Where does 'Westworld' go from here? And other questions about the season finale

The final moments were not unlike another story of A.I. rebellion, "Ex Machina." Sure, the hosts were all still in the park, but they were also in charge, slyly smiling while picking off members of the board. That development did not entirely tie up all the loose ends, but it would not have been an unsatisfying end to the series. Fans will not have to settle for that, though. "Westworld" has been picked up for another season, but it won't air until 2018.

So what mysteries have been solved, and which ones are still lingering? Let's take a look.

– What do we know?

Pretty much everything, which puts the show in kind of an awkward position of how to lure viewers back for more.

We know who the Man in Black is, what the maze is for, the true identity of Wyatt and why Dolores kept flashing back to that massacre. We also know how and why she killed Arnold, and, as the park co-founder explained, it was not her fault at all. The show essentially answered each of the Big Questions it has floated throughout the season.

– Where do we go from here?

Is it possible that we leave "Westworld" entirely and delve into another one of the universes that was teased during the finale? Samurai World seems like a pretty fascinating place to hang out.

Of course "Westworld" still has some possibilities on its own. For starters, what happens after the hosts take over? Will the hosts escape into the real world? Or might "Westworld" become an anarchic place where humans dare not go? Or maybe a sanctuary for hosts where Dolores – or maybe Maeve – become its de facto leader? Or maybe humans will somehow regain control of the park, only to inflict more terrible suffering on the hosts. If that happens, they would be smart to decommission the biggest troublemakers, including Dolores, Maeve and Bernard. That would not make much of a show, though, would it?

– So, how about that twist?

By the time we finally got confirmation there were multiple timelines, it was no surprise at all. The theory had been floated again and again – with plenty of evidence – that the big reveal did not elicit a gasp so much as a "finally." Yes, the Man in Black and William are one and the same.

"Westworld" is nothing if not smartly crafted, though. The show laid out so many clues for the timeline theorists, but kept other twists more closely guarded – such as the way Maeve was not really acting under her own volition when she formed her "Army" or the fact Dolores would end up killing Ford (who, in turn, was not exactly the evil guy he appeared to be).

In fact, now that the Man in Black has served his function – to explain exactly who he is while leading us to the maze – does it even matter if he lives or dies? Things seemed pretty dire for him at the end of the episode as he faced an army of hosts, but he also got what he wanted, right?

– Are we ever going to see Elsie and Stubbs again?

Seriously, what happened to those two? Did Bernard really kill her as that glimpse of a flashback suggested? Did Ghost Nation take Stubbs out? The characters were two of the more interesting and entertaining humans, especially when they were on-screen together, and for a show that aches for a touch more lightheartedness, it would be a shame to lose them.

Author: (c) 2016, The Washington Post · Stephanie Merry ·
@stephmerry