(Spoiler Warning: Please do not read if you have not watched this week’s episode of ‘Westworld’)
Of all the characters in “Westworld,” the one that has caught viewers attention the most is Ed Harris‘ mysterious Man in Black. He’s violent, distant, and hellbent on finding the mysterious maze where, according to him, the stakes are real. Fans have already come up with strange theories as to who this man might be, but “Westworld” just debunked two of the most popular ones.
One theory suggests that the Man in Black is actually Billy, the timid newcomer to Westworld that we’ve seen go on a bounty hunt with his vile future brother-in-law, Logan. The theory goes that the scenes with Billy and Logan are secretly taking place 30 years ago and are showing the events that twist Billy’s mind and convince him to begin the road from straight-laced white-hat visitor to the most ruthless black hat player in the history of the park. Fans also believed that the MiB’s mention of him and Dolores having history together was a direct call to Dolores being the first android he meaningfully interacted with as Billy.
Unfortunately for those fans, the backstage scenes have debunked this theory. In the park’s control room, we saw an employee discussing Billy’s ongoing adventures with some co-workers. The same employees discussed the Man in Black in an earlier episode, as they decided to give the longtime guest whatever he wanted as he wandered far off the beaten path. Since the same characters discuss both guests and show no age difference, it proves that Billy and the Man in Black are different people.
The other theory is that the Man in Black is Arnold, Dr. Ford’s partner when the park was first created. This seems to be debunked during the campfire scene, when two members of the group of bandits the MiB links up with commend him on his philanthropy work outside the house.
This implies that the Man in Black is known for his kindness outside of Westworld, but comes to the park to unleash his dark side. That clashes with Dr. Ford’s recounting of Arnold. According to him, Arnold was a misanthrope who did not want to sell the park to Delos and who preferred androids to people. The Man in Black also directly refers to Arnold and his mysterious death in the park. He says he plans to complete Arnold’s legacy, though how he came across that information isn’t clear.
Perhaps we’ll find out more in the next episode, when Dr. Ford and the Man in Black come face to face for the first time. The MiB will undoubtedly question Ford about the location of the maze, but probably won’t get much out of the enigmatic founder. We’ll just have to see what happens when the Man in Black faces an obstacle that isn’t an android he can easily put a bullet in.
From 'Westworld' to 'Game of Thrones': 13 Shows With Elaborate Opening Credit Sequences (Videos)
"Westworld"
Eschewing the wild wild west in which most of the show is set, the sterile, monochromatic opening credits to HBO's latest drama focuses on the not-quite-real aspects of the park designed to fool its guests into believing everything is real.
"Game of Thrones"
Elastic, the company behind "Westworld's" opening credits, also created what has become the standard-bearer of prestige-show openers of the modern era.
"The Walking Dead"
Invoking dread and tension, the zombie-less opening to AMC's monster hit drama focuses on the decay and isolation of the post-apocalyptic world. It's also gone through some changes throughout its six seasons.
"True Detective"
Nobody really knew what this show was about or that it would become everyone's obsession for the next several months, but the moody, mysterious opening credits certainly helped make that happen.
"Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"
Featuring one of the most addictive theme songs in recent memory, the opening credits for this Netflix comedy was straight out of a viral meme.
"Outlander"
Set to the iconic Scottish tune "Skye Boat Song," the opening credits to Starz's time-travel romantic drama are haunting and beautiful and seem to go on forever, not that anyone's complaining.
"Jessica Jones"
The highly-stylized and moody opening credits to the Marvel show starring Krysten Ritter pays homage to both the character's comic book roots and its detective noir aesthetic.
"Crazy Ex-Girlfriend"
Extending its hallmark original musical numbers to the opening credits as well, Rachel Bloom stars with some judgy, animated friends in an elaborate sequence.
"Manhattan"
The artistic, hand-drawn style opening credits to the WGN America drama won the Emmy for Outstanding Main Titles in 2014.
"Man in the High Castle"
This 2015 Emmy winner for Outsanding Main Titles uses typography, shadows and objects to depict an alternate history in which the Axis forces won World War II over the Allied powers, and America is controlled by Germany and Japan.
"The Borgias"
Evoking iconic fine art of the Renaissance but also the dirty underbelly running through it all, the opening credits for Showtime's period drama was developed with director Neil Jordan.
"The Simpsons"
As seen in this side-by-side comparison, there's been some changes made, but this long trek through the streets and inhabitants of Springfield remains classic and iconic for a reason.
"Daredevil"
Designed by the same creative director behind "Westworld," the opening credits to this Marvel Netflix series drips (literally) with tension, mystery and history, and is all red, which is pretty much how the titular hero "sees" the world.
1 of 13
Whether it’s ”Outlander“ or ”Daredevil,“ TheWrap has gathered some of the most beautiful, epic and highly-produced main titles in recent memory
"Westworld"
Eschewing the wild wild west in which most of the show is set, the sterile, monochromatic opening credits to HBO's latest drama focuses on the not-quite-real aspects of the park designed to fool its guests into believing everything is real.