Arnold Only Ai?
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Gentlemen,
All the usual platitudes apply. This Westworld Podcast is in a class by itself. I really like the new theory or idea, or whatever it is, that was covered on today’s pod about Arnold never physically existing. The best evidence in the series I can find for this, is in Season 1 Episode 5 when William, Logan, and Dolores are entering Pariah. When referring to the park, Logan talks about how Delos is considering buying them out. He says that this place was started by a partnership and right before the park opened, one of the partners killed himself. Even a team lawyers came up with nothing, no name, not even a picture. This is extremely odd. It’s probably more likely for a team of lawyers to come up with nothing, if they’re looking for evidence of a person, when Arnold is, in fact AI.
This is very intriguing. I want to buy in, but I’m unable to do so. Here are a few reasons why I believe Arnold was a real, physical, human being. First, the weakest, most obvious, piece of evidence against Arnold being solely AI. The photograph. I believe you guys even mentioned on an older pod, that Ford was too meticulous of a person, to have a photograph in his office framed in that manner, with only two people in it. Ergo, there are three. Ford, his host father and either Arnold or Bernard. Let’s say it’s Bernard; because, Arnold never had a body. Okay. But, the host father? Ford told Arnold a story about a holiday he took with his family from his childhood. After this, Arnold built a host version of Ford’s family and gave them to Ford as a gift. This was likely done without Ford’s knowledge since later, he alters them. If Ford didn’t contribute to Arnold creating them and Arnold is AI, how would Arnold know what Ford’s family looked like? He likely met them earlier. Perhaps even obtained their DNA.
In a crucial scene later in Season 1 Episode 5 Ford says to Dolores, “But I’m sure you remember him. Arnold. The person that created you.” He then, best I can guess, wants to ensure there is no “ghost in the machine,” because he gets Dolores to confirm her last contact with Arnold, “34 years, 42 days, 7 hours ago.” “Yes, Dolores. The day Arnold died.” Ford later confirms why no one knows of Arnold’s death after bringing Dolores out of “Analysis” when he says, “there’s no one else left who was there. No one who understands.” This is because very few people were there, those first three years before the park was open. Pure creation. No need for security, techs, and everyone else needed, if guests were there. The very few humans who were there, Ford likely had killed and covered it up as effectively as he did Theresa’s murder. Next in the scene Dolores asks, “are we, very old friends?” He replies, “I wouldn’t say that at all.” Ford wouldn’t say “friends” and gets emotional because Dolores killed his friend and in turn, likely caused Ford to become a murderer, so he could still have his world and be God. I’m assuming quite a bit, from the incomplete information that we have, based on a few subtle pieces of dialogue that are very easy to overlook while watching the mesmerizing, Sir Anthony Hopkins.
The rest of the evidence I see indicating that Arnold was a real human is in Season 2 Episode 2. Why would Logan not have met the creators? We find out this episode, Logan is a “fuck up.” I sell people every day. I know when someone is “sold.” And, Logan was “sold” as soon as, he finished his orgy. He didn’t need to meet anyone else or learn anything else about Westworld, to be sold on making that initial investment. He didn’t do his due diligence. Logan also helps confirm an earlier point, about how little the public knows of the Argos Initiative. He talks about their operation being so “cloak and dagger,” that he “half expected to be kidnapped at the airport.”
I see everything referenced earlier as fairly damning to the idea that Arnold was not a human. But, the following is the final nail in the coffin for me. In this most recent episode I think we do see, Arnold interacting with a human, Ford. In the cold open, Ford walks in while Arnold is talking to Dolores. Ford calls Arnold by name. This appears to take place immediately before Logan’s private demonstration. Because, when Arnold is playing favorites and says Dolores isn’t ready, he also says, “we’ll go with the other girl.” I believe he is referring to Angela, as she leads the private demonstration for Logan later. Arnold then takes Dolores to the home he’s constructing and tells Dolores that, his son Charlie is excited to meet her, implying Arnold and Charlie are both human. There’s no way Dolores is walking around mainland China, by herself while hallucinating a body for AI Arnold and his house, “in the middle of all this.” Is there? Unless, this scene turns out to be some freaky robot dream of Dolores’, I think Arnold must be an actual human.
Even though I don’t think this one works, I really like where you guy’s heads are at. Keep up the phenomenal work. I absolutely love this shit! Westworld. This pod. All of it! And, we have effectively 4 more seasons of this?!?!? Awesome.
Wes D.
Richmond, VA
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I failed to point out that, we see evidence of this later in Season 1. Ford is telling Bernard about Arnold, when first showing Bernard that picture. Bernard can only see Ford and his host father. This is why, when Bernard later stumbles into Ford’s family’s house in the park, he asks Ford’s father, “are you, Arnold?”
-Wes D.
I thought you guys mentioned it on a pod in Season 1. I seem to recall Big D saying something about it specifically. To paraphrase the “Rocket” Roger Clemens, I could be “misremembering.” You may recall, my initial morning email time.
Regardless, remember the way Bernard originally saw the picture in Ford’s office? There were only two people in the shot. Because, Bernard could not see anything that would hurt him. So, it didn’t look like anything to him and Bernard saw two people in photograph. I seem to recall Big D saying something like: look at Ford’s office. He’s way too meticulous of a person to have a photo in his office, oriented in that fashion, with only two people in shot. There must be three people. I think we even see this on screen later in Season 1. Three beings are in this photograph. Bernard is unable to see one. Because, doing so would hurt him. Insinuating, he would see himself in a picture he could not remember being taken. This is almost certainly because, Ford did not build Bernard until after Arnold died.
I believe this photo is commemorating the gift Arnold gave Ford. The picture is of Ford, his friend Arnold, and Arnold’s gift to Ford.
– Wes D.
I’m a little lost on the photograph part. Can you explain that? What’s so weird about a photograph with only two people in it?
(Checking box to receive follow-up comments by email) Happy to elaborate further if necessary.