Shirley Campbell is a main character in the Apple TV+ series Silo. She is a member of the Mechanical department, and close friend of Juliette Nichols. In the wake of Juliette being sent out to Clean, Shirley becomes a leading figure in the growing unrest in Mechanical. Shirley is portrayed by Remmie Milner, first appearing in the episode "Freedom Day". The character was previously a recurring character in Season One, with Milner being promoted to the main cast for Season Two.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Shirley is an engineer working in Mechanical in the Down Deep of Silo 18.[1] She lived with her father[3] when she was younger and worked on the scavenge team, finding technology that was being recycled so that it could be repaired. During this time, Shirley met Juliette Nichols when the thirteen-year old left the Mids to work in the Down Deep.[4] Shirley introduced Juliette to the trash line, where they sorted the items that could be sent back to Recycling, or sent on to Walker. Shirley told Juliette that she did not have to stay with Mrs. Weaver, and she could come to live with her and her dad. Juliette said no, which offended Shirley. Later, Juliette attempted to make up with Shirley by giving her a toy she repaired. Shirley initially didn't want the toy until Barney, another worker on the trash line, pointed out that Juliette was trying to make amends. As their friendship grew, Shirley showed Juliette a secret; the cavern under the Silo.[3]
Mechanical engineer[]
After George Wilkins' death, Shirley found a drunk and hungover Juliette and attempted to help her.[1] Shirley was in the Mechanical Cafeteria and watched Sheriff Holston Becker's Cleaning alongside Juliette. She admonished Terry Cooper for betting on whether or not the Sheriff would clean, saying that the real bet was how long they would survive in the poisonous atmosphere. After Juliette stormed out of the cafeteria declaring that the Sheriff was a liar, Shirley visited Martha Walker and told her about the incident.[1]
Three months later, Shirley assisted Juliette and the rest of the Mechanical team in repairing the generator.[5] Shirley heard from Deputy Hank that Juliette had requested to go Outside, and told Walker about it. Walker didn't believe it and neither did Shirley.[6] Sometime later, Juliette—now the Silo's Sheriff—was on the run from Judicial and took refuge in Mechanical. Shirley recovered her from the trash chute and took her to Martha Walker to recover. She was angry when Knox arrived and told them that Judicial was here because he informed them of Juliette's location. Despite reasoning that they could not hide Juliette and that Judicial would tear Mechanical apart looking for her, Shirley was angry at Knox for giving Juliette up. Shirley watched from the Mechanical cafeteria alongside Walker as Juliette refused to Clean.[7]
Demands for the truth[]
Juliette's disappearance over the hillside led to an uproar in Mechanical, with people believing that Juliette had survived and therefore, the outside was safe. Deputy Hank and Knox attempted to calm the assembly down, but Shirley, still angry at Knox for turning Juliette into Judicial, asked why he did it. Knox pointed out that if he hadn't, Judicial would have torn Mechanical apart. Shirley wanted to demand answers and believed their ability to shut the power down in the Silo gave them the advantage. With the unrest rising, Martha Walker used a fire hose to drench everyone and point out that they had jobs to get back to. As the crowd dispersed, Shirley was confronted by Knox who told her that she had to stop since Mechanical was a tinderbox waiting to explode.[8]
Shirley tried to convince Walker that Juliette was alive, but Walker pointed out that the suit only had a limited amount of air anyway. Shirley asked about the note that Walker had sent up to Juliette just prior to her being sent out, and started asking about the heat tape, but Walker just wanted to be left alone to mourn. Shirley began to gather likeminded individuals around, meeting in secret in the blocked off corridor above the cavern. Teddy reported that Walker and Carla McLain had been taken into custody, leading Shirley to believe that the heat tape was at the center of everything. If she could get the information from Walker, they would have proof. Teddy was sceptical, wondering why the people would believe them over Judicial. Shirley pointed to Juliette walking over the hill as the reason people would listen.[8]
Mayor Bernard Holland made a speech, crediting Juliette's survival to a new form of heat tape that had been developed and one that Juliette herself had agreed to test for them. In the middle of a crowd in Mechanical, Shirley loudly proclaimed the mayor was lying, and the "new" tape was actually just the tape they used. This drew the attention of a Raider, Derek, who attempted to arrest her. When asked for her name, Shirley told him it was "Juliette Nichols". Knox intervened, and managed to get the Raider to back down from arresting her by saying she had been drinking and they would take care of her. Knox attempted to talk to Shirley, but she walked off.[8]
In the hidden corridor, Shirley began to lay out plans to use hand signals to communicate, and to teach it to others who joined them. They were interrupted by the arrival of Cooper, who admitted he had been sent by Knox to watch them but he wanted to join up with them since he was Juliette's shadow. Walker arrived shortly after, having followed Cooper without him realising. She tried to get Shirley to realise that her course of action would not work, that it could get her sent to the mines. But Shirley was determined that if the truth didn't work, then they would fight. Walker came to agree with Shirley, believing that Juliette was alive.[8]
Teddy was arrested for putting up "Juliette lives" graffiti; Shirley called a meeting together in Walker's workshop claiming he was set up for it until Teddy's mother, Evelyn, admitted he did it and she was proud of him for it. Shirley resolved to get Teddy out of the Down Deep Deputy Station, and led a crowd to break him out. They were met by Hank and Knox, backed up by deputies and Raiders. Demanding Teddy's release, the situation turned violent when an assailant threw a firebomb at the station. A Raider fired at the assailant, striking him and Cooper who was attempting to stop the firebomb. Shirley and Knox went to Cooper, holding him as he died from the bullet.[9]
After Cooper's death, Knox got Shirley to meet him in the abandoned tunnel. Shirley wanted to know why Knox didn't just let them break Teddy out, but Knox pointed out that they couldn't hide him forever. Their shared grief over Cooper gave them common ground, and Knox told her that he think he knows what the names etched into the tunnel walls represent.[9] At first, he thought they were the names of the Founders, but later came to realise they were the names of Mechanical workers who died in rebellions, and that the Rebellion they had grown up hearing above was just the latest. Not only that, the rebellions were always blamed on Mechanical, no matter the real cause. As the head of Mechanical, Knox could arrange a meeting with the Mayor to demand answers. Shirley convinced him to meet with Judge Mary Meadows instead since she was seen to be in charge by the Silo despite Juliette telling them she was basically a figurehead.[10]
Shirley, Knox, Walker and Carla McLain set out up the Silo, Knox having already sent a letter to the Judge asking for the meeting and a plan to send explorers out to test the atmosphere Outside. As they neared the Up Top, citizens were angry that they had made the journey, barring their way to Judicial and riled up that the Judge had even agreed to meet with them. Knox sent a prearranged signal to Mechanical—a red ball dropped down the shaft—which led Teddy to shut down power to the Silo which quietened the crowd. Mayor Bernard Holland arrived and said the Judge was unwell but if the power was restored, then he would get them in to see her. Knox complied, and then he and Shirley were taken into the Judicial Offices to meet with the Judge.[10]
Entering her office, Shirley and Knox found Robert Sims standing in front of a dead Judge Meadows, a knife in her chest. Realizing that they had been set up, Shirley had to hold Knox back from attacking Sims. The mayor did not stop them leaving, and on Knox's suggestion they calmly walked out until they collected Walker and Carla, then they began running down the stairs as Sims claimed that they had murdered the Judge in cold blood.[10]
Appearances[]
- Season One
- "Freedom Day" (First appearance)
- "Holston's Pick"
- "Machines"
- "Truth"
- "The Janitor's Boy" (Mentioned only)
- "Hanna"
- "Outside"
- Season Two
- "The Engineer"
- "Order"
- "Solo"
- "The Harmonium"