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Westworld’s seventh episode aired Sunday night and it left fans with a lot to talk about. One of the top discussions right now centers around Bernard. This article will have major spoilers through the seventh episode, so don’t read on unless you’ve already watched the episode that aired on November 13. We’re going to be delving into some of the top predictions and revelation about Bernard and what his role will be in the future of Westworld.
Here’s what you need to know about Bernard.
A Huge Revelation Was Made about Bernard on ‘Westworld’
Tonight, Westworld viewers were shocked by a revelation that was made at the very end of the episode. Bernard is a host.
The entire time, he was presented as being a “real” person. His interactions with Theresa were just one example. And she never suspected. But then he brought her down to Ford’s secret lab and everything unraveled.
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Bernard: what door?
Me:
There was a moment when Theresa pointed out a door and Bernard said “what door?” That’s when fans suspected the truth. They found a lab with prototypes for some of the original hosts. One of those prototypes was Bernard. When Theresa showed him the paper, Bernard said: “It doesn’t look like anything to me.” And then we knew the truth for certain.
So Bernard was able to know that hosts exist and he was able to know about the outside world. He would’ve have passed that “self awareness protocol” test. And yet, he still did not know he was a host. In some ways, his internal code seems to be superior.
There were some small hints dropped in earlier episodes about Bernard’s true nature. For example, when Bernard was studying Theresa’s expressions, something seemed very off about that. And Ford once told Theresa to be careful with Bernard because he had a “sensitive disposition.”
Bernard Seems to Have a Degree of Self-Awareness or Independence That Most Hosts Don’t
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If you watched the preview for next week’s episode, it appears that Bernard might be capable of feeling guilt for his actions. He has a very different life than the regular hosts. He has constant continuity and is never (or rarely) shut down. But he’s still not made capable of processing certain truths, just like the other hosts. Some fans are theorizing that this moment might be the one that pushes Bernard into self-awareness. Then again, though, Ford keeps a pretty tight leash on him.
However, Bernard does appear to have a lot more independence than the regular hosts. He was able to interact with Dolores and work with Elsie to track down the lead about the transmitter. He even tracked down Ford’s home where he keeps his Arnold-created hosts.
Did Ford Know About Bernard’s Work with Dolores?
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A big theme this season has been how Bernard has been working secretly with Dolores. He has secret meetings with her, where he tests her code, and tells her not to tell anyone else about these meetings. But are they really so secret? Does Ford know about them? Is it possible that Ford has been the engineer behind Dolores’ changes all along?
Was Bernard Based on a Real Person?
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Something fascinating we’ve learned is that hosts can be based on real people. Arnold’s original hosts that he created for Ford were based off Ford’s own family, including a younger version of himself. Now we see that the lab is being used still to create new hosts. This brings up the question of whether or not Bernard was originally someone else who worked at Westworld.
One crazy theory that fans are kicking around is the idea that Bernard is a host of Arnold. This theory hinges partially on a photo that Bernard looked at in Episode 3, which showed Robert Ford standing with another man. (You can see the photo above.) Ford told Bernard he was with Arnold. But later, when Bernard saw that same “man” in Ford’s house and asked if he was Arnold, he found out that this was a bot designed to look and act like Ford’s dad.
The idea is that Arnold was in the photo, but Bernard couldn’t see him. There’s space in the photo for a third person on the right, but that space is empty. Perhaps Bernard can’t see him because then Bernard would be seeing himself. So instead, when he looks at the photo, he sees a blank space where Arnold is.
If you want to dive deep into the rabbit hole, this could even mean that the scenes between Bernard and Dolores are actually flashback scenes showing Arnold with Dolores.
Will Theresa Be Replaced By a Host?
(HBO/Westworld)
It’s very possible that Ford is going to replace Theresa with a host who has many of her memories and acts exactly like her. It would be far too suspicious if Theresa just disappeared right now or was found murdered. They’re creating a host in the lab, and that host could be Theresa. Remember, Bernard one time studied Theresa’s actions and facial expressions closely, even commenting on her brow and asking if she would make a certain expression again so he could watch. In fact, Bernard’s sleeping with Theresa could have been a way to map her body so they could duplicate her as a host.
We also have to now wonder who else involved with Westworld could secretly be a host. Anything’s possible at this point. Could the Man in Black be a host? Could the Delos board member be a host? Anything’s possible at this point.
