Westworld has a new villain for season 3: How could he impact the story?

In a series that has no truly heroic characters anymore like Westworld, what does Vincent Cassel’s reported villainous status even mean?

Westworld doesn’t return until 2020, but that hasn’t stopped news from popping up this early in the year ahead. Per Deadline, a “new villain” has been cast: Vincent Cassel.

What does a new villain even look like, though? The last we left off, Dolores is now in the real world, having brought Bernard back. Meanwhile, almost all of the other host characters, Teddy included, are in the safer Sublime, currently digital-only, and the older form of William is being reborn in a host body at some point.

Cassel’s character acting as an antagonist to Dolores’ goals makes the most sense at this point. That doesn’t make him a villain, necessarily, because Dolores herself has stooped to less than heroic methods to get what she wants. (Remember: she’s the Deathbringer.)

It’s the kind of fine distinction that doesn’t seem like it means much at first, but with Westworld‘s penchant for those same fine distinctions and careful word choices, it could absolutely end up being the meaning behind describing him as a “villain.”

The question is: how does he alter the story in a meaningful way?

Is he an investor, or is he a member of Delos sent in to do the kind of quality control that’s only called that so it doesn’t raise any eyebrows?

Could there be something else that we’re missing? If so, it’s likely the future-timeline with William’s fidelity tests; we don’t think Emily, William’s daughter, is able to do this all on her own. However, Lisa Joy has said that that’s not necessarily what’s going to be covered in season 3. Why cast someone in what Deadline calls “a series regular” role if that regularity isn’t going to happen straight away?

As is the norm with Westworld, we’ll have to wait, keep our eyes open for any trailers or teasers that might come out this year, and continue building those theories based on everything we do get.

Stay tuned to Culturess for more on Westworld as 2020 approaches.