By Volo on Thursday, 26 December 2024
Category: Sci-Fi

Silo Season 2 Episode 7 - The Dive

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 continues the build up of the tension in silo18 towards rebellion, with an outright message to the rest of the silo via a launched rocket full of, albeit true, propaganda. The main story lines are the continuation of the pressure towards revolution and rebellion from the down deep mechanicals and the upper crust of the Silo, namely IT and Judicial. The other main story is Jules in Silo17 after being coerced to help Solo dives down into the lower levels to hook up power to the water pumps. She is successful but loses her rope connection to the above signal bell as well as the air being pumped to her. She rapidly ascends and looks for Solo, she puzzingly sees an axe presumably the one used to cut her rope and sees blood on a wagon. It appears there was a struggle and hence obliquely confirms they are not alone in silo17.

What makes this episode interesting is the side stories:

Salvador Quinns Code

As discovered in this episode, the Quinn Code appears to be a numeric cipher that points to pages in a book. He wanted his code to be solved so did not use any books in the Legacy as a key to his cipher.

The Wizard of Oz is a public domain book and can be found: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/43936/43936-h/43936-h.htm

If we are to start on page 77, it speaks of a Dorothy and her companions coming upon a fork in the road. If you extrapolate that to the people of the Silo, they are likely coming upon a fork in the road as well, whether to rebel or stay ignorant of "the truth" or whichever version of it that exists for the sake of peace an compliance.

Trivia and interesting tidbits

The Bends

The Bends, or decompression sickness, was discussed as something that may affect Jules after going a depth underwater, it is most common in Scuba diving or in high altitude plane rides. It is caused when breathing air which is a mixture of gases at a more compressed pressure than what is normal at sea level.  As such, because of the differences in pressure more nitrogen is absorbed into the bloodstream than would be normal at sea level. Hence when returning to sea level it is required to allow this nitrogen to be breathed out of the body otherwise it can turn into gass while still in the body.

However, in the apparatus used by Jules, it is merely an air pump not a compressor and if it were a compressor they do not have a way to account for the changing pressure based on depth. Modern devices use the ideal gas equation (PV=nRT) to calculate this. So it is unlikely she would have the bends because she would not have the air delivered in a compressed fashion. However there is a very very small chance. Regardless, for the sake of the story, if she ends up battling "the bends," then so be it.​


​Pez dispenser

The Pez dispenser is symbolic of innocence. Thinking about what it is, a simple child's toy that gave candy, if anyone has one as a kid it hopefully reminds you of a good childhood. In the Silo, it is a banned relic and whoever holds it seems to be pretty innocent about everything going on in the Silo but perhaps about to find out more. It's appearance in the hands of Robert Sims's son is telling of his innocence, but it could it be foreshadowing of his loss of innocence as it has been for George Wilkins and Juliette Nichols.

​George Wilkins

As these episodes go by, I can not help but think how useless the death of Jules's love interest was. It certainly helped push the story forward but in terms of what he died for, the survival of the hard drive and to protect Jules. None of which really happened. In a way it happened anyways as seems to be the natural course of events in the Silo. But it seems his death along with the other lovable characters from the early episodes, Sheriff Holston and wife, Mayor Jahns, Deputy Marnes were truly tragic.

​Characters of interest this episode

Bernard Holland - Going through an incredible amount of stress as he deals with the politics in the Silo in addition to creating a potential rebellion so that he can crush it as dictated by the Order.
Camille Sims - supports the rebels, albeit secretly, as she attempts to convince Rob Sims from going to talk to Bernard. The only time she shows him a large amount of affection in both series is in this scene.
Robert Sims - really goes on a limb to argue and push back with Bernard Holland, he is almost forced to befriend the brewing rebellion.
Knox - The co-leader of the rebellion and very persuasive to the mechanicals
Shirley Campbell - The co-leader of the rebellion also persuasive but not as much as Knox. The potential love interest for Knox.
Carla McLain - Currently being held by Judicial/IT.
Walker - love interest of Carla and holds lots of credibility among mechanical. Feels she needs to do "something more" to save Carla and in so stating, reveals a huge regretful burden she's been carrying for years.

​Unanswered questions

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
Season 2 Episode 5 - Descent
Season 2 Episode 6 - Barricades
Season 2 Episode 7 - The Dive
Season 2 Episode 8 - The Book of Quinn

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