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TV Episode Questions:

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WARNING: If you have not seen all of the "Twin Peaks"
television episodes and the movie "Fire Walk With Me", be
warned that there are MAJOR SPOILERS contained herein.  If
you have not seen the series and do not want any plot
information revealed, do not read any further!
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E1. How many episodes are there? E2. How are the episodes numbered? E3. Are there episode titles? E4. Is there an episode guide available on the net? E5. What year is the show set in? E6. Where is TP supposed to be? E7. Where was it filmed? E8. What is the population of TP? E9. I rented the pilot--why is it different than the TV pilot? E10. What is the "European" version of the pilot? E11. Is the second season available on videotape/laserdisc? E12. Is there a cast list? E13. What else has <actor/actress> been in? E14. Which episodes did David Lynch direct? E15. Why are the 2nd season episodes so bad? E16. What are the references to movies/famous people? E17. Who killed Laura Palmer? E18. What did the letters under the fingernails mean? E19. Who/What is BOB? E20. Is BOB the same as J.R. "Bob" Dobbs? E21. Who/what is Diane? E22. Does Kyle MacLachlan really like cherry pie? E23. Weren't Kyle MacLachlan and Lara Flynn Boyle dating? E24. How did they do the funny voices in the Red Room scenes? E25. What are the words to Mike (the one-armed man)'s poem? E26. Who was in the woods with Leo (episode 2)? E27. What happened to "Invitation to Love"? E28. Who is the dwarf? E29. Wasn't the Giant on "Star Trek"? Didn't the Giant play Lurch? E30. Who was standing outside the window while Josie seduced Harry (episode 11)? E31. What did Maddy see in the carpet (episode 8)? E32. What did the "creamed corn kid" say (episode 9)? E33. Who played the "creamed corn kid"? E34. What is the significance of the burning smell? E35. What is the significance of the white horse? E36. What is the significance of "The owls are not what they seem"? E37. What happened to Josie (episode 23)? E38. Were Cooper and Windom Earle playing a legitimate chess game? E39. What are the fictional/mythological meanings of the dugpas and the lodges? E40. What is the connection between the Red Room, Black Lodge, and White Lodge? E41. Did Major Briggs go to the White Lodge? E42. Who spoke through Sarah Palmer to Major Briggs (episode 29)? E43. What is a doppelganger? E44. What happened to Cooper in the Black Lodge? E45. Is <character> dead? E46. Will the story ever be continued? E47. Who attacked Dr. Jacoby (episode 7)? E48. Is it really possible for someone's hair to turn completely white overnight, like Leland's (episode 8)? E49. What is the significance of the traffic lights? E50. What is the significance of the various townspeople's shaking hands (episode 27)? E51. What awards did the show win? E52. Who is the author of/what at the words to Windom Earle's poem? E53. Which TP actors have appeared on "X-Files"? E54. In which TP episodes did David Duchovny appear? E55. Will there ever be an "X-Files" "crossover" episode about TP? E56. What is the significance of the numbers on Hank's dominos? E57. What is the shadow floating on the curtains in the Red Room during Cooper's dream (episode 2)? E58. What does Ben see behind him that startles him (episode 27)? E59. Did the idea for TP come from the "Dallas" nighttime soap opera? E60. What are the "stitches with the red thread"? E61. What happened to Cooper in Pittsburgh? E62. What does the Giant mean by "one and the same"? E63. Did the Black Lodge lure Cooper to Twin Peaks? Answers:
E1. How many episodes are there? There are: - the 2-hour pilot movie - seven 1-hour episodes in the first season - 22 episodes in the 2nd season--the first one being 2 hours long, all others being one hour long (in the US, the last two episodes were broadcast together as a 2-hour special "movie" on ABC)--for a total of 23 hours - 32 hours total Note: without commercials, the "1-hour" episodes are actually 48 minutes long, and the "2-hour" pilot and episode are each 96 minutes long, respectively. (The "European" version of the pilot is 113 minutes long, due to the alternate ending. See question E10 for details.) TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E2. How are the episodes numbered? Lynch/Frost Productions referred to the 2-hour pilot as the "pilot" and numbered all episodes sequentially: - starting with #1 for the first 1-hour episode of the first season - #7 as the last 1-hour episode of the first season - #8 as the first 2-hour episode of the 2nd season - #9 as the first 1-hour episode of the 2nd season - #28 and #29 as the last two 1-hour episodes of the 2nd season (shown together as a special 2-hour "movie" in the US on ABC) This numbering is used on the videotape/laserdisc releases (see question G4), on the Bravo rebroadcasts (see question G5) and in the short-form episode guide (see question E4). The alt.tv.twin-peaks newsgroup readers adopted a different numbering scheme to indicate in which season (of American broadcasting) an episode appeared: - episode 1000 is the 2-hour pilot - episode 1001 is the first 1-hour episode of the first season - episode 1007 is the last 1-hour episode of the first season - episode 2001 is the first 2-hour episode of the 2nd season - episode 2002 is the first 1-hour episode of the 2nd season - episode 2021 is the 2-hour "movie" consisting of the last two 1-hour episodes of the 2nd season (corresponding to #28 and #29 in Lynch/Frost numbering) This numbering is often used in alt.tv.twin-peaks postings and is used in the long-form "timeline" episode guide (see questions E4 and E5). See the table in question E3 for a translation of these numbering schemes. To add to the confusion, commercially available episode scripts (see question P2) are numbered 001 to 007 for the first season, and 2.001 to 2.022 for the second season. And for yet more confusion, the US laserdisc boxed sets (see question G4) are numbered 001 to 007 for Volume 1 (first season) and 2008 to 2014 for Volume 2 (first seven episodes of the second season), and so on. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E3. Are there episode titles? Lynch/Frost Productions assigned no titles to the episodes, only the episode numbers (see questions E2). When broadcast in Germany, the episodes were titled, as follows (courtesy of Robert Michl [rmichl@iiic.ethz.ch]): ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Item, here in Europe, (at least the German speaking part), we had the pleasure to get entitled episodes. They were as follows: 0. (1000) Pilotfilm 1. (1001) Spuren ins Nichts (Traces to nowhere) 2. (1002) ZEN - oder die Kunst, (Zen and the art of einen Moerder zu fassen killer-catching) 3. (1003) Ruhe in Unfrieden (Rest in pain) 4. (1004) Der Einarmige (The one-armed man) 5. (1005) Cooper's Traeume (Cooper's dreams) 6. (1006) Zeit des Erkennens (Realization time) 7. (1007) Der letzte Abend (The last evening) 8. (2001) Der Riese sei mit Dir (May the giant be with you) 9. (2002) Koma (Coma) 10. (2003) Der Mann hinter Glas (The man behind glass) 11. (2004) Laura's geheimes (Laura's secret diary) Tagebuch 12. (2005) Der Fluch der Orchideen (The orchid's curse) 13. (2006) Daemonen (Demons) 14. (2007) Einsame Seelen (Lonely souls) 15. (2008) Spazierfahrt mit einer (Drive with a dead Toten girl) 16. (2009) Selbstjustiz (Arbitrary law) 17. (2010) Bruderzwist (Dispute between brothers) 18. (2011) Maskenball (Masked ball) 19. (2012) Die schwarze Witwe (The black widow) 20. (2013) Schachmatt (Checkmate) 21. (2014) Doppelspiel (Doubleplay) 22. (2015) Sklaven und Meister (Slaves and masters) 23. (2016) Die Verdammte (The condemned woman) 24. (2017) Wunden und Narben (Wounds & scars) 25. (2018) Auf den Schwingen der (On the wings of love) Liebe 26. (2019) Beziehungsvariationen (Variations on relations) 27. (2020) Der Weg zur schwarzen (The path to the Black Huette Lodge) 28. (2021-Part 1) "Die Nacht der (The Night of Decision) Entscheidung 29. (2021-Part 2) Jenseits von Leben (Beyond life and death) und Tod Pretty nice, isn't it? How do you like that? BTW, there are some allusions to familiar German quotations (like "Ruhe in Frieden", "das letzte Abendmahl", "Lynch-Justiz" :-), "Der Friede sei mit Dir" etc.), but I can associate the matching episode fairly well. E.g. "Wounds and scars" reminds me of Harry S. Truman finding solace in a bottle of Jack Daniels, suffering over the loss of the "Verdammte" Josie. Or "Demons", one of my favourite episodes, where MIKE speaks through Gerard in his demonic voice and sentences. "Einsame Seelen" of course, shows the words left behind on Harold's hung body: "J'ai une ame solitaire"... ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ These titles are used in the short-form episode guide (see question E4). TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E4. Is there an episode guide available on the net? There are in fact two: - a short-form episode guide, listing a brief synopsis of the episodes, written by Jim Pellmann - a long-form "timeline" episode guide, listing all action in each episode, with detailed transcriptions of important scenes, chess board configurations, maps and diagrams of the red room, and the date and time of most actions (see question E5), last edited by Ed Nomura (enomura@ucsd.edu) There are also several episode guides in print, including: - Film Threat magazine, October '92 issue - Epi-Log magazine, issue #20 - the book "Twin Peaks Behind the Scenes" See questions P1 and P2 for more details on the magazines and book. For those who need only brief episode info, here is a list of "TV Guide" style synopses with virtually no spoilers: "Twin Peaks" Ultra-Brief Episode Guide -------------------------------------- Pilot. An FBI agent and a sheriff investigate the murder of a homecoming queen in a Pacific Northwest town. 1. Agent Cooper and Sheriff Truman learn more about Laura's life; Catherine plots to take over the sawmill. 2. Cooper demonstrates deductive prowess; Bobby and Mike are released from jail; Donna and James proclaim their love. 3. The town gathers for Laura's funeral; Cooper ponders his dream; Truman tells him about the Bookhouse boys. 4. Cooper and Truman track down the one-armed man; Audrey begins her own investigation. 5. Truman and Cooper discover a macabre scene in the woods; Hank gets out of prison; Audrey goes to work for her father. 6. Cooper and the Bookhouse boys visit One-Eyed Jack's; Jacoby receives a phone call from Laura Palmer. 7. Dr. Jacoby heads for his rendezvous; Cooper and Truman make an arrest; Catherine and Shelly are trapped. 8. Cooper has visions; Audrey is taken prisoner; Donna receives a strange message; Ronette relives Laura's murder. 9. Cooper gets help and unwanted news; Audrey gets in deeper; Donna arranges to meet a stranger; Leland makes a horrifying discovery. 10. Donna visits a friend of Laura's; Blackie sees opportunity; Jacoby reveals important info under hypnosis. 11. Ben's request to save Audrey's life stymies Cooper; Donna goes to another picnic; Josie's cousin arrives from Hong Kong. 12. Cooper and Truman raid One-Eyed Jack's; Leland attends his hearing; Donna and Maddy plot to steal Laura's diary; Ben gets a mysterious visitor. 13. Shelly and Bobby prepare for Leo's homecoming; Gordon Cole visits Cooper; Josie strikes a deal; the one-armed man talks about "Bob". 14. Laura's killer is revealed; money woes strain Bobby and Shelly's relationship; Audrey confronts her father about One-Eyed Jack's. 15. The one-armed man helps Cooper and Truman search for Bob; Norma's mother and her new husband visit; Bobby decides to blackmail Ben; Lucy comes home. 16. A piece of Laura's secret diary leads Cooper to her killer; Catherine tricks Ben; Lucy, Andy, and Tremayne confront each other over her pregnancy. 17. Cooper is investigated by the FBI; Nadine enrolls in high school; Major Briggs and Cooper have a strange encounter in the woods. 18. Nadine's feelings for Mike deepen; James helps a beautiful blonde; Catherine forces Josie to become her maid; Windom Earle makes a move. 19. Cooper finds a clue; Andy and Tremayne are concerned over Nicky's past; Bobby makes quick money; sports beckons Nadine; Major Briggs returns. 20. Cooper and Truman set a trap for Renault; Andy and Tremayne look into Nicky's past; an old love visits Ben; Nadine rescues Ed. 21. Cooper confides Earle's tragic history to Truman; Audrey makes a deal with Bobby; Leo comes out of it; Josie's old lover Thomas Eckhardt appears. 22. Cooper learns who shot him; Donna tries to save James; Nadine interrupts Ed and Norma; Catherine uses Josie to lure Eckhardt. 23. Cooper pleads with Josie for truth; Ben changes his mind; Ed proposes to Norma; James and Donna part; Audrey meets a mate. 24. Cooper eyes a reclusive beauty; Truman agonizes over Josie; Donna gets a macabre visitor; Audrey falls in love; Ben hosts an environmental benefit. 25. Cooper and the sheriff's department go spelunking; Truman awakens in a naked woman's arms; Windom Earle checks out potential victims. 26. Cooper and Truman tackle the hieroglyph; the Miss Twin Peaks contest attracts competitors; Tremayne holds a wine tasting; Gordon falls for Shelley. 27. Truman and Cooper pursue the Owl Cave mystery; Earle takes another prisoner; Donna makes a discovery; Wheeler leaves suddenly. 28. Major Briggs escapes from Earle; Catherine battles with the black box; Lucy chooses the father of her baby; Earle interrupts the contest. 29. Truman and Cooper try to head off Windom Earle; Donna wants the truth; Audrey, Andrew and Pete all head to the bank; Cooper enters the Black Lodge. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E5. What year is the show set in? The dates and days of the week quoted in the pilot and the first season's episodes correspond to 1989 (the year the pilot film was shot). However, "The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer" (see question P1) places the action in 1990. In the second season, there is no consistency in the dates used. In the "prequel" film "Fire Walk With Me", the events of the week of Laura's murder are stated as happening in 1989. In trying to keep the "one day per episode" general timeframe of the episodes, sources on the Lynch/Frost production team (Scott Frost) indicated that it was difficult for the writers, cast, and crew to keep track of which "day" it was in TP time, and hence sometimes slipped up (e.g., high school students are shown in school on a Saturday). The consensus of opinion in the TP fan community is that all action occurs in 1989, and that the diary dates and other discrepancies in the episodes are in error. A sort of origin point for the timeline is Laura's death in the early morning ("somewhere between midnight and 4 AM" according to Doc Hayward) on Friday, February 24. Her body is discovered "just after dawn" on that day, which is the date of the action in the pilot. The last day of action in "Fire Walk With Me" (Laura's last day alive) is Thursday, February 23. Although each episode generally covers one day of action in TP, there are some exceptions: after Leland's death, it is noted that the next episode is "three days later"; sometimes an episode will begin in the middle of the night of the preceding episode's "day", but most of the action will take place on the following day. See the long-form "timeline" episode guide (see question E4) for a list of what episodes correspond to which dates, as well as times shown on clocks or quoted by characters. See also the TP magazine "Wrapped in Plastic", issue #1, which has a calendar for February and March, 1989, showing the major events that happened on each day. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E6. Where is TP supposed to be? It's in the State of Washington, but where exactly is not clear. In Cooper's initial monologue to Diane as he's driving into town, he states that it's "five miles south of the Canadian border and twelve miles west of the state line". That would seem to place it in the northeast corner of the state. However the surrounding geography is like that of the Cascade Mountains in western Washington. References to cities such as Seattle and Tacoma, but not Spokane, also seem to place it in western Washington. The show's creators seem to have smooshed the state so that it all fits west of the Cascades. The pilot draft, entitled "Northwest Passage", is clearly set in eastern Washington and features Ponderosa Pines instead of Douglas firs. The setting change was almost undoubtedly caused by the decision to film the pilot in the Seattle area, rather than in eastern Washington, where they would be far from local production resources and local actors. Approximate ASCII map of Washington State (courtesy of Pete Zakel [phz@cadence.com]): North British Columbia (Canada) /|\ | ---------------------------------.----- | \ Twin*| | Peaks | I \ | D _ | | A |\__ | | H / -_ | | O | -_ | WASHINGTON | \ \ / | | | | Spokane * | | | |* Seattle | | | | | \ | / | | \_/* Tacoma | | | \ | | | | * Yakima | | | | | | * Tri-cities| |_-_ \ | ____----- \ ____ ----____------- `----___--- OREGON TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E7. Where was it filmed? Many of the outdoor shots were filmed in Snoqualmie, Washington (and the surrounding area), which is in the Cascades, not too far from Seattle. The waterfall is there; the Great Northern Hotel is really the Salish Lodge (although it doesn't look like the GNH on the inside--the interiors of both the GNH and the Packard/Martell home were filmed in the Kiana Lodge); and the RR Diner is really the Mar-T Cafe. Other than the pilot and "Fire Walk With Me" (which was also filmed on location), the episodes were filmed on sound stages or locations in the Los Angeles area. See question P5 for references of places to visit or see in the Snoqualmie area. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E8. What is the population of TP? This is subject to debate. The population sign that's shown on TV indicates 51,201. According to "Twin Peaks Behind the Scenes: An Unofficial Guide to Twin Peaks", by Mark Altman (see question P1), Lynch/Frost originally conceived of it as 5,201, but ABC insisted on increasing it. This has resulted in mixed cues within the show. For instance, Twin Peaks doesn't have a resident circuit court judge, which any town of 51,000 in the US would; it has a Sheriff's department but no police department (Sheriff is usually a county rather than a city office). On the other hand, it does have its own hospital, a fancy department store, and a large hotel. The book, "Welcome to Twin Peaks: Access Guide to the Town" (see question P1) tries to resolve the issue by saying the population sign is a misprint, and it should be 5,120.1 TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E9. I rented the pilot--why is it different than the TV pilot? The version of the pilot available on video/laserdisc (see question G4) is known as the "European" version, because it was created for the European video market and first showed up there. See the next question for more details. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E10. What is the "European" version of the pilot? Before TP was sold to ABC as a series, Lynch/Frost raised money to finance the production of the pilot episode by signing a contract with Warner Home Video. The contract gave Warner Home Video the rights to sell the pilot episode as a movie on video in Europe (not knowing whether the pilot would result in a series, Warner wanted to ensure they could make their money back.) In order to sell it as a movie, the contract stipulated that the pilot must stand on its own and have a "closed ending" where the murder of Laura Palmer was resolved. Lynch/Frost had planned for and expected the pilot to be picked up and turned into a series, and thus had not written such a resolution for the pilot. When, during the filming of the pilot, they were reminded of their contractual obligation, they filmed the ending described below and gave Warner Home Video their "standalone" European movie, even though the ending did not make much sense and does not jibe with events in the TV series. Parts of the European movie ending were used later in edited form for the dream sequence at the end of episode 2. (In fact, you will notice that the summary of his dream that Cooper gives Lucy and Harry at the beginning of episode 3 includes events that are portrayed in the European pilot ending, but not in Cooper's dream as shown in episode 2!) Lynch thinks the famous scene in the Red Room is one of his best pieces of work, and that is probably one reason why he chose to include it as the final scene of episode 2. The original script for episode 2 is almost a verbatim copy of the European movie ending, including even more of it than is in the broadcast version. The copied parts were edited to make it clear that Cooper is having a dream/vision, rather than actually experiencing the events. So the reaction cuts of Truman, etc. in the European movie ending, are replaced in episode 2 by shots of Coop tossing and turning in his sleep. When ABC bought the series, the video rights to the broadcast episodes went to Worldvision (a division of Spelling Entertainment, which had been closely affiliated with ABC), but the video rights to the pilot remained with Warner Home Video. This is why only the European movie version of the pilot is available commercially. Making 'lemonade out of a lemon', Warner Home Video marketed their version of the pilot as providing an "alternate resolution" to Laura's murder than that provided in the TV series. Although a great deal of the footage from the European movie ending was incorporated into the TV series, most in the TP fan community feel the ending, while interesting as an historical artifact, is not germane to the "real" TP story as developed in the TV series. The European movie ending should probably be avoided if you are watching the TV series for the first time. There is a "catch 22", though: you should see the pilot before watching the first TV episode for important background information and context, but the broadcast version of the pilot is not available commercially (see question G4). If you cannot borrow a copy of the broadcast pilot version from someone, you can easily "edit" the video version, while watching it, as follows: - About 90 minutes into the movie, after Sheriff Truman introduces Cooper to Lucy's nightly donut spread, and the jail scene with James, Bobby, and Mike, there is a scene where the Sheriff visits Josie. "It must have happened right around this time yesterday," Truman says to Josie. "I'm afraid," Josie says. Next there is a shot of the traffic light, blowing in the breeze. - Stop the movie at the next scene where we see Laura's mother sitting by herself on the sofa, smoking. Up until this point, the movie and broadcast pilot are identical. - There is only one additional scene in the broadcast pilot not shown in the movie: Laura's mother has a vision of a gloved hand digging the heart necklace from the ground where Donna and James buried it (you'll know the necklace I mean when you've seen the rest). Now, for those who have seen the series, but not the "European" version of the pilot, here is a short description of the added scenes: - Sarah remembers seeing BOB crouching at the foot of Laura's bed that morning. She screams and tells Leland what she remembered. - There is a scene of Lucy and Andy getting ready for bed (!). Leland calls Lucy, tells her about Sarah's sudden memory, and asks her where the Sheriff is. Lucy calls the Sheriff in his cruiser. He tells her to have Hawk meet him at the Palmer's house to make a sketch of the man Sarah remembered. - Agent Cooper, asleep in his hotel room, is awakened by the phone. Mike, the one-armed man, is on the other end, and tells Cooper that the man who killed Laura is at the hospital. Then Lucy calls Cooper and tells him what is happening at the Palmer house. Cooper asks Lucy to tell the Sheriff to bring the sketch and meet him at the hospital. - Cooper and the Sheriff find Mike at the hospital. Mike recites the poem and his confession (from Cooper's dream in episode #2). Cooper asks Mike to identify the killer from the sketch. He does and tells them BOB is in the basement of the hospital. - They find BOB kneeling next to a circle of 12 burning candles. He invites them in, asks if Mike is with them, repeats some of the dialogue from Cooper's dream in episode 2, including "Catch you with my death bag". - The Sheriff asks BOB what the letters were going to spell, and BOB replies: BOB: Robert. That's my proper name. Theresa's was with a T. Cooper: That's right. BOB: You may think I've gone insane, but I promise you: I will kill again! Mike runs into room and yells: Like hell! - Mike shoots BOB twice. BOB crumples to the floor. Mike falls to the floor in agony. - Cooper says "Make a wish" and the candles are blown out. - Cut to the Red Room. Caption says: Twenty-five year later - Rest of scene is identical to Red Room scene of Cooper's dream in episode 2. As the Little Man dances, the end credits run. As mentioned above, this ending does NOT relate to the action in the other episodes of the series (as far as we can tell), except for the parts that appear in Cooper's dream in episode 2. TOP of section ----------------------------------------------------------- E11. Is the second season available on videotape/laserdisc? Yes and no. See question G4 for details. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E12. Is there a cast list? Yes, it is here. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E13. What else has <actor/actress> been in? Refer to the cast list and timeline for links for the actors, actresses, writers, and directors, and their other works in the Internet Movie Database (IMDB). TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E14. Which episodes did David Lynch direct? - the pilot (1000) - episode 2 (1002) - episode 8 (2001, the 2-hour, season 2 opener) - episode 9 (2002) - episode 14 (2007) - episode 29 (2021-Part 2, the series finale) Refer to either of the two episode guides (see question E4) for writing and directing credits of each episode. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E15. Why are the 2nd season episodes so bad? They're not. :^) Seriously: Since TP was a continuing serial, viewers were required to see every episode to know what was going on. Unlike traditional prime-time soap operas, TP did not recycle the same melodramatic themes over and over. Casual viewing was not supported. In response to this, several shorter story arcs were introduced in the 2nd season--many feel that these detracted from the series. For a good discussion of this issue, refer to issue #1 of the TP magazine "Wrapped in Plastic", in which one of the editors argues why the second season was better than the first, and lists four particular scenes as examples. Some complained that Lynch was not directly involved in production of all the 2nd season episodes. Although there were a number of different directors (see the episode guides for a complete list), most do not consider this a serious detraction from the series. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E16. What are the references to movies/famous people? TP is full of hidden (and not-so-hidden) references to other movies and TV shows ("Laura", "Vertigo", "One Eyed Jacks", "Double Indemnity", "The Manchurian Candidate", "Sunset Boulevard", "The Fugitive", "Dallas", etc.) and famous people or characters (D.B. Cooper, Harry S Truman, James Dean, Hester Prynn, etc.) Refer to the "allusions" list for the sources of some character and place names, plot devices, and themes used in TP. This list was compiled by Dave Platt (umplatt2@ccu.umanitoba.ca). TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E17. Who killed Laura Palmer? As revealed in episode 16, Laura was killed by her father, Leland Palmer, under the influence of BOB. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E18. What did the letters under the fingernails mean? Leland/BOB was spelling out 'Robert'. Cooper described it as "a signature on a demon self-portrait". As many have pointed out, if he was spelling the name backwards in order (it was never stated that he was doing that, though), the 'E' was missing. There's no explanation given for this, but some have speculated that the 'E' may have been intended for Ronette in the train car, or that the 'E' victim has not been found (yet). TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E19. Who/What is BOB? This is perhaps the greatest mystery/question of Twin Peaks, a source of endless debate, and an issue to which each viewer must attach their own interpretation and significance. [Note: BOB is spelled in all capital letters here, following the convention used in "The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer" (see question P1). This also helps distinguish between Killer BOB (as he is also referred) and Bobby Briggs.] This much is given to us: BOB is a disembodied spirit capable of taking over a human being. After he takes over, he manipulates his human host to commit acts of sex and violence and 'feeds' upon the emotions this produces. He is connected in some manner with other spirits which appear in either or both of the Black Lodge and White Lodge. An entrance to the Black Lodge (shown as the red room) is in Glastonbury Grove in the woods outside of Twin Peaks. See questions E39 and E40 for more on the Lodges. Some who reject supernatural explanations believe BOB may be/have been a figment of Laura's or Leland's imagination (a means of psychologically dealing with the trauma of incest and adultery), or an alternate personality of Leland. The caustic FBI agent Albert Rosenfield suggests that BOB is simply "the evil that men do". The fact that so many TP characters experience these spirits make such rationalizations hard to logically support. Events in the series following Leland's death (the Windom Earle arc) and in FWWM also continue the supernatural themes. In a question and answer session, Mark Frost indicated that the idea for BOB originated in American Indian mythology and that he was a local evil spirit whose presence in the Twin Peaks area dates back to ancient times. See also "The List of 7", Mark Frost's novel (see question M5), which deals with evil beings (both real and supernatural), the "dweller on the threshold", and the teachings of Helena Blavatsky, the founder of Theosophy and originator of the idea of the "white lodge". It further appears that BOB is a 'servant' or agent (familiar) of other Lodge spirits. The events in FWWM imply that at times he is out of control and acting on his own rather than for the Lodge. Mike [episode 13]: "Do you understand the parasite? It attaches itself to a life form and feeds. Eh. BOB requires a human host. He feeds on fear ... and the pleasures. They are his children. I am similar to BOB. We once were partners." Mike also says BOB was his 'familiar' (not vice/versa as has been erroneously reported): Cooper: You spoke to me in my dream ... about BOB. Mike: Mmm. He ... was ... my familiar. In witchcraft, a familiar is a slave spirit that the sorcerer uses to help him/her. In some traditions the familiar is a demon that may appear in the form of an animal. In Malaya, owls and badgers are popular familiars while the cat is commonly associated with witches in popular US culture. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E20. Is BOB the same as J.R. "Bob" Dobbs? No. Frank Silva, who plays BOB, says the name is Lynch's tribute to Bob's Big Boy, the place where he had the same lunch every day for years (from an interview in Film Threat magazine, October '92 issue--see question P2). TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E21. Who/what is Diane? The shooting script of FWWM (see question F5) contains a scene in FBI headquarters with Cooper standing in an office doorway conversing with Diane, implying she is some sort of office administrator or secretary. (The scene is written such that the audience never sees nor hears Diane.) During the first season, gossip columnist Liz Smith reported that Carol Lynley ("The Poseidon Adventure") had been signed to play Diane in the second season, but this never happened. From the scene in FWWM, we can assume that Lynch wanted to maintain the air of mystery about her. Before this was revealed, however, many viewers speculated that Diane was: an "alter ego" of Cooper's, his wife, or his name for the tape recorder. With the commercial release of the audio tape "Diane ... The Twin Peaks Tapes of Agent Cooper" (for which Kyle MacLachlan won a Grammy, incidentally) and the book "The Autobiography of FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper: My Life, My Tapes", we were given further background into Cooper's special form of note taking (see questions P1 and P2 for more info on these products): "Autobiography" entry for January 10, 1978: "Diane, I hope that you will not mind that I address these tapes to you even when it is clear that I am talking to myself. The knowledge that someone of your insight is standing behind me is comforting." TOP of section ----------------------------------------------------------- E22. Does Kyle MacLachlan really like cherry pie? No. He told the British press he "HATES cherry pie--always has, always will." TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E23. Weren't Kyle MacLachlan and Lara Flynn Boyle dating? Yes, although it did not last. According to one supermarket tabloid: "They'd sneak off into the woods for long kisses and watch the moon and the stars at night after a long day's shoot," says a "Twin Peaks" insider. TOP of section ----------------------------------------------------------- E24. How did they do the funny voices in the Red Room scenes? 1. The actors memorized their lines backwards (the question remains how the actors achieved this: whether they listened to recordings of the lines played backwards to get a "phonetic" version, or simply read the lines as printed backwards as best they could for a "literal" version--there are different scenes/actors where it sounds like different methods were used). 2. The scenes were acted out backwards with the actors saying the backwards lines with the film cameras running backwards. 3. The resulting footage was shown forward, reversing everything and giving both the strange quality of movement and the distorted speech. If the imitation of the backward speech had been good enough, then we would have heard the original lines. As it was, subtitles were added because of intelligibility problems. Michael Anderson, the MFAP, already had the ability to do this before TP, and helped coach the others on the process: Actually, I did say the lines backwards and believe it or not, unbeknownst to David Lynch, speaking backwards was a skill that I had learned in junior high, you know like tag names and secret codes, speaking words in an exact phonetic reversal was something we did. When David asked me to learn the lines backwards, he had made elaborate preparations to teach me the lines in a sound studio. When he found out how easy it was for me to speak backwards he started adding lines and having me teach lines to other actors, etc. By the way, the effect is something I can reproduce on my home studio if you're interested. (From private e-mail with Peter Moore, pt@chaff.demon.co.uk) Indeed, Michael offers personalized answering machine tapes (see question P2). TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E25. What are the words to Mike (the one-armed man)'s poem? According to the shooting script of episode 2, it is: Through the darkness of future past the magician longs to see one chance out between two worlds 'Fire walk with me.' However, the closed caption subtitles for the episode use the word "chants" instead of "chance", igniting a long-standing, never-resolved debate: - "chance" implies there is only one way or method to escape from "between two worlds". - 'chants' is supported by both the Convenience Store scene and Laura's dream/vision in FWWM, where recital of the phrase is followed by passage to the Red Room. Brad Smith (a07850@giant.rsoft.bc.ca) attended the '93 Fan Festival (see question P8 for the address for Fan Festival info) and had the opportunity to ask Al Strobel (actor who played Mike) about this: ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ When I was at the TPFF 93, I asked Al Strobel about chants/chance. He said that he got the poem from David Lynch's handwritten notes and it was chants. This would seem to indicate that DL's intention was chants. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ This is further supported by an appearance of the poem, using "chants", in David Lynch's photography book, "Images" (see question P1). However, because of the conflicting written versions, and because both words help support peoples' different interpretations of Lodge events, it is unlikely this will ever be resolved to everyone's satisfaction. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E26. Who was in the woods with Leo (episode 2)? This is another detail that will probably never be resolved conclusively, but given his drug running connection with Leo, a good bet is that it was Jacques. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E27. What happened to "Invitation to Love"? The ITL soap opera spoof that appeared in most first season episodes disappeared in the second season. One of TP's writers, Harley Peyton, revealed: "It's just so hard to try and get these stories straight and it finally became too much. At one point, we were toying with the lead actors [from ITL] coming to town but we were really never able to go through with that. We shot a lot of that stuff but whenever we were looking to edit our shows down to running time, those ITL segments were always the first to go." Some viewers thought that hidden clues were embedded in the ITL snippets or that the actions of the ITL actors were mimicking the actions of the TP characters. These are only speculation, however. For a comprehensive discussion and episode guide to ITL, see issue #6 of the "Wrapped in Plastic" magazine. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E28. Who is the dwarf? It would appear he is the 'embodiment' of Mike/Gerard's left arm and as such, is a link to the old Mike that hunted with BOB. In the credits he is listed as "The Man From Another Place" (perhaps a reference to the remarks he makes in the dream sequence: "Where we're from, the birds sing a pretty song, and there's always music in the air.") [from episode 3] Cooper: "I got a phone call from a one-armed man named Mike. The killer's name was BOB. ... They lived above a convenience store. They had a tattoo: Fire Walk With Me. Mike couldn't stand the killing anymore, so he cut off his arm." [from episode 6] Mike: "We once were partners. ... Oh, but then ... I saw the face of God ... and was purified. I took off the arm, but remained, close to this vessel, inhabiting from time to time, for ONE SINGLE PURPOSE: TO STOP HIM! [BOB]". In FWWM he says: "I am the arm", and at the end he gets up and stands beside Mike where the arm would have been and touches him on the shoulder. In unison they say: "BOB, I want all my garmonbozia (pain and suffering)". Speculation and debate on his actions, function, and what he "represents" continue, as with all of the supernatural aspects of TP. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E29. Wasn't the Giant on "Star Trek"? Didn't the Giant play Lurch? Yes, he is Carel Struycken, who played Mr. Homm, Deanna Troi's mother's personal assistant. He did not play Lurch on the Addams Family TV series, but he did play Lurch in the Addams Family movies. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E30. Who was standing outside the window while Josie seduced Harry (episode 11)? No definitive answer, but it probably was Jonathan, the Oriental man who comes to take Josie back to Hong Kong. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E31. What did Maddy see in the carpet (episode 8)? The bloodstain her murder would later leave. When the episode aired in Europe, the scene of Maddy looking down at the rug and seeing the bloodstain was slightly different than in the original US broadcast. It was said that she saw an image of BOB in the stain. This is confirmed in the Japanese laserdisc release where the superimposed image of BOB comes rippling into view over the stain. However, both the Bravo rebroadcast of this episode and the videotape release of this episode do NOT show an image of BOB in the stain. This is apparently only in the foreign-released versions. It has been stated that the original intent was to show an image of BOB "sculpted" into the carpet. When this effect could not be completed in time for the original broadcast, it was abandoned, prompting the switch to blood. Apparently with the foreign release, they returned to the idea of showing BOB's image. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E32. What did the "creamed corn kid" say (episode 9)? "J'ai une a^me solitaire", which is French for "I have a lonely soul". This was also the text of Harold Smith's suicide note. As such, it is another instance of foretelling, much like the Giant's words to Cooper. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E33. Who played the "creamed corn kid"? In the series, he is played by David Lynch's son, Austin Jack Lynch. In FWWM, he is played by Jonathan L. Leppell. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E34. What is the significance of the burning smell? This is subject to debate, but the best guess is that it is a sign that BOB has emerged and is nearby. Dr. Jacoby said he smelled it the night Jacques was murdered, as well as the night he was attacked in the park (see question E47), and Maddy smelled it before she was murdered. In the final episode (#29), we learn that it is the same smell as the stuff in the little pool in Glastonbury Grove where there is a entrance to the Red Room. In FWWM, when Philip Gerard/Mike (the one-armed man) confronts Leland and Laura while in their car, Leland purposely races the car engine to cover up the burning smell that the confrontation is probably eliciting. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E35. What is the significance of the white horse? Another one subject to debate: Some people speculated that it is a vision of Laura's pony, described in her published "Secret Diary". However, the diary states that her pony is "cinnamon red and deep brown" not white. Some people call it Sarah's drug-induced hallucination, because it appears when Leland drugs Sarah before molesting Laura and before murdering Maddy. (Some further say it represents the drug, heroin, for which "horse" is a slang name.) Some instead say it is an omen of death, taken from the Book of Revelations 6:8 (King James Version): And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. Due to this passage, Death is frequently depicted as riding a pale horse. The horse appears before both Laura's and Maddy's murder. The white horse is also a symbol of death in Teutonic (Germanic) mythology. This is further supported by the Log Lady introduction of episode 14 (Maddy's death), written by Lynch (see question G5): "A poem as lovely as a tree: As the night wind blows, the boughs move to and fro. The rustling, the magic rustling that brings on the dark dream. The dream of suffering and pain. Pain for the victim, pain for the inflicter of pain. A circle of pain, a circle of suffering. Woe to the ones who behold the pale horse." TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E36. What is the significance of "The owls are not what they seem"? This is one of the most difficult questions to answer. At the simplest level, it is one of the things that the Giant tells Cooper. The confirmation reveals that Major Briggs is more important than we thought. But owls appear throughout the series and seem to have a greater significance. The first appearance of owls is at the end of episode 4 when James and Donna go to retrieve the necklace from the woods where they buried it. An owl watches as they discover the necklace is gone. The next reference is by the Log Lady in episode 5 when Cooper et al. visit her on the way to Jacques' cabin, and she says "The owls won't see us in here." The Giant's message that "the owls are not what they seem" comes in episode 8 and is confirmed by Major Briggs' message from the deep space monitors in episode 9 (in episode 19, the messages are revealed to be from the woods, not deep space). Episode 9 also has Cooper's dream where an owl face is superimposed over BOB's face. An owl appears at the beginning of episode 12, preceding the scene where Cooper rescues Audrey from One Eyed Jacks, and again in episode 13 when he carries the rescued Audrey into the Bookhouse. In episode 14 (when Maddy gets murdered) the Log Lady says "We don't know what will happen or when, but there are owls in [sic] the Roadhouse", but we don't see any birds. Sr. Droolcup, the Giant, and the Singer appear there, though, which has led some to conclude that the owls are not restricted to taking the shape of birds. At the end of episode 16, after Leland's death, when Truman wonders where BOB is now, we switch to the scene where the camera is moving through the woods, close to the ground, apparently at night, and the scene freezes and the episode ends with the sudden appearance of an owl. In episode 17 an owl appears in the woods while Cooper is urinating and the Major disappears. In episode 19, Air Force Colonel Riley specifically asks Cooper if he saw any owls on the night Briggs disappeared. When the Major reappears in episode 20, he mentions a memory of a giant owl as the only thing he remembers clearly. An owl is also watching when Leo wakes up and goes after Shelly with an axe in episode 21. In episode 24, the Log Lady says she heard an owl when her husband died in the fire. In episode 25, an owl flies around while Cooper, Truman, Hawk, and Andy are inside Owl Cave. Andy's swinging his axe at the owl causes his to strike the wall and find the hidden pole. In episode 26, we see an owl flying around the night sky within the silhouette of the hooded figure. In episode 29, Cooper sees an owl in the trees before he enters the circle of sycamore trees. From the article "Owlwise By Firelight" in the book "Welcome to Twin Peaks: Access Guide to the Town", pp. 46-47 (see question P1) [with a big picture of an owl swooping in, taken from the series]: "...Not dread but a connection with our past is what we feel, a thread running back to the artless creatures we once were when we first heard the oboe-like notes from the Great Horned Owl. In Paleolithic times, we suspected omens in its voice, heard in it questions we were unable to articulate, but which have stayed within us, incomplete and taunting. We are certain that ancient, taloned bird sees what we do not, knows what we never will. And some night, silent as a gliding feather, its immensity will engulf us at fireside to tell us things we want to know as well as those we don't. In the shadowed forest we're pulled by that lurking and alluring ghost and we are enthralled." Owls also have a place in Native American mythology: "In many tribes, the owl has a sinister meaning. In the Northwest, the owl calls out names of men and women who will die soon. Among the Sioux and the Hin-Han, the owl guards the entrance to the Milky Way over which the souls of the dead must pass to reach the Spirit Land. Those who fail the owl's inspection because they do not have the proper tattoo on their wrists or elsewhere are thrown into a bottomless abyss." From "American Indian Myths and Legends", edited by Ortiz and Erdoes, pp 399-400. Trevor Blake (house127@teleport.com) argues that the owl symbolism is similar to that found in the "Communion" books: ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ References to owls in Twin Peaks are readily understood after reading "Communion" by Whitley Strieber. "Communion" is a record of Strieber's 'elaborate personal encounters with intelligent nonhuman beings.' These nonhuman beings, referred to as the visitors, take Strieber away in the night through the woods to a 'filthy' room and subject him to sinister psychological/medical experiences. Strieber later encounters the visitors in other environments and learns they have been an invisibly influencing his entire life, as well as the lives of many others. "Communion" inspired a film of the same name and a sequel titled "Transformation"; a third book in the series has been announced, and elements of his encounters are found in his novel "Majestic". After the encounter that opens "Communion", Strieber writes: "I awoke the morning of the twenty-seventh very much as usual, but grappling with a distinct sense of unease and a very improbable but intense memory of seeing a barn owl staring at me through the window sometime during the night." As compelling as the memory is, he later understands it as a 'screen memory' to mask the trauma of his encounter with the visitors. These owls, therefore, are 'not what they seem' (TP episode 8); they are a mask worn by a sinister nonhuman being (TP 9, 14) when that visitor from another place takes someone away (TP 17). Strieber encounters them in the woods (TP 4, 16, 19) although they are not of this planet (TP 9). Owls are the only memory he has of the encounter (TP 20): later, through hypnosis, Strieber is able to recall the entire incident as well as other times the 'owls' have been watching him (TP 4, 5, 21). The unwholesome quality of Strieber's encounters in the 'filthy' room are similar in mood to many of the otherworldly environments in TP and FWWM. He discovers small wounds of unknown origin on his body, as do certain characters in TP. After accepting his memories and experiences as 'true' instead of imagined or the result of madness, Strieber does not attribute them to either a purely mundane source (UFO pilots took him away) or a purely spiritual source (the visitors as modern-day fairies) but to something incorporating both: TP likewise refused to be a 'science fiction' series or an 'occult' series, incorporating elements from both. "Communion" was published in 1987, three years before TP was first broadcast. It was (and remains) tremendously popular. The use of owls in TP reminded me of the owls in "Communion" right away: by the time these owls were linked to messages from outer space (TP 19) I knew "Communion" was an influence on where the series was heading. I recommend "Communion" as a good read in itself, but especially for those interested in the source for ideas in Twin Peaks. [I am the author of the article 'Barton Fink or Eraserhead?' which appears on page 14 in issue six of Film Threat magazine (October 1992) along with a TP episode guide and preview of FWWM (see question P4).] ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ If you accept second-hand information from outside the actual episodes, one poster claimed that Bob Engels said the owls are not inhabiting spirits like the Giant, but rather witnesses (spies?) of important events for the inhabitants of the Lodge. This is another topic subject to discussion and debate for years to come. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E37. What happened to Josie (episode 23)? It appears her soul was imprisoned in or escaped to the wooden knob of the drawer in the nightstand next to the bed in which she died at the Great Northern. How and why, no one knows. In Cooper's recap at the beginning of episode 24, he says Josie possibly died "from fear". Later in that episode, Doc Hayward says he can't find the cause of Josie's death, and that her body weight was only 65 pounds. Some think that the soul of the Log Lady's husband resides in her log, and Josie is likewise somehow imprisoned in wood. In episode 27, Pete is seen staring at the woodwork in the Great Northern, saying he sees Josie's face. Immediately preceding that scene, Ben hears something in his office, turns around and is startled by something, but we don't see what (see question E58). Some believe he may have also seen Josie's face. This is speculation, however. The last mention of her is in episode 28, when Cooper talks to Truman about the night Josie died: C: She was trembling with fear. I would go as far as to say quaking like an animal. And I venture a guess to say that it was the fear that killed her. At the moment of her death, I saw BOB ... as if he had slipped in through some crevice in time. Upon reflection, I believe there's a connection between his appearance and Josie's fear, as if he was attracted to it ... feeding off it somehow. T: You see a connection between BOB and the black lodge? C: Harry, I think it's where he comes from. I think that the Black Lodge is what you have referred to in the past as "the evil in these woods." If Windom Earle is seeking access to that, it is imperative that we find our way in before he does. There's a source of great power there, Harry. Far beyond our ability to comprehend. Taking the leap from Josie and BOB to BOB and the Black Lodge, the story moves off to the Black Lodge and we are left to contemplate if BOB has imprisoned Josie in the wooden knob or ??? TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E38. Were Cooper and Windom Earle playing a legitimate chess game? No. The writers messed up. According to TP writer and producer Harley Peyton, Frost quickly lost interest in the game and the rest of the writers plotted the moves with sporadic advice from the "self-ordained chess experts" on the set: "We weren't as exact as we should have been," he said. "It became a pain in the ass." The long-form episode guide/timeline (see question E4) details each of the chess board configurations show in the series. For a detailed analysis of the chess game, see the cover article in issue #4 of the TP magazine "Wrapped in Plastic". TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E39. What are the fictional/mythological meanings of the dugpas and the lodges? Fiction: In 1926, Talbot Mundy published an adventure fantasy called "The Devil's Guard" (also published as "Ramsden") which featured dugpas and Black and White lodges very similar to those described by Windom Earle in the series. See issue #3 of the TP magazine "Wrapped in Plastic" (see question P4) for an extended discussion of this book. Fact: there was a sect of Tibetan Buddhists called dugpas. From Christmas Humphrey's "Buddhism", the chapter on Tibetan Buddhism, "History of Lamaism" section, p. 190 in the Pelican (British company) paperback edition: "Before the seventh century, the sole religion of Tibet was the Bon [umlaut omitted by me] ... These Bonpas, however, must not be confused with Dugpas, who are members of the Dugpa sect [of Tibetan Buddhism], founded in upper Tibet in the twelfth century by a spiritual descendant of Milarepa. The sect being 'Red-hats', as distinct from the 'Yellow-hats' of the later Reformation, and, having degenerated into Bon practices, have come to be synonymous with Bonpas, and black magicians." It is interesting to note that the Dalai Lama is spiritual head of the Yellow-hats, and that Red is the color of the Waiting Room and the MFAP's clothing. Helen Petrovich Blavatsky, one of the the founders of Theosophy, is probably the source of the idea of the White Lodge. She wrote of the Great White Lodge, a group of spiritual masters or adepts who guided mankind's spiritual evolution (in positive directions). There is further evidence for this origin in Mark Frost's recent novel "The List of 7", in which Madame Blavatsky plays a role (see question M5). TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E40. What is the connection between the Red Room, Black Lodge, and White Lodge? For some time, there was great controversy on whether the Red Room represented either of the Lodges, was the "waiting room" for a Lodge, or something else entirely. Even the two authors of this FAQ disagree on this one! Here are 3 comments (Jim's, Rich's, and David Lynch's): -------------------- Jim thinks there are two things that SUGGEST that the Red Room is the Black Lodge: 1) In episode 29, Windom Earle tells Col. Briggs (through Sarah Palmer) that "I'm in the Black Lodge with Dale Cooper. I'm waiting for you." 2) In the shooting script for FWWM, the final Red Room scene is set, according to Lynch, in the "Red Room/Black Lodge". -------------------- Rich rejects that, here is his opinion: The Black and White Lodges are one and the same and it is the person's frame of mind that determines whether he is in one or the other. As Milton wrote in Paradise Lost: "The mind is its own place, and in itself Can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven." According to Hawk (in episode 18): Hawk: Cooper, you may be fearless in this world, but there are other worlds. Cooper: Tell me more. Hawk: My people believe that the White Lodge is a place where the spirits that rule man and nature here reside. Truman: Local legend. Goes way back. Hawk: There is also a legend of a place called the Black Lodge ... the shadow-self of the White Lodge. The legend says that every spirit must pass through there on the way to perfection. There, you will meet your own shadow-self. My people call it "The Dweller on the Threshold." Cooper: "The Dweller on the Threshold..." Hawk: But it is said, if you confront the Black Lodge with imperfect courage, it will utterly annihilate your soul." (see question E43 for more about the "Dweller".) According to Windom Earle (in episode 26): "Once upon a time, there was a place of great goodness, called the White Lodge. Gentle fawns gamboled there amidst happy, laughing spirits. The sounds of innocence and joy filled the air. And when it rained, it rained sweet nectar that infused one's heart with a desire to live life in truth and beauty. "Generally speaking, a ghastly place, reeking of virtue's sour smell. Engorged with the whispered prayers of kneeling mothers, mewling newborns, and fools, young and old, compelled to do good without reason. Heh-heh! "But, I am happy to point out that our story does not end in this wretched place of saccharine excess. For there's another place, its opposite: a place of almost unimaginable power, chock full of dark forces and vicious secrets. No prayers dare enter this frightful maw. Spirits there care not for good deeds or priestly invocations; they are as like to rip the flesh from your bone as greet you with a happy "Good day!" "And if harnessed, these spirits in this hidden land of unmuffled screams and broken hearts would offer up a power so vast that its bearer might reorder the earth itself--to his liking! Now! This place I speak of--is known as the Black Lodge. And I intend to find it." Also, see Major Briggs comments below in question E44. -------------------- Lynch has said HE doesn't know what the Red Room is (from a German movie magazine): Everyone wants to know, what the "red room" in "Twin Peaks" stands for, which also appears in the movie again. I don't know that exactly myself. I can remember well, when I had this idea, but I don't know why. Looking at it from a rational point of view, I know I have used a similar pattern like that on the floor in "Eraserhead" before. Everything else, however, was a pure matter of inspiration: the red curtains, the stylized design, the dancing dwarf. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't describe what they mean, for intuition is irrational. The difference between reality and fantasy has never been clear to me anyway. I'll probably be very surprised, when I find out, what it really is, some day. -------------------- For further ideas and discussions, see the annotated episode 29 timeline, which incorporates comments from alt.tv.twin-peaks posted at the time the series finale was first broadcast. This was compiled by Jim Pellmann. (There will be an analogous annotated timeline for FWWM someday, with further discussion on the Red Room and Lodges, from postings made at the time FWWM was released theatrically. Stay tuned. --Jim) ------------------------------------------------------------ E41. Did Major Briggs go to the White Lodge? Most likely. Evidence includes the dream he recounts to Bobby and the shot of him on a throne in a jungle that we see at the beginning of episode 20, as well as the reluctance of Air Force Colonel Riley to talk about the White Lodge in episode 19. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E42. Who spoke through Sarah Palmer to Major Briggs (episode 29)? According to those with closed caption TV sets, the strangely garbled speech was the "Voice of Windom Earle". TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E43. What is a doppelganger? Literally, a 'double walker' (German). One definition of doppelganger (and the earliest on record) is "one who has seen himself". Such an experience was taken as an ill omen, namely one of impending death. One doppelganger tradition has it that when the doppelganger meets the person, they mutually annihilate each other. In TP, it would appear that the doppelgangers are the embodiment of the 'dark side' of one's personality, the accumulation of all his/her bad karma. Such a thing, called the Dweller on the Threshold, was supposed to confront the initiate on the 'astral plane' as a force to be overcome (c.f., Hawk's speech in episode 18). The expression 'Dweller on the Threshold' first appears in Bulwer-Lytton's novel "Zanoni". For further ideas and discussions, see the annotated episode 29 timeline, which incorporates comments from alt.tv.twin-peaks posted at the time the series finale was first broadcast. This was compiled by Jim Pellmann. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E44. What happened to Cooper in the Black Lodge? There are probably as many interpretations as there are viewers of the finale! We couldn't possibly summarize them all here. For further ideas and discussions, see the annotated episode 29 timeline, which incorporates comments from alt.tv.twin-peaks posted at the time the series finale was first broadcast. This was compiled by Jim Pellmann. Here is Rich's interpretation: ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ He split into a good Cooper and bad Cooper (doppelganger) because he confronted the Black Lodge with "imperfect courage". Good Cooper is trapped in the Lodge while bad Cooper took his place in the outside world. However, this is not all bad since apparently it is the presence of Good Cooper in the Lodge that enables Laura to make the transition from 'purgatory' (the waiting room) to 'heaven' (the White Lodge) at the end of FWWM. Major Briggs (episode 17): "There are powerful forces of evil in the world. It is some men's fate to face great darkness. We each choose how to react. If the choice is fear, then we become vulnerable to darkness. There are ways to resist. You, sir, were blessed with certain gifts. In this respect, you are not alone. Have you ever heard of the White Lodge?" Hawk (episode 18): "But it is said, if you confront the Black Lodge with imperfect courage, it will utterly annihilate your soul." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ While it is a commonly held interpreation that Cooper somehow failed in his Black Lodge encounter, there are those who disagree. Here is another take from Jeffery Stuart (jeffers@sfu.ca): ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The reason why Coop is possessed by BOB is because while in the Black Lodge, he allowed Windom Earle to stab him in the heart (symbolism) and take his soul to allow Annie to live. Coop gave his soul to Earle to save Annie Blackburn. BOB appears, and claims that Earle is wrong--only BOB can take a soul because only BOB has that type of evil power, he is not mortal. BOB then consumes the soul of Windom Earle, and the soul of Cooper. When Cooper offered up his soul, Earle took it, but BOB is Earle's true master--and took both souls from Earle. It is because Cooper gave his soul to Earle, and thus to BOB, that he is possessed. Cooper cannot "face" his doppleganger in the Black Lodge in the same sense as he could in the White Lodge. What about the chase scene? It has been interpreted in many ways, but chief among all is that the Black Lodge, like the White Lodge, are not places that exist in the physical world. Rather, they are places where human souls and consiousnesses meet and resolve their fates. In this sense, the chase does not occupy a physical space or a retreat from his doppleganger. Remember, Cooper has already made his "pact with the devil" to save Annie--his soul is already forfeited. He has sacrificed his soul to save her, which takes a tremendous amount of courage. The chase represents the last vestiges of Cooper's soul and mind trying to resist his doppleganger. This chase occurs within the mental theater of Cooper's mind--the last vestiges of his decency flees from the overpowering truth: that his soul has been forfeited to evil. Where others in the newsgroup like to use this chase and supposed surrender to his evil doppleganger as illustrative of Cooper's inner weakness or imperfection, I discard this theory because it is completely inconsistent with Cooper's character development. There is no reason, logical or irrational, why Lynch and Frost would contradict Cooper's development over 29 episodes. We already know that Cooper is flawed, for his various mistakes and the tragedy of what happened with Caroline. We also know that he, better than anyone else knew what kind of adversities he would face in the Black Lodge. This insight was given to him through visions, otherworldly communication, empirical observation, and intuition. In short, he knew he would face tremendous evil, but he showed his perfect courage by entering the lodge to save Annie. I beleive that if he had imperfect courage, he would not have entered in the first place. Rather, I believe that Cooper showed ULTIMATE and PERFECT courage in facing the enemy--he surrendered his soul for the one he loved. This act of sacrifice is nothing short of heroic. We all also know that any hero character must have flaws, and made mistakes in the past. What makes a character heroic is how they deal with adversity, and the sacifices they are willing to make. Just as Major Garland Briggs is the strong reflective center of reason in TP, Cooper is the strong moral center of action. If we take the flight of Cooper in the last episode as representative of Cooper's lack of moral strength, then we must discard the moral development of every episode--there would be no more good or evil struggles if the hero of the story was weak and unable to face his fears. Besides, Cooper has proven he can well face down his fears throughout almost every episode, why would he suddenly lose his moral strength in the last episode? The answer is, he didn't. I don't want to sound egotistical, but I'm certain that had TP been allowed to continue for another season, Lynch and Frost would have resolved Cooper's dilemma through some involvement with the White Lodge. Because in any dramatic universe (even that of Lynch and Frost), when the hero makes a selfless act of sacrifice in the name of love, a good end always results. Tragedy may occur on the way, but Cooper is no ordinary man. He is in a sense, the best humanity has to offer. While Laura's strength allowed her to escape BOB's possession by allowing herself to be killed (she talks about it in her secret diary), Cooper has even greater strenth. If TP had gone for just one more season, I belive that the last vestiges of Cooper's mind would have been able to tap into the power of the White Lodge, and free himself from BOB--probably resulting in BOB's defeat and possible destruction. Remember, Cooper was given help from the Giant several times, and like BOB, the Giant had a human host who appeared at times in the Roadhouse and the Great Northern. Nor can we discount the One-Armed Man who has sworn to stop BOB. To put it plainly, there is just too much good in the world of TP for Cooper's fate to be sealed. The White Lodge remains untapped, and I beleve it would have appeared in future episodes of TP. So all you optimists out there (there must be some) take heart, because I'm almost sure that things would have turned out right in the end. In a sense it has to, or you might as well scrap the entire moral and dramatic development of the series. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E45. Is <character> dead? Andrew: most likely, though remember, he was "dead" once before :-) Audrey: unlikely unless they needed to write her out. She was one of the most popular characters. In the original cliffhangers, characters escaped much worse predicaments than hers. Pete: Ditto and even less likely. A close friend of David Lynch. Ben: Not likely at all. The bloody forehead is a typical TP 'double' of Coop at the end. More likely he will wake up as his bad old self like Nadine did. Annie: Probably comatose rather than dead. She needs her Prince to wake her up. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E46. Will the story ever be continued? It depends on who you talk to: This is what David Lynch wrote in a guest article in a German film magazine after FWWM was attacked by the critics at Cannes: "But to prevent all errors: There won't be no more [sic] "Twin Peaks" episodes, this is the end" (translated from the German, hence the awkward English). And in February '97, during a television interview with David Lynch on CBC's TV5 L'Eurotele, he was asked whether he would ever return to Twin Peaks, and he replied: "Anything is possible but some very very strange things would have to happen. I don't think so." On the other hand, Bob Engels, writer (TP series and FWWM) and executive story editor (TP series) has been quoted as saying there would be a sequel if FWWM made enough money, but not for a couple of years due to other projects. How much is 'enough'? FWWM was not a box office smash, but it apparently did make money, especially overseas. In a question and answer session, Mark Frost said: Q: Would it be possible to continue the story now? How about a wrap-up movie? A: It's extremely unlikely. The sets have been dismantled and there's just no source of financing for it. "We could have definitely resolved many of the loose ends in a few more hours." It would also be hard to get the actors together again. "Maybe we can do 'Twin Peaks 50 Years Later' and have all these really old high school students." [Laughter] Q: How about continuing the story in a book? A: At one point, I planned to do a "James Michener-style book on the history of Twin Peaks back to the time of the geological forming of the peaks" but it never came about. Best bet? The longer time goes by, the more likely it is that Lynch might change his mind, but the harder it will be to put together the original cast. What we might see is a mini-series version of FWWM restoring the 90 or so minutes of footage that was cut and maybe adding some. Then, if that flies, perhaps some sort of sequel. Cross your fingers and toes and tell all your friends to buy the TP tapes and laserdiscs! TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E47. Who attacked Dr. Jacoby (episode 7)? One of the points not explicitly resolved in the series is who attacked Dr. Jacoby from behind while he was spying on Maddy (dressed as Laura) in the park. In the book "Twin Peaks: Behind the Scenes" by Mark Altman (see question P1), Altman states in a footnote to his episode 7 synopsis: "The assailant who attacks Dr. Jacoby was never revealed on the show, but it was indeed Leland possessed by BOB, according to Mark Frost. He sees Maddy leaving the house and follows her. Fearing that Jacoby is going to attack her, he strikes the doctor and is forced to leave when James and Donna arrive." This is also confirmed in episode 10, when Jacoby is hypnotized by Cooper in order to find out the identity of the killer of Jacques Renault. Cooper mentions the smell or scorched oil, which Jacoby had smelled at the hospital. At the mention of the smell, Jacoby says that he smelled the oil at the gazebo just before he was attacked. Since we later learn that the burning smell is associated with Leland/BOB (see question E34), this is another clue that Leland/BOB attacked Jacoby. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E48. Is it really possible for someone's hair to turn completely white overnight, like Leland's (episode 8)? This has been discussed repeatedly in the alt.tv.twin-peaks newsgroup, and while there are many stories of "friends of friends" and "relatives of mine" to whom this has happened, these are apparently "urban legends". There is no medical or scientific proof of this being possible: while it is possible for all of one's hair to rapidly fall out (due to various factors) or for all of one's hair to rapidly change color, it would take a normal hair growth cycle, i.e., several weeks, for new hair, whether the same or a different color, to grow back and/or grow out. So this would appear to be another case of Twin Peaks writers' appropriating legends from other sources (see question E16). There may have been, however, a cinematographic reason behind this: From: David.Vinson@launchpad.unc.edu (david eugene vinson) Newsgroups: alt.tv.twin-peaks Subject: UNCONNECTED THOUGHTS Date: 17 Feb 1994 22:29:45 GMT ... 2) I have a cousin in Tacoma who says that Ray Wise did an interview with some area newspaper in which he claimed that Leland's hair was turned white specifically for the contrast that would be created by all of the blood letting during both Maddy's and his own murder scene. Anybody else heard this? Red on white IS striking. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E49. What is the significance of the traffic lights? A recurring image shown between scenes (like the shot of the wind blowing through the trees) is of a stoplight cycling through its colors. When the series was first broadcast, many speculated that the placement of these scenes was somehow related to the story and foreshadowed or replicated the plot of the preceding or following scenes. No one has yet come up with a scheme which fits all the occurrences, so we can only assume they were added for atmosphere: From: jxs@dcs.ed.ac.uk (Joseph Saponaro) Subject: Re: Comments on the series. Organization: Department of Computer Science, University of Edinburgh Date: Thu, 20 Oct 1994 16:26:29 GMT The stop lights... hmm.. That seemed to be a very profound (and much misunderstood/commercialized) recurring image. I seem to see it as, besides a very nice, powerful, clear reference point/visual image, a symbol of lonliness.... A lot of the series is about very cosmic-style conflict and here is this image which generates this idea of an individual out there, where a street light changes all by itself in the middle of the night. I noticed that at least a few of the times that this image appeared is immediately after some scene in which a character is perceived as lonely, lost, helpless, struggling.... Also, I believe that the light itself is located on Sparkwood and 21, where a critical event of the story takes place (Laura runs from James into the woods on the night of her death). It truly is a marvellous image. One fan called the stoplights and wind in the trees "visual haiku" - a neat image that for some reason sticks in your head but doesn't really further the plot, story, etc. just a cool/spooky/fascinating image. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E50. What is the significance of the various townspeople's shaking hands (episode 27)? There are three theories, possibly related: 1) The hand shakes are a precursor to the appearance of BOB at the end of the episode (spotlight in Glastonberry Grove, appearance of a hand, followed by BOB himself, saying "I'm out!"). BOB's hand also shakes when the one-armed man and the LMFAP demand their garmonbozia from him near the end of FWWM. 2) Some relation to Teresa Banks' and Laura's left arms going numb in FWWM, although the episode 27 hand shakes are *right* hands. It would also appear that FWWM arm numbness is related to the "owl" ring, which is not shown in the series. 3) Cafeine withdrawal: From: Atreyu <atreyu@gladstone.uoregon.edu> Newsgroups: alt.tv.twin-peaks Subject: Re: Hand Seizures Date: Sun, 21 May 1995 21:50:03 -0700 Were any of you paying attention? I'll set it to you direct from the show. 1. The show equates engine oil with coffee. 2. There was something odd about the river - don't recall who says it. 3. All people who get the hand shakes were drinking coffee during or prior to the experience. In other words - coffee is our own personal engine oil. We need it to keep from rattling. And when we get "low quality coffee" we get the jitters, shakes and rattles. No idea what it means, but ... TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E51. What awards did the show win? From the Oct. 13, 1990 TV Guide "Cheers 'n' Jeers" section: Jeers to the Twin Peaks Emmy shutout. After receiving 14 nominations--the most for any series--ABC's quirky Gothic soap opera won only two non-televised awards, for editing and costume design. Okay, maybe the Peaks hype was getting a little out of hand: the media have dutifully transcribed every utterance of co-creator David Lynch (pictured) as if he were some modern-day oracle, and the recent wave of merchandising tie-ins smacks of a sellout. But the show itself has set new standards of writing and directing and those are certainly deserving of Emmy recognition. And the show won three Golden Globe Awards in January '91: - best dramatic series - best dramatic actor (Kyle MacLachlan) - best supporting actress (Piper Laurie) TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E52. Who is the author of/what at the words to Windom Earle's poem? Date: Wed, 17 May 1995 10:36:54 +0800 (WST) From: Sandra Bowdler <sbowdler@uniwa.uwa.edu.au> Subject: Windom Earle's poem Windom Earle's poem to the three queens is by Percy Bysshe Shelley, written in 1820. He does not quote it quite accurately. Here is the full version: "Love's Philosophy" The fountains mingle with the river, And the rivers with the ocean, The winds of heaven mix for ever With a sweet emotion; Nothing in the world is single; All things by a law divine In one another's being mingle - Why not I with thine? See the mountains kiss high heaven, And the waves kiss one another; No sister flower would be forgiven If it disdained its brother: And the sunlight clasps the earth, And the moonbeams kiss the sea;- What are all the kissings worth, If thou kiss not me? TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E53. Which TP actors have appeared on "X-Files"? This info courtesy of Annisa (annisa@aol.com): The major reasons why TP actors keep showing up on X-Files are proximity and geography. X-Files shoots in Vancouver; TP was shot in Washington state, a mere stone's throw away from Vancouver. They used the same pool of actors who live in that part of the world. Here's the list of TP actors who have appeared on X-Files: Actor/X-F Character (Ep)/TP Character 1. David Duchovny/Fox Mulder/Denise and Dennis Bryson 2. Claire Stansfield/Beastwoman (Jersey Devil)/Sid, the law clerk 3. Jan D’arcy/Judge (Squeeze)/Sylvia Horne 4. Michael Horse/Officer Tskany (Shapes)/Deputy Hawk 5. Michael Anderson/Mr. Nutt (Humbug)/LMFAP 6. Don Davis/Capt. William Scully (One Breath, Beyond The Sea)/Major Garland Briggs 7. Frances Bay/Dorothy (Excelsius Dei)/Mrs. Tremond 8. Kenneth Welsh/Millenium Man AKA Simon Gates(Revelations)/ Windom Earle 9. Richard Beymer/<character TBS>(Sanguinarium)/Ben Horne TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E54. In which TP episodes did David Duchovny appear? Transvestite DEA Agent Dennis/Denise Bryson appears in episodes 18-20. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E55. Will there ever be an "X-Files" "crossover" episode about TP? There have been rumors floating about this for years, but Chris Carter (creator of X-Files) confirmed that there is no truth to the rumors (although he is a fan of TP). There is some X-Files/TP "crossover" fan fiction available in the archives. ------------------------------------------------------------ E56. What is the significance of the numbers on Hank's dominos? For most of the episodes, Hank's symbol is a double three domino. However, in episode 15, when Hank is at a restaurant with Norma, Norma's mother and Ernie, Hank's bolo tie has a double four domino. Some people speculated that this change had something to do with the number of people he has killed. But the explanation is simply that the double three domino prop was lost, and another was used. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E57. What is the shadow floating on the curtains in the Red Room during Cooper's dream (episode 2)? According to the shooting script for episode 2, it is the shadow of a bird. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E58. What does Ben see behind him that startles him (episode 27)? During episode 27, Ben is talking to Audrey in his office, asking her to enter the Miss Twin Peaks contest so she can speak about his cause. He mentions that Jack had to leave suddenly to fly to South America, so she takes off, getting Pete, who is babbling about seeing Josie's face, to drive her to the airport. Back in Ben's office, he hears something behind him and looks backwark, but we do not get to see what he has seen. Some have speculated that he has seen or felt the presence of Josie, based on Pete's comment, made just prior to the scene (see question E37). However, this is another of the questions that will never be answered. And so far, a shooting script of this episode has not been checked for possible answers. ------------------------------------------------------------ E59. Did the idea for TP come from the "Dallas" nighttime soap opera? On an episode of the nighttime soap opera "Dallas", Bobby meets a man who starts taking about an idea he's had for a TV show. He mentions a lady with a log and an one-armed dwarf. After this the man disappears never to be seen again. Some people have wondered if this was the real inspiration for "Twin Peaks", since "Dallas" was on the air long before "Twin Peaks" was. While it's true "Dallas" started before "Twin Peaks" did, its initial run lasted well into the time when "Twin Peaks" started airing. This reference was just a sly homage to the "other" nighttime soap opera on the air. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E60. What are the "stitches with the red thread"? In the "European" version of the pilot episode (see question E10), during Cooper's call from the One-Armed Man, he mentions that he knows about Teresa Banks, knows the man who did her, and knows about "the stitches with the red thread." This is never mentioned again in the series or in "Fire Walk With Me". Some have suggested a connection to the threads of Lil's dress in the airport "coded message" scene of "Fire Walk With Me" (see question F12), but this seems unlikely since the treads in the dress are not red. Since this scene was written way before "Fire Walk With Me", it is likely that it was only meant to be some detail of the Teresa Banks murder that would "prove" to Cooper that the caller was familiar with it, and thus his "tip" was credible. When the sequence of scenes in the "European" pilot were incorporated into Cooper's dream sequence in episode 2, the call with the One-Armed Man was left out, so it was probably deemed unnecessary to include anything about stitches into "Fire Walk With Me". TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E61. What happened to Cooper in Pittsburgh? During the scene where BOB "confesses" to Cooper through Leland, BOB taunts Cooper: "I have this thing for knives ... just like what happened to you in Pittsburgh that time, huh, Cooper?" This takes Cooper back, since no one in Twin Peaks should have had knowledge of Cooper's traumatic incident in Pittsburgh. BOB is referring to Cooper's prior experiences with Windom Earle and his wife, Caroline. Both Cooper and Caroline were stabbed by Earle (a scene which Cooper encounters in the red room in the series' final episode). Cooper tells part of the story to Sheriff Truman in later episodes, but for the complete story, see Cooper's "My Life, My Tapes" autobiography (see question P1 for details on the book). TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E62. What does the Giant mean by "one and the same"? In the final episode (#29), Cooper encounters the Little Man From Another Place, the old waiter ("Sen~or Droolcup"), and the Giant, all in the red room. At one point, after the old waiter has given him his cup of coffe, he is suddenly replaced by the Giant, who says "one and the same" as he returns to his seat next to the LMFAP. Not surprisingly, fans disagree on what this means: - the Giant and the old waiter are "one and the same"? - the LMFAP and the old waiter are "one and the same"? - the LMFAP and the Giant are "one and the same"? Theories to support all 3 theories have been argued passionately in the alt.tv.twin-peaks newsgroup, and this is yet another subject that will probably never be resolved to everyone's satisfaction. As Alan Walworth (awalwort@ux7.cso.uiuc.edu) posted: "It continues to surprise me that people would want to insist on a single, *right* interpretation--especially in the case of Twin Peaks, of all shows. The 'one and the same' moment is fraught with tantalizing (and, yes, for those who think it important, I would also maintain *intentional*) ambiguity. The very amount of time and energy which has been devoted to debate about this line attests to its open-endedness. On this point, as on so many others regarding this show, our views will not and need not ever be "one and the same." TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ E63. Did the Black Lodge lure Cooper to Twin Peaks? A long-running discussion on the alt.tv.twin-peaks newsgroup centers around the idea that the Black Lodge inhabitants used the murder of Laura Palmer to lure Agent Cooper to Twin Peaks so they could capture and use him, and whether in the third season, BOB-inhabited Cooper would become the "true villain" of the show. Some have even speculated that Annie was sent as an agent of either the Black Lodge or White Lodge to make Cooper more vulnerable, supported by the fact that Annie seems to have escaped from the Red Room unscathed. Did the show's writers have this mind? From some e-mail correspondence between a newsgroup reader and Harley Peyton, one of the show's writers, here are Peyton's replies to this theory, and some comments on how far in advance the show's plots were planned: Annie's disposition was an issue that we would have addressed in the eventuality of a third season. This is how we tended to handle a lot of plot cliffhangers -- set them up, figure them out later. It's not necessarily the best way to shape a narrative, but given the chaotic state of the creative process -- David's sudden entrances and exits, Mark Frost's desire to direct a movie at that point in time -- it was the best we could do. As for [Bob being after Cooper from the start of the show] ... First, Cooper was never to be the 'true villain' of the show. Nor was Bob trying to get to him from the very start. And at any rate, the way we wrote -- we made it up as we went along -- made it impossible to ever project that far into the narrative future. Cooper looks in the mirror and sees Bob -- it's a dramatic moment, and one that was decided on in the last weeks of production. [This] theory is therefore hindsight, and as I said before, incorrect. The notion that evil follows Cooper is not completely erroneous. And by falling for Annie he did in fact place her in jeopardy. However, Cooper's love for Annie did not give him purity he did not already have. It did, however, give him a second chance. The speculation about Annie is interesting, but again, incorrect. Sad to say, Annie was -- at least when the character was initially conceived -- a damsel in distress. And not a great deal more than that. However, had the show continued, we might have deepened her connections/past/significance, etc. And she might well have become an Agent from the White Lodge -- it's a very good idea. But as it stood, and given that we never had that third season to continue, she was out of neither the Black nor the White Lodge. The [notion that fans' speculations on the characters' history and motives are equally as interesting as the writers' intent] is absolutely spot on. Once we made or wrote something, it was out of our hands. And the incredible amount of speculation that followed was -- and is -- in my opinion, every bit as valid as what appeared on the screen. And let me reiterate one point, the writers were often speculating right along with the audience, and in this way, many of the characters evolved into more complex creations. And sometimes, it just seemed to blossom out of nothing. We would take character names from movies we liked, join them together, and others would take those names as some kind of sign. And would then speculate and ruminate on the various implied meanings. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. But most of the time... TOP of section ============================================================