'Westworld': Is William Really Alive?
Ed Harris's Man in Black has been a terrifying presence since the first season, and despite his death in later installments and his rebirth as a robot, some fans believe that human William is still alive somewhere. Season 4 episode 2 finally confirms that assumption.
William, or the Man in Black as he is most widely known, was killed off in the third season as his much meaner host version continued to serve Hale in her evil deeds. Since then, fans of Ed Harris have longed to see the real authentic version of his cold-blooded character, wishing that he had somehow survived the deep cut on his neck that he received. And the second episode finally confirms this, showing William as a prisoner of Hale, shrouded in a black suit that hides his entire body except his head. And while an explanation of how he survived his mortal wound has not yet been revealed, fans are just thrilled that this beloved villain is alive and well.
In a discussion on Reddit fans have been dissecting the paradox of William's subplot, trying to determine just how many Men in Black are on the loose in 'Westworld ', since Ed Harris seems to be playing more than two versions of his character at once.
"Are there three Williams? the trapped human, the host under Halores, and the fidelity host from s2? If so, will the latter meet Maeve and Caleb in the park?" – /neqailaz.
And thanks to the confusing narrative of season four, with many fans believing that the series' creative team is using multiple time periods, it may well turn out that William is far less complicated than many fans think.
"I'm convinced the S2 William is the real William somehow. Possibly memory wiped or altered, but I'm almost certain that's where it's going." – /UlrichNielsen1.