S01.E09: The Well-Tempered Clavier

[AnnaMayWong]

Purdy, purdy puh-leaze do NOT rid The Show of Jeffrey Wright's awesomeness!

Well, Ford is the number one, go-to sociopath is he not (?).

I am sick 'n tired of Billy-boy/William. Sick 'n tired, ya heah.

Drat, ya'll !     I don't want The Season to end!

[paramitch]

First off, just as a minor correction, the characters' names are Elsie (not Elise) and Maeve (not Mauve).

Onward! Like a few others, I'm a little disappointed that all the twists revealed in this episode were so anticlimactic because of all the speculation. I honestly don't think I would have caught onto the Bernard/Arnold thing, for instance, myself. I'm not even sure I would have caught onto the two timelines until maybe episode 6 or so. But I do think the show is going to be a lot of fun to rewatch after the finale -- it will really be a whole new experience in a lot of ways once I have a better handle on the characters, relationships, and timelines.

Meanwhile, I thought this was a terrific episode -- I like the fact that the show is giving us answers, as well as questions, and despite all its complexity thus far, I never feel cheated as the story unfolds.

It's interesting that -- based on the different bio-readings Bernard took of Maeve -- the hosts are now evidently 100% organic, pseudo-live creatures, with functional hearts, organs, adrenal, digestive, sexual, and elimination functions, etc.

I can't get over how chilling I find Ford. He hates humans (and himself), yet while he does seem to oddly love the hosts, he also certainly enjoys keeping them subservient, childlike, and enslaved. He is obviously aware that they are capable of growth and cognizance and hobbles them (a great word used deliberately in this episode) to keep them tame and predictable. He uses them to ensure that he isn't just a figurative god, but a literal one in some ways -- at least in the park.

I could understand Ford dismissing the suffering of the hosts if he didn't acknowledge that it's possible for them to feel pain, if he truly just saw them as tools, as robots, and not as beings. What makes him a monster is the fact that Ford clearly not only understands that they are sentient beings, and that they feel pain and suffering, he likes to use their pain and suffering as tools to keep them crippled and biddable. To me, that makes what he puts them through even worse than if he simply and coldly saw them as robots. Instead, he punishes them over and over again -- for not being better than humans. It's just a really strange, creepy relationship.

I enjoyed Maeve's machinations and especially her repeated choice (so different from Ford) to give every host she encounters the deliberate choice of freedom. I also liked her with Hector, since they have great chemistry. However, the fire bothered me a bit -- even if she knows it will be put out, to me it's still a risky thing for her to do.

I continue to love William and Dolores's storyline (someone has to!) and was even weirdly touched when Logan embraced William shortly after gutting Dolores. I mean, it's weird and awful, but he was so happy. I'm so excited that the MiB and Dolores will finally talk, darn it. And I admit it, I did laugh when Angela gutted poor Teddy all over again. Those bastards!

But it's really interesting that the "maze" seems to involve that search and yearning for sentience (hence why it's "not for [humans]"). Angela for instance prods Teddy to a new level of awareness about the massacre, just as we've seen Maeve do as she wakes people up, and I think Teddy will remember (as Angela told him to) the pattern when he awakens. I loved that she told him she hoped he might be ready "in the next life" -- because she meant it literally.

I still have hope for Bernard -- either that he will be fixed by Ford and remember more than he lets on, or that Maeve or Dolores will somehow save and fix him. I really, really hope we will still have Jeffrey Wright -- to me he's essential to the show.

What I think is most touching about "Westworld" is that it is about patterns and loops of behavior -- human behavior too. Ford locked Bernard into a cycle of grief not just as a way to control him but because it was true to who Arnold used to be. Grief woke Maeve up. Grief galvanized Dolores and showed her who she could become. The show makes a powerful case for the necessity of grief, even if it hurts, because it's such an important part of love. The grief is the finishing touch on the hosts' humanity.

[DEL901]

7 hours ago, okerry said:

So - love, and especially the pain that goes with love, is what causes the hosts to begin to remember and become human? That's what we saw happening to Maeve. And even to Bernard/Arnold, with that implanted backstory about his son. Ford was on the right track with that but could not control it - could not turn it off. Not permanently.

I keep remembering Capt. Kirk, in that old movie, saying, "I need my pain" and refusing to let it be taken from him. Maeve's doing the same kind of thing, because that pain of loss is what's making her human.

I wonder if Bernard's backstory is actually Arnold's?

[dr pepper]

Wow! I didn't want Bernard to be robot Arnold, but i was prepared for the revelation. Except i wasn't. This episode was IN waitforit TENSE.

[Gobi]

7 hours ago, numbnut said:

Finally! Bernard is Arnold. That sure took long enough (for those of us who guessed it).  I wasn't on board the "Dolores killed Arnold" train because I can't see why she would do it intentionally. I was thinking Ford killed Arnold, so maybe he programmed Dolores to do it? All I know is that they better bring back Jeffrey Wright somehow (just because Bernard shot himself doesn't mean he can't be rebuilt). I loved the opening scene with Bernard and Maeve. I hope Charlotte is killed off before season 2. The William/Logan showdown was a cringefest. The guy playing Logan is the worst actor ever IMO. Also, how could Dolores grab a gun, kill two people, and run away when she's surrounded by men with guns?

Dolores was able to get away with it because the other hosts didn't know how to react. She was acting like a guest, and it seems probable that these first generation hosts were not as capable of improvisation as the newer models. They also would have been confused by one guest telling her to run away, and another guest telling them to stop her. They may not have been able to resolve that conflict.

12 minutes ago, dr pepper said:

This episode was IN waitforit TENSE.

Especially Maeve's and Hector's final scene.

[dr pepper]

By the way, the title "The Well Tempered Clavier" has to do with experimentation in classical music. In the music theory developed in Europe over the centuries, an octave is 12 half steps. Each note is (1+(12th root of 2)) * the previous note. That way you end the octave at twice the frequency you started. A clavier is a keyboard, i think it's related to a harpsichord or a spinnet. Anyway, around the baroque era, some composers played around with messing with the tuning so that even though you still made an octave, in between the pitch changes were of different sizes. I don't like classical myself, so i really don't know how big a difference it makes. Anyway, i think the title relates to the hosts all being Ford's to tune as he sees fit, just like the player piano.

[Chris24601]

1 hour ago, dr pepper said:

This episode was IN waitforit TENSE.

1 hour ago, Gobi said:

Especially Maeve's and Hector's final scene.

No... that was just In Tents... [Rimshot]

[Gobi]

6 minutes ago, Chris24601 said:

No... that was just In Tents... [Rimshot]

Exactly.

[Gobi]

I think we learned the reason why Ford doesn't want the hosts to become self-aware. He fears that if they do, mankind will destroy them, as it did the Neanderthals. That would also explain why he insists that workers treat the hosts as machines. He doesn't want the help to feel that the hosts are in any way human. He's going to be very upset with Felix.

[DarkRaichu]

7 minutes ago, Gobi said:

I think we learned the reason why Ford doesn't want the hosts to become self-aware. He fears that if they do, mankind will destroy them, as it did the Neanderthals. That would also explain why he insists that workers treat the hosts as machines. He doesn't want the help to feel that the hosts are in any way human. He's going to be very upset with Felix.

Technically Felix already treats Maeve as superior to himself.  The only other way to protect the hosts is for them to "eat" the humankind and be the dominant "species".  If the end result is survival of the hosts, perhaps Ford is not going to be mad at Felix afterall.

[kellog010]

After this episode, it now makes sense to me when Logan cut Delores and showed her "insides" to William, that is what broke his mind. To the point where he slaughtered the town and dismembered them to look at their parts. How scary. 

Spoiler

This fits the theory that William is the MIB, IMO.

Wow, Ford is one scary dude. He is completely rational in his insanity. I love that this episode confirmed a lot of speculation but it got there in a satisfying way. Even while I had guessed at some of it, I never felt cheated in getting an answer. I can't wait until the next evolution of the story enfolds. 

I had long suspected that Delores was in the present reliving her past. It was great to get that confirmation. 

I hope Maeve repairs Bernard and incorporates him into her robot army. It'll be interesting when Maeve reanimates the "dead" hosts what happens now that Abernathy has everything downloaded into his brain because of Charlotte. That's going to bite people in the ass. 

[paigow]

Ford is already building a new Bernard [or Stubbs??] in the magic cottage....Hector's gang must have a different ending if the guests are there...needs to have a full safe and the guests keep the money...

Edited November 28, 2016 by paigow

[Ellaria]

4 hours ago, DarkRaichu said:

At least to me, it was pretty clear that Logan and William's scenes took place in the past.  When Logan gutted Dolores, her inside was all mechanical which meant 1st generation model.  Also all of the confederado soldiers killed by William were shown to have mechanical inside...

...To me, Stubbs was not jumped by Ghost Nation.  Those natives looked more like the ones from Sizemore's canceled narrative (Red River adventure?)

I thought the shot of Charlotte's shoe in front of MiB was a great way to take viewers out of MiB's old west narrative.  So MiB was still a board member, somehow last week I thought Charlotte pushed him out of the board

For me, this episode makes it hard to deny the non-linear timeline theory. The Logan-William scenes demonstrate that the hosts accompanying them were the "old" models with mechanical insides. 

Also, William is in possession of the photo making it entirely possible that, at some point, he buries it on the farm so Abernathy finds it. Does he hold onto that photo for 30 years and bury it the night before it is found? Also, why does he believe that it will have that effect on Abernathy?

I hope that Stubbs is still around. He has been a sane, reliable voice. If someone else has to go, please let it be Charlotte. The character is written as a cliche without any nuance. The actress is not of the caliber of the rest of the cast. Her range moves between snide and sarcastic. 

One question...when we see Dolores recalling her conversations with "Bernard" in the bunker, she is remembering Arnold? She and Bernard never actually met in the bunker. At the end of the episode, she is just remembering those conversations with Arnold and remembering that she killed him.

[dmc]

I need a cliff note's/ spark's note version of this show or something...

so Bernard is a robot and a remade version of Arnold. OKAY

Delores may have killed Arnold...but why does she keep showing up places, seeing things and having the stuff disappear...memories?

William...this story line is the weakest for me....I just don't care about William or what is going on with him...same for the MIB...just don't care...this show still hasn't sold me on why William just disconnects from his real life for Westworld...nothing that has happen explains it...not his hookup with Delores etc...William acts like he is actually crazy...

[numbnut]

3 hours ago, Gobi said:

Dolores was able to get away with it because the other hosts didn't know how to react. She was acting like a guest, and it seems probable that these first generation hosts were not as capable of improvisation as the newer models. They also would have been confused by one guest telling her to run away, and another guest telling them to stop her. They may not have been able to resolve that conflict.

Wait, what? All the hosts are programmed to improvise along with the guests. That comes with the price of admission. When did they say that Logan's gang was first generation? And why would that make them unlike Maeve, Teddy and Clem?

Edited to add: I forgot about the double timeline, so, true, Logan's gang would be older than today's hosts, but I still don't see why they would be less functional than Maeve and others.

2 hours ago, kellog010 said:

After this episode, it now makes sense to me when Logan cut Delores and showed her "insides" to William, that is what broke his mind. To the point where he slaughtered the town and dismembered them to look at their parts. How scary. 

He already knew Dolores was a robot (and was arguing that she was a special robot) so how could the reveal "break his mind"?

Edited November 28, 2016 by numbnut

[xaxat]

I would totally buy WestWorld HQ menswear. Ford and Bernard's jackets, vests, ties. Bernard's glasses. Stubbs' jacket.

All of it. . . 

Edited November 28, 2016 by xaxat

[numbnut]

7 hours ago, jeansheridan said:

Or if we get lucky, Maeve finds his body first and has Felix fix him.  It's just a bullet to his head.  Very fixable for a robot.

Yes please! I'm wearing a "Bernard isn't dead" pin until next season.

Edited November 28, 2016 by numbnut

[Primetimer]

Really, though, this episode is hella smart and exciting.

View the full article

[Chicago Redshirt]

41 minutes ago, numbnut said:

Wait, what? All the hosts are programmed to improvise along with the guests. That comes with the price of admission. When did they say that Logan's gang was first generation? And why would that make them unlike Maeve, Teddy and Clem?

He already knew Dolores was a robot (and was arguing that she was a special robot) so how could the reveal "break his mind"?

It is one thing to intellectually know that Dolores is a robot, as William did. It is another to be confronted with the reality that it is just an assemblage of parts. Logan was hoping by reminding William viscerally (literally and figuratively) that Dolores was just a robot that he would go along and be a black hat and bond with him. 

Instead, it arguably awoke William to the notion he could do whatever he want. The William of a couple episodes ago was hesitant to shoot the Union soldiers transporting the nitro as part of a gang. William now massacred an entire detachment of Confederates.

[numbnut]

I think Elsie is still alive. Bernard's flashback showed him looking in a mirror while choking Elsie, so his reflection could have triggered a "what am I doing?" moment. Elsie could be hiding out and sent that "ping" to find help.

[jeansheridan]

Quote

One question...when we see Dolores recalling her conversations with "Bernard" in the bunker, she is remembering Arnold? She and Bernard never actually met in the bunker. At the end of the episode, she is just remembering those conversations with Arnold and remembering that she killed him.

I believe she met with Arnold in the bunker before Arnold died.  Throughout the season we have been seeing flashbacks of these conversations.   It's why she is dressed.  In the scene when she is in pants in the bunker she is just remembering. She is alone in the bunker.  

So clothing versus no clothing actually served a useful purpose for clarity.   I would say only Charlotte 's nudity was gratuitous unless it was a clue.

Also I do wonder how the MIB would have been rescued had he not grabbed the knife. I do love how Charlotte made the moment seem foolish.  An old man playing dress up.  It does seem like most of the guests are on the younger side.  

And yet when the show presents us with real consequences like losing Jeffrey Wright, most of us (myself included ) want it fixed so we can keep him on the show.  It would probably mean more if this is his true end.  

[Chicago Redshirt]

First rule: if you don't see a body, they're not necessarily dead.

I'm holding out hope that Bernard was able to overcome/outwit Ford's narrative command.

[Netfoot]

Nice to see Clementine back, if only for a brief time.  Lucky for her, the Magic of Television meant she didn't have to hold that pistol at arms length for ten minutes for real!

4 minutes ago, Chicago Redshirt said:

I'm holding out hope that Bernard was able to overcome/outwit Ford's narrative command.

It's going to be pretty difficult to engineer that.  

[Broderbits]

20 minutes ago, Chicago Redshirt said:

First rule: if you don't see a body, they're not necessarily dead.

I'm holding out hope that Bernard was able to overcome/outwit Ford's narrative command.

But we did see Bernard shoot himself, in the background while Ford was walking out.

[kellog010]

1 hour ago, numbnut said:

He already knew Dolores was a robot (and was arguing that she was a special robot) so how could the reveal "break his mind"?

I think William got caught up in the park and the fantasy and starting falling for Delores to the point where he started humanizing and even wanting to break her out of the park, even though he "knew" she was a robot. Accepting that she was a machine and proving that buy killing all the robots and looking at their parts was a huge reality check.  

[izabella]

39 minutes ago, Broderbits said:

But we did see Bernard shoot himself, in the background while Ford was walking out.

He could have pretended to shoot himself and pretended to fall.  Ford had his back to him, so he wouldn't have seen the details.  Ford was sure his commands would work, though, like they did with Clementine, so I'm thinking he did actually shoot himself.  He can still be repaired, though, of course.

[Izeinwinter]

There are a number of ways for Bernard to live through that, especially as Ford walked away.

In no particular order: They were having the conversation in a room full of hosts. It would be a very straight-forward precaution to have reprogrammed more of them than just Clementine with contingency orders. Heck, Clementine may have quite complex orders. ( or most radically, he just copied his entire mind into Clem. )

Elsie: May not be dead. They've worked together for years, he might have turned her against Ford.

And finally, Maeve may find the body and fix it. 

[numbnut]

4 minutes ago, kellog010 said:

I think William got caught up in the park and the fantasy and starting falling for Delores to the point where he started humanizing and even wanting to break her out of the park, even though he "knew" she was a robot. Accepting that she was a machine and proving that buy killing all the robots and looking at their parts was a huge reality check.  

I can buy this, though I think a stronger actor would have helped to connect the dots.

[okerry]

2 hours ago, numbnut said:

He already knew Dolores was a robot (and was arguing that she was a special robot) so how could the reveal "break his mind"?

Being Told something and being Shown something are two different things. It was easy for William to dismiss the idea of Dolores being a non-human entity when she's Showing him entirely human behaviour. It was very different when Logan Showed him that Dolores is really just a machine and William gets hit with, "Jeez, I just threw away my fiancee and my future in her brother's company to fall in love with a blow-up doll - WTF is wrong with me?"

This is why writers are always told to Show, don't Tell.

[okerry]

1 hour ago, Broderbits said:

But we did see Bernard shoot himself, in the background while Ford was walking out.

Sorry but I must point out: We heard a gunshot and saw the muzzle flash in the room as Ford walked away. We didn't actually see who or what was hit, if anything. (Hey, I want Bernard to stay around, too!)

[Maximum Taco]

43 minutes ago, okerry said:

Sorry but I must point out: We heard a gunshot and saw the muzzle flash in the room as Ford walked away. We didn't actually see who or what was hit, if anything. (Hey, I want Bernard to stay around, too!)

We also saw Bernard (or a shadow that looked very much like him) collapse to the ground.

It's nice to think he may have found a way around Ford's command, but it seems super likely that he shot himself in the head.

Of course, he's a freaking robot, so shooting himself in the head is hardly an end impossible to come back from.

Edited November 28, 2016 by Maximum Taco

[Gobi]

3 hours ago, numbnut said:

Wait, what? All the hosts are programmed to improvise along with the guests. That comes with the price of admission. When did they say that Logan's gang was first generation? And why would that make them unlike Maeve, Teddy and Clem?

Edited to add: I forgot about the double timeline, so, true, Logan's gang would be older than today's hosts, but I still don't see why they would be less functional than Maeve and others.

He already knew Dolores was a robot (and was arguing that she was a special robot) so how could the reveal "break his mind"?

Maeve and the other present day hosts have had 30+ years of upgrades, and are much more capable than mechanical versions of the Confederados.

2 hours ago, jeansheridan said:

 

Also I do wonder how the MIB would have been rescued had he not grabbed the knife. 

I suspect that the horse is programmed to back up and let him drop to the ground if a guest is in real danger.

[charmed1]

On November 22, 2016 at 1:11 PM, Tara Ariano said:

Quote

Hector mulls a proposition from Maeve; Dolores and Bernard dredge up old memories; Teddy's enlightenment comes with a cost.

I'm finding these episode descriptions very Mad Men-like.

[dgpolo]

I am left feeling that instead of fan theories what we are experiencing are leaks, either unofficial by someone on the inside who likes seeing the arguments engendered by the leaked info, or official by production to whip up interest in the show. I hope it is not that because I would feel used, it just seems too many theories have been too 'right on' to be completely believable.

But that's just me.

Charlotte just sucks all the life out of a scene like a black hole. I didn't feel she made MiB ridiculous so much as herself. She's the one that went traipsing around in inappropriate footwear (and dress)

I hope Stubbs is OK, I'm not sure of the reason for him being attacked. Unless it had to do with his suspicions of Elsie and Bernard. And if it is hopefully he's OK and about to be brought to her 'behind the scenes' Though, actually, he was high on my list of who might be a host.

[numbnut]

29 minutes ago, Gobi said:

Maeve and the other present day hosts have had 30+ years of upgrades, and are much more capable than mechanical versions of the Confederados.

One of the Confederados yelled "You can run but you can't hide" (before Logan's call to action), so I have trouble buying that they were confused by Dolores's actions or that all 50 men were incapable of going after her on their own.

2 minutes ago, dgpolo said:

Charlotte just sucks all the life out of a scene like a black hole. I didn't feel she made MiB ridiculous so much as herself. She's the one that went traipsing around in inappropriate footwear (and dress)

This is why I want her gone.

Edited November 28, 2016 by numbnut

[Pallas]

7 hours ago, paramitch said:

The grief is the finishing touch on the hosts' humanity.

The catalyst, rather. Not only grief but other forms of suffering, especially those Ford mentions: self-doubt, guilt, self-hatred. Suffering and memory. Until those two ingredients of regret seep into their blood, the hosts are mere mechanicals. And no more nor less content to be so -- at the end of the day, or the end of their loops -- than a can of beans.

[jennpawl]

25 minutes ago, dgpolo said:

I am left feeling that instead of fan theories what we are experiencing are leaks, either unofficial by someone on the inside who likes seeing the arguments engendered by the leaked info, or official by production to whip up interest in the show. I hope it is not that because I would feel used, it just seems too many theories have been too 'right on' to be completely believable.

Whoa, that just blew my mind. It's like the show is manipulating our world as well as the one on the screen. 

I was waiting for a proof that William's storyline is in the past so when Logan opened up Dolores I was stoked. I realized last week that if we've been watching a past storyline than present!Dolores has been missing for a bunch of episodes now. I was surprised to see her in the pants and not her blue dress when the MIB walked into the church. I wonder how present!Dolores made it back there to what I assume is Escalante and where she got the outfit from since the William storyline is in the past.

Ditto to the person who theorized that Dolores is "Wyatt" and Arnold was the "general".  

One thing that continues to frustrate me is a lack of motivation for Lutz to fully unlock Maeve as he did. I wonder what role he will play in Maeve's future. 

[Ellaria]

28 minutes ago, dgpolo said:

Charlotte just sucks all the life out of a scene like a black hole. I didn't feel she made MiB ridiculous so much as herself. She's the one that went traipsing around in inappropriate footwear (and dress)

She is the only character that I am having trouble with (although Logan is a close second). The writing for Charlotte is terrible and the actress is unable to rise above it. Agree on the footwear and dress: these excellent writers chose to have a powerful, intelligent woman march into the desert wearing a tight dress and high heel boots. There are other ways to show influence. If the story required a "powerful female executive" type, I much preferred Theresa. 

26 minutes ago, numbnut said:

This is why I want her gone.

Me, too. The sooner, the better.

1 hour ago, Maximum Taco said:

We also saw Bernard (or a shadow that looked very much like him) collapse to the ground.

It's nice to think he may have found a way around Ford's command, but it seems super likely that he shot himself in the head.

Of course, he's a freaking robot, so shooting himself in the head is hardly an end impossible to come back from.

I don't think that Bernard is gone. Wouldn't it raise too many suspicions so soon after Theresa's death, especially because Elsie and Stubbs may be gone as well? Ford will bring Bernard back but he will be different.

[Dobian]

Show, you give me so much to think about.  I haven't done this much thinking since Lost.  I was really hoping for a  present day meeting between Dolores and Bernard (should I say, robot Arnold?).  Ford's motivations are still a mystery.  Is he trying to protect his creations, or does he fear what they would become with full self awareness?  He has a definite God complex, and full self awareness means he loses control over them.

Charlotte is the only weak spot on this show, just bad casting.  They needed to cast a mature grand dame in this role, like Kathryn leader of the Court of Owls in Gotham.  Smart and intimidating, carries weight with every word she speaks.  Not floozy girl.

Edited November 28, 2016 by Dobian

[Gobi]

43 minutes ago, Ellaria Sand said:

She is the only character that I am having trouble with (although Logan is a close second). The writing for Charlotte is terrible and the actress is unable to rise above it. Agree on the footwear and dress: these excellent writers chose to have a powerful, intelligent woman march into the desert wearing a tight dress and high heel boots. There are other ways to show influence. If the story required a "powerful female executive" type, I much preferred Theresa. 

Me, too. The sooner, the better.

I don't think that Bernard is gone. Wouldn't it raise too many suspicions so soon after Theresa's death, especially because Elsie and Stubbs may be gone as well? Ford will bring Bernard back but he will be different.

If Bernard remains dead, I expect the cover story to be remorse over Theresa's death, or even guilt for killing  her. Hard to see how his real nature could remain hidden, even from a rudimentary autopsy. Of course, it's not clear how much autonomy Delos has, so there may not be an autopsy.

Edited November 28, 2016 by Gobi
Spelling

[Gobi]

1 hour ago, dgpolo said:

I am left feeling that instead of fan theories what we are experiencing are leaks, either unofficial by someone on the inside who likes seeing the arguments engendered by the leaked info, or official by production to whip up interest in the show. I hope it is not that because I would feel used, it just seems too many theories have been too 'right on' to be completely believable.

But that's just me.

I was wondering the same thing, myself. Especially after reading about the official tweet (or whatever it was) about how even the logos have meaning in Westworld, which was a tip-off to the non-linear stories.

[arc]

5 hours ago, Ellaria Sand said:

Also, William is in possession of the photo making it entirely possible that, at some point, he buries it on the farm so Abernathy finds it. Does he hold onto that photo for 30 years and bury it the night before it is found? Also, why does he believe that it will have that effect on Abernathy?

It "shouldn't look like anything to him" if Abernathy was a normal host. It didn't even trigger anything for Dolores.

1 hour ago, Maximum Taco said:

Of course, he's a freaking robot, so shooting himself in the head is hardly an end impossible to come back from.

Is it? I know Maeve shot one host in the head in an early episode but I went through it frame by frame and arguably the bullet didn't cut through the brain area. Meanwhile, Maurice (the stray) bashed in his own head with a rock to destroy his brain and that did make him unsalvageable.

[numbnut]

11 minutes ago, Gobi said:

If Bernard remains dead, I expect the cover story to be remorse over Theresa's death, or even guilt for killing  her. Hard to see how his real nature could remain hidden, even from a rudimentary autopsy. Of course, it's not clear how much autonomy Demos has, so there may not be an autopsy.

That would be a suspicious cover story (especially to Stubbs) after Ford made Bernard erase all evidence of the affair.

[Pallas]

46 minutes ago, Dobian said:

Charlotte is the only weak spot on this show, just bad casting.  

I wonder what Gina Torres is up to.

[Dobian]

25 minutes ago, arc said:

It "shouldn't look like anything to him" if Abernathy was a normal host. It didn't even trigger anything for Dolores.

Is it? I know Maeve shot one host in the head in an early episode but I went through it frame by frame and arguably the bullet didn't cut through the brain area. Meanwhile, Maurice (the stray) bashed in his own head with a rock to destroy his brain and that did make him unsalvageable.

I think there are two kinds of dead for these robots.  There is what I call the fake death, where a robot gets shot in the chest and is "dead".  Well they really aren't dead since they are a machine and their cpu is still functioning because it is in their head.  Maybe all the bullet did was damage a component that makes their left hand work or something.  But the robots are programmed to "die" when shot in the chest.  Then there is real death, like if you smash their head in and it wipes out their core processor.

[paigow]

24 minutes ago, numbnut said:

That would be a suspicious cover story (especially to Stubbs) after Ford made Bernard erase all evidence of the affair.

No autopsy is going to happen....the replacement model will take over

[Netfoot]

3 hours ago, Izeinwinter said:

There are a number of ways for Bernard to live through that, especially as Ford walked away.

That scene as Ford walked away was a cut to an earlier timeline.  It wasn't Bernard shooting himself, but Arnold committing suicide.  Because in-scene timeline cuts are de rigueur for this show, right?  I mean they are used all the time, to explain everything else...

[Stanner]

1 hour ago, arc said:

It "shouldn't look like anything to him" if Abernathy was a normal host. It didn't even trigger anything for Dolores.

But there's been no reason to 'hide' it from Papa Abernathy, as he's never seen it before. Remember, hosts are programmed to not see the things that will harm them and Dolores would be harmed by seeing Juliette in that photo again. Maybe it just caused Abernathy programming problems because his 'mind' couldn't grasp what it could be since he's never seen anything like it before?

[CrashTextDummie]

Episode blew my mind. Not because I was surprised by any of the reveals, I wasn't (and I'm feeling mighty proud of myself for figuring most of them out well in advance, all by myself). It blew my mind because I'm astonished at how elegantly everything is coming together. So much happened in this episode. So much. The way it jumped from storyline to storyline (and from timeline to timeline) left me absolutely breathless, as did a number of the performances. Jeffrey Wright is deservedly getting a lot of fave reviews here and elsewhere and Thandie Newton has been rocking it for weeks, but I was perhaps most impressed with Evan Rachel Wood. Particularly in the scene with Logan and William (don't call him Billy!), she was ON POINT. I also gained a newfound appreciation for Logan for how legitimately menacing he came across.

This show isn't Lost, folks. Lost threw crazy shit at its viewership and dared them to figure it out without having the faintest idea what it was all supposed to mean itself. Westworld is fully in control of its narrative. It means that the mysteries are way less mysterious and that the twists are less shocking. But it also means it's one of the most rewarding television experiences I've ever had.

My hat is tipped. Bring on the finale!

[meep.meep]

So, now we know that Theresa wasn't human.  There was a scene with Bernard where she was "paused."

Why didn't the Indians respond to Stubbs commands?