The next four Westworld episode titles are here, and this is what they might mean

If you’re already thinking one episode of Westworld isn’t enough, you’ll be glad to know that the enigmatic titles of the next four episode have been released by HBO with a snippet of information about each one. So what could they mean?  

The Adversary

“Maeve (Thandie Newton) charms Lutz (Leonardo Nam); Elsie (Shannon Woodward) uncovers possible sabotage; the Man in Black (Ed Harris) and Teddy (James Marsden) run afoul of a garrison.”

Looks like lots of seeds centred around conflict are going to be planted in this episode, which will undoubtedly come into fruition near the end of the season. The telltale signs of spying Elsie found means that someone is going to have suspicion cast on them, and “garrison” suggests lots of people with guns. Should be an action-filled episode!

Trompe L'Oeil

“Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood) and William (Jimmi Simpson) journey into treacherous terrain; Maeve (Thandie Newton) delivers an ultimatum; Bernard (Jeffrey Wright) considers his next move.”

Trompe L’Oeil is a word for when someone paints a scene on a flat surface which acts as an optical illusion and gives an impression of depth. So by the sounds of it, this episode will be focused around subterfuge and deceit. Maeve’s ultimatum could be linked to the revelation that there’s a spy somewhere in Westworld, as maybe she’s uncovered who it is. With Bernard thinking about his next move, could he be the spy? He’d certainly have to tread carefully if he’s been found out. 

Trace Decay

“Bernard (Jeffrey Wright) struggles with a mandate; Maeve (Thandie Newton) looks to change her script; Teddy (James Marsden) is jarred by dark memories.”

Trace Decay is actually the word for a psychological theory which says that our memories fade due to the passing of time - basically it’s a word for forgetting things because they were short term memories. Remembering the past is probably going to be instrumental in this episode, especially as Maeve wants to change her programming, hinting that she might have got the upper hand on someone, especially since she delivered an ultimatum in the last episode. Teddy is remembering things which might not be altogether pleasant, so prepare yourself for flashbacks galore. 

The Well-Tempered Clavier

“Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood) and Bernard (Jeffrey Wright) reconnect with their pasts; Maeve (Thandie Newton) makes a bold proposition to Hector (Rodrigo Santoro); Teddy (James Marsden) finds enlightenment, at a price.”

The Well-Tempered Clavier exists in real life and is a collection of musical compositions for the keyboard from 1722. It’s described as being “for the profit and use of musical youth desirous of learning, and especially for the pastime of those already skilled in this study". So people might be gaining new insight and skills in this episode - and as The Well-Tempered Clavier is based on refining skills to perfection, we can assume some characters will even reach their true potential. 

You can feast your eyes on these new episodes on Sundays at 9 p.m. on HBO.

Zoe Delahunty-Light

While here at GamesRadar, Zoe was a features writer and video presenter for us. She's since flown the coop and gone on to work at Eurogamer where she's a video producer, and also runs her own Twitch and YouTube channels. She specialises in huge open-world games, true crime, and lore deep-dives.