Westworld Season 3: Who Is Craddock?

This article contains spoilers for Westworld season 3 episode 6.

Midway through Westworld season 3 episode 6 “Decoherence,” William a.k.a. The Man in Black receives an unexpected visitor in his room at the mental facility he finds himself trapped in. The man, fittingly adorned all in black and a thin goatee, walks in and informs William that it’s time for his group session. 

“You gonna come peacefully or am I gonna have to give you another limbic?” he says, smiling devilishly.

This man is played by none other than evil character actor extraordinaire Jonathan Tucker. Tucker is best known for his roles in Kingdom, Justified, Charlie’s Angels, and…Westworld season 2???

That’s right, for those who may have forgotten, Tucker is already a part of the Westworld universe, having played vicious Confederate major Craddock throughout the show’s second season. But what is he doing here? Has Dolores placed a pearl of herself in yet another familiar host body like she did with Musashi? 

Of course not! Calm down, previous paragraph, you’re embarrassing yourself. Tucker as Craddock is almost certainly only popping up in this scene because William’s treatment has taken himself deep within his own subconscious, of which Craddock happens to be a part of because of the time they shared together in Westworld. The following scene finds Craddock guiding William to his “group session” room where he encounters the dead James Delos and many other versions of himself.

Before the season even began, Tucker mentioned his appearance in Westworld this year would be brief.

“When Lisa Joy and Nolan ask you to come back for even a few scenes, maybe, you certainly take the opportunity,” Tucker told Gold Derby during a red carpet interview.

Hopefully Craddock’s appearance is indeed brief in season 3…for the sake of all the other characters. Suffice it to say, Craddock was a real piece of work and one of Arnold Weber and Robert Ford’s most evil creations. 

Craddock was one of the earliest hosts designed at the park, preceded by only Dolores and perhaps a few others. In season 2, Teddy and Dolores seek Craddock, now a major of the Confederados, to join their team against humanity. Craddock not only denies their offer but threatens to rape and kill them both. Teddy quickly kills Craddock and then Dolores has him brought back to life to remain under her control. 

When Dolores uses Craddock’s Confederados as pawns to get inside Fort Forlorn Hope and murders them after, Craddock vows to take revenge against his own master. Craddock then sets up a terrifying little kingdom for himself at Las Mudas where William and Lawrence come across him and are immediately taken captive. William cuts a deal with Craddock to tell him where the townspeople’s weapons are hidden. Craddock lets William go but also begins to torture the townsfolk. William, feeling guilt for maybe the first time in his life, stabs Craddock in the neck with a broken bottle. He then makes him drink nitroglycerine and shoots him, causing him to explode. 

So yeah: Craddock is a bad dude. Hopefully he’s not allowed to exist outside of William’s consciousness in Westworld season 3…unless it’s only for him to be blown up again. 

Keep up with Westworld season 3 news and reviews here.