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Westworld season 2 episode 5 ending explained: HBO show's Maeve twist doesn't spell good news for Dolores

The latest episode of Westworld season 2 introduced viewers to Shogun World, a replica of the titular park albeit with Japanese characters (blame the lazy Lee Sizemore for that).

While there, it becomes abundantly clear there's a higher power at play in Maeve's mind that even she knows - she dodges attacks from ninjas thanks to pure sense and saves herself from being strangled by starring at her attacker and seemingly implanting the idea in his head to instead waka way and impale himself on a nearby spike. It gives her the nickname 'witch.'

The ending of the episode sees Maeve (Thandie Newton) and Lee (Simon Quarterman) put in motion a plan to save Sakura (Kiki Sukezane), the Clementine Pennyfeather of Shogun World who is a dancer for Maeve's counterpart, Akane (Rinko Kikuchi). She's abducted by the Shogun and is brutally killed by him.

A grieving Akane - after performing a dance - kills the Shogun which sees her lined up for execution along with Maeve. With the ability to order them to stop - the Shogun had their ears removed so as to not fall victim to her commands - she puts her newfound Neo-lite ability to work: she focuses and the samurais all turn their swords on each other.

Lee expresses his concern at the presence of another army of sword-slinging samurais heading their way. Maeve bats away his worry, picking up a sword.

“I told you, I found a new voice,” she says. “Now we use it.”

It's unknown where these powers came from but it almost certainly has something to do with the same two characters from their respective worlds colliding- in this case, Akane and Maeve. Seeing her own storyline laid bare in front of her albeit with other people must be quite a traumatic experience for her. Quite why it's Maeve developing these Matrix style powers and not, say Armistice, remains to be seen but it does position Maeve as the most powerful host over Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood).

In many respects, at this moment, she is a God who could make the later fall in line with her wants and desires.

Westworld is clearly building to a something resembling a showdown between this duo. - and with Maeve capable of acquiring an army of samurais to do whatever the hell she wants them do by simply thinking it, Dolores may need more than an evil Teddy (James Marsden) to do her bidding for her.

Read our review of episode 5 here.

Westworld season 2 debuts on HBO in the US and through Sky Atlantic and NOWTV in the UK.

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