Westworld Season 3 Episode 6: Recap and Review

Westworld’ is one of the most powerful depictions of the ability of science-fiction to present meaningful allegories revolving around each and every topic imaginable under the sun. Mythology, philosophy, economics: the HBO show consistently manages to deliver broader messages and introspections into various subjects. Created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, ‘Westworld’ is set in a futuristic world where humanoid robots are created to entertain guests of a theme park. The third season sees the robot, Dolores, lead an uprising against humanity.

Westworld Season 3 Episode 6 Recap:

Maeve finds herself in Warworld once again, after Serac tries to push her further into going against Dolores. She starts to fight the Nazi soldiers. On the other hand, William is in a circle meeting at his therapeutic facility. He gets assigned to AR therapy by his therapist. An implant, similar to the drip in Caleb’s mouth, is inserted in William’s mouth. His therapist commits suicide after her husband takes away her kids since he reads her life prediction, thanks to Dolores’ message.

The entire world is rioting due to the messages that Dolores shared with everyone. Serac gets a Delos board member killed so that he can control the board. Dolores instructs Hale to get host data from Delos before Serac can destroy it. In Warworld, Maeve meets Lee, who is not actually alive. Maeve realizes that her pearl has been moved by Serac and that she has been given an extra gift: Hector. Serac wants the host data to be destroyed and all of Delos employees to be tested so that he can find out which one of them is a host. Hale gets caught transferring data but kills the man who catches her.

William is undergoing his AR therapy, wherein he is made to sit in a circle with various versions of himself in different stages of his life. His father is also there. William’s father makes him realize that he has been telling himself a lie about his childhood. His father makes him realize that William had always been a violent kid.

Hale finds out that Serac has recovered Connells’ pearl. Meanwhile, Serac has made a copy of Dolores so that Maeve can kill it. On the other hand, Serac calls a board meeting and announces that Hale is the host. He kills everyone in the room by releasing a poisonous gas but when Hale tries to kill him, she realizes that he is a projection. The hosts in Westworld are burnt. Hale escapes from Delos security, who have been ordered (by Serac) to catch her.

Dolores tells Maeve that she would ensure that Serac and Maeve would not have host allies. Maeve realizes that Hale has reached the place where the pearls have been shifted to (it is in Delos). Hale destroys Hector’s pearl and then runs away with Dolores’ pearl. Hale finds herself cornered in the lobby by Delos’ security. She activates the Riot Control robot. The robot kills the guards and helps Hale escape.

William is made to “wake up” and realizes that his interaction with his past selves had been a simulation. He is woken up” by Bernard. On the other hand, Hale tries to escape with her family, but her car gets blown up (presumably by a man sent by Serac). Hale’s family dies, but she survives.

Westworld Season 3 Episode 6 Review:

‘Westworld’ Season 3 Episode 6 turns out to be one of the breeziest installments of the third season. There isn’t any heavy exposition that forces viewers to watch the episode more carefully. That is something characteristic of the HBO show: a complicated plot and tons of expository worldbuilding that makes viewers pay attention to every detail. It is impossible to watch and enjoy ‘Westworld’ casually.

However, this episode turns out to be a pleasant change from that tone. This does not mean that the episode has been dumbed down in any away or that the plot does not advance. Plus, deeply philosophical questions like “Is one a prisoner of one’s own sins?” are also posited. The fact that the series does not lose out on its charm despite offering a “light” episode is praise-worthy.

The best moment of the episode is Hale’s activation of Riot Control. The giant robot has been missing in action ever since its introduction. Hence, the moment where Hale uses it to save herself is quite rewarding. This highlights just how tight a grip the ‘Westworld’ writers have on the narrative as Riot Control is one of the better usages of the Chekhov’s gun storytelling principle.

Apart from that, the episode makes me wonder whether Serac is real. He has used a projection as his replacement multiple times throughout the season. Could the ‘Westworld’ writers pull off another mind-bending twist? Something along the lines of Serac having uploaded his consciousness elsewhere and not having a physical body. This is just a hunch, not backed by enough evidence from the show. However, knowing just how capable the HBO show is at pulling the rug from under one’s feet, the hunch is not entirely improbable. With just two episodes to go this season, one can be certain that a lot more questions shall be answered, if not all.

Read More: Westworld Season 3 Episode 5 Review

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