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Westworld Recap: Contrapasso

By Reuben Levine

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Yes, ‘Contrapasso’ is Westworld’s strongest episode to date.

Westworld has spent the season so far building mystery upon mystery. ‘Contrapasso’ creates some major character breakthroughs while continuing the tease along the great answers. We spend ample time with the Man in Black, Dolores, William, and even Teddy. ‘Contrapasso’s strength is all in its character development.

We kick things off with Ford having a conversation with his favorite seemingly freeze-dried host. The scenes in which Ford actually interacts with the Hosts are some of the strongest as he tends to open up to them a bit more. It also helps that he has complete control over them, of course. Later on he finally speaks with Dolores, and it’s then that he asserts that this is his dream, not hers. Westworld belongs to him — no one else.

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Ford is an interesting character. He appears to see and know everything about what goes on in the park. That makes it seem that everything is going according to his plan. That is, until we learn that Arnold’s wish was to eventually destroy the park and Ford. Part of the character’s weakness is that he tends to spout the most exposition, and we see plenty of that in his conversation with Dolores. He is, however, a perfect gentleman. Dolores and Ford have known each other for over thirty years, yet Ford refrains from calling them friends. A distinction which may become more important in the future.

Dolores, as it turns out, is double-crossing Ford. But that’s fodder for future episodes right now.

Out in the park, Teddy is having a grand time with the Man in Black and Lawrence. The Man in Black finally decides to dispatch Lawrence, to the surprise of nobody. He also talks with the child version of Ford that wanders the park. Lawrence is hung and bled, only to be brought back later as the character El Lazo with William, Logan, and Dolores. This could be part of the new narrative or it could just be the start of his loop, but it goes unexplained at first. It’s also worth pointing out that one of El Lazo’s men is capable of hurting Logan. He did deserve it, so there’s that.

‘Contrapasso’ further bends the rules of what we thought was originally possible in Westworld. The Man in Black gives Lawrence’s blood to Teddy to serve a purpose that only he knows, perhaps molding Ford’s new narrative to his own will. In a series that is frequently filled with “wait, what?” moments, ‘Contrapasso’ takes the cake so far.

“‘Contrpasso’ further bends the rules of what we thought was origianlly possible in Westworld.”

Back with Dolores, she shares a nice moment with William. William is still treating her as a Host, though she ignores his phrasing and statements like “I didn’t think you could do that.” When they wind up on an adventure for El Lazo at Logan’s behest, William and Dolores take the lead. Dolores plays a bandit quite well and William doesn’t hesitate to do some damage when he needs to. He does, unfortunately, kill Logan’s attack before he can do him in. Maybe next time.

Image Credit: HBO

When next time does come around, Logan is left behind. William changes.

Logan and William end up at some sort of Roman orgy. It’s basically just a setting for the two to have a fight about how Logan thinks William is spineless. Dolores, however, has her own little adventure when she goes off alone and discovers a fortune-teller. Just go with it. What’s real and what isn’t doesn’t come across, but the end result is that Dolores must follow the maze.

Watching the gang on an adventure — or quest, if you will — stands as a highlight of the season so far. Westworld always proves more interesting when it focuses on the actual park and not the behind the scenes team. Not that there isn’t pletny of that in ‘Contrapasso.’ The two technicians that Maeve attacked are a few episodes ago are back, working on her. They provide some comic relief that doesn’t always land but is serviceable.

“‘Contrapasso hurridly tries to tease old mysteries while adding new ones, once agian proving that this is a show that demands your attention.”

That scene with the robotic bird is very reminiscent of Jurassic Park. That’s all we’re going to say.

We also get to spend some more time with Elsie when she digs around with the Host from ‘The Stray’, learning that he has a satellite uplink. Someone is trying to steal Westworld tech, though not much is spent on that plot point this episode. ‘Contrapasso hurriedly tries to tease old mysteries while adding new ones, once again proving that this is a show that demands your attention.

The episode ends with Ford coming face-to-face with the Man in Black. The Man in Black is playing the villain on purpose, as it turns out. They both know about the maze, and the name Wyatt is once again brought up as a guy not to be messed with. It’s possible that the Man in Black is the only one in the park that understands what Ford is trying to do, but he appears to be more interested in Arnold. After the Man in Black makes to cut Ford with a knife (Teddy automatically stops him,) we are more sure than ever that he is the antagonist. Because he wants to be.

Next: The Man in Black is just a man.

William and Dolores spend ‘Contrapasso’ settling into their new selves, and that’s where the episode most succeeds. But really, there are no weak links this week. It’s safe to say that we’ve know seen Westworld’s best episode. It’s going to be a wild ride into the season’s second half.

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