13 ‘Westworld’ GIFs That Will Get You Caught Up On Season 1

The second season of everyone’s favorite hyper-complicated robot drama is finally premiering this month. After over a year, Westworld is back, and this year it looks like we’re perfectly positioned for the robot rebellion that was teased all during Season 1.

As much fun as it is to watch this twisting show, it can be hard to keep up with Westworld. You can spend hours rooting for one character only to learn that they’re actually a surprise robot at the last minute, and characters who are innocent little lambs may actually end up being terrifying monsters. There are a lot of crazy plot twists, so we’re here to help in the most graphically-friendly way possible. Whether you’re brand new to the series or a devoted West-head (that’s a thing, right?), we’re here to help guide you through the maze that was Season 1. Here’s the basic story of Westworld‘s first season told in GIF form. Season 1 spoilers ahead. 

FORD AND THE DELOS BOARD

GIF: HBO

The robots were glitching.

Delos is supposed to be the completely immersive resort of rich people’s dreams, dropping vacationers into a world in which they can pretend to be a hero or villain in dozens of crazy Western stories. But when Westworld first premieres, things aren’t going according to plan. A new update Bernard (Jeffrey Wright) and Dr. Ford (Anthony Hopkins) have installed has caused several robots to malfunction. Westworld’s perfect stories are in jeopardy, the visitors are in danger, and Delos’ board is mad.

Later it’s revealed that this update is one of the primary reasons why robots be rebellin’.

GIF: HBO

The Delos board thinks it’s in control and wants Ford out.

After creating Delos’ ambitious worlds from scratch and revolutionizing vacations, Ford used to be untouchable. However, time has passed and Ford’s obsession with making his robots perfect is starting to have a financial toll. Charlotte (Tessa Thompson), Delos’ executive director of the board, swoops into Season 1 to bang some hotties, oust Ford, give an arrogant narrative director Ford’s old job, and make some serious money. Basically all you need to know is that the board is gunning for Ford, and Ford knows it.

GIF: HBO

The robot rebellion was always Ford’s plan.

If Delos thinks they can boot Ford without a fight, they have another thing coming. In Season 1’s final episode, Ford reveals that the malfunctioning update the hosts have been struggling with wasn’t an error but something he intentionally implanted. The ultimate goal Ford and Arnold had for their robot creations was for them to acquire free will. And free will seems to involve killing lots and lots of people.

Is Ford a god who has finally shown his creations sympathy or a petty and vengeful angel or death? Is he even a human, or is he another robot? We don’t know, but it’s best to keep those questions in mind as Season 2 approaches.


BERNARD

GIF: HBO

Bernard is actually a host.

In Episode 7, Westworld revealed one of the biggest twists of its first season — Bernard, the head of the Westworld Programming Division and one of the series’ few sympathetic, seemingly human heroes, was actually another robot. But because Westworld is never content with just one twist, the insanity didn’t stop there…

GIF: HBO

Bernard was modeled after the late Arnold, who was (probably) killed by Dolores.

Yep, Bernard is the robot version of Ford’s former business partner. After guiding the park’s oldest host Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood) to solve her own internal maze and embrace her free will, it’s implied that Dolores killed Arnold. This is Dolores’ first act of rebellion, and it comes shortly after Arnold tells her he can’t help her find her own happiness.

All signs point to Dolores killing Arnold, but considering the pair’s close relationship, Dolores’ fuzzy memories, and how manipulative Ford is, it is possible that Arnold died in some other way. Again, look out for more on this in Season 2.

GIF: HBO

Bernard kills himself on Ford’s orders (but he comes back).

In Episode 9, Bernard finally embraces his free will thanks to Ford. But instead of seeing things Ford’s way, Bernard insists that the hosts should be freed. Disappointed, Ford orders Bernard to shoot himself in the head. He does it, but a conscious version of Bernard who remembers all of his memories appears in the next episode. Looks like those resets aren’t working as well as they should.


WILLIAM

GIF: HBO

William is a swell guy.

William (Jimmi Simpson) is just a cool, totally normal Westworld visitor who loves his white hat and Dolores. He has an annoying brother-in-law and will one day be in charge of a company (Delos) worth a staggering amount of money. The only thing he’s really interested in is protecting and helping Dolores in her journey of self-discovery … right?

GIF: HBO

Just kidding — William is the Man in Black.

Wrong. There are actually two timelines in Westworld, one that focuses on the benevolent and sweet William and one that follows the rape-and-murder-obsessed Man in Black (Ed Harris) as he searches for the maze. Turns out that the maze was in the hosts’ heads this whole time.

At the end of Season 1, old William is shot in the arm by the host prostitute Clementine (Angela Sarafyan), and he smiles as he realizes that hosts can finally shoot people. He’s all sorts of messed up.


MAEVE

GIF: HBO

Maeve alters her own programming.

After she realizes she’s a robot, Maeve (Thandie Newton) charms, threatens, and blackmails two technicians into letting her change her statistics. Now able to control her own destiny, Maeve maxes out her intelligence and other factors, putting her on the same level of near-human awareness as Bernard.

GIF: HBO

Maeve leads a bloody rebellion inside of Delos.

Maeve uses her new programming skills to make her allies stronger and break out of the park. There’s a lot of carnage, and no one can really stop her small army as they enact some well-deserved revenge. Maeve is great, isn’t she?

GIF: HBO

Maeve almost leaves Westworld but goes back at the last minute.

Maeve was almost free of the world that tortured her for years — she had a great disguise, and she was on the train ready to go. But at the last minute she turns back to look for her daughter. That means Westworld ends with all of the robots able to kill people, Dolores rebelling, and Maeve in the mix, ready to lead the charge.


DOLORES

GIF: HBO

Dolores is the murderous Wyatt.

Throughout Season 1, there’s one character the Man in Black can’t shut up about — Wyatt. A psychotic and deadly villain, the Man in Black assumes that the rumored Wyatt is somehow connected to the maze. It turns out he was partially right.

Wyatt was one of Westworld’s original bad guys, but his programming and storyline were combined with Dolores. Our innocent belle is actually the mass murderer who once took out a town of hosts.

GIF: HBO

Dolores shoots Ford.

Episode 10 ends with Ford celebrating in front of a banquet of investors and special guests as he toasts the completion of his latest and greatest storyline. In the season’s final moments, Dolores raises her gun and shoots her second creator in the back of his head. We still don’t know if that was the real Ford or a robot version, but that hardly makes the scene and the resulting panic less terrifying. Bring on the rebellion, HBO.

Season 2 of Westworld premieres on April 22. 

Stream Westworld on HBO