Westworld Ho!
It's been a while since I've dipped my toes into the blogosphere waters so what better way to get them wet again than to dive into a little Westworld mischief.
Westworld is TV's new "It" series and it has created quite a bit of buzz developing a myriad of fan theories that I find myself drawn into. So from here on in keep your six shooter well oiled and be wary of spoilers!
So, most of Westworld fans are probably aware of the theories regarding two different timelines existing for Westworld. There is even another posited by Vanity Fair's Joanna Robinson that argues we may even be witnessing three different timelines as the show progresses!
My particular contribution is not so much how we and Westworld get to our final destination but what we find when we get there. In other words,
The Maze.
What the heck is at the center of the Maze? The Man in Black character played by Ed Harris certainly wants to know. It seems whatever it is, he is going to use it to bring down Westworld as a whole and end its theme park charade.
Granted, his motivations for such remain as cloudy as his true identity, but something is driving him to his apocalyptic endgame.
After the events of the last episode, "Contrapasso" I began to muse as to what is at the center of The Maze. You may recall the character of Logan being left behind by William and Dolores. Logan hasn't exactly endeared himself to William of late and the same goes for Dolores. It's been explained to us that you cannot kill a "guest" while at Westworld but that doesn't mean you can't take a bit of a beating. Of this, Logan was getting his fair share.
If the Man in Black is truly the William of the past could it be he is venturing into the maze in order to free his old "Frenemy" in Logan that hasn't been killed but has been kept there for the last thirty or so years! No, it wouldn't be MiB's primary reason for going in there but he did say he wanted to fix things. Perhaps Logan's disappearance led to the breakdown of William's relationship with Logan's sister to whom William was engaged to. Or perhaps it severely damaged their marriage wherein MiB/William has been trying to fix it ever since.
As fun as that sounds that wouldn't be the main reason the MiB is going into the maze.
One of the great theories circulating out there is the character of Bernard (Jeffrey Wright) is really one of the "Hosts" or robots that populate the Westworld park. He said to be a homage to Dr. Ford's dead friend, Arnold, that died in the park during its infancy. Much like Dr. Ford (Anthony Hopkins) likes to talk to "Bill" in the sub-basement, he also like to interact with the replicant version of his old friend Arnold.
A nice but creepy gesture.
But what if Arnold isn't really dead? This is where I really take a leap down into the rabbit hole.
You may have noticed a man figure at the center of each maze diagram. (Somewhat visible in the scalp illustration above.) What if this man is Arnold?
No, not the physical embodiment of Arnold but the "AI" version instead!
Yes, I'm saying Arnold lives on in the center of the maze as an artificial intelligent entity.
Perhaps "AI Arnold" is laying in wait there for the perfect "Host". Maybe he feels safe there knowing even Dr. Ford can't find him. We might consider if the MiB "frees" AI Arnold this will lead to the destruction of Westworld he is hoping for.
For his part, Dr. Ford does not want this. Is AI Arnold a prisoner there? Maybe. I prefer to think he is hiding there from Ford. Ford may want just to talk to his old friend even if he is just a computer program albeit an intelligent one.
AI Arnold may have other plans.
If Ford has an inkling AI Arnold (AIA) is at the center of the maze that may be why he is discouraging the MiB from reaching there. But Ford is also curious as to whom Dolores has been speaking to. He even queried her as to the last time she talked to Arnold.
Very suspicious.
Dolores did to speak to someone after Ford left her interrogation. Was it AIA? That's what I am hoping for.
One last thought.
With all the religious imagery surrounding Westworld it occurred to me it acts as a stand in for Purgatory. A place where you are measured if you are ready for Heaven or should be consigned to Hell.
It's even your choice of what path to choose, white hat or black hat. How would you come out?
Hey Dave,
ReplyDeleteI tend to think like you that Arnold is an AI at the center. But I wonder if Ford isn't the malevolent one of the two creators and forced him there to make the park work? Sure seems like Ford may have been lying to Bernard in that conversation where he showed him the picture of him and Arnold. The park may have had multiple problems before. For instance, Delores got off her loop and went with William & Logan. That could be before Arnold became AI. Arnold might now control the hosts enough or allow Ford somehow to control them in order to keep things running smoothly. Ford does seem to have direct control over hosts' movements. Now presently, Arnold may have picked this time to be trying to reach out through the hosts since MIB is getting closer to the goal of finding him.
I don't like the theories of Bernard or any of the humans being hosts because that seems too simple for this show. From day 1 fans are going to theorize that.
Your other possibility of Logan being alive, I never thought of that at all.
Please keep up the posting, can't ever get too many theories.
Hello Chris,
ReplyDeleteGood to hear from you. Ford does seem to be the malevolent one and I wonder if he is driven by guilt. Perhaps Arnold fell in love with Dolores and Ford wiped her clean. Thus prompting Arnold to kill himself. Or better yet, Dolores is modeled after a real person that both fell in love with and somehow Arnold lost out on. He then killed himself over his lost love. That's if he really DID commit suicide. Maybe that's part of a cover up.
The theory about Arnold and that picture is, since he's a "Host" he couldn't recognize himself just like Dolores couldn't make any sense of the picture she saw.
I agree now that MiB is getting closer AiA is getting his revolution ready.
You know what, I always thought Theresa (Arnold's lover) was a robot. Her memory of her being at the park when she was a kid was just programmed into her. In fact quite recently perhaps. They cut out of the lunch scene between Theresa and Ford a slight movement of his finger to command the waiter and the people working the fields. I guess they thought it too obvious.
But you're right about the "humans" as hosts. It does seem a bit on the nose. They probably couldn't resist. Every revolution needs it's spies. I bet all sides have them.
I'll try to keep posting. I guess I'll do it from the theory angle instead of straight up recaps. More fun that way!
Thanks Chris!
I could see any of what you speculate as possible.
DeleteI see what you mean, Dolores saw "nothing" in that picture.
I realize now, I forgot we were fooled by Teddy on the train in the first 15 minutes of the series, so I shouldn't say a human could turn out to be a host. However, they could have just gotten that out of the way early.