“Westworld” has finally returned to the brilliance of its first episode. After the last few episodes distracted the audience from the show’s central questions, this episode begins to answer them. “The Adversary” is a reminder of what the show can be, and the episode’s ability to emote is extremely powerful. Of course, this episode is not without some faults, but the high points elevate it.
In the best scene of the series so far, Maeve (Thandie Newton) slowly walks through the hallways of the various park labs, and while it is strange that Felix (Leonardo Nam) and Maeve are never stopped, the sequence and the music deliver. It is absolutely heartbreaking watching Maeve question everything she sees — Thandie Newton delivers a performance with the perfect amount of emotion.
Elsie (Shannon Woodward) and Bernard (Jeffrey Wright) continue working to discover who is leaking park information. While Elsie seems way too eager to put herself in dark places, she does find information that Theresa is the alleged mole. While this reveal is not the most surprising twist, there are still many intriguing questions surrounding the thread.
Dr. Ford (Anthony Hopkins) is also busy this episode — he’s discovered hiding some of the first generations of Hosts in the park. This scene first plays out as a dark fable with the eerie cabin in the woods, and these hosts have connections to Arnold. It is clear that Dr. Ford has an obsession with these Hosts.
Perhaps the most annoying part of the episode is the constant whining from Lee Sizemore (Simon Quarterman). His complaining seems to drag on. These scenes did introduce Charlotte Hale (Tessa Thompson), the representative from the Delos Corporation and a pivotal character to come.
Theories and questions:
One strong theory has to do with Arnold, the former business partner of Dr. Ford. A few weeks ago, Dr. Ford showed Bernard a picture of Arnold, but this picture appears to have been false. One strong theory is that Bernard is an exact host copy of Arnold. Elsie mentions that Bernard has been working in the park for a very long time, and Ford seems strangely forthcoming with information to Bernard.
It is unlikely Elsie would die offscreen, but who is behind the last-minute attack? Could Elsie be the first real victim of the series?
It seems that Teddy (James Marsden) was once an acquaintance of Wyatt and the two performed horrible crimes together, yet their connection is still unclear. How does Teddy’s story tie into Wyatt, and how is Wyatt tied to the maze?
It was widely speculated the Man in Black (Ed Harris) would perhaps be the true adversary of Dr. Ford. Yet new speculation after this episode points towards Maeve being the one to take down Ford and the park. Maeve is now the most aware host, and her intelligence has been raised to godlike levels. Dr. Ford’s distraction with his new narrative could be what Maeve capitalizes on.
“The Adversary” is a strong episode for the series, and lays great tracks for the rest of the season. The episode never checks in on Dolores and William, but this isn’t the worst thing ever. Similar to how “Game of Thrones” functions, the show chose a few story threads to follow, yielding a cohesive episode.
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