Westworld: Season 2 Portrait Illustrations

WRITTEN BY: Roger McDonald

“These Violent Delights Have Violent Ends”

Without spoiling anything, Westworld: Season 2 took a deeper, darker look at what “reality” truly means. What was once merely thought of like an amusement park for the rich and bored, Westworld (and five other simulated-human amusement parks owned by Delos, Inc.) has revealed itself to be so much more.

Every episode twists and turns as they take us further from our comfort zones and deeper into the unknown. Similar to JJ Abrams’ pinnacle TV show, Lost, questions only get answered by larger, more paramount questions. Mysteries beget mysteries. No character is safe from Westworld’s story of self-realization.

Season 1 drew us in under the guise of a typical formulaic sci-fi show. The story of Robots rising up in revolt upon gaining sentience is almost as old as the concept of robots themselves. However, Westworld sets apart from other sci-fi stories through its subversion and circumvention of conventional tropes.

Rarely does a show present a timeless story in such a fresh, unique way. As a result, fans learned early on to stop guessing and start experiencing the show moment-to-moment. Viewers, much like the hosts of Westworld, go on a journey learning to free their minds from the shackles of pre-programmed response mechanisms.

“Great Things Lie Ahead For Us.”

Coincidentally, the marketing campaign for Westworld: Season 2 seemed to follow in the footsteps of another recent J.J. Abrams-produced property. Similarly to Star Wars: The Last Jedi (another meta-story attempting to teach lessons to its characters and viewers simultaneously), Westworld: Season 2’s design aesthetic shifted to a moody, selective-color landscape. Isolated design elements bathed in blood red hues amidst a dark, cold black and white world.

To help drive this visual aesthetic home, HBO commissioned Illustrator and graphic designer Berkay Daglar to create a series of portraits. These beautiful illustrations perfectly capture the themes and tones of Westworld Season 2. Moreover, these individual illustrations piece together to reveal a beautiful, singular image. Talk about symbolism!

Likewise, the show deals with similar themes. Finding your place; Solving the puzzle; Seeing the greater picture. In fact, the concept of individual parts unknowingly playing roles in a much greater whole seems to capture the core of Westworld. Some things may seem odd or out of place when viewed individually. You must take a step back and to see all of Westworld and get the whole picture. Get it?