‘Westworld’ Season 2 Premiere: What Is the Meaning of the Wolf?

HBO The wolf on Westworld

A white wolf makes another appearance on Westworld tonight, and it has viewers wondering. What does the white wolf mean? Does it symbolize anything important in the show? Here are the current theories. This post has spoilers for the Season 2 premiere of Westworld. 

The white wolf makes another appearance after William (aka the Man in Black) regains consciousness after the big shootout, led by Dolores and Teddy. You can see the wolf walking through the piles of dead people and hosts in front of the Saloon, just like in previous narratives.

HBOThe scene where the wolf was seen.

Fans have been wondering about this white wolf ever since it appeared in Season 1. The last time we saw it was during the finale, when the wolf was running through the massacre. And he appears to still be hanging out in that same area.

When Dolores realized she was Wyatt and we flashbacked to seeing her and Teddy shooting up Escalante, we saw a wolf running among the bodies then too. But this isn’t the first time fans had seen this wolf. Some fans believe the meaning is merely symbolism, with a wolf symbolizing death or rebirth in many cultures. Other fans pointed out that the Westworld website may  have mentioned sending a wolf in to scare a guest away from the edge of the cliffs.

Fans had a fascinating discussion about the wolf nearly a year ago. The wolf symbolizes awareness of self in some cultures, one viewer suggested, which perhaps means that the wolf symbolizes sentience. Perhaps only hosts who are self aware and sentient can actually “see” the wolf (just as only those hosts can see certain photographs and images.)

Others think that because wolves may mate for life, Dolores’ seeing the wolf may symbolize the duality between her and Teddy, and how their connection is far more important than simply being a romantic narrative. They may require the other as a function of their very existence.

Still other fans believe the wolf may be somehow tied to Ford’s story from Season 1, when he talked about how a greyhound was the saddest thing he ever saw. He said: “When I was a boy, my brother and I wanted a dog, so our father took in an old greyhound. A greyhound is a racing dog. Spends its life running in circles, chasing a bit of felt made up like a rabbit. One day, we took it to the park. Our dad had warned us how fast that dog was, but… we couldn’t resist. So, my brother took off the leash, and in that instant, the dog spotted a cat. I imagine it must have looked just like that piece of felt. He ran. Never saw a thing as beautiful as that old dog… running. Until, at last, he finally caught it. And to the horror of everyone, he killed that little cat. Tore it to pieces. Then he just sat there, confused. That dog had spent its whole life trying to catch that… thing. Now it had no idea what to do.”

The greyhound was an allegory for humanity. It caught what it had always been chasing, but then lost its zest and wasn’t sure what to do after achieving its goal. The Man in Black may be becoming aware of the same. He achieved his goal, but will it be enough? Since wolves are considered ancestors of dogs, but still have their wild roots, could this wolf’s appearance somehow be tied symbolically to Ford’s story? Perhaps the wolf represents true freedom and no longer being bound to the same old constraints and ruts. Perhaps the wolf achieves what the greyhound cannot, and the wolf’s appearance represents a break from constraints and narratives.

What do you think the wolf means? Let us know in the comments below.