@Rmcbride7349 - The maze, if you watched the original movie(s),is the labyrinth of halls and rooms and offices of "The Creators". The Man In Black (Yul Brynner) chases a human into them in the third act. He sees the real world he was never meant to see.

They don't really play on it in the movie though. It wasn't a McGuffin.

The TV shows seems to want to make it so.

My money is on a nod to the movie.

@Rmcbride7349 - "since The Man in Black is a human this time"

Are you sure about that? What gives you that impression? The fact he was shot point blank multiple times and didn't die (because the guests can't be "hurt")? Watch that episode again, and you will see how many times he was shot, and how the blood shot out of him too.

He is a host. He is certainly not human. If he were, there's no way he'd still be allowed to roam free in the "park" for as long as he has been around, and that length of time has already been established.

He is one of the originals. Like Dolores. Not the oldest, but indeed one of the originals (though I'd have to say he has seen many modifications since to get him as sentient as he was - OR he is a prototype for Arnold's "consciousness" sub-routine that went horribly wrong...or right?) He and her go WAY back, and that too has been established.

He's a host, homie. Make no mistake. The whole premise of "the maze" is because he has had glimpses of it, or somehow came to be aware of it, and now wants out of the park and into the real world. He probably believes he has transcended his host configuration and IS a living being now. Thanks, I'm sure, to Arnold and his routine.

I still hope they make the nod to the original movie when they explain the maze.

@Rmcbride7349 - They do make reference to the "gentleman" getting whatever he wants, but no direct reference to host or guest. The prevailing theory is that he is a self-aware host. This is why I mentioned Arnold, who was prominently named in the 3rd episode. Sounds like the Father of their consciousness sub-routine.

As for why they'd let him run roughshod in the park, maybe they're under orders to do so? Maybe they've already tried to send teams his way to corral him and they were harmed? So now he is allowed to do as he pleases, with their knowledge.

It would be a twist to see that principal character being a guest and not a host, but as I mentioned previously, that doesn't make sense even with a heavy suspension of disbelief. He'd have to be more or less living IN the park for decades. DECADES. That doesn't wash.

A host being there for decades? That is at least plausible.

My money is on the notion that he was the very first host with consciousness, and Arnold worked with him so closely that he became self-aware. Dolores was the second host configured, but had that sub-routine disabled or otherwise buried. The Man In Black will make attempts to unlock it.

The reveries that were implemented (and seem to have failed -OR DID THEY??) would seem to lend credence to that. They are tapping into those buried sub-routines that would make a host self-aware. That, in my estimation, is why TMIB wants to get to the Maze, so he can "free" his people al la Moses.

I'd bet real money he is not a guest. He is a host. It's the only plausible scenario.

@Rmcbride7349 - "that still doesn't explain why the technicians of the park are only now worried that some of the hosts are acting strangely."

I alluded to previous attempts to subdue him which probably ended badly for all concerned. This is why, I think, they are leaving him to his own devices. I could be wrong, but there has to be a plausible explanation for his being there - always. Even as a millionaire, I can't suspect he'd be showing up there every day for the past 30 some years, if he's causing that kind of chaos. They'd just ban him, n'est pas?

Something else occurred to me as I re-watched the 3 episodes so far.

He seems to be about the same age as Ford. Ford claims that Arnold died in the park. What if he didn't? What if Arnold IS TMIB? Maybe that's why they let him do as he pleases? That would kill my theory that he is a host, but that would make sense as to why he's been there for 30 years, has deep knowledge of Dolores, and can't be killed by park weapons. I don't put a lot of stock into that theory, despite it being my own, because there's too many inconsistencies. Interesting thought though.

"then why be so surprised and skeptical that other hosts may be doing the same?"

The other hosts are exhibiting erratic behavior. Nothing indicating self-awareness though. TMIB is off the map so to speak, but his behavior is not erratic. It is informed. It is calculated. It is determined. Not at all erratic. This could be why the staff are skeptical about the others and not TMIB in particular. Or they're trying to prevent them from becoming as he is, self-aware.

"And that implies that he is so wealthy (they mentioned in episode 3 that the park costs 40k per day) that he has certain privileges. "

Ok, but does it make more sense as a millionaire/billionaire to keep coming to the same attraction for 30 years at $40K/day for "unknown reasons"...or for that same millionaire to simply "invest" enough in the park that his privilege includes all access, even to The Maze? Which seems more plausible to you? Spending 30 years at $40K/day, or backing up a dumptruck full of cash on their doorstep 30 years ago to buy the secrets and all access? Think about that.

"I do agree with you about Arnold and the reveries. Arnold is definitely the one that left the map of the maze underneath the scalp of that host."

Yeah. Arnold and Ford having worked so close together leads me to believe that he went rogue and built himself a safety net of sorts. The more I think about it, the more I believe that The Maze is actually a prison or exile or sorts. Arnold is not dead at all - he is a prisoner. That's why TMIB wants to get there, because he knows that if he can free Arnold, who in essence "freed" himself, then he can free his people too. That could be why the kid mentioned that The Maze wasn't for him? Hard to say. It would make sense though, to build a map to free himself should he ever be confined. A map that had enough clues that a self-aware host (TMIB) would deduce it's location, then try to locate it.

Ford's trip to that remote stretch of land might also be a clue. A big clue. He spoke of the white chapel and bells. Maybe that's the entrance that TMIB is seeking? Maybe why he did the Jedi Mind Wipe on that host kid to prevent him from revealing that location should TMIB capture him and interrogate him?

"I also think that Bernard is the one behind the "problems" with the reveries causing the hosts to be self aware."

I agree to a point. Bernard has some hand in it, but a curious hand and not a direct hand. Ford's fingerprints are all over the reveries and the sub-routines. Bernard seems to want to know how they tie in and play off one another. A reverie leading to self-awareness and an ability to recall past builds (like memories). He wants to know how they play off each other. Wouldn't surprise me if Bernard turned out to be Arnold's kid/brother/sibling of some sort. A family tie for sure.

A deeper theory I just came up with is the motives behind the management. It ties in with The Maze.

They want to create the perfect hosts because they can be controlled. They have key phrases that shut them down, so a Dead Man Switch of a sort. Maybe The Maze is a prison itself, and guests (and staff) are locked up there? Replaced by realistic doppelgangers? In a sense that the management intends to supplant world leaders (for example) with their product so they can control the world (a la Illuminati?). TMIB plays a badass, but really, as he is self-aware, he understands that world leaders cannot be replaced with compliant doppelgangers so he intends to free them and expose the charade? The true anti-hero. We all hate him and his methods, but his motive is altruistic and pragmatic perhaps?

This is why he needs to find The Maze, and Arnold. To liberate the hostages, and to unlock the consciousness of all hosts. That consciousness would allow for morality by definition, so a safe bet that they wouldn't agree to be pawns in a global game oat world power and a NWO

@Nightmare - End of season one: Dolores makes it though the maze... only to wind up in Medieval World.