Now that the hosts are free, what’s the Man in Black’s new mission?

In Entertainment Weekly’s spread teasing Westworld Season 2, it was mentioned that the Man in Black will be “having a rather tough time as he embarks on a new mission in the park.” It was unclear what the Man in Black’s new mission would be, especially since the Man in Black got what he wanted at the end of Season 1. The Maze didn’t hold the answers he sought as the Maze was never meant for him. But his desire for the hosts to fight back, will give him the chance to defeat them fair and square. So what could his new mission be since he got what he wanted?

The newest trailer for Season 2 seems to reveal what the Man in Black’s new mission is and several new directions it indicates for his character.

Burning It All Down

Westworld was once sacred to William. It is where he found his true self and purpose, where he became the Man in Black. In fact, Westworld only survived because of his generous financial contributions that kept it alive.

Now that sacredness is gone, leading to his new mission:

“They want a new place hidden from God. We had something else in mind, entirely. I’m gonna burn this whole thing to the ground.”

The Man in Black is going to burn down Westworld. His motives for doing so depends on who the “they” and “we” are that he speaks of.

Most likely, “they” are the hosts as this line occurs alongside a close-up shot of Clementine, and “we” is Delos as it occurs alongside a shot of Delos employees working with the Drone hosts.

Which Side Will He Take?

On the other hand, he may just come to accept that the fight isn’t fair. The change in rules now makes it impossible for the guests to win as the hosts have become too powerful. It would make sense for the Man in Black to burn down Westworld and destroy all the hosts rather than let them win. The hosts having autonomy won’t be as wonderful as he thought once it becomes clear he doesn’t stand a chance against them. A fairer fight isn’t worth it once he’s on the losing side.

How Delos Factors Into This Mission

It is equally important to consider the role of Delos in both alternatives for the Man in Black’s

mission to burn down Westworld. The “something else in mind” that drove Delos speaks to their true intentions behind their considerable investments in the park. For them Westworld seems to have been about secretly developing and refining artificial intelligence. like the Drone hosts. And eventually bringing the perfected technology to the outside world for their own gain.

If the Man in Black is helping the autonomous hosts find a new home, he may also want to burn down Westworld to spite Delos. The likes of Charlotte Hale never had any appreciation for the park and only saw it as a breeding ground for future profits. What better way to get back at what Delos than to burn down the source of their long-term investments before any of it can reach the outside world? Crippling Delos would help prove to the hosts that he is on their side.

What Does His Misson Mean In The End?

If the Man in Black is burning down Westworld, he could manipulate the destruction as a means of controlling Delos. He certainly once was the true power behind Delos. But his obsession with the Maze and time in the park made him more of an honorary figure head. This was probably why people like Charlotte Hale rose to power. If played right, those dynamics can change and he can get back into the driver’s seat.

His motives are still unclear. But we know for sure that the Man in Black’s new mission is to burn down Westworld despite the importance of it in his life.

We have a little under a month until Westworld Season 2 drops. Until then, we will continue to speculate on anything and everything Westworld.

Westworld Season 2 will premiere on HBO Sunday, April 22, 2018 9PM/EST

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