‘Westworld’ Spoilers: Bernard's Reality Explained In Episode 7 [RECAP]

“Westworld” provided a huge shocker this week: Bernard Lowe (Jeffrey Wright), head of the park’s Programming Division, is actually one of Dr. Robert Ford’s (Anthony Hopkins) creations.

A lot of questions popped up after this reveal, though, and one of these is Bernard’s backstory. He has a wife, a dead son - how can he be a host? He also has dreams, or recurring visions, of his dead son. Show creator Lisa Joy explained to The Hollywood Reporter that Bernard’s backstory is his family. Even as he communicates with his wife, Ford’s control can be seen.

“It's interesting, because every host, as we've talked about before, has a cornerstone and back story. That's what tethers them to the truth of their reality and their character,” she said.

“When he goes and calls his wife and they have this conversation… it's funny, because the script is written in a way to mimic, in different words, in more naturalistic words, a conversation you would have with a grieving ex-wife,” she continued. “They mimic the diagnostics that the hosts are given down below. She asks him if he ever questions the nature of his reality, essentially, if he's been having dreams. Basically, while part of it is to reinforce Bernard's sense of his own backstory, part of it is also a way for Ford to check up on him and make sure he's not reaching.”

Some fans were not shocked to find out that Bernard is a host. Fan Sided earlier theorized that he is one of Ford’s creations, and he could even be a reincarnation of the mysterious Arnold.

As for Wright, he told Collider that Bernard’s reality will impact some of the other hosts’ storylines. “Perhaps we’ll find that there are reasons that Bernard is desirous of these discoveries and perhaps we’ll find out later on that the conversations he’s had with Dolores are very specific in their intent,” he said. “That will all be a part of the discovery for the audience, as far as the origins and the past, present and future of this mad circus known as Westworld.”

“Westworld” airs every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.