Westworld, or the art of deceiving the eye

Renewed for a second season which could take a year and a half before reaching the HBO screens and OCS, Westworld offered us there are only a few hours an episode rather very intelligent, has the merit to redistribute some cards for giving us the opportunity once again on the internets and for the first time here to discuss the contents of the series Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan.

Optical illusion

Indeed, the seventh episode of the series has revealed brilliantly that the character of Bernard , played by the talented Jeffrey Wright , is actually a host, or as they are known more commonly, a robot, not a human being . This was perhaps one of the first, if not the first of the popular theories on the series Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy . As such, I intended to return to the construction of this revelation before discussing what it means, potentially, for the plot of the first season of Westworld .

Everything is beginning the episode title, Trompe l’oeil (French in the text). And this opus so wonderfully well his name: one as the hosts as Bernard are controlled by a device which deceives literally their eyes, preventing them from seeing or at least understand some places. And secondly because the revelations of this episode are built on what might be called a “trompe l’narrative eye” since the tension that emerges from bouncing around the nature of Bernard is almost exclusively built on elements outside this subplot. Like the famous theft of data by Theresa – (Sidse Babett Knudsen)- To which I will return later – which is actually placed there to attract our attention, our eye and therefore all our emotions on a lure.

The genius of the episode is thus based on a well-oiled machine that is bent on generating tension on trivial items – or just interesting, in the end – to better converge towards a single element here Bernard . A genius tenfold by all of us, too. Because if I saw several spectators complain of the many theories on the internets, they play a leading role in the media success is a certainty, but also artistic, Westworld . Firstly because the series we speak metaphorically of writing (or at least creativity) while encouraging us even write, and secondly because the writers of the show knew that many articles typed the web would ultimately strengthen effects of their narration. The example of Bernard, as we said, makes clear, since fans theorists Westworld finally put their assumptions about Bernard aside to better analyze other tracks that prove at least interesting final, thus duplicating the power the reveal of this seventh episode.

What door?

Yet, as noted by some disgruntled spectators or some critics placing himself above the rest, this revelation was agreed, or at least expected. Is she missed so far? In my view and as you can see, it’s just the opposite. It works perfectly, including being terribly well executed but also because many clues were hidden under our noses: in a series where one of the major challenges is the development of new plots (or ” narrative ” as they are called managers of park), is it really surprising to discover that the only human to have a backstory worthy of the name is a robot? Absolutely not, and that’s the beauty of this pirouette screenplay, which has the merit to redistribute all the cards.

But again, this is perhaps what the series tries to make us believe, wherever the truth, as would say two well-known investigators, is elsewhere. Indeed, it may be confused – many wonder how to interpret the previous exchanges between Ford ( Anthony Hopkins) and Bernard , for example – that hide the answers to our questions. Hence my personal theory on the subject, full of interpretations on different assumptions encountered on the internet.

Who is Bernard Ford?

To my mind, the maniac what Ford is simply obsessed with the work of his colleague dead, the famous Arnorld . It was previously revealed that hosts like Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood) are in service for many years and enjoy the very secret innovations of Arnold, that Ford is looking likely to imitate or duplicate. This is why it would in my view created Bernard , building of the plans (shown in the episode) Arnold to help investigate the creations of his partner deceased. We remember in particular that Bernard asks or regularly asked Dolores in the same room where he recently experienced its nature. Moreover, this theory would justify exchanges between Ford and Bernard: a priori conscious of the superiority of intellect machines, Ford plans to train Bernard to accompany him in his search.

And what Ford research above all? The innovations of his former partner, we were presented as obsessed with the idea of consciousness. A mystery that Ford seems close to break, since it seems to have managed to fool not only Bernard himself – but also everyone around him – about his true nature. To make it simple so our robot would be the Ford tool in his research focused on consciousness or at least the creations of his former partner, he was probably killed or lost before realizing the extent of his genius. It can also link this theory to the mystery of the labyrinth (the famous ” maze “) who haunts The Man in Black (Ed Harris) , since in my opinion, this maze is neither more nor less than consciousness, theorized in a maze by Arnold deceased.

The labyrinth of consciousness

It remains to know two things: do this maze will be materialized or merely metaphorical, and when it does we seek. The theory of the double timeline hidden in the series is very popular indeed, and stipulates that the adventures of Dolores and William (Jimmi Simpson) would be a sort of prequel to the story of the Man in Black , which may complicate the ‘equation. But remember that the most recent episodes tend to make the theory of this double timeline much less credible or at least less useful than in the past, although troubling signs remain, such as the absence of certain characters or the fact that Logan (Ben Barnes) and the Man in Black is both presented as great businessmen , which is obviously no coincidence.

Furthermore, in addition to all these questions the importance of data, should I say the Big Data (that obsesses both businesses nowadays) in the seventh episode. Is Theresa really sending data to Delos , the company owner of the park, as she claimed, or she was trying to sell the data to the highest bidder? Almost secondary issue facing the next; What data is it? Exactly, another early theory explained that Westworld , as entertainment, was a test to more advanced technology yet. Immediately, users had figured in combat robots, but the seventh episode of the series rather leads us to a parable about the use of data for security purposes and / or mercantile. Basically, if my smartphone told the CIA what I am and bring millions to the manufacturers of the device, imagine what says a stay Westworld on you. Especially in a future where, as suggested by other fans, traveling from planet to planet is possible (the park is located on one of them) which means that security has become an interstellar matter.

violent These delights-have violent ends

To conclude this paper even longer than expected, I would like to conclude my own theory, which as you see is full of holes over a potential end. Now we know that season 2 is a reality, but it will have a production to match its ambitions, I imagine this first chapter is closing on a rehabilitation of our robotic friends in a new park, perhaps be headed by Delos , not Ford . A bitter end that may take place in a different atmosphere – a reminder, the original film of Michael Crichton had a Roman park and another medieval – which would be shaken by reunion between two characters.

For example, imagine a William older, whether the Man in Black or not, find his beloved Dolores another institution, which will soon triggered home of memory problems – another recurring theme of series – able to pursue the slow emancipation of guests but this time in a new park in more trouble corporate and more controlled. But now it’s all down on paper, HBO , Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy still have three weeks to ridicule all my ideas. And if that is not done by then, I invite you to take care of yourself below in comments.