Who the Hale Is Charlotte

Published April 2, 2020 · Updated July 6, 2022

Hey shat team,

I’m a long time listener, and this is my first submission to the telegraph. What am I bringing? Philosophical analysis to give Ashley a brain boner? Nope, just some major tin foil.

From the clues that we have been given, I think Dr. Robert Ford is inside Hale’s body.

First Clue: Dolores is very close with, and trusts, whoever it is.

Second Clue: The host, or human host, has the smarts to act like Hale and know enough about the corporate world to fool the Delos Board.

Third Clue: Knows enough about Hale to know her ex was named Jake, but not knowing enough about her to know she had a son, Nathan.

I think these all add up to a human host, and I think it’s Dr. Ford.

We know two relevant things from season 2. First, that Dr. Ford still exists at some level after being shot by Dolores, as he was communicating with the Man in Black in the park, and with Bernard in the forge. Second, that Dolores conducted fidelity testing on Bernard, so it’s possible for hosts to do fidelity testing.

Here comes the tinfoil. Perhaps Dr. Ford had Dolores, or maybe Bernard, run fidelity tests to help him replicate and digitize his mind and soul.

It would make sense that Ford would 1) recognize Charlotte Hale and be surprised to be in her body; 2) know that there are no more elephants living in the world; 3) be very awkward tucking in little Nathan Hale to bed; 4) know that Hale’s ex was named Jake, but have no clue that she had a son; 5) be trusted and be close with Dolores since he orchestrated her escape; and 6) be clever enough to crack the code with the password to get to Cirac and clever enough to fool Cirac.

I think it’s Ford. And, I rewatched the scenes with Charlotte while imagining Dr. Ford delivering her lines, and I thought it held up.

Ashley, I know you mentioned in the last deep dive that it would be ridiculous if it was Dr. Ford. I await your verbal thrashing.

I am loving Westworld Season 3 so far and love your podcasts. Keep up the good work.

Dan M from Seattle

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