Let's Talk About The Post-Credit Scene After The 'Westworld' Season 3 Premiere

Westworld's Season 3 premiere was one of the strangest episodes of the series to date. It is a show named after one of the Delos parks. For two seasons straight, all of the action followed what happened on Delos' private islands, where they built these fantasy worlds, populated by hosts. But Season 3 opened on the mainland, in the present-day real world. For a solid hour and ten minutes, fans saw nothing of the parks until the Westworld Season 3 premiere post-credit scene. Warning: Spoilers for Westworld Season 3 follow.

HBO did not announce ahead of time there would be a post-credit scene for the premiere, so many fans may have missed it. Westworld was not in the habit of post-credit sequences until the Season 2 finale, so viewers are not used to having to sit through the credits. For those who missed it, this additional scene was a two-minute return to the park.

Moreover, after leaving her out entirely in the premiere, this post-credit sequence also gave fans their first look at one of the show's most significant characters: Maeve.

As fans will recall, Maeve's Season 2 journey ended tragically. She sacrificed herself so her daughter could escape through the Door into the Sublime. Hector and Armistice were gunned down, as was Lee Sizemore. Her human techs, Felix and Sylvester, helplessly watched as she was shipped off to be reprogrammed.

And now it seems Maeve is back in the park.

The lack of dialogue in this scene leaves a lot of mysteries to be solved. Looking out over the French landscape, as Nazis take over the main square, she's been transported to a World War II-era park. But Maeve seems to be self-aware when she wakes for the first time here. She does not immediately accept where she is as normal. Moreover, she seems to be looking around for familiar faces, of which there are none.

Maeve has been transferred to a new park, "War World." Neither Hector nor Armistice seem to have been transported with her. Did the Delos technicians decide to separate them? Does Maeve remember her abilities? Did the Delos technicians figure out how to remove her skills? Will she start controlling hosts with her mind, as she did in Season 2? Or does she have to relearn who she is all over again?

But perhaps the biggest question is, why is the park operating at all? Charlotte mentions offhandedly it's been months, but the parks supposedly have not reopened. Is Maeve in a test run ahead of new patrons arriving? Will someone new step up and help her escape?

After this post-credit scene, fans will be sure to watch until the very end of every episode from here on out.