Entertainment
Westworld

Let's Talk About Nathan Hale On 'Westworld'

by Ani Bundel
HBO

When Dolores left the Westworld park at the very end of Season 2, she didn't do in her own body. Instead, she rode out inside a host version of Charlotte Hale, the Delos Executive Director. It was the perfect disguise; no one but Bernard and Dolores knew the real Charlotte was dead. It also put the company's current leader in the crisis under Dolores' control. But it turns out Dolores didn't account for how complicated Charlotte's life was. After learning more about her life, fans are asking: Who is Nathan Hale on Westworld? Did it not occur to anyone Charlotte might be a working mom? Warning: Spoilers for Westworld Season 3 follow.

For Dolores, impersonating someone like Charlotte, who she views as an uncomplicated villain, is a simple task. But Dolores is a true believer in the cause and a zealot. Using Charlotte's body is merely another tool, a means to an end. But that's not true for everyone.

Viewers don't know who it is driving Charlotte's body, only that Dolores left the park for five host marble "units" to plant. One is Bernard. Two more are planted in Charlotte and Conells. Fans don't know who Dolores planted in them, but there are plenty of guesses, including Teddy, Angela, and Clementine, all of whom are loyal.

But whoever is it, they discover taking over Charlotte's life is a struggle. Not just the stress of running Delos, but balancing family with it. It nearly breaks her when her ex-husband, Jake, turns up to take her to task for forgetting to pick up their son, Nathan.

Charlotte has a son. Or, well, the late Charlotte Hale had a son. And whoever is running her body just found themselves having to convince a very perceptive child that she is their mother.

HBO

Under such a load, it's not surprising that whoever it is inside Charlotte's body starts self-harming. It's the implant rejecting the body. It takes Dolores' full attention to calm them down, and pep talks them back into focusing on the mission. There is one thing that seems to help, a mysterious set of tones the host listens to on Charlotte's phone. It's not clear what the sounds are, but it seems to be self-soothing.

When the host arrives to pick up Charlotte's son at the playground, they discover the "friend with a dog" Nathan's been wanting a playdate with, Tommy, is an older man. As Tommy talks Nathan through "slowly petting" his dog, it's obvious he's grooming the kid for sexual abuse.

At that moment, whoever it is inside Charlotte realizes the truth. Nathan knows deep down this is not his mommy. They'll never be able to fake it. But they can protect this poor motherless child from the horrors of this world. The original Charlotte was a predator, and being a mother who loved her child didn't change that.

Charlotte murders Tommy in the playground, out of the sight of prying eyes and cameras, protecting her son and countless others. Charlotte has once again discovered her inner predator. As a bonus, now her son has a dog, someone who will love him unconditionally. It may not make up for the loss of a parent, but it will have to do.