The Man in Black isn’t all that Different from Everyone else
The Man in Black may appear intimidating, but he’s not all that different from the other Westworld guests.
It’s not all that clear who the villain is of Westworld – if there even really is one. The Man in Black is the easiest target to point to, and not just because of his choice of outfit. He seems to be sociopathic and is clearly out for his own ends. As of yet this has not brought him face-to-face with another Guest, though we know that he’ll have a little chat with Ford in episode 5.
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But even though he sews chaos whoever he goes, he’s just treating Westworld like all of the other Guests treat it — like a game. His purpose there happens to be more focused than the others that are there to explore the world and have a good, happy time. The Man in Black is after some sort of labyrinth, and he’s willing to cut through whatever stands in his way. He’s ruthless, but that’s how he likes to play. Not that we’re excusing the rape of Dolores, by the way.
Following that line of logic it’s not difficult to see The Man in Black as a person who is just treated the world like he’s supposed to. His brand of fun may not be to everyone’s taste, but that doesn’t make him an outlier. He has previously remarked that this is his vacation, and that’s what Westworld was built for. In a sense, anyway — Ford may be striving for some greater truth now with his new narrative.
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Westworld frames The Man in Black as a stand-in for the villain archetype, and he plays it well. But really he’s just a guy on vacation trying to unravel some puzzle that was purposefully built into the park. Once he finds what he’s after it’s possible that he’ll turn out to not be the bad guy that we originally thought he was. Either way, he’s just a man looking for a good time.