10 Problems With Westworld Nobody Wants To Admit

8. William Being The Man In Black Makes No Sense

Westworld Problems
HBO

The internet worked out that William was the Man in Black impressively quickly. For those who didn't read all the fan theories, this was a big shock and undeniably a clever rug pull. It's also a huge tragedy that such a gentle man turned into such a cold-blooded killer... or it would be, if it made any sense.

Given the ever-shifting timelines and incoherent storytelling, this was very confusing from the off. Given how convoluted it all is, it's surprising people on the internet were able to figure this out at all.

How could that mild-mannered guy turn into Ed Harris' brutal and at times terrifying villain? There should have been more hints in William's character to explain the darkness within him. When he did abruptly become a monster, it felt rushed. The biggest problem of all, however, is his motivations for breaking bad: his love for Delores.

People turning evil because of love is such a predictable and familiar plot device, and given that he didn't know Delores for very long and that she was just a robot he hung around with for a bit, this just felt like William being hugely immature and completely over-reacting. This character transition was simply ridiculous.

Contributor

Film Studies graduate, aspiring screenwriter and all-around nerd who, despite being a pretentious cinephile who loves art-house movies, also loves modern blockbusters and would rather watch superhero movies than classic Hollywood films. Once met Tommy Wiseau.