The Syndrome is one of the most intriguing concepts in Silo's season 1 — but viewers are still itching to know what is The Syndrome in Silo, and what causes it. Based on Hugh Howey's book trilogy of the same name, Silo stays true to most character beats and sci-fi concepts of its source material. However, to raise the stakes of its action and drama, Apple TV+'s Silo introduces a health condition called The Syndrome - a mysterious condition made all the more mysterious since it doesn't appear in Hugh Howey's novels.
After only making a few references to the condition in its first few episodes, Silo season 1, episode 6 revealed a character with The Syndrome. In the episode's second half, when Deputy Billings confronts Juliette for not trusting him, Juliette opposes him by saying that she has no reason to trust him because he is hiding that he has The Syndrome. While Silo episode 6 does not delve deeper into the details of the seemingly fictional health condition, it establishes that it could have major implications in its sci-fi narrative's future.
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The Syndrome In Silo Explained
Silo Season 1 Reveals The Syndrome's Symptoms
The first clue surrounding The Syndrome appears on a signboard in the Silo's mechanical. Titled "The Syndrome Do you know the signs?," the signboard describes the condition's symptoms as:
" Involuntary twitching is the first sign, leading quickly to shaking of the extremities, flashes of pain and muscle spasms are next. Balance and movement is severely impaired. If untreated infection will attack the brain, resulting in reduced cognitive function and finally, A shut-down of the entire nervous system. "
The signboard also includes a call-to-action saying those infected by the condition must report it at any Medical Level to get free advice and treatment. It also assures citizens that they must not be afraid, be honest, and realize that there is help. With this, the signboard's text ends with a closing sentence that reminds citizens: "Clean living is the real safeguard." Other than the signboard, Article 5 in the Silo's mysterious Pact also mentions that people affected by The Syndrome are not allowed to hold a public office or any other position of responsibility that may "jeopardize the Citizens of the Silo."
The fact that Billings does not isolate himself from his family also suggests that The Syndrome is not contagious.
The Article from the Pact also mentions that those affected by The Syndrome must report their condition upon discovery and immediately resign from their position of authority. This explains why Juliette gets mad at Billings for hiding that he has The Syndrome and holding on to his position as the Deputy. Later in Silo episode 6, when Billings reaches home and asks his wife whether their child is showing signs of The Syndrome, she assures him by implying that the condition is not hereditary. The fact that Billings does not isolate himself from his family also suggests that The Syndrome is not contagious.
What Is Possibly Causing "The Syndrome"?
It Can Either Be A Bacterial Infection Or A Mental Health Condition
Although Silo has not yet revealed what causes The Syndrome, one can speculate based on its hinted signs and warnings from the first six episodes. The warning signs indicate the condition is caused by an infection that affects motor function and cognitive abilities. Considering how the signboard also talks about "clean living," The Syndrome could be a noncontagious bacterial infection caused by prolonged exposure to the Silo's environmental factors, such as indoor pollution and rusty metal parts. This makes even more sense given how the signboard was in the Mechanical, where the pollution levels are higher than other levels.
In an interview (via SFX magazine), Silo's creator, Graham Yost, talked about the condition by saying that "Human beings weren't meant to live like this. Talking about that with Hugh, we came up with something called 'the syndrome'. It's a neuralgic response to the pressure of living in these conditions." His insight on The Syndrome implies that it could also be a mental health condition caused by the psychological distress of living in the underground city. The higher authorities of the Silo are likely to treat it as an infection because of their lack of awareness and self-imposed ignorance surrounding mental health.
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What The Syndrome Reveals About The Silo & Its Citizens
The Syndrome Symbolizes The Harsh Conditions In The Silo
Regardless of what causes The Syndrome, it represents how living in the confined and oppressive environment of the Silo is gradually having a detrimental impact on the citizens' health. The fact that Silo's authorities try to ostracize people with the condition and force them to resign from their respective positions shows how a highly controlled and hierarchical system exists inside Silo's walls. The neuralgic symptoms of The Syndrome, also seemingly serve as a metaphor for how the residents in Silo's underground city are slowly succumbing to the psychological distress of restrictions on social interactions and emotions.
What The Silo Books Say About "The Syndrome"
"The Syndrome" Is An Original Concept In The Show
Image by Stephanie Maulding Interestingly, The Syndrome is an original concept in the show's universe and has not been mentioned in the Hugh Howey Silo books. Owing to this, even though Silo season 1 introduces The Syndrome as more of a side plot, it could have major implications in the story in season 2. Not to mention, since season 1 invests a significant chunk of its runtime into explaining what The Syndrome is, future seasons of Apple TV+'s Silo will likely delve deeper into what causes it and how it impacts Juliette's pursuit of freedom.
How The Syndrome Is LIkely To Play Into Silo Season 2
The Trailer May Have Dropped A Key Hint
Silo season 2 arrives in November 2024, and early story details already tease that The Syndrome is due to be a key plot point. While little has been revealed yet, the Silo season 2 trailer ended on Steve Zahn's new character, Solo, and it was impossible not to notice a key detail that seemingly ties him to the mysterious condition. The trailer for season 2 of Silo focused on Solo's eyes, and many have pointed out that his apparent heterochromia is a key sign that he suffers from The Syndrome.
Solo is present in the Hugh Howey novels, though nothing in the Silo books mentions his eyes. The fact that he looks so distinctive in the show is clearly deliberate. Since The Syndrome itself was also created for the AppleTV+ adaptation of Silo, many fans online have already theorized that the chances the two are linked is incredibly high. What's more, it would make sense that Solo suffers from The Syndrome given what's known about his character.
It's already been suggested that The Syndrome is a product of the living conditions within the silo itself, rather than being some kind of new biological pathogen or man-made virus. In the Silo books, Solo has been living in isolation for years in Silo 17. Given his living conditions, which are far more squalid than the likes of Juliette and the other citizens of Silo 18 are used to, it's highly likely he would have developed The Syndrome.
It's important to note that nothing has been confirmed yet, and so, until Silo season 2 arrives on November 15, 2024, Solo's link to The Syndrome is purely speculative. However, adding such an important piece of world building to the show was a big decision for the Silo creative team to make. It's highly unlikely that The Syndrome won't feature in the plot of Silo season 2 and beyond somehow, and the mystery will surely be revealed sooner or later.
It could even be that The Syndrome somehow factors in to the rebellions and uprisings that have been a feature of the histories of both Silo 18 and, if the show follows the events of the book, Solo's Silo 17 too. If this is the case, it's also possible that cases of The Syndrome will show up with ever-increasing frequency in Silo 18 following Juliette leaving. This would make for an incredibly gripping plot development, and give narrative justification to spread the focus wider than simply showcasing Juliette's journey. With Silo season 2 due imminently, one thing that is almost certain about The Syndrome is that fans won't be waiting long to find out.
Based on Hugh Howey's Wool novel series, Silo is a sci-fi drama series created for Apple TV and follows an engineer named Juliette, who lives in a dystopian future. With the surface poisoned and the world all but ruined, the residents live in a silo deep underground. When the community sheriff breaks protocol and leads to the death of several residents, Juliette begins to discover the dark truth of the silo.
Release Date May 5, 2023
Seasons 1
Streaming Service(s) Apple TV+
Directors Morten Tyldum , David Semel
Showrunner Graham Yost
English (US) ·