Sunday’s Westworld premiere kicked a brand new season off with a bang — or fairly, a buzz — touchdown the present again into our TV routine after a two-year hiatus.

The fourth season’s story picks up seven years after the season Three finale and introduces a brand new model of Dolores named Christina, a brand new risk for Caleb and Maeve to deal with, and a few mysterious human manipulation involving … flies? (That opening scene unlocked a brand new concern.) It additionally brings again a sure cowboy hat-wearing predominant character final seen in season 2. Teddy followers, rejoice!

There will likely be eight episodes complete in season Four of HBO’s mind-bending sci-fi collection, which implies now we have seven extra Sundays of placing the puzzle items collectively. Let’s check out the place issues stand after episode 1.

Rise of the flies

The episode’s opening scene locations us at a mysterious facility close to the Hoover Dam that is owned by a cartel-like group. “William” exhibits up (it is unclear if it is actually him, or a duplicate), and he tells his host that he is not trying to “make investments” information with them — as an alternative, they’ve one thing that was stolen from one in all his services eight years in the past, and he desires to purchase your entire place. The person refuses to promote, and William warns him he’ll get it both method.

When the man returns house, he finds it has been invaded by a gnarly swarm of flies. The subsequent time we see him, it is a new day. The man heads into work and proceeds to assault one in all his buddies with a knife. Bloodied, he palms over a tool to William, then slits his personal throat. We did not see precisely what occurred between the time the man noticed the flies and activates his buddies, however I am certain we’ll be taught extra about these freaky, probably weaponized bugs later this season.

Some background on the “is it William, is it not” query: Within the post-credits of season 3, we noticed a number model of William fatally wound human William. Season Three Charlotte Hale (the model that is fitted with a duplicate of Dolores’ thoughts) appears to have created alternate William. On condition that, it appears very seemingly this is not OG William we’re seeing in season 4.

Issues lastly went William’s method this episode. Perhaps that is an indication he is not fairly the William we all know.

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Christina is the brand new Dolores

Dolores is brunette. Extra importantly, she solutions to a brand new title — Christina — and has misplaced all recollection of who she as soon as was. (I am assuming that is the Dolores we all know from earlier than — it could make sense as a result of Rehoboam fully wiped Dolores’ reminiscences within the season Three finale.) 

She’s adoringly known as “Chrissy” by her pal Maya, who’s performed by Oscar-winning actress Ariana DeBose, and works as a online game designer for an organization known as Olympiad Leisure. In contrast with Delores, Christina is much extra timid, soft-spoken and even a bit melancholy. Close to the tip of the episode, she information a pitch for a online game character who feels “an vacancy” in her life. May it possibly be your-old-life-was-actually-deleted kind of vacancy?

A mysterious caller

Quickly after we meet Christina, we be taught she’s been dodging tons of bizarre calls from somebody she would not know. Whereas strolling house from a foul date additional within the episode, she encounters the caller, Peter, in particular person. Peter claims Christina wrote him right into a sport, main him to lose his spouse and job. Christina, baffled, says she will’t assist him. Peter threatens her with a blade, however a mysterious particular person pries him off simply in time. We can’t get extra solutions to this puzzle out of Peter — he jumps off a constructing in entrance of Christina later within the episode — however his spiel suggests there are others like him. 

Caleb is a building employee once more

Seven years or extra after the season Three finale, Caleb is correct again the place he began earlier than he met Dolores — working in building. We be taught that riots occurred following the occasions in season 3, (here is a refresh on that season if you happen to want it). Caleb says the riots “received us our freedom.” His coworker disagrees, asking Caleb if his life has actually modified. The coworker argues Rehoboam solely informed individuals who they already had been, not who they may very well be. The episode additionally reveals an cute 7-year-old daughter named Frankie and a spouse who’s fairly uninterested in him taking part in faux soldier.

Trying ahead to seeing crew Maleb in motion.

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Maeve with the save

Maeve has been off the grid for seven years, residing in a distant cabin in a snowy space. However some new guests disturb that existence. Maeve takes out the unwelcome company and acknowledges one in all them as Colonel Brigham, a number from Westworld who led the Confederados. Utilizing some specialty Maeve thoughts methods — this time, she chops off the pinnacle off of a physique and hooks herself as much as it — she uncovers that William despatched the goons. (A reminder, this may truly be host William managed by faux Charlotte.)

Maeve turns up simply in time to sink a sword right into a villain taking pictures at Caleb and his daughter. Caleb and Maeve go away for California collectively, on the path of a senator they know William is in search of.

Teddy’s return

Are you prepared for extra Teddy? In the previous few seconds of the premiere, we noticed the loyal Delores ally step out of the shadows beneath Christina’s house. Teddy final appeared in season 2, when he shot himself after telling Delores that she made him right into a monster. (He is usually a good-natured character, however Dolores altered him within the second season.) He did not seem in season 3.

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