After the most recent episode of ‘Westworld,’ fans theories are now rampant that perhaps the already twisty show is even more complicated than we thought, in that maybe some of what we have been seeing is not happening as linearly as we thought. Maybe the scenes with Delores and Bernard are flashbacks, maybe some parts of each episode take place in the past. Now, thanks to some sharp-eyed viewers, we may have some visual evidence to back up the theory that there are multiple timelines occurring on the show.
According to the new theory, there are two timelines being followed on the show, the first one takes place in the past and follows the storyline of William and Logan as they come into the park, as explained by the logo they see on the train and on the escalator as they enter the park (see below). The second timeline, the present, uses the new logo of the park, and follows the storyline of Dr. Ford, Bernard, and the Man in Black, and features the current logo of the park, which can be seen in the background of the picture below.
It is a fascinating idea, and only one that ‘Westworld’ could pull off. Why? Because the constant between both timelines is the park itself and the hosts, neither of whom change with time. Delores and Teddy can be part of both storylines because they do not age, and do not remember anything about their past stories. Hell, for all we know we do not yet know the name of the Man in Black because he could just be the future version of either William or Logan! And I know these theories seem far fetched, but the show runners themselves are encouraging the audience to think outside the box, as they have been quoted as saying as much. Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan even stated:
“It’s up to the viewer to decide [when events are taking place]…I think you want to assume as little as possible when watching this show.Part of the fun is people speculating about what they’re are seeing. There’s some amazing speculation out there. There are some theories that are so elaborate and beautiful that you wish you thought of them yourself. I think we want to burden the audience as little as possible with expectations of what we think the show is…the best thing to do is get out of the way of the audience and let them play with it. And there are some things in Westworld that are intentionally ambiguous.”
What are your thoughts on the new theory? Could the fans be onto something? Or could the park just have multiple logos? Feel free to weigh in on the idea or share your own theories in the comments below!
Source: Comic Book
Nick is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles, who belongs to the privileged few who enjoyed the ending to ‘Lost.’ For more of Nick’s thoughts and articles, follow him on Twitter.
