HBO’s ‘Westworld‘ inches closer to its third season finale and builds up the intensity gradually. The science-fiction television series by Jonathan Nolan has charted its story of a technological uprising against humanity with characteristic nuance and brilliance. The third season introduces Aaron Paul to the cast, and he turns out to be quite an integral character to the story. So far, the season has focused on two main plot arcs. The first one sees Dolores attempt to plot a rebellion against humanity mercilessly. The other one revolves around a French businessman named Serac trying to stop Dolores.
Westworld Season 3 Episode 7 Recap:
The episode starts in Jakarta, with Musashi being visited by Clementine. She starts to attack him and, with the help of another woman, kills him. Then, the scene changes to Caleb remembering the past and a woman asking him how he got here. A therapist is talking to him about how his friend, Francis, was killed. After that, the scene changes once again, to show Dolores and Caleb in Sonora. They have come to receive something from a guarded facility.
On the other hand, Stubbs has a gun pointed at William. Bernard mentions how Dolores sent them to see what Serac has been up to. Apparently, Dolores used William’s blood to track Serac. According to the computer that Bernard is using, William is already dead. Caleb narrates how he and Francis had been sent to Crimea during the Russian civil war. They were tasked with tracking down an insurgent group. However, Caleb and Francis were also being tracked by the Russian, and their unit was attacked.
Dolores uses a drone to kill the guards at the Sorona facility so that she and Caleb can enter. Caleb remembers having been at the facility before. Dolores has gotten him here to find Solomon: Rehoboam’s predecessor. Apparently, it had anomalies since it inherited schizophrenia from Serac’s brother. Dolores wants Solomon’s help in ending the new world order that Solomon helped design.
It is revealed that Caleb was the first recipient of an experimental, reconditioning therapy. Apparently, the program’s success rate was ten percent. The nine “failures” would be termed as “outliers.” William is an outlier. These outliers are reprogrammed by Serac because they prove to be a risk to humanity otherwise. Serac is basically weeding out the weaker humans.
Stubbs and Bernard find Caleb’s file. Then, it is revealed that Caleb was tasked with rounding up the outliers. It turns out that the Rico app was designed as a part of Serac’s plan to control people like Caleb. Francis, it is revealed, did not die in the war! In another flashback, Caleb and Francis kidnap someone based on orders from Rico. Then, Maeve comes to the Sonora facility in a flying car/ helicopter to kill Dolores. Dolores asks Caleb to wait till Solomon finishes its process of making a projection while she goes outside to fight Maeve.
Maeve and Dolores fight. Maeve’s helicopter starts to attack Dolores too. On the other hand, William tells Stubbs and Bernard that he intends on wiping away every single host. It is revealed that Francis had received an offer to kill Caleb while the two held the kidnapped man captive. Even Caleb had gotten the offer for a high amount of money, like Francis. However, Caleb manages to kill Francis before Francis could kill him.
Dolores uses her drone to attack Maeve. The two continue fighting. Maeve cuts off one of Dolores’ arms. Dolores rushes inside the Sonora building. Dolores presses a button that switches off Solomon and causes Maeve and her to lose consciousness.
Bernard tells Stubbs how Dolores won’t end humanity, Caleb will. The two are at a gas station, and William has gone to pee. William arrives, pointing a gun at them. On the other hand, Solomon finishes its projection process. Then, Caleb sees Dolores and Maeve passed out. “I have some instructions for you,” Solomon says.
Westworld Season 3 Episode 7 Review:
The penultimate episode of the third season of ‘Westworld’ turns out to be an engaging, action-packed offering with several jaw-dropping revelations. Basically, the episode does everything that the HBO series is known for. With each successive episode, ‘Westworld’ seems to get better and better. I wonder how long Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy can continue trumping themselves.
Towards the end of the episode, Bernard comments on how Dolores was made with a sense of poetic sensibility. The twist at the end of the episode is nothing short of poetic. Caleb ending human civilization upon Solomon’s orders would certainly be more impactful. It highlights how technology is a human creation at the end of the day. Hence, any form of a technological uprising will essentially be a human doing.
Furthermore, our ‘Westworld’ reviews have previously mentioned similarities between this show and Alex Garland’s ‘Devs.’ This episode also has a major similarity: Solomon’s various projections are quite similar to the many-worlds interpretation depicted in ‘Devs.’ This gives the eerie impression that Garland, Nolan, and Joy might have correctly speculated the future.
However, one instance that left me slightly disappointed in the episode was Maeve and Dolores’ fight. It was definitely engaging. The usage of the drone and the helicopter was certainly ingenious. Yet, I expected more from the stand-off. After all, Maeve and Dolores are two of the most kick-ass female characters to have graced the screen in a while. Yet, ‘Westworld’ Season 3 Episode 7 sets up the season finale rather excitingly.
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