A Man in Black Timeline

Published November 4, 2016 · Updated July 6, 2022

Thanks for reading my email on last week’s podcast guys! Some of what you didn’t end up reading though feels even more important now after this week’s episode, so if I may, I’d like to expand on it.

Timeline…

40+ years ago

Arnold and Ford create Old Bill and other early host prototypes.

35 – 40 years ago

Arnold and Ford create hosts 2.0 and teach them how to square dance.

35 years ago

Arnold ties to prevent the “park” from opening, wanting to create real consciousness and keep the “money men” out.
Arnold dies – likely killed by Ford…who is probably some sort of supercomputer Arnold programmed forgetting to comment out the “god complex” code.
The park opens and Logan is one of the first to visit.

30 years ago

William and Logan show up at the park to vet the park for further investment.
William falls in love with Dolores.
Logan dies in the park and Dolores doesn’t save him. This will become known as “The Incident.”
William subsumes Logan’s role in the company which I assume is President of Delos.
He acquires the park and hides the circumstances of Logan’s death because he knows that if the park goes away, so does Dolores.

Why I think William is the Man in Black

The MiB’s identity is hidden on the show for a reason. That alone doesn’t make him William, but it makes whoever he is, a reveal.
If the MiB is someone else, say Logan, it’s just much less interesting as a character development versus William. The white hat that turns black hat – it’s Darth Vader and it’s awesome.
He refers to Dolores and Lawrence as “old friends” and in the most recent episode they are just about to set off on an adventure together just after William disowns his “fake” friend Logan.

But I also have QUESTIONS!!!

Why is Dolores suddenly by herself on the train at the end of that scene???
Why does William say “time to stop pretending?” What does he mean by that???

Also yes I’m 100% on board with all the allegory from the bible. Ford -> God, Arnold -> Satan, Consciousness -> Forbidden Fruit, Jobe –> Dolores (or Teddy), Pariah -> Sodom …yup

Kat Tfrom San Francisco

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