[rating=8.00] “Trace Decay”
After realizing once and for all that nothing in Westworld is what it seems, we’ve hit the ground running towards the season finale like our lives depended on it. This season has been a turbulent punch in the gut, adding to HBO’s repertoire of some of the finest television in history. As we lean further in to this world we still know only a fraction about, is it safe to hope for anything? Or should we revel in the terror and watch the mayhem ensue? Personally, I’ve always been a fan of mayhem.
One man’s life or death is but a small price to pay for the acquirement of knowledge…
We’ve been over this before, but Ford is scary. The way he manipulates everything around him is indicative of a psychopath. However, because he’s filthy rich and mind-numbingly intelligent, he’s constantly getting a pass. As Bernard comes to terms with what he’s done, there’s an innate humanity shining through his emotions and actions, and rather than talk to him as a human Ford instead finds the situation fascinating, dwelling on Bernard’s ability to recall the fear and pain that’s been programmed into him as if it were a real human life; it’s devastating to watch.
The nature of existence and life is called into question several times during their ensuing interaction as Bernard attempts to come to terms with what he knows. “What’s the difference between my pain and yours? Between you and me?” Ford’s response was surprising, considering his continued insistence on acting as the other, the balance between the hosts and humanity. “We can’t define consciousness, because consciousness doesn’t exist.”
So, what now? With Bernard aware of what he his and how he works, will this overload his continued capability of sentience? What Ford is failing to realize is that by allowing Bernard to gain awareness, by explaining to him that it’s “heart” that makes him special, he has made him dangerous. Bernard’s feelings are eventually going to get the best of him, and it won’t be until it’s too late that Ford will see the true nature of Arnold’s underlying program. Pain, guilt, and eventually revenge will all be a part of the underlying narrative.
The house always wins.
We saw a new side of Teddy as he began to remember things from his past. While both Maeve and Delores have both fallen victim to the effects of the duality of their memory, Teddy has yet to tap into that. That is until he experiences a new trauma that’s linked directly to the Man in Black. It seems like the memories are triggered similar in ways that humans experience them, but because of the way they process things they relive them rather than “remember” them in the conventional way. This, again, leads to those feelings of suffering that allow for revenge to creep through their narrative.
We finally learned a little more about the Man in Black this week, lending to the idea that he could indeed be William. He’s a philanthropist, a father, was married to the same woman for thirty years, and has done so much good in his life. His wife killed herself, his daughter hates him, and the darkness that sits stagnant in his soul is all consuming. Likely we won’t know the truth about the dual storyline until at least a few seasons in, but the speculation is fun.
While Teddy began to “remember” his past, one must wonder if Delores being “taken” was just a sign of her being decommissioned. If this really is a dual timeline, then that means she would have been placed back on the prairie for at least 30 years, an endless loop of watching her family and Teddy get murdered. Could that be a punishment for her current mission out with William? Or would it be to alleviate her from “learning” anymore about the park and Arnold’s overall game? Either way, it seems Delores will always motivate Teddy, regardless of whether she actually remembers to love him or not.
The main thing to take away from the Man in Black and the chaos he reigns is that he’s been at this for a long time. This is not a new mission, this is not a new goal, but rather a constant need for something more. The same way the hosts holding their grudges, so too has the man in black found purpose in sticking it to Ford through death and destruction. Since it looks like they’ve finally found Wyatt and his men (the specs of which could be find in Sizemore’s office on the wall) it seems there’s a chance he may finally get his wish. Whether or not he’ll live to see the end of the maze is up for debate, but perhaps knowing he was right could lead to some form of closure.
Time to write my own fucking story
Maeve has officially become a force against everything the park is. She can hurt humans, control other hosts, and vividly relive moments during her existence that she was meant to forget. Maeve is a shining example of the next level of cognition for the hosts. While you would think Bernard would be on the same page, it is Maeve alone who has excepted her existence. Bernard is still looking for the meaning behind it all, Maeve simply wants to control her own destiny.
Though Maeve has been made aware of a failsafe to keep the hosts in the park, it’s interesting to note board member Hale’s insistence on using a decommissioned android to smuggle information out of the park. She must be aware that he will explode if he leaves through the front door, so what’s the larger plan? There’s still that the chance of Ford having his whole on site staff as hosts, so perhaps this a test to them, or even something more nefarious involving the safety of the patrons so that the board can take control of the park and all of its technology away from Ford.
Maeve’s sentience and control are bound to lead to an overarching problem, especially now that Bernard is aware of what and who he really is. Ford may control him, but what is his allegiance to him? He is lied to constantly, the effects of which we see in real time as we learn the fate of Elsie. Ford can erase Bernard’s memory all he wants, but there’s always going to be that imprint, that trace of who they were, lingering in the underbelly of their memories. Just as Arnold programmed them to do.
