Westworld: 5 most unexpected moments from season 2

Plot twists are deeply embedded in DNA of Westworld. Which twists led to the most unexpected moments of season 2?

Warning: Spoilers for season 2 of Westworld will follow. 

5. Ford’s return

Robert Ford’s death in the season 1 finale was not only shocking, but it seemed necessary to allow the hosts to truly become autonomous. Even with the best intentions, how could the hosts truly have free will with their creator Ford in the picture?

The season 2 premiere seemed to solidify this thinking with the decaying, maggot-riddled corpse of Ford discovered by Bernard, Strand, and the Delos team. Theories about a host version of Ford running around persisted. By season 2, episode 6 “Phase Space” it seemed like Ford was truly gone, and all those theories were nothing more than wishful speculation.

That’s what made his return at the end of the episode so unexpected. Ford really had died in the season 1 finale and there wasn’t a host of him out there, but his consciousness had been uploaded to the Cradle. When Bernard’s consciousness was uploaded to the Cradle, he discovered Ford sitting at the piano at the Mariposa Saloon, playing a pretty tune and greeting Bernard with his classic “Hello, old friend” line.

Not only was Ford’s return unexpected, but it also brought with it the highly unexpected revelation about Dolores creating Bernard.

Ford’s return was handled well. He played a crucial role–delivered with all of Anthony Hopkins’ acting brilliance and grace–but it wasn’t about power or control. It was about helping Bernard, Maeve, and the other hosts in their autonomous journeys.

4. William kills his daughter

Emily seemed poised to become one of the most important characters of Westworld. From her stunning introduction, revealing she was William’s daughter, to promising Akecheta she would make her father suffer, she seemed destined for big things. That’s partly what made it so unexpected when William killed her as she seemed to have so much future ahead of her on the show.

This twist was also unexpected because of what it meant for William. He’d certainly done his fair share of dark deeds before, but killing his own daughter is a whole new level of darkness. Wouldn’t you say? Shocking as it was, it made sense for a man who murdered without consequence as a guest for many years.

Now wrapped up in his own brand of paranoia, fear, and self-preservation, he was driven to believe Emily was a host sent by Ford and killed her. That doesn’t change the fact that he killed his real daughter, something showrunner Lisa Joy confirmed. In a life filled with tragedy and regret, this is the greatest torment yet for William.

Emily’s death felt like snuffing out some of her potential, but she still remains one of the best characters introduced in season 2.

3. The truth about Stubbs

Ashley Stubbs largely flew under the radar for most of seasons 1 and 2, so it came as quite the surprise to learn he had been a host under Ford’s control all along. This came in the very late stages of the season 2 finale when it seemed like all the major twists had already happened.

His intentional choice of words in his conversation with Dolores–her consciousness in the host body of Charlotte Hale–strongly hinted at this truth which showrunner Lisa Joy elaborated on in an interview with The Wrap.

Stubbs’ conversation with Dolores as she leaves the parks and heads for the outside world completely changes the way fans view Stubbs. He went from being a somewhat bland supporting character to becoming one of the most improved and compelling individuals of Westworld.

While re-watching seasons 1 and 2, it’s fascinating to examine Stubbs with this revelation in mind, reevaluating each of his actions and conversations with the other characters.

2. Halores

No one thought Dolores was dead for good after Bernard shot and killed her, but neither did they think she would return as Halores. Finding out that Bernard created a host of Charlotte Hale carrying Dolores’ consciousness was one thing.

Finding out that that host–referred to onset and by many fans as Halores–killed the real Charlotte, and had been the Charlotte from the future timeline with Bernard the whole time was another thing entirely, as was the fact that she and Bernard had been working together and manipulating the Delos team.

The moment in which Halores reveals her true self, shooting and killing Strand and the Delos team is easily one of the most unexpected moments of the season.

It’s a game-changing development that led to Dolores successfully leaving the parks and reaching the outside world, along with pearls containing the consciousnesses of several hosts. She’s printed a host body that looks like the Dolores fans know and love, containing her advanced consciousness. The Charlotte host is still there, though, meaning there’s a different consciousness inside that body now.

The unexpected Halores development also reshaped the Dolores-Bernard dynamic. They killed each other, worked together to defeat a common enemy, and printed host bodies for each other’s consciousness all in the span of the season 2 finale.

While they share drastically different beliefs and can be enemies at times, they also need each other to survive and grow. Halores made them understand that their existences and development are forever intertwined.

1. The post-credits scene

Just when audiences thought they’d survived all the season 2 finale’s twists and turns, the show threw everyone for a loop with the post-credits scene. Season 1 also had a post-credits scene, but it was only a brief moment of Armistice still alive and pulling her bloodied arm out of the door that trapped her earlier.

The season 2 finale’s post-credits scene was a different animal entirely. Taking place far into the future, the scene revealed a host of William being tested by a host version of his daughter Emily. After William killed Emily an episode earlier, it was thoroughly unexpected to see him conversing with his daughter again.

Next: Westworld: No, it doesn’t have a humor problem

And after discovering no wires in his arms, it was also unexpected to see William as a host. It’s important to remember that the post-credits scene is taking place in a distant future and not the present, so it doesn’t change what William did to Emily and that the human version of him is still kicking.

The post-credits scene does spell a nightmarish future for William trapped in a hellish loop. It also hints at a possibly bleak future for humanity in which William may not be the only human now a host, constantly being tested and reliving his worst moments over and over again.

What do you think was the most unexpected moment of season 2? Let us know in the comments!