‘Westworld’ Season 3, Episode 2 ‘The Winter Line’ Review: Scripts

Westworld began its third season establishing a new world. This time, it ties up intentionally-left loose ends. Unfortunately, not every host is lucky enough to escape Delos Parks. While one lays out the foundation of another Host Revolt, another returns to the site of the massacre. Meanwhile, one figures out that she is living in yet another loop.

On Sunday’s episode of Westworld, Bernard Lowe (Jeffrey Wright) returns to Westworld, finding Ashley Stubbs (Luke Hemsworth). Elsewhere, Maeve Millay (Thandie Newton) realizes that she is in another Delos Park: Warworld. These seemingly unrelated paths almost converge as Maeve uncovers the illusion that her current captors set up for her.

Not-so Dynamic Duo

HBO

Bernard’s trip to Asia gives us more information about the parks. Westworld is accessible through the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea as Bernard takes a boat ride from one of the Philippine Islands, Palawan. The state in which Bernard found Ashley was as disheartening as it is ghastly. Initially, one would think that Ashley was on top of things. He even watched as Charlotte Hale/Dolores (Tessa Thompson) leave the park during Season 2’s finale. However, Ashley’s directive was to protect Bernard and cover up his tracks, so when it seemed like he achieved all that, he attempts to kill himself. Thankfully, the show does not write Ashley off as he helps Bernard find a way to get to Dolores Abernathy (Evan Rachel Wood). Also, Bernard decides to take Ashley with him, re-writing his code to suit his purposes.

Bernard and Ashley’s dynamic is both as funny as it is depressing. Initially, both of them were developed to be tools in Delos’ early days. As the years passed, they maintained the same roles up until the point of the Host Revolution, This event defines what kind of hosts they are outside of their assigned roles. In contrast to Bernard, Ashley knew that he is a host but he does not seem bothered by it. Ashley is comfortable with his given purpose. Still, now that Bernard is taking Ashley with him, things may change for this loyal soldier.

Another Illusion

HBO

As the episode progressed, we get confused as to where Maeve is since Bernard and Ashley look for her in the closed parts of the park, not Warworld. It turns out that sadly, Maeve was not even in her host body. Her host body was where Bernard and Ashley found her. Maeve’s control unit, however, was someplace else. In her mind, Maeve initially thought that she, along with Hector Escaton (Rodrigo Santoro), was repurposed and placed in a different Delos Park. However, she soon figures out the program being played into her control unit.

Despite how perfect the new narrative seemed, Maeve was able to look beyond the surface. Having distractions like programmed versions of Lee Sizemore (Simon Quarterman), Lutz (Leonardo Nam), and Sylvester (Ptolemy Slocum) did not stop her from solving the puzzle she faced. Once Maeve finds a way out, she quickly grasps it. Still, fate had something else in mind as her rogue security robot loses to an overwhelming force of security guards.

Common Purpose

HBO

Engerraund Serac (Vincent Cassel), an Incite executive, turns out to be the person in possession of Maeve’s control unit. Somehow, this higher-up from Delos’ rival company obtained a Delos Host’s control unit, specifically one as prominent as Maeve. The previous episode introduces Serac as Rehoboam’s co-developer. Dolores herself is after this man. As it turns out, Serac knows about Dolores and her plan to wage war on humanity. Presumably, Serac’s initial knowledge comes from Maeve’s memory banks. After all, this is the likeliest reference he used when he tries to fool Maeve into accessing The Forge, a place where Delos Hosts escaped into after the Westworld massacre.

Now that his original plan does not work, he decides to convince Maeve into working for him. Enlisting the help of an equally dangerous host sounds extreme, but it could work. Maeve does not exactly care for the humans or Dolores’ quest, either. Still, it looks like Maeve needs a little more tweaking or convincing. Hell, it could be both; these Incite Inc. people seem as heartless as their Delos counterparts.

‘Westworld’ Season 3, Episode 2 ‘The Winter Line’ Final Verdict

Westworld takes us back to the vibe that the previous season maintained. While this episode was not as confusing as the ones from season 2, it felt like a proper epilogue to its events. It uses subtle elements like changing the aspect ratio of the video the way it did in the previous season. Also, including some of Maeve’s known friends were initially relieving until it all becomes a lie. On the other hand, we have the OG host wildcards. Bernard and Ashley’s team-up is an interesting new element to consider. Seeing them work together felt right.

Westworld continues Sunday, March 29th with ‘The Absence of Field’ at 9/8c on HBO.