Jonathan Nolanfirst earned a reputation as an innovator of genre storytelling throughhis work alongside brotherChristopher Nolan. Films likeThe Dark Knight,Memento,Interstellar,andInceptionmanaged to condense high-concept themes into entertaining narratives thanks to the careful dissemination of information; the Nolan brothers played with time to comment on the cyclical nature of storytelling, presenting revelations to the viewer in the most interesting way possible. This skill thankfully continued to resonate within Nolan’s television work, asWestworldearned a significant following based on its carefully interspersed plot twists.
While the 1973 film it was based on was a more straightforward science-fiction thriller, Nolan turnedWestworldinto a grandiose epic that analyzed what truly made something “human.” The show was able to show the path that the robotic hosts took to become conscious, and allowed the audience to empathize with the characters who served as villains in the original film.Westworld’s mythology is quite dense, but Nolan understood that viewers wouldn’t care about worldbuilding if there wasn’t an emotional impact.One of the series' earliest episodes, “Trompe L’Oeil,” co-written by Nolan, features a devastating plot twistthat changedWestworld’s narrative arc forever.
At the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past waits a world in which every human appetite can be indulged without consequence.
What Happens in “Trompe L’Oeil"?
Although its unusual structureearned more criticism in subsequent installments,Westworld’s initial season succeeded in telling a non-linear storyabout the origins of the futuristic theme park.The series opens by showing a fully operational park that is run by its enigmatic founder, Robert Ford (Anthony Hopkins). Ford is under pressure by the Delos corporation’s board member Charlotte Hale (Tessa Thompson) to retire from active duty and give creative control of the park’s storylines to his investors; however, Ford’s programming director, Bernard Lowe (Jeffrey Wright), begins to suspect that his employer has one last trick up his sleeve that he’s yet to reveal to the public. Bernard and the park’s operations leader Theresa Cullen (Sidse Babett Knudsen) begin to investigate a mysterious sector of the park that Ford has managed to keep off of any official records.
After Ford catches the pair trying to infiltrate his secret laboratory hidden under Sector 17,“Trompe L’Oeil” reveals that Bernard is actually a host.He was modeled after Arnold Weber, Ford’s mysterious business partner who perished in a violent accident shortly before the park opened. The revelation is shocking, asBernard had been the audience’s point-of-view characterup until this point in the series, so there was no reason to question his behavior, as Bernard had been headlining the investigation into the hosts’ erratic activity. Nolan understood that a great twist isn’t just about surprising the audience; it has to fulfill a narrative function that takes the show in an interesting direction. This moment was critical to the future ofWestworld, as it explained why Bernard possessed so much knowledge about the park’s history.
The narrative implications are significant, but“Trompe L’Oeil” worksbecause of Wright’s emotional performance. Earlier moments in the season suggested that Bernard was recovering from a tragedy in which his son died from an illness. Even though this is revealed to be taken from Arnold’s memories, it still implies that hosts can show emotion. Nolan incorporates an element of horror by showing that Bernard is ultimately just a pawn within Ford’s scheme to thwart the park’s investors. At one moment, he seems to be completely independent, but Bernard conforms to Ford’s commands when he is ordered to brutally strangle Theresa.
Jonathan Nolan Inverted Expectations With the ‘Westworld’ Twist
“Trompe L’Oeil” changes the audience’s perception of whatWestworldis really about, as previouslythe hosts’ development of consciousnesswas seen as the main point of conflict. However, the understanding that a heroic character like Bernard could be a host showed the importance of their liberation. The series showed that hosts like Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood) and Teddy (James Marsden) had been cruelly abused by the park’s guests, suggesting that they were worthy of surpassing their original function. Bernard’s discovery of his identity implied that hosts weren’t only capable of interacting with humans, but that their very existence could be latent.
“Trompe L’Oeil” complicated the viewers’ understanding of the other characters.Westworldwasn’t a show with traditional heroes and villains; Ford often used manipulative techniques to help the hosts reach their destiny, and even Dolores had a dark side when she transformed into the villain known as “Wyatt.” However, “Trompe L’Oeil” also indicated that Bernard would be the caretaker of the hosts’ future from that moment on, as he possessed knowledge of Ford’s goals.His budding friendship with the security officer Stubbs (Luke Hemsworth)would turn into one of the show’s most rewarding storylines.
“Trompe L’Oeil” Showcases the Best of Jonathan Nolan’s Writing Abilities
“Trompe L’Oeil” showed that Nolan valued subtlety in his writing,as the revelation isn’t made through a grand proclamation or expositional monologue; rather, Bernard begins to understand that he can’t trust his reality when he notices that he perceives the world differently than Theresa does. This signified that Nolan had respect for his audience, inspiring them to pay closer attention to the show’s future details. Althoughit sadly won’t receive its final season,Westworldwas entertaining because of the discussion and debate that followed each episode’s airing.
Nolan used the lessons learned from “Trompe L’Oeil” throughout his career, as his subsequent work also relied on limiting the audience’s understanding of narrative context. There’s been a strong outcry offan support for Nolan to complete theWestworldstoryin some form because it’s evident he had an ending in mind. If the conclusion of the series contained any other jaw-droppers on the level of “Trompe L’Oeil,” then its abrupt cancelation is even more disappointing.
