Warning! This article contains spoilers for Silo season 2’s episode 6.
Siloseason 2 makes the Caeser shift cipher a crucial part of one of its main story beats, raising many questions surrounding what it means and how Lukas uses it. Although a lot has been happening inSiloseason 2, some of its story developments are far more intriguing than the others. For instance, even though Juliette’s efforts to return home are engaging to watch, the political conflicts inside Silo 18 are arguably more compelling than Juliette’s journey.
Another interesting plot point that has emerged midway throughSiloseason 2’s runtime revolves around Salvador Quinn, Silo 18’s former Head of IT. Bernard gains access to Salvador Quinn’s final cryptic letter inSiloseason 2’s episode 5, which, according to Meadows, reveals some harsh truths about the world they live in. Although Bernard has not been able to crack the code, Lukas implements some intriguing techniques, including the Caesar shift, to decipher Quinn’s letter.
The Caesar Shift Method To Decode Ciphers Explained
The Caesar Shift Is Among The Simplest Methods Used To Decode Ciphers
The Caesar shift method is named after Julius Caesar because he reportedly adopted the technique to send private messages to his allies. In cryptography, the Caesar cipher is known to be a type of substitution cipher in which the letters in a plaintext message are shifted to a fixed number of positions down the alphabet. For instance, for a shift of 3 to the right, G would become J, while J would be M. Similarly, if a shift of 3 is applied to the left, J would be G, and M would be J.
…Given how the people living in Silo 18 are significantly backward and also do not have access to advanced computers, it makes sense that the Apple TV+ sci-fi show introduces the decoding method as a narrative device.
Since the core idea behind the Caesar shift is quite simple, it is easy to implement it. At the same time, since any message encrypted with the method can easily be decoded, it is not widely used for advanced cryptology operations because of its vulnerability. However, given how the people living in Silo 18 are significantly backward and also do not have access to advanced computers, it makes sense that theApple TV+ sci-fi showintroduces the decoding method as a narrative device.
Why Lukas Kyle Tests The Caesar Shift To Decode Salvador Quinn’s Letter In Silo
Lukas Uses The Best Of His Thinking Abilities Without Knowing Much About The Method
InSiloseason 2’s early episodes, Meadows realizes Lukas is incredibly smart when he tells her about his theories surrounding the glowing balls in the outside world’s sky. Blown away by his deductions about how the stars work, despite his lack of formal knowledge of astronomy, Meadows recommends him to Bernard. Owing to this, Bernard later invites him to repair the hard drive he acquired from Juliette and asks him to decode Salvador Quinn’s cryptic letter.
Silo: What It Means To Be Someone’s Shadow
Silo’s shadows are an integral part of the story, and plenty can be discovered about the position by watching the show and reading between the lines.
Although Lukas has no formal background in cryptology,he uses the best of his thinking abilities to come up with a basic method to decode the message. When Bernard learns about his method, he realizes he has used the Caesar shift. Although the technique does not help them decipher Salvador Quinn’s message inSiloseason 2’s episode 6, Lukas’s impressive deduction and coding skills convince Bernard to make him his Shadow and give him access to The Legacy.
Silo
In a dystopian future, men and women reside in a vast underground silo governed by strict regulations, believed to shield them from the hazardous world above. The series delves into the complex social order within the silo and the mysteries surrounding their subterranean existence.
