Silo: Deputy Billings' Medical Condition Explains Why He's Helping Juliette
Contains spoilers for "Silo" Season 1, Episode 8 — "Hanna"
Every new episode of "Silo" reveals more information about the titular underground society's rules and practices. From relics being banned to birth control being used to prevent rebellions, this subterranean dystopia wants to keep its citizens in line. Furthermore, the powers that be only want the best specimens in the most important jobs.
Deputy Paul Billings (Chinaza Uche) is one of Judicial's representatives, put in place to keep an eye on Sheriff Juliette Nichols (Rebecca Ferguson) as she's known to be intellectually curious and a pain in the butt. However, Billings seems to have his colleague's back, and he's shown that he's willing to lie on her behalf — which is apparent when he covers for her being missing during the riots in Episode 7. This is because she knows he has the syndrome, a medical condition that he wants to keep secret.
The first mention of the syndrome occurs in Episode 3 courtesy of a sign that details its symptoms. Basically, it's a nervous condition that causes shaking and twitching, both of which Billings displays throughout the season. The rules of the silo dictate that people must report having the syndrome so that free help can be given to them. For some folks in this society, though, free help comes at a cost.
Deputy Billings keeps secrets to protect his family
According to the "Pact", the document that lists the silo's rules, individuals who suffer from the syndrome are forbidden from holding public office or serving in positions of power. Deputy Paul Billings is a cop, so he'll lose his job if the wrong people find out about his condition. He obviously needs it to support his family, but there's clearly another reason for his secrecy.
In Episode 6, Billings asks his wife if their daughter is showing any signs of having the syndrome. She assures him that the condition isn't hereditary, but he's obviously concerned about their kid catching it down the line. If she does, she'll have limited opportunities and won't be allowed to start a family of her own. After all, this society only lets the so-called perfect citizens have children.
Juliette is the first outsider to notice Billings' symptoms, and she agrees to keep the secret safe as she needs the Judicial pests off her back. Meanwhile, he sticks up for her because she has dirt on him. That being said, Billings clearly isn't a fan of the system he's forced to uphold, as he knows it will shun him and his family if the truth comes out.