I just watched all seven episodes in the last two days, and I must say, I am enjoying this series very, very much. The show has many complex levels of storytelling to it that unravel very slowly as you watch. I started theorizing in the middle of episode one, and some of those theories still hold up in episode seven, while others along the way either ended up nowhere or are leading up to what could be the most climatic moments in this show... like this weeks episode.
I can't recommend this show enough.
I'll list some of my theories that may or may not happen in the spoiler below.
Dolores' father freaks out and breaks down after finding a photo. She can't see anything when she views the photo, because they are programmed to ignore any outside influence, but he can't let it go.
The reason I believe that he can't let it go is because of the deep rooted desire to protect his daughter. He sees the photo, and his inner logic immediately goes to "This is nothing", but then stops. He's looking at it, he sees the futuristic world, and it scares him because it's an unknown. What is this place? Who is that girl? Is this a threat to my family? To Dolores?
So he fixates on the photo, unable to let it go, ending up staying up all night looking at it. Dolores has already gone to bed and work up, starting her routine all over again, but she notices that her father is still sitting there looking at the photo.
By this time he can't function, he's stuck in a programming loop of protecting his daughter and ignoring the photo. He tells her that " These violent delights have violent ends", from Shakespeare, probably involving a previous build of his in the past.
That quote, a key important plot point for the show, seems to set off the type of reaction we see in Dolores with Maeve (who I love btw, such a great character). Almost like a virus.
I think Maeve is going to end up leading some type of rebellion, she's doing so much cool stuff.
Also, interesting to note that we don't know what her mother looks like at all.
Another theory, which when I was looking for an image pretty confirmed my suspicion, is that this story isn't all in the current day for that world setting, but in fact there are at least two different timelines if not more.
This is supported by the logo for Westworld. When William arrived for the very first time to Westworld, you see the logo on the bottom. This is the timeline of I believe 30 years ago, which I'll explain in a sec. The story primarily focuses on this version of William, while cutting seamlessly without any hints into present day, which is the top logo. The show does not want you to know that there are two or more timelines, but I've been seeing these two logos in different spots and it kinda points at the timeline being shown.
There are of course shots that are shown in a different timeline that don't have a logo anywhere around, so it isn't the only indicator, but it's not an easy tell.
Right now in episode 6-7 I feel Delores is following her footsteps, the same steps she took 30 years ago. That's why she sees the girl on the well, looks down at the maze she drew, and looks up at a man talking to her trying to get her back to her home town to complete the story line loop and the little girl isn't there anymore.
30 years is an important amount of time though, because of the man dressed in black.
He's mentioned that he's been coming here for 30 years. This is an important time frame, because if there are two or more time lines for this story, that would explain so much.
For example, the basement looking all dark, abandoned, flickering lights, flooded, and why they store retried hosts down there.
That would be the old Westworld headquarters, where something happened a long time ago, probably 30 years..., where they had to abandon the old office and build on top of it.
However, if there are two timelines, then I think there is a really important fact they have been trying to hide from us, and that's that William is in fact the man dressed in black 30 years into the future.
I believe, Dolores and William will end up reaching this maze, or even the center of it, but something happens. I think William will end up stopping Dolores, or having to kill her, because I think reaching the center of the maze actually will end up destroying everything.
Ford has asked Dolores what happened that day that Arnold died, and she is reluctant to tell. When forced to answer him, she says that Arnold wanted to destroy everything. Or something along those lines, it's a lil fuzzy for me.
As far as Bernard being a host, I had a very slight suspicion of it. I'd say it was 40-50%. However I wasn't really decided on it, so the reveal last week was pretty nice to see.
Also, why does it seem there should be three people? I suspect this was a clue to point out that Bernard was actually a host. Arnold is preventing him from seeing who he looked like 30 years ago. Probably because he converted his consciousness into an AI and has been living among the hosts this entire time. That, or maybe he is one, maybe he's Bernard.
I think Bernard was once real though, but overwhelmed by grief of his son, he probably asked if he could stop the pain so to speak.
I also think Ford is a host as well, if not more advanced. Just a thought though.
Anyways, I feel that season one is going to end with William and Dolores having a tragic ending, where he loses Dolores forever, and ends up spending the next 30 years trying to get that Dolores back, but because she resets, it takes him 30+ years to figure out how to talk to the real Dolores, the one he knew once she broke her loop and created her own destiny.
It's going to be sad, and I'll probably cry :|
I didn't write down every theory I have, and probably forgot some major points, but those are the main ones.
btw, the acting in this show is AMAZING. Dolores' father's acting was so good. So so good.