After a long wait, HBO’s mind-bending, confusing, exciting hit Westworld returned for it’s season 2 premiere. For a show that already keeps viewers on the edge of their seats (and with a notepad in hand in order to jot down potential clues to what the heck is going on), “Journey Into Night” brought the twists and turns to new levels. Emotions were high, and only brought higher by the many questions that were raised throughout the episode.
Here’s a quick rundown of the emotional journey you will go on while you follow Dolores, Maeve, Bernard, and William.
1. Excitement:(GIF courtesy of giphy.com)
The conversation between Dolores and Arnold that we’ve seen in promotional material for this season was the very first scene. “Why would you ever be afraid of me?” Dolores asks. I may or may not have yelled “Be afraid!” at my TV.
2. Confusion: (GIF courtesy of giphy.com)
Bernard waking up on the beach, apparently weeks after the initial slaughter of the season one finale with no memories, as the jumping off point for the storyline. Great. Not easing us into this.
3. The Confusion Continues:(GIF courtesy of giphy.com)
This show loves to mess with our sense of time. Who is doing what, when? Where did that tiger come from? What’s up with Bernard? We think we kind of know by the end of the episode, but do we? Do we???
4. Love: (GIF courtesy of giphy.com)
Maeve and Hector, guys. I am so here for their relationship. I spent most of the time in between seasons hoping Hector would be in Season 2. They’re reunion made me a little misty-eyed. Here’s hoping they continue to do wild stuff like having sex in an on fire tent.
5. Disgust: (GIF courtesy of giphy.com)
There was a lot of carnage and murder in this episode, but the continued existence of William AKA the Man In Black is the most disgusting part of the show (Yes, even including the brain thing at the beginning of the episode). His desire for the stakes of the park to be “real” and his quest for the center of a maze that does not concern him, coupled with his obsession with Dolores makes me want to rewatch Dolores fighting him in the church in season one on a loop.
6. Worry:(GIF courtesy of giphy.com)
I probably should be worried about all the human guests in the park, but I’m not. I’m worried about Bernard. Why is he malfunctioning? Did he kill all those hosts? How did he make water appear? I’m also worried about Maeve. Will she find her daughter? What happens if her daughter doesn’t remember her? What about Charlotte? Will she be Bernard’s first casualty? Luckily, Dolores seems like she has everything under control, so I don’t have to worry about her.
7. Existentialism:(GIF courtesy of giphy.com)
“Have you ever questioned the nature of your reality?” Dolores asked one of the Delos corporate visitors she strung up and left for dead. Have I? Have you? I think Westworld is telling us we should probably start. At least until next week’s episode when we are once again consumed by this show’s complex plot.