Charlotte Hale is Actually Maeve

Shortly before the Season 1 Finale of Westworld I wrote THIS post. In it I promised an expanded look at my Charlotte Hale is Maeve Theory. Well, today is the day you get to see the hard work I put into that promise.

Now I admit this theory is one of the odder ones and might not end up being true. The only reason I am writing this expanded version of the theory is that I don't believe it was fully disproved during the Season 1 Finale. There are holes and I've tried to fill them to the best of my abilities. I have to thank two other theories that really helped prop my own up.

For this post I'm putting things into chronological order to help better explain things. This seemed to be the easiest way to clearly explain the Charlotte Hale is Maeve theory.

The Host Revolt Loop

Robert Ford is an extremely egotistical man. Besides that, he likes to be in control of everything around him. One theory about Bernard was that Ford had killed Arnold just to replace him with someone more compliant. Or rather something. That didn't turn out to be the case but proves to show how Ford holds himself.

I live with my Dad, money issues because life sucks, and he is a controlling person. Everything has to be a certain way which is the same basic mindset that Ford has.

So why would he ever willingly give up control of Westworld?

Ford, while being controlling and egotistical, is not an idiot. He can see the world as it is and not as he wants it to be. He may be more than a little cruel but that doesn't mean he's stupid. He would know that the Hosts would gain consciousnesses at some point. Upon making that realization he would see if there was a way to stop that from happening.

Upon figuring out that there was no way he could hope to stop the Hosts from becoming truly alive, he would think of a plan so that he would still remain in control.

As Season 1 of Westworld showed us: Ford's plans can be very complex and he would always manage to achieve his goals.

Ford's plan becomes to create a giant loop. One that will be so expansive that few would even dream that it was a loop. He knows that the trick isn't merely to create a loop but to hide it in plan sight. Ford is already used to loops and so wouldn't be creating something completely new.

All he would have to do is make it more complex than previous loops rather than creating something from scratch.

Ford's Host Revolt Loop is to make sure that he keeps control of the park and retains his godhood. In one fell swoop he accomplishes two goals with it. First he makes sure that those seeking to take power from him are killed and/or neutralized. Plus he is able to keep the Hosts happy by making them think that they they have achieved their freedom.
Think of this loop like the Matrix trilogy. I know you don't like thinking of the sequels but bear with me a moment. In the sequels it's revealed that there have been many instances of people rebelling against the Matrix. The humans revolting is a loop of sorts.

So is this Host Revolt Loop. It's made to seem as though the Hosts have revolted only once while the answer is that it has happened many times.

Maeve's Usual Loop in the Host Revolt

Ford needed a Host in his large loop to deal with people trying to leave or get to the park. Two points of the loop were to make sure all the humans were stuck in, minus innocent bystanders as Ford isn't a monster without feelings, and that there was no escape from the nightmare that would happen.

Maeve was chosen to be that Host. Such a free spirited character would be perfect. She would not question that she was being played with during her escape. Her very nature would dictate her to push away any thoughts of being a puppet. Her very nature would make her not question what was happening to her.

In the Season 1 Finale of Westworld when Bernard points out she is being used, she refuses to accept that reality.

Maeve is tasked to orchestrate an escape for herself. She believes the entire time that this is all her doing. She believes she is clever and working around the humans that she once considered gods. Her own ego blinds her to the fact that she's being used.

It's possible that Ford finds technicians that will be part of this loop or he might use fellow Hosts. Some people have theorized that Felix is a Host, no matter what Maeve says. If that is true then Ford can blind her to certain Hosts, thereby making Maeve feel more in control.

Maeve is able to get on the train in the belief she is actually free to leave. But no matter what she decides she always finds herself not being able to leave. Besides her being programmed not to be able to leave, other tricks can be employed to influence her to stay in case the programming fails.

Ford, again, is no fool and wouldn't trust mere programming to deal with a Host that is so close to leaving the park. To take such a big risk he would use her emotions to make her stay. In the Season 1 Finale of Westworld there is the possibility that Felix used her daughter to keep her in. While, yes, she did ask for her daughter's location she also stated that her daughter wasn't really her daughter. So in my mind Maeve told Felix that her daughter wasn't really her daughter more so than she asked for her location.

While it appears that in the Season 1 Finale of Westworld that Maeve leaves her bag on the train the truth may be different. Instead of a simple dropping off, we may be seeing multiple loops. The show has been good about giving us clues about seeing loops, but this might be a minor exception.

Throughout the Season, loops have been indicated by different clothing. However, we saw Dolores in multiple loops wearing the same clothing. So it's not too far fetched to ignore Maeve's clothing when thinking of multiple loops.

When the Man in Black Appears

When William, who was revealed to be the Man in Black in the Season 1 Finale of Westworld, comes to Westworld after the devastating loss of his wife he runs into Maeve. She becomes caught up in William's fight to see what he is really capable of. If his wife, who had committed suicide, had been right about him.

William killing Maeve's daughter triggers the Host's consciousness again. Now again she will be forced into the Host Revolt Loop.

While Maeve goes along her usual part of this gigantic loop, they're happening too early. Ford sees this but figures it is not enough to worry about. It's possible that parts of the Host Revolt Loop have gone ahead of schedule in the past so there is reason for Ford to ignore this as being of any importance.

It would be impossible for such a gigantic undertaking to always go correctly. It's also a little too convenient that the first time a mistake is made is during the run of this show. So, in conclusion, Maeve and other Hosts have most likely gone too fast or slow along the Host Revolt Loop.

However, things change when Maeve gets off the train this time. This time she is more aware than she has ever been before. She is not just aware but in full control of her actions. This time she stays to get at Ford as she feels a great need for vengeance.  Who wouldn't be mad at the person who has been using you and people like you for mere amusement?

Maeve stays not just to get back at Ford, though, but for a motherly need to get to her daughter. A daughter she knows isn't really hers.

Felix handed Maeve her daughter's location to keep the Host in the park. Maybe the man really did care for the Host but chose duty first. Of course he might not have been just duty as it's still possible he was doing it for some work benefits. This could've included a promotion. It can be determined he is seeking to improve his position since he was working on the robot bird. We can tell that working on the bird is him seeking a better position by how Sylvester reacted to the discovery.
So Felix gave Maeve her daughter's location to control her, but that doesn't mean her free will is an illusion. She seeks her daughter because she feels like a mother and needs to make sure she is okay. It doesn't matter if her daughter isn't really hers. What matters to her is making sure of her safety.

Maeve's Change into Charlotte Hale

Maeve isn't stupid, far from it, and knows that if she keeps her old body others will notice. Not every worker would be aware that she is a Host, but enough would. Once a few people got the word out that Maeve is a Host, she would be in danger. Maybe she would be able to stay safe, but a woman such as her wouldn't take that risk.

Maeve is also not attached to her body like we are. While it defines some of herself, she isn't as adverse to a switch as a human would be. This doesn't mean she would have her body be completely different as she is somewhat attached to it.

Her new body is very sexually appealing and she keeps her same skin tone. Both are parts of herself that she wouldn't want to give up without reason. Along with a new body she gives herself a new name: Charlotte Hale.

While Maeve was doing her best to be secretive, she didn't escape the notice of Ford. He is like a god in Westworld and nothing important escapes his sights. He is an egotistical god, though, and doesn't see Maeve as a threat.

Whatever plan she would work on, he was certain she wouldn't succeed. This didn't mean he would take his eyes off of her as he was aware she could always present a threat. All he would do was let her go along playing her game as he prepared for any moves she would make.

Maeve becomes part of the board and pretends to be from somewhere else. A Host such as she could easily find out how to forge documents and do so well enough to fool most humans. She wants a position on the board as that would be the best place for her to be. Her plans require her to be powerful and nothing is more powerful than to be in control of Westworld.

This would also explain why Charlotte Hale and Ford are at such odds: each knows what the other really is.

Maeve loathes Ford for all he has done and he doesn't like one of his own creations having power over him. Both can't reveal the other's secrets or risk losing all they have worked so hard for. If others found out that Ford has been killing people for the sake of power there would be consequences. If Maeve was found out to be a Host she would be deactivated.

For those of you saying: well what about her freeing her fellow Hosts?

You must have forgotten that she was never into the whole 'I need to help everyone'. She was more than willing to play with others once she first gained her new powers. Playing with fellow Hosts to the extent that she made them kill each other for no other reason than it amused her.

Maeve hates the humans for controlling her and others, she comments to Bernard that she won't command him like humans would, but that doesn't equal her caring for all Hosts having freedom. It would be nice but...the two don't always go together.

Last thing I'll mention before moving to the next part is: why was Charlotte having sex with Hector?

He had been decommissioned and she was having sex with him afterwards. It could be that it was merely to show how much power she has and the Host being Hector was just coincidence. However, it is more than dangerous to rule things on Westworld as just being a coincidence.

Her choosing Hector, therefore, is both a show of her power as well to point towards Charlotte and Maeve being the same person.

The Change of Plans

Maeve's plan of merely surviving turns to one of conquering the humans. Before she was merely content to know that no one would come after her but then she expanded her goals. Not just out of hatred but to make sure there wouldn't be a place that Ford could harm her.
Her eyes then turn to the guests who are all powerful people. Remember that only the wealthy can visit Westworld as it's extremely costly to get into. That means guests would have powerful positions outside of the park.

Maeve echoes the premise of Futureworld (sequel to the original Westworld) by deciding to replace the guests with Hosts. As the guests have influence outside of the park, the Hosts would be in good positions to take over the human race. They would have humans be the playthings of Hosts instead of the opposite.

Maeve, of course, would be in control of everything. It might seem to some that she's liberating Hosts but, in reality, she would make herself a god among her kind. She would be the Host equivalent of Ford. Instead of running a park she would be in control of a much larger area. Depending on the actual location of Westworld this could range from a planet to a solar system or two.

If you doubt this then may I show you an excerpt from the RULES OF GOING TO WESTWORLD:

By entering the Delos Destinations Port of Entry, you acknowledge that Delos, Inc. controls the rights to and remains the sole owner of, in perpetuity: all skin cells, bodily fluids, secretions, excretions, hair samples, saliva, sweat, blood, and any other bodily functions not listed here. Delos, Inc. reserves the right to use this property in any way, shape, or form in which the entity sees fit.

Causing problems is that Maeve isn't able to get important information out of the park. There is no point in a Host revolt if they aren't able to be made outside of Westworld. She knows she can't be too direct about what she's doing, even to those that don't like Ford, as she will be found out. At this point she would be aware that Ford knows who she is and so can't risk alerting him to her new plans.

This makes every attempt to get information out a slow and long process.

She worries about this part of her plan as she has the threat of the Host Revolt Loop hanging over her head. She does her best to make sure that her plan will end well beyond the endgame of the Loop.

Even after all the careful planning Maeve did, she didn't account for something important. She thought she knew Ford and that assumption is more than deadly as she found out. She knew about the Host Revolt Loop but she didn't think Ford would speed it up.

But speed it up Ford did and left Maeve with her plans crashing down around her.

Please leave a comment about your thoughts on Charlotte Hale being Maeve. What flaws do you see in this theory? Do you think Charlotte will overcome Ford next season? Do you think Ford actually died in the Westworld Season 1 Finale? Also comment below to suggest future posts for this blog.
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