While, on the surface, Westworld appears to be telling a linear story, the idea that there could be multiple timelines at play has spurred many of the most popular fan theories. This is most important when it comes to Dolores Abernathy, a host who seems to be simultaneously experiencing enlightenment and flashbacks, so much so that it's hard to tell what is really happening to her and when. Is the William timeline happening in Dolores' head on Westworld ? This could be the key to both the "multiple timeline" theory and "William is the Man in Black" theory. Something is going on with her memory and it's likely that not all is as it seems.
It definitely seems like Dolores has at one point visited all of the same locations that she has with William and Logan. As the host glitches, the scenes often flash to show her alone, and then with her companions. That happened in the most recent episode, in both the graveyard and in Pariah. She was conveniently shown alone on the train as well. It also happened prior to that, in Las Mudas with Lawrence's daughter.
Dolores could remembering a past loop while she's adventuring with the two businessmen, but what if it's the other way around? What if she's traveling alone now, and flashing back to her journey with William? Sure, Jimmi Simpson's character was introduced outside the park, but this part of his story could be being told through Dolores' newly awakened memory.
The only way to prove it, right now, is by watching the editing. Who is around to witness Dolores in various circumstances? How often is she alone? Even her hair, which goes from perfect curls to a little worn and tucked behind her ears, is neither consistent nor reliable — because Delos could still be cleaning her at the end of each day in all timelines.
What if something happened with Dolores, William, Logan, and probably Arnold that resulted in Dolores losing her gun privileges in the park and being relegated to the sad storyline in which she's just a farmer's daughter who gets raped by bandits? Perhaps that's how El Lazo became the doomed family man Lawrence, as well. It seems silly to punish a robot, but Westworld has hinted at it before — remember how Elsie threatened to re-assign that one host if he couldn't learn to pour properly?
Also, I know it's probably already being printed on tee-shirts, but I am very wary of the line "I imagined a world in which I didn't have to be the damsel" as a sign of character growth. It reads very much like what men think strong female characters are to me, a trope you often see in action movies and video games. She seems to be telling William exactly what he needs to hear in order to get him to follow her. Then again, maybe even "evolved" hosts speak in overly dramatic prose.
Either way is possible, and I'm not sure why I get so much glee out of thinking that William is being manipulated by this host. Everyone makes Dolores into the woman they want her to be, whether it's guests like William, employees like Bernard, or other hosts like Teddy and her father. I think that the audience is being deceived by her as well. If her journey wasn't exactly how it was being presented linearly on Westworld, I would not be surprised.
Images: John P. Johnson/HBO; flowellch/Tumblr
