Imagine us as individuals who can afford a vacation as expensive as attending a Delos destination. It's the perfect getaway for those who want to escape the boring reality we call life. The first season of #Westworld revealed a vacation in the park isn't just a vacation, but rather a realm where one can find their true nature as a human being.
During the season finale of Westworld, the humble and scared Felix leads Maeve into a facility with an entirely different logo. The logo revealed itself as Samurai World, with hosts in traditional samurai armor displayed behind the glass walls. Despite the drama, corporate politics, and the possibility of hosts turning on guests, the idea of visiting Samurai World would be a joy of a lifetime.
In a world with samurai warriors and ninja assassins where the land is always a battlefield the narrative of Samurai World has endless possibilities. The Feudal period was a major era that defined ancient Japan. From warlords to the common people fighting for a purpose in the world, #SamuraiWorld is the destination to experience.
Miyamoto Musashi
A master samurai with legendary stories, Miyamoto Musashi was considered the greatest swordsman of all time. Imagine the possibilities of living alongside the legend during his reign of undefeated duels. We can tag along with Musashi as he lives the stories that were told of him. The tricky thing about Musashis history is that half of the stories told of him were fictional, while the other half were based on true facts. The mixture of fact and fiction only makes the potential of Samurai World all the more fun. Little is known to what Musashi looks like, but thanks to the brilliant Toshiro Mifune (The Samurai Trilogy) and his portrayal of the historical figure, Delos has the perfect blueprints to create the master swordsman for the park.
Musashi was an artist. He was the author to several books, a brilliant painter, and an expert martial artist. Imagine the possibilities of becoming a disciple of the famous swordsman, and learning the ways of the samurai. It's a vacation, but at the same time, a journey of self-discovery.
Sasaki Kojiro
One of the most historical events to witness as a guest is the duel between Musashi and Sasaki Kojiro, a master swordsman with untraditional techniques. He was the only swordsman at the time that used a longer sword over the standard katana. The mutual respect between Musashi and Sasaki led to some emotional entanglement. With Musashi winning the duel and having killed a great human being Musashi walked away with regret. Witnessing the famous duel would be a sight to see. The storytellers behind the park could make an entire storyline about the two master swordsmen and their relationship leading up to the match, and the heartbreak that proceeded it.
Feudal Japan
An era that lasted from 1185 to 1603, Feudal Japan had figures of tyranny and unsung heroes trying to survive bloodshed. It was a hard time, with civil war and constant violence. The entire Japanese land was in turmoil, and everyone struggled to survive. Entering the Samurai World during Feudal Japan would be non-stop action festival. We could become a hero and defend the innocent from corrupt samurai, or be part of the army and fight regimes. We could fight for or against the power of Oda Nobunaga, as he clashes against other shoguns of the ancient land.
Feudal Japan was a period of endless bloodshed and hostile takeovers. The inner demons in all of us will succumb to its desperation. Whether its good or bad, experiencing Samurai World will forever change the guests.
Much like the Man in Black from Westworld, living in the turmoil and subtle happiness of the feudal era can have us see the ancient world as the only world to live in.
Onin War
A war that lasted a decade, the Onin War was a time of anarchy; a result of corruption and fallen government that led to rebellion. Samurai were turning on their shoguns and peasants were becoming ninjas to stand up for their land. Samurai World is a destination Delos can offer for someone who wants to be part of the sword-clashing, mutiny-driven world. We can define ourselves as a ronin a samurai without a master. Fighting in the Onin War is the perfect way to battle our inner frustrations from real-life problems. The narrative during the war speaks for itself, as scenarios are determined by what guests do to the world. Samurai World offers us a sword-wielding chance to live and reshape history.
Ninjitsu Versus Bushido
Philosophies clash, and warriors tend to renounce their dedication to #Bushido. Former samurai Daisuke Togakure avoided seppuku (ritual suicide) and became a ninja. With constant betrayal in the narrative, a guest can play the role of either samurai or ninja, and discover what it means to be one. Daisuke Togakure was once a samurai, but he fought for the losing side during the war, and it costed him his title. Witnessing his experience and determining our own status is where playing in Samurai World gets to be the most fun. The tension between #Ninjitsu and Bushido has always been a fantastic blueprint for a narrative.
Who doesnt want to be a badass bearing a ninja mask or the armor of a samurai? Playing in Samurai World is the perfect getaway for a guest wanting to learn martial arts first-hand, and going home with a new set of particular skills.
Conclusion
The first season of Westworld proved that being cowboy can be fun, but the possibilities of reliving the history, culture, and becoming a swordsman would be a far superior experience. Although Westworld Season 2 will still focus on the hosts taking over the Delos corporation, one only hopes that Samurai World can show a bit of itself throughout the season as hosts will most likely encounter them throughout the storyline.
In case you missed it, here are the final moments of Westworld Season 1's post-credits scene:
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Here is a special feature from Samurai I on the Criterion Collection:
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