This is not a simple show; numerous layers are constantly being peeled away, and you can never truly trust the developments unfolding before you. The season finale elevated this paranoia to an insane degree with a number of brilliant bombshells. First off, William is none other than the Man in Black (we've been watching at least two separate timelines the entire season)! Although this theory was widely predicted by many online, I was caught completely off-guard. It's the kind of twist that works because it puts everything we've seen thus far in perspective, and it genuinely makes me want to rewatch the season with this brand new piece of information.

 

 

And then there's Maeve, played to perfection this year by the uber-talented Thandie Newton. The brilliance here is that we've been rooting for the android every step of the way as she slowly gained consciousness and began to assert her control (not to mention her genius intellect) over her captors. The heartbreaking revelation that everything about her rebellion is in fact part of yet another "narrative" is just so deliciously depressing. Is her getting off the train at the end and choosing to stay in Westworld for her daughter also part of the storyline?

 

If I had any qualms, it would be that too many people ended up being somebody else. We recently discovered that Bernard is in fact Arnold (or modeled after Arnold), and we now know that Dolores is basically Wyatt? It's all a bit too ridiculous for my taste, but the writers don't drop the ball by maintaining focus on the humanity (pardon my choice of words) behind the characters. I loved learning that the infamous maze is in fact Dolores' mind, and that it's only because she didn't let her own voice drive her insane that she could finally achieve true consciousness. It's an empowering arc for a character that has been weak for far too long.

 

 

Now let's take a moment and praise that astounding final sequence, as Ford commits suicide mid-speech through Dolores blowing his brains out. Even better is her turning fire on all the board members, and the previously-stored away hosts attacking the gala. The highlight here is William's excited smirk as he gets shot and realizes that the stakes are finally real. Kudos to Ed Harris for expressing so much with a single expression. 

 

Truth be told, I have no idea where the show is going to go next, and that's a very exciting prospect. The fact that the second season won't be premiering before 2018 (yup, we've got a whole year of waiting) means the writers will take their time and hopefully plot out a stellar sophomore year that's not rushed by network interference.