LIFE for a host in the Westworld theme park was pretty redundant in the past. In the first season, every host was confined to their assigned narrative in the park. No matter how destructive the guests can get, hosts are designed to accommodate and withstand most human actions.
But this power dynamic shifts as the seasons progress. While season one paints the hosts as unconscious weak creatures, seasons two and three see them launch violent rebellions againts the humans for their autonomy. And in the latest season, their vengeance takes its full swing.
Season four of Westworld sees the tables turn, and it’s now humans who are fighting for their consciousness.
Host Charlotte Hale has somehow discovered a way to strip humans of their free will. And thanks to her robot clones, she has been successful in her quest for vengeance.
But not all hope is lost, as Caleb and Maeve have been working together to bring Hale down.
Meanwhile, Bernard has ‘awoken’ from the Sublime with a bunch of new revelations.
As for Dolores, her fate remains a mystery. Though actress Evan Rachel Wood returns to the franchise, she plays a new identity, Christina.
This time around, her character lives a quaint civilian life where she produces scripts for a video game. Despite her serenity, Christina struggles with navigating her daily life and is seeking something more.
A wild ride
Although we have only seen the first four episodes, season four of Westworld seems to have gotten back on track after its disappointing third season. In fact, things do already look very promising for the franchise.
Show creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy have succeeded in bringing back Westworld to its glory with their new delivery of compelling story arcs and thrilling action sequences.
From the first episode itself, viewers are taken on a wild ride filled with action and suspense.
Maeve Millay who is played by the remarkable Thandiwe Newton is one prominent figure who drives the action in this season. Her character as per usual flawlessly delivers during the fight scenes. But this season proves to be far more exciting as we get to see Maeve take her capabilities to a whole new level.
Another way the show regains its throne is through reconnecting with its roots. Contrary to the second and third seasons, Westworld does not stray too far from its essence. Instead, it pays homage to them.
Viewers like myself, who enjoyed the first season, will surely appreciate the revamp allusions of the pilot series and the return of some familiar faces.
What is next Dolores?
Speaking of well-beloved characters, Dolores Abernathy’s character development has always been a highlight of Westworld.
In the first season, we were introduced to Dolores as a docile and gentle persona. Then throughout the second and third seasons, we see Dolores evolve into a more violent, aggressive, and cunning personality.
But what makes her transformation appealing is her execution. As compared to the other hosts, Dolores’s development is carefully and cleverly done. It is so elaborate that it is mind-boggling. Her move of reinstalling copies of herself into five other hosts to fulfil her plan for humanity is an evident of this.
Therefore, her motives and growth as a character have definitely been a joy to watch on screen. And with Christina in the picture, it is going to be an exhilarating experience to see where she fits into all this.
More to come
Nonetheless, there is more to come for Westworld. After all, we have merely only witnessed a piece of the puzzle. There are still so many questions to ponder. And so much more to tell. But one thing we know is that if the show maintains at this pace, Westworld will once again regain its magic.
Westworld season 4 premieres today at 9 am on HBO (Astro Ch 411) and HBO Go, with a repeat at 10 pm.
