Westworld Theories – The Analogy of Dr Ford

Warning : Spoiler Alert for the TV Series Westworld 2016. 

Speculation has gone wild, as fans try to unravel the mystery of Westworld, rampant with their own theories. We humans are pushing the envelope, thinking outside the “loop”. Pun intended 😉

Here’s my screenwriter’s perception outlined with the main characters on Westworld. 

Today’s blog is about, who I think, Dr Robert Ford is. 

DR ROBERT FORD 

Dr Ford is the best in the west! (pun intended). And there’s the key. He’s a very calculated precise human, or shall I presume to say, Dr. Robert Ford is too human. 

We know in the chronological timeline, according to the interactive dialogue between Delores and Dr Ford. 

DIALOGUE 

Dr Ford,”When was your last contact with Arnold?”

Delores,” Last contact, 34 years, 42 days, 7 hours ago.”

Dr Ford,”Yes Delores, the day Arnold died.” He pauses and then says,” And you have no records of any contacts of him since?” 

Delores,” No.” 

Dr Ford,” What was the last thing he said to you?”

Delores,” He told me I was going to help him.” 

Dr. Ford,” Help him do what?” 

Delores,” To destroy this place.” 

Dr Ford,” But you didn’t, did you?”

Dr Ford goes on to say that nothing has become of those instructions, pointing out Delores has been content with her “loop” for the last 34 years.  

Dr Ford looks concerned, very concerned. He continues,” That’s enough Delores. Yes…I’m sorry to bothering you, but …there’s no one else left who was there, no one that understands, as we understand.” 

Delores program picks up on this.

Delores,” Are we…very old friends?” 

Dr Ford,” No. I wouldn’t say friends Delores. I wouldn’t say that atall.” ( spelled correctly as per slang) 

At this point, it looks like Dr Ford wipes a tear from his eye, gets up and leaves, before anyone can see his emotion. 

When Dr Ford leaves, it’s then Delores stares blankly ahead and says,”He doesn’t know. I didn’t tell him anything.” 

This dialogue proves three important points : 

1. Dr Ford and Delores are the only ones who knows anything about their secret past life.
2. Delores is as old as Dr Ford, with both being there from the very beginning . 
3. Delores is being guided by someone else or some thing. 

To me it appears, it’s possible, Dr Robert Ford is a prototype designed by robotics scientists, Arnold. In essence, Arnold is Dr Ford’s protégé, who crafted a specialized android from the very beginning. 

It’s known from past episodes, Arnold was an eccentric brilliant robotics (way ahead of his time) engineer who would closely resemble the behaviour of mogul pioneer Howard Hughes.  

Arnold would alienate himself from the public, in order to produce a robotic humanoid unlike any other robot he’s ever made before. His task was to make an android who could appear and act in every way a human can. You might say he’s a step up from what Delores was. 

In the beginning androids were sloppy mechanical beasts with a set program. Arnold wanted something more, but he knew it couldn’t do it by himself. He needed an advanced android, a prototype capable of thinking as android’s do. Essentially, the android would help him rebuild the sloppy mechanical beasts, using a linear thought, only another android could possibly do. To think of it in another way, consider how we have automated robots who can only make a precise computer chip.

Humans aren’t as capable as a robot is. 

BUT – Before the recreational park, Westworld was about to open, Arnold didn’t calculate in his equation, his prototype android would think of his creator as inferior.

The creator was imperfect or humanly flawed. 

Over 35 years ago, just as Arnold was ready to open the Westworld Park, a terrible thing happened. Like a restaurant, the park opened as a “dry-run” inviting esteemed guests, such as the MiB. A small group of VIP rich guests and investors came to experience this recreational park for the first time.  

During this opening event, Arnold introduced his prototype android as his partner, Dr Ford. As far as the MiB was concerned, Dr Ford was indeed his partner.
Unknown to Arnold, Dr Ford had programmed the robots to revolt and kill the invited guests, including Arnold.  

Remember, Dr Ford thought of his protégé, Arnold as inferior. 

In the end, I believe the opening of Westworld didn’t go as planned, as hosts killed off their guests. And this is where the MiB comes in. He saved other guests from the chaos, but failed to save Arnold, himself. But there was still hope for the MiB, because Arnold’s body was never found. And since that time, almost 35 years ago, the MiB’s quest has been to search for evidence of Arnold, through what he believes to be the underworld known as The MAZE. The maze where Arnold may be located. 

Unknown to the MiB, he still doesn’t realize Dr Ford is an android yet, but he does wonder. This was proven in the dialogue interactions of Dr Ford, the MiB and Teddy. 

In Episode 5 – Contrapasso

DIALOGUE 

Dr Robert Ford confronts the MiB, expressing his control over the Park, which really doesn’t faze the MiB. Instead the MiB says,” How I’m doing Robert? Any closer to finding what I’m looking for?”

Dr Ford,” What is that…exactly?” 

Teddy interrupts by saying they’re looking for a man named Wyatt. It appears, MiB isn’t impressed with the new narrative of Wyatt and says,”…is he just another stooge for the tourist to mount on their wall at home or have you made a worthy adversary? Someone to stop me from finding the centre of the maze.” 

Dr Ford,” And what are you hoping to find there?”

MiB,” … I think there’s a deeper meaning, hiding under all that, something a person who created it, wanted to express…something true.” 

Dr Ford,”Well, if you’re looking for the moral of the story, just simply ask.”
MiB,” I need a shovel…man I’d be asking died 35 years ago, almost took this place with him, almost but not quite, thanks to me. But maybe he left something behind.” 

As the MiB takes out his long knife about to find the answers within the belly of Dr Ford, his loyal pet,Teddy grabs the knife with his bare hands. He stops the MiB from getting close to Dr Ford and most possible finding answers to the TRUTH. 
And so, there you have it.  

Is Dr Robert Ford a creation by Arnold ? And, if so, is Delores being guided by Arnold after all ?   

Remember Programmer, Elsie Hughes ? 

It appears her paranoia has paid off. She finds a laser based satellite uplink component in the arm of the last host, thinking of possible spies. Maybe it’s the creativity of Arnold and his backup plan to destroy what he created. 

Join me in the quest of finding the answers to Westworld in my gamers manual of Westworld – updated after each episode to reveal new clues. And, if you have any clues , please share it with us here. We loved to hear your theory too.

My next Analogy will be the MiB Theory – follow me here for updates.  

By Bari Demers – screenwriter and freelance writer 

BTW – Sir Anthony Hopkins is such an awesome actor! 

NOTE : Because I’m Canadian, my IP Address will NOT allow us to see any clues from HBO WESTWORLD website known as DiscoverWorld. 
We kept getting rerouted to the HBO Canadian website, that pretty much has absolutely nothing. So, if you YOU live in USA 🇺🇸 let us know what clues are given out on this website since Canadians and the rest of the world are banned from. Read more about it HERE. Pretty annoying really.