'Westworld' Season 2: What Is the Man in Black’s New Game

For most of the first season of Westworld, one question dominated the narrative as the Man in Black attempted to unravel a mystery; what is the maze?

But now that Robert Ford has freed his creations and let the park off its chains, the Man Formerly Known As William has a new game to play, and it has to do with something Ford himself refers to as "The Door."

In the Season 2 premiere "Journey Into Night," the Man in Black happens across the host of the young Robert Ford, typically an ominous figure in the first slate of episodes. While Ford was killed by Dolores shortly after her "awakening" as part of the Westworld creator's final gambit, versions of his robotic consciousness apparently live on.

This boy congratulates the Man in Black on navigating his way through the Maze, though William scoffs because he understands now that it was never designed for his participation. But Ford piques his interests by revealing there is another game to be played, one that's meant just for him.

Much like their scene in Season 1, this interaction hints at the Man in Black's greater involvement with Delos Incorporated AND the theme park in general. We know William is not just a high level executive at Delos, but was engaged to the owner's daughter. In the future, who knows what level of influence he has.

Of course, the Man in Black doesn't mind playing this new game, especially now that "the stakes are real," as he himself put it. The first season showed his attempts to find more challenging scenarios in the park, pushing his desires to solve the mysteries of the Maze.

But now that hosts are able to think for themselves AND kill the park's guests, the Man in Black appreciates the familiar hostilities of Westworld. After barely escaping a couple of scrapes with his life, he seems to relish in the new challenges Ford has presented him.

"In this game, you must make it back out. In this game, you must find the door. Congratulations William. This game is meant for you. The game begins where you end, and ends where you began."

As the child host starts to walk away, the Man in Black cruelly shoots him in the face and rides off, ready to face his next challenge. That challenge arrives in the form of his old companion Lawrence, and the realization that William will have to face some of the most treacherous situations in Westworld, all without the safety he's familiar with.

We'll see where the Man in Black's journey takes him when Westworld continues Season 2 next Sunday on HBO.

Are you excited to see Ford's new game for the Man in Black? Let us know what you think is going to happen in the comments!