‘Silo’: Why Can’t Walker Leave Her Workshop? Explained

The first season of AppleTV+’s hit dystopian series, Silo, wrapped up in dramatic fashion on June 30, 2023, and we’re already eager for another season. There are still numerous questions left unanswered, but the season finale did bring us some satisfying moments like Martha Walker getting out of her workshop. But why couldn’t Walker leave her workshop in the first place?

While it was never explicitly stated, Martha Walker couldn’t leave her workshop because she likely has agoraphobia, the fear of open spaces. It usually develops due to past trauma, and we learned that Martha didn’t leave her workshop – until the season finale – for over two decades.

Now, while it may seem like a horrible way to live – as if you’re in a self-inflicted prison your whole life – the fact that Martha never left her workshop actually benefitted her, Juliette, and the Flamekeepers in more than one way. If you’re still here, you’re probably eager to hear the full breakdown of Martha’s condition and the perks it inadvertently brought. Let’s dig in!

Who is Martha Walker?

Martha Walker is an older, retired electrical engineer from the show Silo, portrayed by the awesome British actress Harriet Walter. Martha was – and basically still is – in chard of the electronics workshop at the Mechanical level of the Silo, located in the Down Deep.

Martha took in and accepted Juliette in the Mechanical when she was only 13 years old. Despite appearing grumpy, frail, and always with a frown on her face, Martha was the mother figure to Juliette that she desperately needed after her own mother passed away.

Walker was always there for Juliette for guidance, mentorship, or simply comfort – whatever was needed at any given time. She displayed true love and affection towards Juliette, even in a world where love and affection come sparingly.

Despite being old and semi-retired, the entire Mechanical worshipped Martha for her skill and leadership. And, of course, even though she hadn’t left her workshop in over two decades.

Of course, years of being in the dark and hardly moving took a toll on Walker’s physical appearance and condition. Still, her mind always remained sharp, and despite technically not being a Flamekeeper herself, she always helped and supported Juliette in finding the answers she needed – who runs the Silo, who built it, and what secrets are they keeping from its inhabitants?

Why can’t Walker leave her workshop?

As I’ve mentioned, Martha Walker never ever leaves her workshop. In a flashback, we saw Juliette when she came down to the Mechanical when she was just 13 years old. That’s when Martha Walker took her in and became a mother figure to her.

Back then, they told Juliette that Martha hadn’t left her workshop in years. Fast forward to the present day, when our main plot took place – it’s been more than fifteen years later. In total, Martha Walker hadn’t left her small workshop in the Down Deep for certainly over two decades, if not a bit more.

But why was that the case? Why can’t Martha Walker leave her workshop? Nobody is holding her hostage, so why is she constantly down there?

Well, it was never explicitly stated, but it’s likely that Walker is suffering from a condition known as agoraphobia. Agoraphobia is a type of anxiety disorder known as the ‘fear of open spaces.’ Although technically, it doesn’t have to be an open space, but rather the fear of leaving environments one considers safe, such as their own home.

It comes from the Greek word Agora – which was a big, public place in Ancient Greek cities where people would gather and converse. It’s practically the same thing as a Forum in Ancient Rome or the equivalent of today’s town square.

People with agoraphobia have a crippling fear and anxiety of leaving their ‘safe space’ and going anywhere unfamiliar or, in their mind, ‘unsafe.’ It usually starts as mild anxiety but progressively gets worse to a point where people with agoraphobia suffer major panic attacks when even setting foot out the door.

The condition usually starts with a stressful event and then progresses over time. It can be different things for different people – from something as modest as losing a job to a really traumatic experience such as assault or something similar.

We never learn if that’s the case with Walker, but the symptoms are certainly there – refusing to leave her workshop, panic, hyperventilation when faced with the possibility of leaving, anxiety, etc.

One other aspect of agoraphobia is the anticipation of anxiety even before it actually occurs. It’s interesting because, at one point, Martha says that she knows they’ll get punished for starting a rebellion or something along those lines.

Perhaps that’s Martha’s ‘anticipation of anxiety,’ or just her remembering a past traumatic event that likely triggered her agoraphobia? I guess we won’t know for sure until (and if) the showrunners decide to dive deeper into it.

Did Walker ever leave her workshop?

Fans of the show probably rejoiced at the moment in Silo Season 1 finale when Martha Walker summoned the courage – and actually went out of her workshop after more than two decades of not leaving.

I know we’ve already spoiled a lot if you haven’t watched the show, but I’ll try not to spoil any further and just say that she left her workshop because she felt it was absolutely crucially necessary to do so – because she simply loved Juliette. And, yes, she let Juliette know how much she loved her later on in the episode.

It was wild for Martha to venture out. She was dizzy, scared, and faltering, but she eventually got better and stronger as she moved further. I reckon that her love for Juliette kept pushing her forward.

To me, it was one of the most wholesome moments in the show, and I hope that it finally helps Martha get over her fears. After all, she did drop by the cafeteria, much to everyone’s shock.

The fact is, agoraphobia is often treated with exposure therapy, meaning gradually increasing the time exposed to uncomfortable environments. Of course, it needs to be diagnosed by a professional, and supported with pharmacotherapy, as well as psychotherapy, and cognitive-behavioral therapy, based on what the physician diagnoses and sees as the best course of action.

In this case, however, it seems that Martha did the exposure therapy herself and managed to conquer her agoraphobia, at least for this particular moment.

While an official release date hasn’t been announced, Silo is certainly getting a Season 2 in the future, and with all the questions left unanswered and all the epic reveals from the show’s finale, I absolutely can’t wait for Season 2 to drop on AppleTV+.