There’s only one episode left of the twisty, turn-y first season of HBO’s Westworld. That’s the bad news. The good news is, episode nine, “The Well-Tempered Clavier,” confirmed so many theories about our mysterious Hosts and their world full of lies. The way, way worse news is…
Bernard is dead!
At the behest of Westworld’s new HBIC, Maeve (Thandie Newton), Bernard (Jeffrey Wright) takes an intense trip down memory lane and finds out some unpleasant truths about his origin. The “Bernarnold” fan theory checks out!
"Open your eyes, hello my old friend" #bernarnold confirmed #Westworld ????
— Peter Hill (@HELIUM3FUSION) November 28, 2016
Bernard is Arnold…
William is The Man In Black…
And we are all in the Matrix…
Goodnight!#westworld— Eric Mandl (@ericmandl) November 28, 2016
#westworld #bernarnold #dontcallmebilly pic.twitter.com/HmFTfTkXkp
— Tori Welsh (@storitewart) November 28, 2016
But Westworld’s amoral overlord, Dr. Robert Ford (Anthony Hopkins), is in no mood to let his newly sentient “old friend” run amok in the park. So he does the only thing an evil genius could do: script a horrifying suicide scene to do away with our dear Bernard.
The Assassination of Bernard Lowe by the Coward Robert Ford. #Westworld
— Christian de Rivia (@Afoith) November 28, 2016
The internet came together in mourning on Sunday night, led off by a somewhat troll-y tweet by the actor who plays the fan favorite:
Tissue? #Westworld
— Jeffrey Wright (@jfreewright) November 28, 2016
Honestly though. Now a life long fan of @jfreewright !! I loved Bernard and cried like a baby this episode! Amazing actor! #Westworld
— Shelby Wood (@ShelbyDWood) November 28, 2016
Just like Bernard,my mind is blown right now #Westworld.
— Gesus Perez (@therealgesus69) November 28, 2016
NO BERNARD, NO !!!!!! the fuck #Westworld ?
— heyheycami (@bohemianriveira) November 28, 2016
Of course, if we have learned one thing this season, it’s that nothing in the world devised by Dr. Robert Ford and his compatriots can be taken as gospel. Bernard, as a Host, could simply be cleaned and rebooted (although, because nobody else knows that Bernard is a Host, it’s entirely up to Ford whether that happens).
Yes Bernard is still alive. All the other hosts die and come back, he's probably shot himself a hundred times and Ford fixes him #Westworld
— Derrick Anderson (@imakeinternets) November 28, 2016
Maybe I'm buggin, but I think Bernard will be back. We've seen hosts die and come back multiple times. #Westworld
— Mr. Brothers (@LBrothersMedia) November 28, 2016
Meanwhile, inside the park, the multiple timelines theory — explained in careful detail in this Reddit post — is also gaining ground. Episode nine may have confirmed the suggestion that William (Jimmi Simpson) and the Man in Black (Ed Harris) are the same person when Logan (Ben Barnes) reveals a photograph of his sister/William’s fiancée to be the same photo that sent Peter Abernathy (Louis Herthum) off the deep end in episode one.
The photo of Logan's sister… is the one found by Dolores' dad. That storyline has to be in the past, regardless of who's who. #Westworld
— Courtney Williamson (@CourtneyWRocket) November 28, 2016
Ooh, the photo Abernathy found was Logan's sister. More timeline confirmation. #Westworld
— Gina Carbone (@ginacarbone) November 28, 2016
Speaking of timelines, Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood) seems to be bounding along in every narrative at the same time. She jumps in and out of her own memories with such frequency that even she is not sure what’s real and what isn’t. Besides, as the oldest Host in the park, any time she appears on screen it could theoretically be in any timeline.
Where is Dolores? When is Dolores? #Westworld pic.twitter.com/szebXmYUi9
— Daniel Winnett (@NeverNeverDan) November 28, 2016
What?
What?!
What.
What
What
What
What?
When….
Who?
What?
Where…..
DOLORES.
NO
WHAT
WHAT?
Noooo
WHAT??????#Westworld— James Sawyer (@719jps) November 28, 2016
Tonight, Dolores’ trip to the center of the maze finally concluded with a perplexing tour of the old robot factory — and a realization that it was she who killed Arnold 35 years ago. Which creates a whole new theory, right before the season finale!
They need Dolores because she can kill humans #Westworld pic.twitter.com/ot7fYlojNf
— Abstract Tony (@AbstractTonyy) November 28, 2016
Westworld’s 90-minute season 1 finale airs Sunday, Dec. 4 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO
