Westworld: The Mythology of The Maze Revealed

One of the biggest mysteries of Westworld is "the maze", a supposedly secret aspect of the park. We don't know whether the Maze is a physical place, a code name for a person, or just an idea for people to chase, but we do know that both Dolores and the Man in Black seem to be searching for it.

We also know that the Maze seems to be a part of the original plans for the park. Ford pulled out a notebook containing the symbol for the Maze in an old sketchbook containing conceptual plans for the park, while the Man in Black claimed that the Maze was created by the park's mysterious co-creator Arnold to add a sense of realness to an otherwise fake world.

In last weekend's episode, Teddy provided some insight into the Maze and its symbology inside the park. "The Maze is an old Native myth," Teddy told the Man in Black. "The Maze itself is the sum of a man's life. The choices he makes. The dreams he hangs on to."

That implies that the Maze isn't necessarily a place, but rather a concept, or perhaps an analogy for self-awareness. After all, we know that the hosts still retain memories of their previous "builds" (their past lives), although those memories are tucked away and only used to create reveries that make the hosts seem more realistic.

Teddy also gave a hint at what sits in the middle of the Maze. "At the center, there is a legendary man who had been killed over and over again countless times but always clawed his way back to life," Teddy said. "The man returned for a last time to vanquish all his oppressors in a tireless fury. Built a house and around that house he built a maze so complicated only he could navigate through it. I reckon he's seen enough fighting."

There's a few possibilities who the man in the center of the Maze really is. The obvious answer is Arnold, Ford's supposedly dead partner. We learned that Arnold tried to destroy the park right before his death and would had succeeded if Dolores had not gone through with her role in his plans. We also learned elsewhere that someone has been tampering with the hosts, reprogramming them with a frightening amount of skill. Elsie theorized that Arnold had somehow reprogrammed the hosts, a theory supported when someone tampered with one of Ford's private hosts (which were built by Arnold himself) and influenced it to murder Ford's host dog.

The man in the center of the Maze could also be Ford, as he's weathered several hostile takeovers of the park. Could Ford's new narrative be Ford's "final return", meant to prove his doubters wrong once and for all? This theory is supported by the fact that Ford programmed Teddy with a new background and insight, and practically sent Teddy to guide the Man in Black to the Maze. The myth could also be referring to one of the park's hosts, since the man in the center of the Maze has been killed "countless times".

Whatever the Maze is, it seems that it ties the various mysteries of Westworld together. The Man in Black, Arnold, Ford, and even the hosts' growing self-awareness all seem to have a connection to the Maze. Hopefully, Westworld reveals some answers about this mysterious part of the park by the end of the season.

What do you think sits in the middle of the Maze? Let us know in the comments below!

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