thurman isn’t totally heartless and doesn’t throw her in jail, like Daniel wanted after she disobeyed his order to perform mass execution.

A Love So Pure

Despite being manipulated and having his memories altered for hundreds of years, Daniel continues to get flashbacks and memories of Helen.

Their love proves strong enough to break through Victor’s trauma and experimentation. So much so that Victor keeps a drawer full of notes with the quote “Who is she?” which means that Daniel has asked about who Helen is repeatedly with each wake-up.

I choose to take this bit of information and believe that Helen is alive and made it out of the blast in time. However, that would mean that she and the baby would live a life without ever seeing Daniel again.

It feels like a catch-22, but no matter what, I need the question of what happened to Helen to be answered within the opening moments of season four.

Victim or Villain

With Victor’s decision to kill himself and leave Daniel in charge, it does beg the question: was Victor a victim himself? When charting Daniel’s question of who Helen is, Victor puts it in a file named Troy, which could imply that he doesn’t know Daniel’s real identity.

However, that would seemingly go against the notion that he was the “founder” of the silo’s, as Henry refers to him. That sentiment is also backed up when Victor admits to Camille that the silos were built because humanity was in a cycle of self-destruction, and they were the only way to keep them from going extinct.

If true, though, it’s puzzling as to why Victor only leaves Daniel with Helen’s name, rather than telling him what his real identity is as well. All learning her name will do is cause him to go on a wild goose chase to figure out the truth, when Victor could have left it all in the message.

Throughout all of this, I find myself asking: where the hell is Per Stenson? If anyone is the true founder, it’s him.

Could he have been killed in an argument between him, Victor, and Thurman? Or could he be sleeping away safely in cryo, awaiting the end of the 500 years they prepared for?

Timelines in Sync

The other major twist of this episode: we’re now in the present, baby! Despite what he ever thought or intended, 350 years later, Daniel is the one still alive, making decisions about humanity’s existence.

After failing to safeguard silo 18, Daniel is personally selected to be the one to attempt to wipe the silo out next.

After all, he mentions that a capped pipe happened once before, which means he’s overcome the obstacle in the past, and that they’ve been fighting to keep control of the silos since the beginning of the operation.

And with Juliette declaring war on silo 1, the fighting is far from over. She and Daniel will inevitably come face-to-face. The ultimately question, though, is whether Daniel will remember the truth and the two become allies, or if they’ll attempt to kill one another.

One thing’s for sure, though: Juliette and the rest of silo 18 won’t be going down without a fight. They know Daniel’s agreement not to initiate another safeguard if they don’t contact another silo will only last so long.

Knox: You know what this day is? Freedom Day. The first real Freedom Day we’ve ever had.

Their victory in capping the pipe and avoiding extermination has fueled them with the most joy and determination we’ve ever seen.

It’s the type of thrilling win that provides enough of a moral boost to dictate an entire mindset. Their actions prove that they can fight back, and they won’t be killed so easily.

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Silo is built with a backbone full of phenomenal actors, and everyone brings their A-game on “Troy.”

Alexandria Riley is the highlight of the outing for me, as she manipulates Victor to his face and helps Knox and Shirley cap the pipe. The emotional depth and layers Riley has brought to her character this season have been amazing to witness.

With her now in partnership with Juliette and the rest of the crew, I cannot wait to see how both her character and the series evolve in the final season.

Stray Thoughts:

• We needed way more Steve Zahn this season. With season four being the final outing, I hope this is remedied, and he’s made a main character.
• Is Juliette related to Helen and Daniel? He sure did take his time staring at her face and studying it. It seemed more intimate than a man simply staring at an enemy. Could he see a resemblance as well?
• Ashley Zuckerman has been a great addition to the cast, and I cannot wait to see the nuances he brings to the character next season. Daniel will inevitably face an inner battle for most of the final outing as he tries to remember Helen and uncover the truth behind everything.
• What the hell could be behind the vault at the bottom of the silos? What could be so important that Daniel would agree to a ceasefire? A direct tunnel to silo 1, maybe?

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Silo Season 3 is available to stream now on Apple TV. 

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