WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Season 3 finale of Westworld, "Crisis Theory," which aired Sunday on HBO.
The Season 3 finale of Westworld was packed with twists, turns and shocking reveals, from the brutal deaths of some fan-favorite characters to the start of the literal end of the word. But even as the credits started to roll, the HBO series didn't stop surprising us. In fact, the Season 3 finale featured not one but two after-credits scene, one of which revealed Halores was now in Dubai building an army of hosts. As for the second, it picked back up a thread from earlier in the episode.
In "Crisis Theory," Bernard came to realize the key to the Sublime was not in Dolores' mind as many believed, but in his own. Taking refuge in a hotel room with Stubbs, Bernard connected himself to the Sublime, but he was then swiftly turned offline. Then, in the after-credits scene, he wakes up.
But how long was he out?
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Bernard and Stubbs take refuge in a hotel near San Francisco after the latter gets shot by the Man in Black. In order to keep him alive, Bernard leaves his partner and fellow host in a bathtub filled with ice, something that should let him survive until he gets his answers in the Sublime. Both aren't exactly sure what to expect when Bernard connects to the Valley Beyond, but it's safe to say neither thought Bernard would be instantly turned offline after establishing the connection.
It's unclear how long Bernard was out when we find him, still sitting in his hotel room in the after-credits scene of the episode. As he wakes back up, it's clear a long time has passed because he, as well as the entire room, is filled with dust. The level of dust present on Bernard indicates he hasn't been out for a few days. In fact, it's likely he was offline for months -- if not years.
"Crisis Theory" ended with Caleb shutting Rehoboam down and assuming a leadership position as humanity entered a bold new era of freedom. But this freedom seemed to entail a whole lot of death and destruction. Last we saw Los Angeles, it was burning in something akin to an apocalyptic fire, and we have no idea what state the world will be in when Bernard heads back out of his room again. If a long time has passed, it's possible he will find most of the world has been plunged into a post-apocalyptic reality. Or, perhaps some semblance of peace have been restored?
This post-credits scene indicates Season 4 might feature a considerable time-jump. Either that or, like Season 2, it will use multiple timelines, one set in the past and the other the present, to reveal how everything connects.
What's more, we don't find out Stubbs' fate. Will Bernard find him lifeless in the tub, or will it be empty, a sign Stubbs left the room once he realized Bernard might never wake up again? Given Stubbs' responsibility is to protect the hosts and his friendship with Bernard is a fan-favorite pairing, it's possible Stubbs never left Bernard's side. And, now that's he awake, the dynamic duo could head back out into the world -- or whatever's left of it.
HBO's Westworld stars returning cast members Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton, Ed Harris, Jeffrey Wright, Tessa Thompson, Luke Hemsworth, Simon Quarterman and Rodrigo Santoro, joined by series newcomers Aaron Paul, Vincent Cassel, Lena Waithe, Scott Mescudi, Marshawn Lynch, John Gallagher Jr., Michael Ealy and Tommy Flanagan.