wesWestworld is a 2018 television drama set at the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past, exploring a world in which every human appetite can be indulged without consequence.
Episode 2 (Episode 1 here) of our new season of Westworld is entitled Reunion, and for good reason. We witness numerous reunions including a few flashbacks that cross paths for characters including Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood), William (Jimmi Simpson), Maeve (Thandie Newton), and the Man in the Black Hat (Ed Harris). We learn some striking details about what is driving Dolores, and it really begs the question of what is she after?
Dolores had a busy episode. One of the most important details revealed is during a flashback of Dolores with William. He is at odds when seeing her again, as the last time we saw them together he was struggling with his love for her. Despite this, he does show her some construction being done on the park. We don’t see exactly what was constructed, but Dolores refers to it years later to Teddy Flood (James Marsden) as a weapon she is searching for. Dolores also learns from a park security guard that protocol during an uprising will lead to 600 or more security personnel being called in. To combat this, she tracks down a Major Craddock (Jonathan Tucker), and after some “convincing” is able to join forces with him and his men en route to their commanding officer, Colonel Brigham
The Man in Black rescues and reunites with his season 1 accomplice, Lawrence (Clifton Collins Jr). He explains to Lawrence the purpose behind Westworld, that it is a place where people could sin in peace. The company monitored and tallied all the choices people made, but not for judgment, for something else entirely. He also tells Lawrence that his plan is to burn the entire place to the ground. In order to accomplish all of this, the Man in Black must continue through the maze. He does attempt to recruit some more hosts, but they all end up committing mass suicide as a result of Dr. Robert Ford’s programming. The Man in Black reflects that Ford is not going to make this easy for him.
Some other points of interest in the episode include seeing William interact with Logan’s (Ben Barnes) father (James Delos) once Logan is more or less removed from the company. William is able to convince him, a key investor in Westworld, to invest even further. This causes William’s stock to rise in the company in the absence of Logan. We also get to witness Dolores and Maeve cross paths. Dolores attempts to recruit her to join the cause, but Maeve is steadfast in continuing the effort to reunite with her daughter.
Although it didn’t feel like there was a lot of forward progress in tonight’s episode, there was certainly a lot going on. We got more insight into the cogs that have been causing everything to move forward, and got a few glimpses into the past. It seems we will continue to see the evolution of William into the Man in Black as he gained more and more power in the company by pushing for more investment in Westworld. We also learn about what Dolores’s plan is not only for escaping, but also for taking over the real world. There is some sort of “weapon” that she is searching for, and although we don’t know what it is, we know she’s amassing an army in order to obtain it. We get a bit more information around the Man in Black’s journey as well. He continues his quest to come to the end of the maze and to tear down Westworld. Perhaps the most interesting revelation he makes is in regards to the fact that his company was observing behavior in Westworld and analyzing the data for an unknown purpose. It will be very exciting to find out exactly what they were doing with this.