Westworld’s Co-Creator on Understanding the Show’s Meaning

She pointed out that Charlotte Hale and William were stuck in their own loops until Charlotte was willing to destroy the world she created. In doing so, she gave Dolores the option to make a better place.

This, to Lisa, is beautiful, because it means change is possible. “I do think destruction is the way of all things,” she said. “So to fight that to create meaning and to try to build something that lasts beyond yourself, which is essentially what these hosts are doing—they’re trying to set up regimes and trying to set up life forms that can last beyond themselves—I think there’s a lot of nobility.”

Whether Dolores will be able to do what Charlotte was incapable of remains a question, and it will stay that way until HBO renews Westworld for another season. 

But if this is the end of the line for the dystopian series, Lisa said she’s grateful for all that the cast has accomplished. “The actors they’ve become such valuable, intimate friends and collaborators, so it really does feel like we’re all asking the same questions and working together to try to tell a story that we hope resonates with someone,” she said. “I just feel very, very fortunate to have that collective experience. Honestly, it’s been it’s been really meaningful to me.”