Episode 9 of Westworld, the penultimate episode, seems to answer all of our questions and fan theories. Another great episode in a series that started on a high and stayed there. All I want to know is what could possibly happen in the final next week?! Last week’s recap can be found here.
We now know who Arnold is. Or was. I’m amazed at the number of people that were able to predict the plot twist from as early as episode two, but even though it was hinted I was taken by surprise.
We have a really strong inkling of who the Man in Black is, and whilst it’s not 100% confirmed, it’s pretty close. I would be extremely surprised if it is revealed to be anyone else in the final episode.
Maeve has pretty much won at being a sentient robot, and I have no idea if there is anything that can stop her now. Maybe there is, but it might end up being a season 2 kind of deal. I’m not going to write much about her, except in this episode she has a very hot (pun intended) sex scene.
If you haven’t watched the episode, then don’t continue reading because there will be spoilers.
Hey Arnold
The episode starts with Maeve in the control lab. She has been taken up to the lab after the stir in the previous episode in which she slits the through of another host. It’s Bernard who comes to diagnose her. Maeve is able to tell that Bernard is another host. Her revelation reveals that Bernard is not fully aware. Using her new super powers, she freezes Barnard, before letting him go after he approves her to go back to the park.
Bernard then goes into Ford’s office to find the controls Ford uses for Bernard. He then asks Ford to meet him in the basement. There he traps Ford by using the old Clementine host to hold a gun, as her lobotomy hasn’t had her prime directives reset. He then commands Ford to unlock his hidden memories, so that he will be able to go back into his memories and find Arnold who he believes created him.
In his memories he relives his killing of both Teresa and Elsie. He relives his backstory with his son, learning to let his son go. Finally he remembers first awakening to see Ford. He learns that he was created after Ford’s deceased partner Arnold.
It is revealed that the earlier talks between Dolores and Bernard were in fact between Dolores and Arnold.
Don’t call me Billy
William and Dolores are held hostage in a camp by Logan who has been promoted to major/general. Logan turns from a douchebag bad guy to a relatively understandable douchebag.
He tries to explain to William that Westworld isn’t real. He shows William a photo of his sister, Logan’s future wife. It’s the same photo we’ve seen in an earlier episode, only this time the photo isn’t worn out. A confirmation of multiple timelines.
William talks about wanting to get Dolores out of the park. Logan cuts Dolores stomach open revealing robots underneath. She then steals Logan’s knife and scratches his face. She shoots a few soldiers, then runs away after William tells her he’ll find her.
William tells Logan that he’s seen is own foolishness and the latter unties him. They hug and have a drink. Logan tells William that he’s happy that William will be his brother in law. He wakes up in the morning facedown on the ground. The entire camp of hosts have been killed with several having limbs taken off.
William is sat on a chair, then turns to Logan. You can tell immediately that something has changed. He seems a lot more like the Man in Black that we know.. Anyway, he’s changed, threatens Logan with a knife and that’s that.
Dolores Find the Maze
Kind of. I don’t really understand this part. It seems that the scenes with Logan are her having flashbacks. It leads her back to the town, which seems to be built again. She goes into the church which has an entrance to an old lab. There we see more flashbacks.
In her memories of Arnold and her talking it’s revealed that she’s completed the maze before. Instead of freedom it gave her pain. She confronts Arnold but he tells her there is nothing he can do, and she replies because he is already dead. Very cerebral stuff.
Another interesting point in this episode is how Teddy’s backstory of shooting up other soldiers is revealed to be him shooting up towns people. It really does seem to resemble the same memories that Dolores had. Will it be revealed in the final episode if Arnold was killed in this incident?