The third episode of Silo kicks off with Juliette descending into the depths of the silo, dropping her rope into the murky water below. Despite her efforts, her search yields no results, leaving her feeling emotionally drained. Seeking solace in alcohol, she tries to drown out the painful memories of George's death.
The next morning, Juliette struggles to wake up to her blaring alarm and finds her door ajar, with a colleague entering to ask her questions. Suddenly, a loud rumbling interrupts them, jolting Juliette out of her dazed state. She rushes to the engineering room where she finds Cooper, a young technician investigating the generator, and impulsively hits him. Taking charge of the situation, she fixes the issue.
Juliette is then summoned to a meeting with the head of Engineering, who questions her actions. After punching Cooper, she's ordered to take the day off and sober up. The head of Engineering reminds her that she should be grateful he's not assigning her to the trash line or other unpleasant tasks as punishment for her outburst.
The Mayor and the Deputy visit Judicial together but hesitate at the door. Due to her tenuous relationship with Judge Meadows, Mayor Ruth decides to head deeper down the silo where she runs into Bernard. He warns her about the increasing likelihood of riots and citizens arming themselves without a sheriff to watch over everything.
Mayor Ruth intensifies her investigation into Juliette's candidacy and turns to Juliette's father, who is one of the doctors in the lower levels. He confirms that Juliette has had a keen interest in machines from a young age but does not provide much more information. Ruth is left with more questions than answers.
The Mayor is unsure why she has been recommended to take over Holston's role, and she attempts to figure it out. While having a meal together, Sims, the man operating around the slums, interrupts them with a fresh strawberry dessert. It appears that Sims may be working under Judge Meadows.
Ruth and the Deputy visit Judicial together but hesitate at the door due to Ruth's strained relationship with Judge Meadows. Ruth decides to head deeper into the silo where she meets Bernard, who warns her about the increasing risk of riots and citizens arming themselves without a sheriff to maintain order.
Ruth continues her investigation into Juliette's candidacy, speaking with her father, a doctor in the lower levels. He reveals that Juliette has had a fascination with machines from a young age but doesn't provide much more information. Ruth is left with more questions than answers.
Despite being pitched the name of Paul Billings as a potential sheriff, Ruth remains undecided and promises to make her choice when she's ready. Juliette, who has sobered up, remains committed to fixing the generator and keeping the Silo running.
Ruth visits Martha, a woman who has worked in the workshop for 20 years, to inquire about Juliette's trustworthiness. Martha speaks highly of Juliette, which convinces Ruth that Juliette should take on the role of sheriff. When Ruth offers the position to Juliette, she initially declines, citing the need to fix the generator first.
Ruth gives Juliette Holston's old sheriff badge, which has something carved on the back. At the end of the episode, Juliette changes her mind and accepts the position but warns that the generator needs to be turned off completely for 8 hours to be fixed. Despite Ruth's concern about potential panic, she agrees to the blackout.
In Mechanical, the engineers are discussing the consequences of turning off the generator for an extended period of time, as it could potentially explode, leaving everyone in the dark or worse, resulting in fatalities. However, Mayor Ruth and the Deputy shift their attention towards the maintenance of the Silo itself, ensuring that the gun cabinet is secure.
After turning off the generator, Juliette and Cooper work to locate and repair the issue. Cooper accidentally drops a fan blade, causing Juliette to urge him to concentrate while the other engineers work to fix the issue. They have limited time to fix the generator before it's too late.
When warning lights start flashing, Juliette goes deeper into the generator, using cold water to cool it down. Although it's touch and go, they eventually get Juliette out and manage to turn the generator back on. Everyone cheers, but Juliette is aware of how close they came to disaster.
Despite their success, the engineers discuss the risks of turning off the generator for a prolonged period and the possibility of explosions. The focus shifts to securing the Silo's gun cabinet, while Juliette contemplates the dangers they faced during the repair process.
Juliette is saddened by the fact that she has to become the sheriff and fulfill her promise. She bids farewell to Martha, apologizing for her earlier outburst. Bernard returns to the higher levels of the Silo and is displeased that Juliette has been chosen as sheriff. He believes she is not suitable for the position, as she has been caught stealing some tape that did not belong to her.
Meanwhile, Juliette discovers the word "truth" on Holston's badge just before she leaves Engineering. As the episode concludes, we see Mayor Ruth looking unwell. She walks away from the Deputy and suddenly collapses on the floor, convulsing and bleeding from the mouth. The Deputy cries out for help as the episode ends.
