Out West: Westworld Fan Theories, Dissected

It’s been a while. Last year, our hosts drove themselves crazy trying to make sense of Westworld. Now, they’ve embarked on a no less daunting task: figuring out what, exactly, is going to happen during the final season of Game of Thrones. It’s part of The Outline’s official Game of Thrones Day™, which you can track throughout the day on our site.

Join Jeremy, Casey, and Josh as they catch up on what’s been happening in Westeros, remind Josh several times who Oberyn is (he’s the Prince of Dorne!), and get to some hardcore theories about who’s going to die now that all the armies are marching North.

And a reminder: Out Westeros considers the fan theory a form of high art and a kind of religion. If you've got your own, send them to us as a voice memo to [email protected] or find us right here at Anchor.

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Did you watch after the credits? Clearly it is on the moon.

We're hosted by Joshua Topolsky (@joshuatopolsky), Casey Johnston (@caseyjohnston), and Jeremy Gordon (@jeremypgordon).

We're produced by James T. Green (@_jamestgreen) and Wynton Wong (@wwingwong).

Our music is by John Lagomarsino (@johnlag).

Send us your feedback to [email protected].

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Is Westworld a prison camp or a simulation? Ever heard of Blade Runner? Josh, give credit to women.

Send us your theories on the Anchor app or as a voice memo to [email protected].

We're hosted by Joshua Topolsky (@joshuatopolsky), Casey Johnston (@caseyjohnston), and Jeremy Gordon (@jeremypgordon).

We're produced by James T. Green (@_jamestgreen) and Wynton Wong (@wwingwong).

Our music is by John Lagomarsino (@johnlag).

Send us your feedback to [email protected].

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You wanted an all-women Out West, and we delivered. “If you stay alive, find us,”

Send us your theories on the Anchor app or as a voice memo to [email protected].

We're hosted by Paris Martineau (@parismartineau), Casey Johnston (@caseyjohnston), and Wynton Wong (@wwingwong).

We're produced by James T. Green (@_jamestgreen) and Wynton Wong (@wwingwong).

Our music is by John Lagomarsino (@johnlag).

Send us your feedback to [email protected].

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Is Ghost Nation trying to protect what's in the valley beyond? Why do you still believe it's on the moon? Does Casey have a secret Reddit account?

Send us your theories on the Anchor app or as a voice memo to [email protected].

We're hosted by Paris Martineau (@parismartineau), Casey Johnston (@caseyjohnston), Joshua Topolsky (@joshuatopolsky), and Jeremy Gordon (@jeremypgordon).

We're produced by James T. Green (@_jamestgreen) and Wynton Wong (@wwingwong).

Our music is by John Lagomarsino (@johnlag).

Send us your feedback to [email protected].

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Is this all a fidelity test for William? Did Bernard download Abernathy's packet onto himself for the mesh network distribution? What's up with y'all's Reddit usernames?

Send us your theories on the Anchor app or as a voice memo to [email protected].

We're hosted by Paris Martineau (@parismartineau), Casey Johnston (@caseyjohnston), and Jeremy Gordon (@jeremypgordon).

We're produced by James T. Green (@_jamestgreen) and Wynton Wong (@wwingwong).

Our music is by John Lagomarsino (@johnlag).

Send us your feedback to [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is the flood a masking attempt by Ford? Is there another secret lab? Which host is truly woke? It's fucking Lost all the way down...

Send us your theories on the Anchor app or as a voice memo to [email protected].

We're hosted by Joshua Topolsky (@joshuatopolsky), Casey Johnston (@caseyjohnston), and Jeremy Gordon (@jeremypgordon).

We're produced by James T. Green (@_jamestgreen) and Wynton Wong (@wwingwong).

Our music is by John Lagomarsino (@johnlag).

Send us your feedback to [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is the Man in Black going to kill all his host backups? Is Ford living as Bernard? What would we tell our younger selves? Some shit really went down.

Send us your theories on the Anchor app or as a voice memo to [email protected].

We're hosted by Joshua Topolsky (@joshuatopolsky), Casey Johnston (@caseyjohnston), and Jeremy Gordon (@jeremypgordon).

We're produced by James T. Green (@_jamestgreen) and Wynton Wong (@wwingwong).

Our music is by John Lagomarsino (@johnlag).

Send us your feedback to [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is the Man in Black Jesus? Where the hell is Peter Abernathy? Does Jeremy owe Casey a dollar? Let's get into some analysis.

Featuring theories by:

Avery

Keith, and that powerpoint presentation

u/AlexMLeo

u/juicehead3311

u/RedSnowCastle

Send us your theories on the Anchor app or as a voice memo to [email protected].

We're hosted by Jeremy Gordon (@jeremypgordon), Casey Johnston (@caseyjohnston), and Paris Martineau (@parismartineau).

We're produced by James T. Green (@_jamestgreen) and Wynton Wong (@wwingwong).

Our music is by John Lagomarsino (@johnlag).

Send us your feedback to [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is there a super-being? Are Arnold and Ford playing the long game? John Siracusa thinks we pissed this episode away.

Featuring theories by:

John Siracusa (coiner of the phrase "Pee-Tape World)

Kendall

Helen

u/funkandwild

u/sam_rock_well

u/jasongill

Send us your theories on the Anchor app or as a voice memo to [email protected].

We're hosted by Joshua Topolsky (@joshuatopolsky), Casey Johnston (@caseyjohnston), and Paris Martineau (@parismartineau).

We're produced by James T. Green (@_jamestgreen) and Wynton Wong (@wwingwong).

Our music is by John Lagomarsino (@johnlag).

Send us your feedback to [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's the story behind the white dress? Will Jeremy or Casey win the bet? Welcome to the desert of the real.

Send us your theories on the Anchor app or as a voice memo to [email protected].

We're hosted by Joshua Topolsky (@joshuatopolsky), Casey Johnston (@caseyjohnston), and Jeremy Gordon (@jeremypgordon).

We're produced by James T. Green (@_jamestgreen).

Our music is by John Lagomarsino (@johnlag).

Send us your feedback to [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is Westworld on the moon? Is everyone a host? How does Jeremy do incredible impressions? Out West is back.

Send us your theories on the Anchor app or as a voice memo to [email protected].

We're hosted by Joshua Topolsky (@joshuatopolsky), Casey Johnston (@caseyjohnston), and Jeremy Gordon (@jeremypgordon).

We're produced by James T. Green (@_jamestgreen).

Our music is by John Lagomarsino (@johnlag).

Send us your feedback to [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More of your predictions, and more of our speculations.

Send us a voice memo with your theories or predictions to [email protected].

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Alas, Out West is not back. But we wanted to let you know about a new TV podcast from The Outline!

It's called The Red Center, and it's about The Handmaid's Tale. Out West friends Laura June and Rose Eveleth host, and each Wednesday, they'll look at episodes through the lens of a specific topic.

The first episode is out right now, and you can find it on iTunes, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Google Play, or wherever you're listening to this.

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The end of the season is here, and we are back once more to analyze the past, contemplate the present, and look to the future of Westworld. We hear some keen observations from some fans, form a few theories of our own, consider the location of the parks, and tally the results in our final theory audit of the year. Bring yourself back online for one last Out West until 2018.

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We're nearing the end, and this week we're going through our final theories before the season finale. Is Maeve controlled by Ford? How did Abernathy get the photo that started it all? Who is dead and who will die? This week we examine the evidence and brace ourselves for the end. After the finale, send us your Season 2 predictions and theories at [email protected]! 

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We're doing something a little different today. We've compiled a complete, unified, chronological history of Westworld, and we're ready to lay it out. We combine theories from previous episodes, and go from the creation of the park to the latest in Wyatt's narrative to piece the whole story together. Plus, we hear a listener's musings on Abernathy's photos, and ponder the meaning of consciousness. Do you have your own theory? Send us a voice memo at [email protected]. 

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This week we're joined by very special guest Rose Eveleth (host of the Flash Forward podcast) to discuss lobotomies, doors, deceptive filmmaking, and our growing suspicion that everyone is a host. Have your own Westworld theory? Email it as a voice memo to [email protected]! 

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This week we look at episode 6 of Westworld, “The Adversary,” for clues about Arnold, sentience, and which character will be the first to die. We also hear a special fan theory from our friend Chris Plante, editor at The Verge. Have your own theory about Westworld? Send us a voice memo at [email protected].

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The waters get a little muddier this week, as we contemplate a broken timeline, Dolores’s potential humanity, and the possibility of multiple worlds. We also hear from listeners Betty and Phillip, who offer their theories on Arnold and the meaning of the maze. Have a theory? Email us a voice memo at [email protected]. 

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