Westworld: Who Is The Man In Black

The 90-minute season finale of HBO’s new sci-fi hit Westworld airs tonight and will hopefully answer all of our mind-boggling questions.

If you have been watching the entire series since it premiered, we want to let you know that our brains hurt as well.

While we were right about some theories, like Bernarnold, some are still up in the air, leaving us completely and utterly mystified or confused.

While showrunners Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan promised that the Westworld season finale will answer questions, we’re wondering which ones.

Cliffhangers are alright sometimes…but because Westworld Season 2 most likely won’t air until 2018, we might actually die waiting if the finale leaves us hanging.

The most popular and most dissected theory of Westworld is – Who Is The Man In Black?

WHO IS HE? Is The Man in Black William? Is he Logan? Is he a host? No one knows for sure and it’s driving us crazy.

While the answer seems obvious, there could also be some huge unexpected twist coming our way with pure shock value just to blow our minds.

We’ve gathered every piece of evidence that proves that William is The Man In Black right here for you, so you can decide for yourself!

Let’s get started…

The Knife

If we go back a few episodes to Contraprasso, there is one major clue that was easily looked over. Of course to even notice this vague detail, you would already have to believe in the multiple timeline theory.

During the awkward conversation between Dr. Ford and The Man In Black at the saloon, Teddy took his knife and stabbed it into the table at Ford’s request.

This knife tends to be the Man In Black’s weapon of choice, considering he has already slashed a few throats and scalped a few heads with it. 

Looking at the upcoming footage for the remaining three episodes, William is seen holding the same knife. 

If you look closely enough, you’ll notice that the handles are exactly the same. Most overlooked this detail as pure coincidence, however now we know that there are no coincidences in Westworld.

In Episode 9, we see William butcher a ton of hosts with the same exact knife!

Showrunners Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy have said multiple times that every single detail is important even if it may seem ambigious at first. In other words, everything in Westworld means…something.

 

The Shirt

It may have been overlooked at the time, but after Bernard was revealed as a host, we’ve learned we should be pay attention to every single little detail.

We all noticed instantly when Dolores got rid of her “little house on the prarie” light blue dress and traded it in for a more “cowboy” look with pants, a button down shirt, and even a white hat.

But what most people didn’t notice is that William also changed his clothing when Dolores did. He tossed his plain white and light red checkered tablecloth shirt for a more sinister dark gray pin tucked shirt with ruffle detail on the yoke. 

William and The Man In Black are wearing the same exact shirt as seen below:

 

Stories

Both William and the Man In Black frequently talk about “stories” and how they related to the idea of Westworld.

For example:

“The only thing I had when I was a kid were books. I used to live in them. I used to go to sleep dreaming I’d wake up inside one of them ’cause they had meaning. This place, this is like I woke up inside one of those stories. I guess I just wanna find out what it means” – William to Dolores in Episode 7.

“This whole world is a story. I’ve read every page except the last one. I need to find out how it ends. I want to know what this all means” – The Man In Black To Teddy In Episode 4.

William and The Man In Black have similar philosophies when it comes to…a lot of things!

 

Hosts

When The Man In Black murdered his “old friend” Lawrence and used his blood to revive Teddy, who was found bleeding to death tied to a tree, The Man In Black said a few things that you may have missed.

He mentioned how the hosts used to be made in the old days, wich very intricate details, except for the hands.

He said he learned all of this because he’s opened up a few back then to take a closer look.

In Westworld Episode 9, there is a very telling scene! Logan wakes up tied to a chair to find that every host in his camp has been cut up and butchered to bits.

William turns around, holding the knife (the same knight The Man In Black carries) and says, “You said this place was a game. Last night, I finally understood how to play it.”

He reveals that he murdered all of the hosts and took them apart. 

 

Dolores

This clue might be the clearest evidence that William is in fact The Man In Black. It was a daunting revelation during an emotionally-driven scene.

At the end of Westworld Episode 9, Dolores switches in between three different timelines as she enters the myserious church at the end of the episode.

You can tell she is switching between timelines because her clothing keeps changing and the lab underneath the church is full of dead bodies and then thriving with scientists. 

When she tries to leave the church the main door opens. The audience sees a shadowy figure entering the place of worship, but Dolores immediately says, “William?”

The light hits the cowboys face as he comes closer. It’s the Man In Black, “Hello Dolores!”

Now, both Dolores and The Man In Black were on a mission to find the maze (which we believe has to do with the church)

Dolores sees him first before the audience does and clearly calls The Man In Black William.

It doesn’t get any clearer than that, folks!

 

Either way, see you all tonight for the 90-minute finale on HBO!

OH and don’t forget – we get to see Ford’s NEW narrative, too!

NEXT: Learn The Meaning Behind Season Finale Title “The Bicameral Mind”

MORE WESTWORLD: 90-Minute Finale Will Have Answers / Arnold’s Identity Revealed / Arnold’s Killer Revealed / How The Man In Black Is Connected To Westworld / Who Is Arnold / The Man In Black’s Backstory Revealed / What Planet Is Westworld On / Logos May Reveal Two Seperate Timelines 

Westworld airs Sundays at 9 PM on HBO.