Another week, another deluge of Westworld theories that tread that fine line between genius and complete madness. We were treated to War World this episode, a closer look at Maeve’s new loop, and the return of a fan-favorite character, but can we really enjoy any of it if we aren’t also tossing deranged hypotheses and loco-ono conjectures around on the internet?
No. No, we can’t.
Most of these are wildly incorrect, but some of them may be spot-on. Have fun trying to tell the difference.
1. What The Hale?
One of the biggest mysteries of season three continues to center around Tessa Thompson’s character, Charlotte Hale. We know the real Hale can’t stand up (RIP, girl) but someone’s controlling her host form and fans are starting to lose their minds trying to unmask just who it might be. So here’s the first guess, which feels deliciously evil on Dolores’ part and so, it’s ranked high this week. What if, and hear us out, Dolores tapped Emily, William’s daughter, to be her right hand this season. There was no love lost between those two and considering Emily’s fate near the end of season two, the opportunity would’ve been there. Dolores could harness Emily’s hatred for her father to help control the company he so loved and adding a side of revenge to your main course of world domination feels totally up Dolores’ avenue.
Read the whole plot here:
2. Stubbs’ Last Job
Luke Hemsworth really made a case for himself in the ongoing “Who’s the Best Hemsworth?” debate that we’re resurrecting now because what the hell else do we have to do? Blame it on the Corona just ruining everything good in this world, or the fact that Stubbs always felt a bit suspect, but the reveal that our resident park ranger was actually a host in charge of protecting the robots in Westworld wasn’t that much of a shock. Which may be the ultimate red herring. What if the real reason Stubbs returned for another season wasn’t to surprise us with the knowledge of his true form but because his “boss,” who we’re made to assume is Ford, had other plans for him. Some Redditors think it’s strange that Stubbs would label Ford as his boss considering he never called him that in previous seasons. It’s also out of character for a host, especially one like Stubbs, to bungle his own kill-shot. Maybe Bernard finding Stubbs alive is just a happy coincidence. But do those really ever happen on this show?
Here’s the thread:
3. The Meaning Behind Maeve’s Loop
This episode gave us plenty of Thandie Newton chewing up the screen and dressing down incompetent men. We don’t really need a reason for more Maeve, but knowing creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, there’s a method to the madness of sticking this badass character in another loop. We’ll get to the Serac of it all in a second but first, we need to break down this prediction that aligns Maeve’s history of breaking free from her own loops with Caleb’s current coming-to-consciousness moment. The two seem to have parallel storylines, ones that might also hint to the Man In Black’s disappearance. Are we going to see humans try to attain immortality through hosts this season? Probably. That sounds like the kind of Homosapien bullshit we’d all be about.
Get weird with the predicting here:
4. Avatars And A.I.s
It seems like Westworld is setting up Rehoboam to be Dolores’ main enemy this season but because it’s basically just a giant metal orb, the show needs a human face to attach to this all-knowing villain. That avatar seems to be Vincent Cassel’s Serac, but after the latest episode, some fans are questioning just how human the man in white really is. In the “Definitely Human” category we’ve got his pretentious attitude and his terrible, slightly misogynistic taste in women’s clothes, but could Serac be just another sim? A kind of conduit for Rehoboam, made to do his bidding?
Another rabbit hole for you here:
5. Another Hale Theory
This one’s a bit less juicy, but it also vibes with Dolores’ behavioral pattern, i.e. knowing none of these hoes are really loyal. Sure, we’d love to believe Teddy still lives in some way, but after he seemingly entered the Forge in season two, it’s more likely that someone else close to Dolores is inhabiting Hale’s skinsuit. And if you want a job done, aren’t you supposed to do it yourself?
A Hale of a good theory awaits:
6. The Origins Of THICC Stubbs
Less a theory, more an observation – one that everyone on Reddit has made through various thirst posts and eggplant emojis – but we’re just going to say it: Stubbs got THICC. As in, he’s ascended to Beefcake status. This might have nothing to do with his character – although can hosts gain weight/muscle? In fact, we’re pretty sure Luke Hemsworth is just out here trolling his brother, wielding an ax, terrifying puny humans, looking like a whole damn meal.
Get your fill here:
7. A George R.R. Martin Approved Ending
We got a fun nod to the final season of Game of Thrones this week – one that might’ve been better received had the show not completely trashed its final few episodes – but maybe that cameo is setting us up for an alternate GoT ending? Gotta say, this sounds way more satisfying.
Here’s how things should’ve gone:
