Westworld premiered season 2 last night and we already have a new catchphrase to ponder. Last season, it was “These violent delights have violent ends”. This year, we are searching for “The valley beyond”.

Dolores isn’t the only one to speak these words. We hear them again from the stable-hand, just before he get beaten to death.

The only reference I could find to this phrase is a book called “St. Nicholas and the Valley Beyond” by Ellen Kushner and Richard W Burhans. Here is the blurb from the back cover:

Fascinating, right?

But wait, there’s more. All the inhabitants on this magical land are artisans. They make the toys and trinkets that bring joy to the people outside their world. The riddle is intended to guide Nick to remembering where he came from. In a sense, he’s searching for his cornerstone.

To help guide Nick (Santa, in case you hadn’t guessed) and his wife, Wilhelmina, a mysterious boy appears out of nowhere. They call him “Wolf”. It is believed that Wolf is an aspect of Nick, a manifestation of his sub-conscious. In my post on Tarot imagery, I discuss the Fool’s journey, which forms the basis for many hero stories. The fool also has a white dog to guide him along the path to enlightenment, as did Dorothy in “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”.

So we have a mystery world, a utopia. The inhabitants are blissfully unaware slaves. There’s memories, dreams, and nightmares. There’s wanting to get to a place so badly, even though you don’t really know what’s there. Riddles, creepy kids that appear from thin air, and someone named “Will”.

Sounds a bit like Westworld to me.

This will definitely lead to some brand new crackpot theories… coming soon.