Westworld: 5 insider facts about season 3 from the creators

The season two finale of Westworld marks the beginning of a new set of theories in hopes of explaining what happened to our most favorite hosts and humans. These ideas are helping to answer the bigger question on everyone’s mind: what is going to happen in season three?

The good news is that we don’t have to figure this out on our own. Even though the Westworld script hasn’t been penned yet, the showrunners Lisa Joy and Jonathon Nolan have confirmed what we can definitely expect in the upcoming season in recent interviews.

Here are 5 facts from the showrunners we can use as a jumping off point on what to look forward to in season three:

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Season 3 will feature the real world and unseen parks

While the first two seasons were centered in Westworld with some minor glimpses of Shogun and Raj World, the upcoming season will move on to the other three worlds and the human world. Joy told The Hollywood Reporter that she and Nolan had always planned on moving the plot towards exploring the different worlds while also making the real world another stage for their characters.

Although we will be seeing a lot more of the new destinations, Westworld itself will not be forgotten. Joy explains that Westworld is central to the series and will make an appearance in some capacity. However, the new center of attention that has been slowly woven into the story in past seasons is the real world.

There haven’t been any clues as to the theme of the other parks. We are left to develop theories on what these worlds will be based on. I’m personally crossing my fingers for Future World.

Photo Credit: Westworld/HBO Image Acquired from HBO Media Relations /

Some characters will not be coming back

The Valley Beyond proved to be a virtual heaven for the hosts. They left their bodies behind and moved on to live in harmony in a digital space that could not be manipulated by humans. Based on Joy’s interview with the Hollywood Reporter, we should be saying our final farewell to all of the hosts that made it into the Valley Beyond:

"“I think we have to take Dolores at face value. It’s locked away. Humans can’t access it anymore. They’re gone. They’re in a place we can’t touch.”"

That means that we are not going to see Akecheta, Maeve’s daughter, or Teddy in the upcoming season. That’s not to say that they won’t show up later on in the series. Joy also said Dolores is the only one with the coordinates to this place and that leaves the opportunity for her to change her mind and access it if she should choose to. She just might since she sent Teddy to the Valley Beyond and that’s her main squeeze.

As for the humans that died at the end of the season, we may have to part with Lee Sizemore, Emily, Karl Strand, and Elsie. But as we saw in the after credits when what must have been a host of Emily greeted the Man in Black, there is hope for characters to return. (The Forge was destroyed so where did they find the profile to make host Emily?)

If there is anything left of The Forge or of the human profile records, there can be a reprisal of hosts based on the humans that passed away.

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Bernard and Dolores will have a competitive relationship

One of the questions that viewers had about Dolores’ choice to bring back Bernard, her biggest opposer, was why she would bring back someone she knows will try to rail against her objectives? Joy clarifies Dolores’ journey to the Hollywood Reporter and in turn, explains what her relationship to Bernard in season three will be.

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Dolores was set on her goal of reaching the real world for all of season two and didn’t really care what harsh measures she had to take to get there. Eventually, she realizes that she’s no different than the humans she’s retaliating against.

Her epiphany is that there isn’t just one way of doing things. She can allow the hosts bound for the Valley Beyond to live their best life and go to the real world. It took Teddy’s death and for Bernard to shoot her in the head, for her to understand that being a tyrant is not the way to go.

Joy says of Bernard and Dolores’ unfolding relationship:

"“They will likely come into conflict. They may even kill each other. But she’s come to understand that true freedom isn’t something that arises from a lack of dissent, from a dictatorial or totalitarian rule of one set of ideologies. It’s something that has to happen with a plurality of ideas, sometimes coming into conflict. Because she’s learned her lesson, she’s bringing Bernard back into this world to be a check on her own power, in some ways.”"

Bernard is set to be Dolores’ checks and balances in season three. Dolores knows that she can get carried away with world domination and the only one that is going to put her in her place is Bernard.

Photo Credit: Westworld/HBO Image Acquired from HBO Media Relations /

Stubbs is a host

Ashley Stubb’s cryptic conversation with Charlotte/Dolores hinted he was a host with mentions of core drives and Robert Ford programming. Toye confirms in a podcast interview with Vanity Fair that what should be gathered from that conversation is that he is a host.

Stubb’s responsibility was to help Dolores out and protect the hosts in the parks. This will lead Stubbs on an exciting course next season, as a double agent. He can partner with Dolores should he continue to support her and keep up with what the Delos corporation is up to at the very same time.

Photo Credit: Westworld/HBO Image Acquired from HBO Media Relations /

It will be a while before we see the Man in Black as a host

While the reveal in the after credits, that the Man in Black will become a host was a shocker, next season will not star the host of the Man in Black. Joy says of the time in which this is set:

"“I think that storyline is something we’ll get to eventually. But season three, the main story will not be leaping that far forward. “"

This timeline in which the Man in Black exists as a host in a continuous loop is far in the future, and there is much to tell on how things came to be. Joy also confirms that the real Man in Black is dead in this timeline and that what remains is a host version of him that is experiencing the same type of testing as James Delos did in season two.

What do you think of all the Westworld season three tidbits? Share your comments below!

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