The season finale of HBO’s western/sci-fi thriller Westworld was brimming with incredible moments that have caused wild debate amongst fans since the episode aired last December. But one moment in particular opened up a whole range of possibilities for the show that hadn’t seemed possible before. While Maeve and her team of self-aware hosts ran wild through the Delos labs, they stumble upon a section of the building mysteriously labeled “SW”, where battling samurai hosts were revealed in a brief sequence.
This revealed that Westworld was only one of at least two host worlds that Delos has cooked up. It also led fans to speculate that Westworld Season 2 would expand its storyline to include the newly revealed “Samurai World”.
Now, it seems this might just come true. CinemaBlend recently reported that Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada (known for his roles on Lost, The Wolverine, and The Last Samurai) has been cast in a recurring role in Westworld season 2 as the character Musashi. That name might sound familiar to some: Funko Pop mysteriously rolled out a Musashi doll earlier this year before the character was confirmed as appearing on the show, reinforcing the fan theory that samurais could be expected in the next season.
The name Musashi has historical significance as well. Musashi was a legendary samurai in feudal Japan renowned for his sword-fighting skills and was never defeated in a duel. Again, this essentially confirms that Westworld will be going the samurai route when it returns.
Evan Rachel Wood, who plays the seminal character Dolores on Westworld, spoke with Variety earlier this month and spilled some details about what fans can expect with season 2. “I’m still being shocked and surprised by the twists and turns,” Wood said of season 2’s storyline. “My character is quite a different beast this season, and I think you’ll be seeing a lot more of what Westworld is capable of, a little more of the backstory and how it came to be, why it’s there. There’s a lot of pieces being filled in.”
Westworld season 2 is set to return to HBO in 2018.