HBO’s sci-fi epic Westworld after its first premiere had Ed Harris’ portrayal of The Man in Black as one of the show’s biggest draws. He was shown cold, cruel, and in command. Infact, if ever Westworld had a leaderboard, The Man in Black would be at the top every year.
While he was instrumental in making showrunners, “Jonathan Nolan” and “Lisa Joy’s” nonlinear plotline work, the Man in Black became less and less powerful in subsequent seasons.
When viewers first met The Man in Black, he was the show’s closest thing to a villain. His cruel style of play and complete disrespect for the hosts elevated him to the status of final boss, or at the very least a bitter rival. What better antagonist for a group of newly conscious hosts could there be than the player who is undoubtedly the best at killing them? Above all, what made The Man in Black such an engaging presence in the show was his apparent disinterest in the game.
But apart from all these things, what turned him into an engaging presence in the season was the fact that he did not care anymore at all.
After enough years of visiting the park, His routines are monotonous and mundane. Whatever value he used to derive from attending the park and releasing his violent urges every year no longer seems to suffice. Makers say Westworld has helped William in getting in touch with his dark side, and therefore, every year he returns to let out his violent urges in the only place that sets him free.
