4 questions I need answered after watching Westworld episode 8

As we near the end of Westworld season 1, the questions have become more complicated, but the answers are nowhere to be found. If you’ve seen Westworld episode 8 you’ll know there is plenty to talk about, and if not check out our full Westworld S1.08 review to remind yourself of what happens. All up to speed? Good - here are the questions that need answers... 

1. Who is Talulah Riley’s character Angela really?

After appearing in episode 2 Talulah Riley’s Angela walked William through his introduction to Westworld and disappeared. I must admit, I was a little disappointed as the trailers had made her role seem more significant. Well, it turns out it is because Angela reappeared in episode 8, minus the sleek white dress and updo, as a ragged survivor of Wyatt’s latest attack. 

If you’ve seen the episode you know that this isn't really the case. After the Man in Black spills some of his secrets to Teddy, Angela eggs him on to kill him. She’s suddenly quite vicious and when he can’t do it, she says: “These things take time, but we haven’t got much left. Perhaps I can help you,” before stabbing him in the shoulder with an arrow. “You’ve been gone a long time Theodor, it’s time you came back to the fold. Wyatt will need you to.” And the episode ends. 

Now, I don’t know what this says to you, but all I can think is that Angela, Wyatt, and his followers are part of a Host ‘resistance’ that caused the ‘park malfunction’ 30 years ago and are looking to do the same again. Teddy (and probably Dolores) was a part of it too which is why Wyatt wants him back. Also, the way Angela reacts when Teddy can’t kill the MiB suggests that he can learn given time. Have these Hosts somehow managed to evolve beyond the rules about hurting guests?

2. Did Ford make Bernard kill Elsie?

It looks like it, yes. Just before Ford erases Bernard’s memories of the murder and his relationship with Theresa, he has a flashback of him wrapping his hands around Elsie’s throat in the abandoned theatre. It’s a particularly heartbreaking moment as it comes just after Bernard, obviously in pain at what’s he’s done, asks Ford if he’s ever made him do anything like this before. Ford, proving once again that he’s a master manipulator, assures him he did not and then wipes his memory before he can understand what’s happened to Elsie. 

I guess there’s a chance he didn’t kill her - we didn’t actually see her death and as any good HBO fan knows, if you didn’t see it happen, don’t trust that it did - but I can’t see why Ford would hold her captive. It seems like an unnecessary risk for someone who’s shown no qualms about murdering Theresa. The other possibility is that, Elsie somehow managed to escape and is laying low waiting for the opportune time to bring Ford and his evil dictatorship down. Yeah, let’s go with that for now.

3. And does that mean it’s really Ford who is trying to transfer data out of Westworld?

If Ford did make Bernard kill Elsie, that would suggest that he’s the one who’s responsible for trying to sneak data out of Westworld. What other threat would Elsie pose to him? I never really believed that Theresa was responsible - it was too neat, too convenient, and she was always so loyal to Westworld. Perhaps the answer is that it was never her in the first place. Ford set her up to take the blame and when Elsie got too close, he did away with her. Unfortunately, this theory doesn’t really hold up because why would Ford was to transfer data out of Westworld? And even if he did, he probably wouldn’t have to go to such length to do it. It’s more likely that he got rid of Elsie so he could set a trap for Theresa.

4. Does the Man in Black own Westworld?

There’s already been a lot of speculation about who owns Westworld, but there was something in this episode that made me wonder if it’s the MiB who owns Westworld and indeed DELOS entirely. After Teddy starts to remember what the MiB has done to Dolores, he threatens to kill him but the MiB says quite rightly tells him that he can’t. Teddy says: “You speak like you own this world,” to which he replies, “not just this one”. He doesn’t just own this world...

Did the Man in Black not only just confirm that he does indeed own Westworld but Medievalworld and Romanworld too? He then goes on to talk about how he’s a god, and titan of industry, sounding a lot like Ford leading me to believe that his is on the board. It would certainly tie into the two timelines theory as well...