Apple TV+'s Silo introduces the audience to a dystopian world that has become too poisonous and hence unsuitable for life. The surviving humans then form underground communities and start living in silos.
However, they are unaware of the real purpose of these bunkers. As the citizens go about their daily lives, they are largely dependent on porters. Porters are the people working in Silo 18 and other communities who transfer goods and messages from one floor to another.
In the Apple TV+ series, these people are rarely at the forefront of the narrative and are mostly seen as secondary characters. However, they are an integral part of the community and are responsible for the smooth functioning of the silos.
Porters are responsible for keeping the silo connected
Porters are like messengers and delivery workers in Silo. Since there are no elevators in the underground world, they use the long spiral staircase that connects all the levels to carry goods and messages.
However, the job of a porter goes beyond simple deliveries. They deliver written messages to people who do not have radios or computers and carry important supplies between levels. This service runs all day and night and is critical for the functioning of the community.
Porters are also physically strong since their work involves climbing stairs while carrying heavy backpacks filled with items. They can spread news, updates, and even rumors throughout the Silo.
The community is divided among different floors, highlighting the social divisions between levels. However, porters have access to all these levels, which makes them stand out. Most people in the Silo stay in their assigned areas, but porters have the permission to move freely.
They can transport things and messages from the bottom levels, like Mechanical, all the way to the top administrative levels. However, even porters have limits and must follow the rules set by the leaders.
In the second season, they are stopped at a barricade set up by Mayor Holland, showing that even though they are powerless, they can be controlled by the administration. Porters are overseen by the Dispatch department, which is situated on level 10.
Dispatch tracks deliveries and makes sure everything runs smoothly. At the same time, porters’ job gives them a unique advantage. They know what happens on every level, making them useful for anyone trying to discover the secrets about the community and its leaders.
Porters play a key role in Silo Season 2 Episode 5
In Silo Season 2 Episode 5, "Descent," porters take center stage as they become a part of Carla’s escape plans. While being on the run from Knox, Carla turns to Calvin for help. Calvin is a former porter with several connections in the community.
He agrees to hide her, along with Shirley and Martha, and suggests they use the grain belts to escape. However, Carla wants to use an illegal winch-and-cable system, a piece of equipment that the Pact has banned because it threatens the traditional role of porters.
At first, Calvin seems trustworthy but betrays Carla’s group for reward money. This forces them to flee again. Martha decides to separate from the group to avoid getting caught and shares an emotional goodbye with Carla.
Meanwhile, Shirley and Knox are able to steal the equipment from the porters and make a dangerous escape by tying themselves to the cable and leaping down the central chute, bypassing a barricade on Level 130.
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Hence, porters are caught between the strict rules laid down by the leaders and the rebellion within Silo 18. Meanwhile, they continue to work to deliver messages and goods in a world where technology is in the hands of only a few.
New episodes of Silo are released on Apple TV+ on Fridays.
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