Westworld 2x02 'Reunion' TV TALK

The best thing about Westworld is that each episode gets better and better so, while I preferred this episode to last week's, I know it's only going to improve.
We got to see old and loved (maybe hated) characters and this was the best thing!! This episode centred around all of my favourite characters and I was grinning helplessly through it all.

TV TALKS

Season 1:  1x01  |  1x02  |  1x03  |  1x04  |  1x05  |  1x06  |  1x07  |  1x08  |  1x09  |  1x10
Season 2:  2x01  |

SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD

35 years prior
We started the episode with Arnold and Dolores talking. I love how all the episodes begin with them having philosophical conversation- it warms my heart. But, this time, they weren't in the usual Westworld complex but in the real world! As soon as this was established, I knew this episode was going to be amazing.

We find out that Dolores isn't ready for a demonstration going on to convince buyers to invest in Westworld. We had a young Ford arguing with Arnold and it was Anthony Hopkins... but not enough!! Arnold then takes Dolores to his house and she says she wants to meet Arnold's son, Charlie. I love the parallels between her and Charlie- both children discovering and fascinated by the world. Dolores repeats the splendour quote twice which shows how she's malfunctioning and you can see Arnold's disappointment- he just wants her to be conscious. We also see Arnold beginning to thinks the hosts are their own people, how he "doesn't want to let the money people in", as Ford had quoted in season 1.

We also get to see Logan Delos and William again!!!! These two were part of my favourites characters and I'm so happy we get to see more of them- especially how William came to be the Man in Black.
Logan meets with the host Angela and this other guy for a demonstration of Westworld and... he's hella on board when he realises everyone he's been talking to are hosts. They convince him to invest money in Westworld and, because he's Logan, he seals the deal with a kiss from Angela.
Later, we have Dolores, spying on Angela and Logan after they've obviously slept together. I'd like to think that, from even this early, she's beginning to grow a resentment towards humans and how they use hosts. She realises that, if she had been ready for the demonstration herself, she would've been in Angela's place, simply used and objectified by Logan.

30 years prior
Switching to the time of 30 years prior to the present day, we see this timeline of just after William and Logan come back from their visit to Westworld that we saw in season 1.

We meet James Delos and William takes him into Westworld to try and convince him to buy out Westworld completely. The park's losing more and more money each year which means they'd be able to dictate the terms and William argues that they could use the park for marketing purposes. They'd be able to see what guests want and use that to help their business flourish. This links to the Aftermath of Delos Massacre timeline as we saw Delos' secret lab and drone hosts storing data through guest DNA and footage. I think this data may partly be used for marketing purposes but it's hinted a lot that Delos has a much more sinister game being played. I think they may be using this guest footage as blackmail because the only people who visit Westworld are rich and powerful and blackmailing them with proof of their own sins would definitely be possible. The other possibilities could be that Delos are also creating clone hosts of these important figures or even developing a way for people to become immortal through becoming a host.
I think the clone or immortality idea could seriously hold some credibility. In season 1, Ford tells Bernard that they have slipped evolution's leash and that they can cure every illness. But he also mentions that maybe one day they'd be able to resurrect the dead and... immortality through hosts sounds very much like a way to do that- resurrecting a consciousness if not a physical body.
We also see that James Delos is sick which I think could further link to the idea of creating immortality as William asks him to have patience.
We have Dolores in this timeline and she plays the piano during James' retirement party. She talks to William's daughter, Emily, and we also saw his wife which gave me all the feels!! Despite everything, I do really ship Dolores and William and think their love story is beyond tragic.

We also have Dolores talking to Logan during this party and he has this brilliant quote: "that, darling, is the sound of fools fiddling while the whole fucking species starts to burn." I really love this new side to Logan. Obviously, he got out of Westworld but we don't know how exactly and he seems totally against Westworld now. It's like his eyes have been opened to how dangerous it could be and I can't wait to see more of him.
In this timeline, we finally have William visiting Dolores and this one of my favourite scenes! He calls her a 'thing' and that she's essentially a reflection of guests. He then leads her to a special project he's constructing. This is the same weapon that Dolores mentions at the end. William then say the quote "have you ever seen anything so full of splendour?" Now, there are a few theories over this. It could be that he's simply mocking her but some people actually think this is hinting that he's a host which... I don't think holds too much weight but, with Westworld, anything can happen.

After of Delos Massacre (2 weeks prior)
Meanwhile, the Main in Black saves Lawrence and I love that they're travelling together again! I love their banter and whole relationship. MiB warns Lawrence of the host rebellion and also says some cryptic stuff about Delos watching over the guests. He says that it wasn't about judgement but for some else entirely.. marketing? Blackmail? So many possibilities!
With plans to burn all of Westworld to the ground, MiB and Lawrence go to Pariah in search of an army and they meet the modern El Lazo. Excitingly, we have Ford speaking through El Lazo to tell MiB that the game is only meant for him and he has to do it alone. I love that Ford still has so much influence over everything! The entire army kill themselves and MiB is forced to go on alone... with Lawrence by his side of course.

Over to Dolores, we have her storming the body shop and threatening all the humans in there. She shows Teddy the truth about what he is and he is enraged by it all. They learn that Delos has an army of 800 coming for them and they go to the Confederados in order to recruit an army for themselves. They eventually ally with Dolores after she kills them and brings them all back. I love how she's making herself into their new God- it's epic and sinister!
She runs into Maeve and... this whole encounter was a lot shorter than I thought it'd be. Dolores thinks that Maeve would want revenge but Maeve's on another path completely. Dolores is all ready to fight but Maeve seems to think it's pointless and simply wants to go and find her daughter. I think Maeve will be the first to point out to Dolores that she's become no better than the humans- they'll butt heads a lot in the future, I think. Maeve asks Teddy if he feels free under Dolores' control and you can see the doubt he has. Wyatt vs Dolores? I get the feeling that he may turn on Dolores at some point.

Season 2 seems like it may be a race to whatever weapon William created and I can't wait to see who'll win- William or Dolores. I'm also desperate for their reunion because they're my two favourite characters.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to comment your thoughts! Stay amazing!
Chloe