Silo Season 2 Episode 4 - The Harmonium

Warning! Spoilers ahead! I have not read the book series this show is based on, so this is a highly speculative review and summary.   This episode amps up the tension as several shocking revelations and events unfold.

The show starts at a good pace as we watch Jules and Solo work together to get her through to level 23 to get the firefighter suit. In order to do so, she must disassemble the harmonium so that she can create a machine to deliver air to herself. Located in a classroom, this keyboard has special significance to Solo as he is able to play it and he has lots of memories associated with the room it's in. 

Knox and Shirley join forces and come up with a plan to have Walker and Carla join them to speak with the judge about the events and possibly sending exploratory expeditions outside. The judge, after revealing her desires to go outside to Bernard, decides to grant Lukas (last seen in season 1, episode 10) an audience to review his sentence where after a discussion of true science (involving planetary rotation and revolution) she amends his sentence to five years from the original ten years. Sims, creates a campaign to impeach the Judge so that he may gain more favor with Bernard.

The story of Judge Meadows reaches its climax and conclusion as Major Bernard Holland, head of IT lures her to his place for a final meal and poisons her. She dies in his arms but not before telling him that there is a vital message in the hard drive that she knows about, but can not tell him the contents.

Jules and Solo are able to get the firefighter suit, but Solo has a minor emotional meltdown as he is extremely attached to his role as the guardian of the vault. 

Knox, Shirley, Walker and Carla climb the stairs to see Judge Meadows encountering lots of protests and potential violence along the way. They are almost turned away but use the threat of power loss and generator shut down as a negotiating tactic. Only Knox and Shirley are allowed in to the judges chambers where they see a murdered judge with a knife through her heart. Realizing they are being set up, they leave and then run down the silo stairs. After a few minutes head start, the upper level denizens chant and scream "Justice!" as they chase after them.

Analysis and revelations

• With the reference to Costa Rica and the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, and the year 2018, the Silo is indeed on planet Earth and is a dystopian future. 
• Solo has likely been in the vault since childhood and the events in Silo17 likely occured as little as 2-3 decades ago.
• There have been a cycle of revolts and revolutions and in each one, Mechanical is blamed, as written in the Order, apparently no matter where rebellion started, the finger always pointed at Mechanical.
• Judge Meadows and Bernard are very much aware of the outside world and history. It is not clear why Lukas was brought back unless he becomes relevant later in the season.
• As both bodies (Cooper's and Kennedy's) were taken from the morgue, Patrick Kennedy may still be alive as the sharpshooter may have spared his life avoiding internal organs.
• Classroom names: Steven, Eddie, Taylor, Xavier, Brittany, Emily, Bobby, Serj, Jason, Lynn, Lisa, Piper, Jeremy, Marn, Darnell
  
• Billings is becoming more suspicious of the true nature of Judicial.
• It is unclear what the codes are in the classroom, but they are six digits and in an upcounting manner. The number of digits (by sound) to the vault are 4 digits so it is unlikely to be that.
• The revolt occured a week before Founders Day in Silo17. There is no Founders day in Silo18, only Freedom Day, which does not exist in Silo17.
• Solo's childhood friend's name is Lapis whose backpack appears to be in that same classroom.
• impeaching a judge
  - proven misbehavior
  - incapacity to act
  - endangering the silo
• Silo18: Salvador quinn, 140 years ago (previous head of IT)
• The song played for Judge Meadows final meal is Erik Satie - Gymnopédie No.1

Trivia and New technology in this episode

As the show progresses, we see new technology introduced in each episode. As there were motion detector lights seen in the last episode. We see namely the harmonium which is not modern tech but a new item not seen before in earlier shows. There is also a VR helmet that is out of today's technology and Bernard references The Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, 2018 and these animals:

• white-faced capuchin monkey
• red-eyed tree frog
• a flock of Quetzal birds

Food in this episode

A roast chicken with mushrooms and greens in a brown sauce. Beware the mushrooms.

Characters of interest this episode

Jules Nichols - Originally from Silo18, she is currently in Silo17. She spends most of this episode trying to figure out how to get back to Silo17. She seems to be bonding with Solo.
Solo - has been through major trauma as well as been isolated for (decades?). He was the shadow of Russell in Silo18, the head of IT.
Bernard Holland - He is head of IT and has been acting Mayor since the suspicious death of the former Mayor Jahns. He murders Judge Meadows in this episode and instigates mechanical.
Judge Meadows - Alcoholic,  shows she knows a lot about the previous outside world including the existence of the solar system.
Robert Sims - Has power, is the right hand man of Bernard but is not viewed competent enough to be the Shadow for Bernard, a role he clearly covets. He does the dirty work and convinces Kennedy to throw a flamebomb so that he may later be shot.
Dr. Pete Nichols - Not in this episode. Jules's father continues to be the caring father figure type as a physician caring for the newborn. He is being watched by IT just in case... He disobeys an order and removes birth control from a young couple trying to conceive.
Patrick Kennedy - not in this episode. Captured, throws a molotov cocktail and is murdered in a set up by Judicial. He is possibly still alive as it appears the bullet was purposefully aimed to be away from vital organs.
Terry Cooper - not in this episode, he was murdered as part of the molotov cocktail incident last episode. He was previously the shadow of Jules in engineering. He was an unintended target.
Knox - strange leader in mechanical, will he and Shirley lead the revolution? Is framed in the murder of Judge Meadows.
Sheriff Paul Billings - a person with "the syndrome" is another figurehead, similar to Judge Meadows. He knows the Pact forwards and backwards and is keenly aware of everything not adding up. Especially as his powers have been stripped from him as the Deputies answer to IT now. He confesses to Judge Meadows that he has the syndrome and that he has doubts that Jules had said she wanted to go outside.
Walker - part of the four that ascend the stairs to speak to Judge Meadows. Significant because she previously never left her workshop and now does.
Carla - part of the four that ascend the stairs to speak with Judge Meadows, she works in supply and had the "good tape" that saved Jules.

Unanswered Questions

• Who is the wheelchair guy that can make weapons and what is the second request?
• The display showing the illusionary perfect world died as Jules walked a certain distance but Bernard was still able to see what she saw. How come? The assumption was the wifi signal was too weak.
• How long has Silo17 been dead?
• Did someone cut the rope from Episode 1? If so, it likely wasn't Solo, he could barely walk across the platform. Who was it?
• Dr. Nichols will likely be caught, since he is being watched so closely. What purpose does this serve for the plot?
  
• Who is part of the ring of people that hacks the Silo's security network?
• Who was helping Jules escape by turning off the cameras at key opportune moments?
• What is the syndrome?

Review of previous episodes:
Season 1

Season 2 Episode 1 - The Engineer
Season 2 Episode 2 - Order
Season 2 Episode 3 - Solo
Season 2 Episode 4 - Harmonium