'Westworld' may have just confirmed a character's tragic fate

John P. Johnson/HBO

Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Westworld" episode eight.

The latest episode of "Westworld" provided plenty of new information for fans to mull over, though many mysteries are still just as confusing as ever. But one question we had might have been resolved, and you won't like the answer.

In episode six, Elsie Hughes (Bernard's subordinate in the behavior department) went to an abandoned sector of the park in search for answers. She was attacked, but we never saw exactly what happened in that creepy theater.

It looks like we now know the sad truth.

HBO

We're almost positive that Bernard killed her.

Towards the end of the eighth episode Ford and Bernard - who we know now is a host created by Ford - had a conversation. Bernard was distraught after killing Theresa on Ford's orders, and the two of them had a miniature heart-to-heart about the perception of pain and human consciousness and the difference between humans and hosts.

HBO

You know, lighthearted things of that nature.

Before Ford wiped Bernard's memory to relieve him of the painful memories, Bernard asked an important question.

"One last thing," he said to Ford. "Have you ever made me hurt anyone like this before?"

"No, Bernard," Ford replied. "Of course not."

But after Ford said this, Bernard seems to have a flashback "memory." We saw Elsie's boots raised above the ground, and her face as she struggled for breath.

HBO

HBO

Bernard's arm was wrapped around her neck. He was choking her to death (probably).

The reason we say "probably" is because this show has a serious ability to subvert audience's assumptions of reality. But - given the timing of the flashback and Ford's motivation to deny ever ordering murder in the past - we're pretty positive that Bernard did in fact kill Elsie.

She was too close to learning secrets about Arnold and the hosts, and Ford would have needed the questions to stop. Plus there's the convenient story other employees were told - that Elsie had simply started her leave and was on vacation. Sounds to us like an easy way to explain her absence without suspicion being raised.

So for now we say goodbye to Elsie Hughes, the wry and curious behavior tech who strayed too close to the truth. May she rest in a deep and dreamless slumber.