‘Westworld’ Episode 5 Recap: The Naked Time
Warning: This recap contains spoilers for the “Contrapasso” episode of Westworld.
In September 2015, a full year before Westworld’s HBO debut, news stories made the rounds alleging that background extras were being asked to sign documents consenting to being part of “graphic sexual situations.” It’s safe to assume that at least some of those “graphic sexual situations” appeared in tonight’s episode, “Contrapasso.” After all, a healthy chunk of the show’s fifth chapter takes place in the middle of an orgy that would make Caligula and/or Petyr Baelish say “Damn!” In fact, some of the sights in this sex-fueled soiree directly correspond to situations cited in the leaked consent agreements, including “appear fully nude,” “simulate oral sex” and “have your genitals painted.” Not spotted is the person or persons asked to “contort to form a table-like shape while being fully nude,” so consider that a potential sneak preview of a future episode.
There was also a significant uptick in nudity in Westworld’s subterranean offices, were both Delores and Maeve where in their birthday suits at various points in the episode. And since the series is an equal opportunity exploiter, several guys stripped down, too, including Bart, the well-endowed, but pouring-challenged barkeep, and the stray host that tried to kill Elsie two episodes ago. If Anthony Hopkins up and drops trou next week, it’ll be a clear sign that getting naked is part of the job description for Westworld.
Let’s recap how things played out for the park’s various clothed-and-unclothed factions.
The Hosts
In “Contrapasso,” Delores experiences a profound change in personality that’s not due to a change in programming. It is, however, assisted by a change of wardrobe. Moments before joining William and Logan’s raid on a not-so-crack army squadron transporting a load of nitro, she steps out of her farm girl dress and into the practical pants-and-shirt combination of a gun-toting bandit. Her attitude doesn’t quite match her look in that first skirmish, with William instead emerging the hero of the moment. But later in the episode, after it’s revealed that they’ve been played for patsies by a duplicitous Lawrence, she’s the one who rides to her companion’s aid, handily dispatching the Confederados closing in for the kill. “I imagined a story where I didn’t have to be the damsel,” she told William, explaining her sudden lethal proficiency.
Besides sharpshooting, Delores has also honed her ability to keep secrets. During a sit-down with Dr. Ford, she insists that she hasn’t had any contact with the mysterious Arnold since the day he died — 34 years, 42 days, 7 hours ago. But the moment Robert leaves, she whispers to an unseen presence: “He doesn’t know, I didn’t tell him anything.” By the way, this encounter gave us one of the clearest indications yet that Ford and Bernard might not have to physically transport the hosts from the park to the exam rooms below for their one-on-one sessions. Instead, it’s entirely probable that these meetings are occurring inside the host’s mind, with the programmers projecting their own image inside that artificial brain.
This also explains how Bernard was able to have his conversation with Delores at the beginning of last week’s episode, and she could still awaken at William’s campsite. And, if we are inside Delores’s head, there’s absolutely no question that she’s addressing Arnold — who Ford strongly suspects is still hiding in some far corner of her mind — with her last line. He’s likely also the source of the voice she hears whispering “Find me,” so that creator and disciple can complete their original mission: destroy Westworld.
Briefly turning to Maeve, she spent most of the episode in “sleep mode” in the Westworld headquarters only to reveal that — surprise! — she’s been awake the whole time. Expect her to get much further in her exploration of this environment than she did back in Episode 2, especially now that she’s got a hostage in tow. And we have to discuss Lawrence’s appearance in the lawless border town of Pariah, which happens just after he has his throat unceremoniously slit by the Man in Black. Sure, the staff could have done an ultra-quick patch-up job and put him back in play. Or maybe there are multiple versions of this particular character, allowing him to take part in multiple storylines playing alongside multiple guests. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s another indication that William’s adventure is happening in the park’s past, and the Man in Black is his future self.
The Staff
Besides his chat with Delores, Ford had two other significant tête-à-têtes this week. At the top of the episode, he sat with a familiar drinking buddy and spun a yarn about the time he and his brother took their pet greyhound for a walk and watched horrified as it killed a cat believing it to be the stuffed rabbit it used to pursue during its former life as a racing dog. Lest you dismiss this kinda icky tale with a “Cool story, bro,” the writers really want you to take note of Robert’s final words: “That dog had spent its whole life trying to catch that thing, now it had no idea what to do.” Clearly, we’re not talking about a dog anymore, but a man who has achieved his greatest dream — Westworld — and can’t begin to fathom what comes next.
The second encounter finds Ford taking a seat opposite the Man in Black, the first time Hopkins and Ed Harris have shared the screen during the course of the series. Watching these two acting titans go head-to-head was a pleasure, even if the actual content of the scene was a little too coy for comfort. While the gunslinger boasts about being a better villain than any of the park’s actual villains and continued to bluster on about his quest for the Maze, Robert regards him with the bemused detachment of someone who knows he’s not in any danger. Of course, part of that is due to the fact that Teddy is sitting right there and is automatically programed to defend his creator. But Ford doesn’t seem to think of the Man in Black as a threat on any level. He’ll likely be more worried about Elsie’s discovery that there are devices implanted in some of the hosts transmitting data to the outside world. Who would do something like that, we wonder? Perhaps someone who had a vested interest in learning more about the park’s operations, someone like…
The New Guests
Logan, who admits to combining business and pleasure with this little jaunt to Westworld. Even as he’s partaking of the park’s many carnal delights, he’s mentally cataloguing inventory and market possibilities should his family’s company decide to buy the place lock, stock and barrel. “Rumor is they’re hemorrhaging cash,” he tells William, who we learn has attained the rank of Executive Vice President at his day job.
After tonight’s events, though, it’s fair to question whether this EVP will even have a job if and when he leaves Westworld. He and Logan certainly seem to have pushed their “friendship” past the point of repair, with his brother-in-law telling him that the entire world, including his fiancée, essentially regards him as a wimp. William returns the favor by abandoning Logan to the Confederados, an executive decision that won’t go over so well with HR.
Related: ‘Westworld’ Star Jimmi Simpson Talks Fan Theories and William’s Future
On the other hand, if Logan never returns, that does open the door for William to take over his more prominent role in the company, and transform it into the renowned foundation that the Man in Black apparently runs. Also, remember how Logan pointedly disses William’s taste in “cheap black suits.” Since the Man in Black’s duds are anything but cheap, perhaps William learned a little more about fashion in the ensuing years.
The Wild Card
We’ve already covered the Man in Black’s merciless execution of Lawrence, and his grouchy confrontation with Robert. So let’s close out by acknowledging his nascent partnership with Teddy, who’s his quickest route to finding the dread outlaw Wyatt that’s riding roughshod around Westworld. And the gunslinger knows exactly what trigger word will compel Teddy to help him: Delores. That’s also the word that potentially blows the biggest hole in the “Man in Black = William” theory. Unless Delores happened to wander away from her loop twice in two separate time periods, William and the Man in Black must be contemporaries. Unless they’re not. This particular Mystery Box is far from empty.
Westworld airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on HBO.
