How Twin Peaks Changed My Life Forever

“My dream is to go to that place. You know the one. Where it all began, on a starry night, on a starry night, when it all began…”

Disclaimer: Contains spoilers for everything Twin Peaks, including the novellas The Secret History of Twin Peaks and The Final Dossier.

In a way, I grew up with Twin Peaks, even though I didn’t see a single episode until I was 17. It was mentioned in apprehensive tones between my family, as if it was almost too frightening to speak of. The terrifying visage of the Killer BOB’s smile, Agent Cooper’s demise (yes, they told me the ending), the grand tragedy of Laura Palmer, and the search to bring her murderer to justice.

Twin Peaks is eminent. Twin Peaks is a part of our culture. Twin Peaks has affected everything that has come after. Twin Peaks is everywhere.

This is a very emotional post for me. As I write this, so long after my last real article posted on this blog, I am straining to hold back tears. Since I first started doing this blog for the Twin Peaks Freaks community, I have seen unexpected growth in readership, and I thank you all for that. Twin Peaks has been a part of my life, in ways both small and life-changing, since I can remember. It has spawned an amazing community that fought for years to get it returned to television. At last, all our efforts paid off.

The new Twin Peaks, and what may very well be the end of Twin Peaks, might not have been what was expected. It might not have been what you wanted. It was convoluted, it was horrifying, it was beautiful, it was brutal, it was awe-inspiring. It truly took us somewhere both wonderful and strange. Though we were granted some answers, more than anything, we were granted mysteries. Secrets. Clues. We were locked into a never-ending search for a truth that might not exist. So what did it all mean?

It showed us how nothing can ever be the same. Life does change, especially in 25 years. Cooper, Audrey, Bobby. They couldn’t be the same. That’s not how life works. While there are some constants, as we can very much be creatures of habit, the past inevitably gives way to the future, and we might not like where it goes. We may fear change. We may fear its uncertainty. But the journey that we took with our beloved characters marked us. Taught us something. We grew with them.

Nadine showed us how to embrace the future. How to know that change needs to come, and for the better. How to affect that change with enthusiasm and joy for the possibilities.

Ed showed us how stagnation can wither our souls. It prevents growth, keeps is afraid, keeps us holding on to harmful things.

One of my favorite elements of the new Twin Peaks was the story of Nadine, Ed, and Norma. While some might see this part as fan service, I think it was important to balance out the wild surrealism and absurdism of the new series with actual resolutions of old story arcs. It also gave us something warm to hold onto in a cold, indifferent universe, and this is one of the main messages behind Twin Peaks. As vast as the cosmos is, as small as we are in the scheme of things, every individual life does matter. That is why Laura Palmer’s death was so tragic. It wasn’t just the implications of BOB’s existence and the interference of the Lodges with our own worlds: It was the fact that something horrible had happened to a living being.

I took particular interest in this particular scene in Part 13. Big Ed, after witnessing Norma moving on with another man, while he stagnates, holding onto his long-dead relationship with Nadine, sits alone in the gas station. He burns a book of matches, a symbol of destruction, then he sits in silence, for a long while, and watches all the cars passing in the night, not one stopping.

With a previous episode making recent mention of gun shots being heard at Big Ed’s Gas Farm, I felt a dread surge within me, watching this scene. In my head, after the fade to black, the scene that played out was a tragic one. Could Big Ed, in his despair, have taken his own life with a hand gun? Luckily, it was soon revealed that this must not have been the case, because, lo and behold, he and Nadine are free to be together at last! But, what if this happy ending was only afforded to them by the changing of past events by Cooper? What if, when Cooper intercepted Laura in 1989, it caused Big Ed to choose not to kill himself, and, instead, hang on long enough to be united with Norma at long last? In The Final Dossier, we explore how Cooper’s time travel has affected the town of Twin Peaks. To give a major example, Laura is no longer dead, but missing. She disappeared that night, instead of being murdered in the train car. However, where she went, not even would-be savior Cooper knew.

We once asked “Who killed Laura Palmer?” Now we ask, “Who is Laura Palmer?”

Probably the most enigmatic element of the new series is Carrie Page. Is she Laura? Is she Laura from another dimension? Is she another identical cousin of Laura’s? Is she a tulpa of Laura? Is she Jowday’s ultimate nemesis? None of the above?

While just about any theory you could think of is as valid as any other, I can speculate one scenario for you. Consider this: When Cooper intercepts Laura in 1989, this allows the Fireman to whisk her away from Jowday, to hide her, give her a false identity to protect her, until the time was right. When the time comes, Cooper is sent to retrieve her, and take her to the Palmer house, which will jog the memories of her other life. Once she remembers, Carrie and Laura will be one, and she will be able to fulfill her purpose.

Of course, this still leaves plenty of questions. One of the most pressing of these questions is, what is Laura’s purpose? Why is it said that Laura is “the one”? There is much said in the fan community about Laura being the one who will stop Jowday, but there’s not really any evidence to support this in the series. It’s never said in the show that Laura will stop Jowday. It’s never explained what the relationship between Laura and Jowday is. We only know that, after seeing BOB being spat out of Jowday’s mouth, signifying the evil being’s imminent arrival in our dimension, the Fireman levitates and spits out an orb of his own, one which bears Laura’s face.

It seems like even the haunting song “No Stars,” sung by Rebekah Del Rio, warns us against wanting to return to the world of the original Twin Peaks, against looking at the past with rose-colored glasses. Cooper travels back in time to save Laura, and it’s almost a commentary on our wistful nostalgia. If only we could go back to Twin Peaks, bring the show back, we could resolve everything. We wish we could undo the things that went wrong back when the show first aired. Wish it hadn’t been cancelled, wish that Lynch and Frost had been able to use all their ideas, wish Lynch hadn’t departed during the second season, wish a million things about how it all could have been. We wish we could save Laura Palmer, somehow. But nothing stays exactly the way we remember.

When I started writing this blog, the Twin Peaks blogging community wasn’t what it is now. You couldn’t go on YouTube, search “Twin Peaks Who Is Judy?” and get a fan made theory video. I’m not saying the material wasn’t out there at the time. I’m saying it wasn’t as prevalent and accessible as it is today. When I started this blog, it had weight to it. I had the platform to address things I thought deserved attention in the Twin Peaks universe, and to present other with my educated opinion on what it all meant. From the get-go, I had people try to steal my work, to take credit for it, and otherwise downplay my efforts. I asserted myself. I kept doing what I was doing. I kept doing what I loved.

With the return of Twin Peaks, so came a resurgence in its fan base, and a demographic that pop culture sites now needed to accommodate. Mainstream sites like IGN, GameSpot, and WhatCulture all had segments on Twin Peaks. More and more fans found a calling to voice their theories and opinions through articles and videos.

But with the new Twin Peaks answering many of its old and highly-speculated upon questions, while simultaneously forging even more inscrutable mysteries, and enough clever and dedicated bloggers out there to produce endless theories and perhaps get  as near to the abstract truth of things as one can get without being Lynch or Frost, I feel my time has passed. Not just for personal reasons, but because I feel I had a great run and nothing lasts forever, even things as wonderful as Twin Peaks. I’ve said about all I have to say, and there’s enough people out there, working on decoding the infinite mysteries of Twin Peaks, that I don’t feel my silence is anyone’s loss. So, it seems reasonable to say that, with the ostensible conclusion of Twin Peaks comes the conclusion of this blog. The announcement has been a long time coming, and I wasn’t even sure if I should bother making it at this point. But, ultimately, I figure there’s no harm in saying goodbye.

There are pros and cons to division. You can still find my work over at my resurrected blog, The Unfamous Eden H, which I’m just now working on rebuilding. So far the main focus is reviews, but there are a couple of theory articles up now, and I plan to move more into that territory as I add to the page. I do not know yet whether my unfinished Lynch-related work will eventually pop up there, it really depends on chance. But the site will be regularly updated with articles on all manner of pop culture related subjects, so please do give it a look, if that intrigues you.

See you in the trees.

“But there are no, there are no stars. No stars.”

Two Birds With One Stone: What is the Importance of Richard and Linda? (UPDATED)

Written by Eden H. Roquelaire for Twin Peaks Freaks.

Disclaimer: Contains spoilers for Twin Peaks: The Return episodes 1 – 7.

In Twin Peaks: The Return – Part 5, we were introduced to a particularly despicable new character, who assaults and threatens a woman, is involved in shady dealings with a corrupt police officer, and, perhaps most devious of all, smokes in a non-smoking area. Many fans were shocked and dismayed to see this character credited as Richard Horne, the potential offspring of fan favorite Audrey. But is he really? What is the importance of Richard in the new series? Why does the Giant mention his name to Cooper?

The first question we have, of course, is, just how is Richard Horne related to the Hornes that we know? Let’s examine all the possibilities.

If he’s not a cousin, related to some branch of the Horne family we’ve never seen before, then he must be the son of either Ben, Jerry, Johnny, or Audrey. Johnny is perhaps the least likely candidate, though not out of the question, as his mental condition complicates social interactions. Richard could always be a bastard son of either Ben or Jerry, as both are well-known philanderers, or Jerry could have had a child with a wife or girlfriend (Maybe Heba?) Of course, Ben and Sylvia could have had another child, but considering the state of their marriage, especially after the debacle at the Haywards’, I’d say this is even less likely than Johnny being the father.

The most probable situation is that Audrey is Richard’s mother, which leaves the question of paternity. The fact that Richard has his mother’s name implies an absent father. Audrey did have sex with Jack Wheeler before he departed for South America, but I find it hard to believe that she wouldn’t tell Jack he was a father, or that he wouldn’t come back for him. Jack seemed like an honorable enough guy, I doubt he’d abandon his child. Something could, of course, have happened to Jack, preventing him from ever returning. But there’s no way Jack was Audrey’s only suitor. Could Bobby be the father? He and Audrey did have some flirtatious moments in season 2. But, as bad as Bobby has been in the past, he seems to have turned over a new leaf, and I don’t think Bobby would be absent from his son’s life. It could also be someone we’ve never heard of, who Audrey met in the aftermath of season 2. But there’s one final, disturbing possibility.

Sherilyn Fenn in a Twin Peaks photo shoot for Entertainment Weekly.

In Part 7 of The Return, Doc Hayward mentions that, after the events of the season 2 finale, he saw Cooper’s Doppelganger leaving the ICU. When questioned about why Cooper would be in the ICU, Doc says that he thought Cooper was visiting Audrey, who was in a coma after the bank explosion. Could it be that Cooper’s Doppelganger impregnated Audrey while she was comatose? The possibility is horrifying, but makes a lot of sense.

Before I continue, I want to address the idea that Cooper was actually visiting Annie, to steal back the Owl Ring, or try to kill her, and the mention of Audrey is just to throw us off. To me, this just doesn’t stand up to closer examination. Why mention Audrey, and not Annie? They had already talked about how Annie was with Cooper the night they both entered the Black Lodge, so why wouldn’t Doc think Cooper might be visiting Annie? I’m not saying that Doppelcoop didn’t want to get the ring back ( he obviously does get it, since Dougie has it later,) but, firstly, it’s no longer with Annie, it’s with one of the nurses, and secondly, mentioning Audrey then makes no sense. Why would Lynch and Frost bring her up for the first time in the new series if she was just a red herring? I don’t think that’s a good enough reason to mention her here and now. I think if he had been visiting Annie, it would have been a time to be direct. And if he had been trying to kill Annie, I think Doc also would have mentioned something about it, either that Annie was dead, or that there was trouble in the ICU immediately after, or something else. SOMETHING. No. I think Lynch and Frost mentioned Audrey because she is important here, and they want us to think about her.

I think, especially in the scheme of the narrative, it makes the most sense for Richard to be the spawn of Cooper’s Doppelganger. It fits. It would explain Richard’s tendency for evil actions (although many characters are evil, without such an excuse), the fact that he has his mother’s surname, and why the Giant mentions him to Cooper in the first scene of the first episode. He is clearly important. All this would make sense if he was Cooper’s son. But, the Giant also says it is important to remember someone named Linda, who is mentioned in Part 6 of The Return. What does she have to do with Cooper and Richard?

For the sake of thoroughness, I want to throw out the idea that Richard is from a previously unseen branch of the Horne family, and Linda could be his mother. Someone has also suggested that Linda is actually Audrey in hiding, and that she was crippled after the bank explosion, hence why she needs a wheel chair. As of now, I don’t have a lot of evidence to support that theory, so let’s move on.

My theory is that Richard and Linda are both the children of Cooper. They are the “two birds,” and Cooper is the “one stone.” Richard is the son of Audrey and Cooper’s Doppelganger, conceived when Audrey was in a coma after the bank explosion. Linda is the daughter of the Good Dale and Annie, conceived before they entered the Lodge at the end of season 2. I think Linda is also a soldier who was crippled in combat, explaining how she could be so young and need a wheel chair, and government assistance. That is also why Carl Rod says “F***ing war” while he and Mickey are talking about Linda, which otherwise is a non sequitor. It also falls in line with the later revelation that Frank Truman’s son was a soldier who committed suicide. He and Linda may have even known each other, both being soldiers from the Twin Peaks area.

Some have suggested that Linda is the result of Doppelcooper’s sexual assault on Diane, but it doesn’t make sense that she would end up in Deer Meadow when Diane lives in Philadelphia. It would be an odd coincidence, even if the child was given up for adoption. I think it’s far more likely that Annie is the mother, and this could possibly be a situation reminiscent of Clive Barker’s novel The Great and Secret Show, in which two opposing entities, one “good,” the other “evil,” sire offspring to battle each other. Incidentally, this novel has a lot of common themes with Twin Peaks: Small towns with many secrets, and lots of supernatural occurrences happening beneath it all. The sequel, Everville, even takes place in the Pacific Northwest.

If all this is true, I think that Richard and Linda will be instrumental to the conclusion of the show. This would nicely bring things full circle, taking us back to that first scene between Cooper and the Giant. I cannot predict what will happen, but I think it will call for an emotional and profound conclusion, with Cooper facing the dark half of himself and having to reconcile with it.

UPDATE (08/04/2017)

It seems undeniable at this point that Audrey is Richard’s mother, and it’s probably only a matter of time before we get in-show confirmation. The only thing left to really prove is that DoppelCoop could be Richard’s father. Some fans have resisted the idea, finding it harder to believe that Richard is the spawn of DoppelCoop raping a comatose Audrey, rather than him just being the result of her fling with Jack Wheeler, or another man she might have met in the interim, which is, of course, still plausible. These fans ask the question, “Isn’t it much more likely that DoppelCoop went to reclaim the Owl Ring, rather than to sexually assault Audrey for some reason?”

Let me start by saying: I think he did both. It’s obvious he reclaimed the Owl Ring, but that doesn’t negate him visiting Audrey. Especially since many of us seem to be forgetting the most crucial element to DoppelCoop’s character: He is the Shadow Self of Dale Cooper, containing all his darkest, innermost thoughts and desires. It brings to mind the tagline, “In a town like Twin Peaks, no one is innocent.” Not even Dale Cooper. He probably had libidinous thoughts about Miss Horne, which is probably why DoppelCoop targeted her. Perhaps it was even part of DoppelCoop’s endgame to procreate, and Richard Horne may prove to be a bigger player than we might think.

What are your thoughts on this theory? Where do you think Richard Horne’s character will go from here? What do you think this means for Audrey’s role in The Return? Comment below!

Announcement: Quality Control

Hello to my much-appreciated readers. I have an issue I feel I must address.

You may have noticed I am embarrassingly behind on my reviews. There’s a simple, perhaps unprofessional reason for that.

I simply don’t want to do them.

Twin Peaks: The Return has been groundbreaking television. It isn’t like Lost or True Detective or anything else that has emulated the original iteration of the series. It defies the isolation of a single episode, and therefore, in its incomplete state, is pointless (in my mind) to review traditionally. Analysis, even, is difficult, as it has become clear at this point in the series, that all the disparate threads are coming together slowly but surely, and the series has been so unpredictable that I think many theories are going to fall flat on their faces.

I have seen many theories popping up, from many sources. It’s great that Twin Peaks is around once more to make people think like they never have before. It’s difficult to wait each week for the new episode, and so speculation, I feel, has run rampant before all the information can be gathered. I, for sure, would have looked like an idiot had I put some of my theories out there before seeing the next episode. And that’s my biggest issue right now.

Quality control.

Since its inception in 2014, I have held this blog to a very high standard. I attempt not to post information that has been covered ad nauseum before, at least not without having my own spin on it. I try to have original ideas that will help you see your favorite series in a new light, and hopefully get you thinking, too, about what all these mysteries and symbols could be. I don’t want to throw out half-baked theories that are disproved by the next episode. I don’t want to do a recap and tell you what you just watched an hour earlier. In sum, I don’t want to publish something that will insult your intelligence. I know that you can think for yourself, and I know that these posts will still be up years later, after the new series has aired and all these half-baked ideas look silly.

So, what? Do I wait until after the series airs to publish another theory? It may be worth waiting. I do have theories. I do have things I’ve noticed that seem important. Running themes, certain episodes that seem to focus on one recurring motif. I probably will not be able to wait the entire series to publish something, but if I publish something, I want it to be quality. I want it to be something that adds to your experience and makes you think. I don’t want to jump on the bandwagon and throw out what I think based on a single freeze-frame of a document that was shown for 1.32 seconds. (Although I’m also not putting anyone down who does so; I have jumped further lengths for theories.) So, what to do?

I may not focus on Twin Peaks for a while. I do have my Inland Empire analysis, which is proving as tortuous a journey as the film itself. Or, I may publish a brief list article doing a quick summary of things I find to be significant in the news series and what it might mean. But I don’t want to repeat things you already know.

Twin Peaks is more popular now than ever. And that means we have many people covering it, from independent bloggers like myself, to bigger names like Slate and TV Guide. I, personally, have found discussion forums to be a goldmine of Twin Peaks theories, from Facebook to Reddit. If you’re looking to share ideas, or get your own brain working, I recommend checking them out.

I look forward to sharing my ideas with you soon.

5 Final Predictions for Twin Peaks: The Return

 

Written by Eden H. Roquelaire for Twin Peaks Freaks.

Disclaimer: Contains spoilers for The Secret History of Twin Peaks.

As we prepare to delve back into the strange and wonderful world of Twin Peaks, we all have our anticipations, our hopes, and our assumptions. If you are looking for some last-minute theories to get you revved up for the premiere this Sunday, look no further. Here are my final predictions for Twin Peaks: The Return.

5. Big Ed stayed with Nadine

In the recent trailer released from Showtime, Big Ed is seen, presumably at the desk of his Gas Farm, looking pretty sullen. Many fans hoped that 2017 would see Big Ed Hurley finally united with his long-time sweetheart, Norma Jennings. But from the looks of this clip, either things have gone wrong with Norma, or he has stayed in his unhappy marriage to Nadine. Alternately, he may have lost both women. When Nadine comes out of her teenage fantasy, she finally realizes that she has truly lost Ed to Norma. She may have been too heartbroken to go back to Ed, and Norma may have been too tired of Ed’s inability to leave Nadine to stay with him.

4. There are two Dale Coopers

“My name is Annie, and I’ve been with Laura and Dale. The good Dale is in the Lodge, and he can’t leave. Write it in your diary.”

-Annie Blackburn, Fire Walk With Me

At the end of Twin Peaks Season 2, viewers discovered the worst had happened when Agent Cooper, acting a little oddly after escaping from the Black Lodge, looked into the mirror and saw BOB in the reflection. This left us with an agonizing and iconic cliffhanger, and it would be a shame to not deliver on the 26-year-old promise of seeing an “Evil Dale Cooper.” This cliffhanger was referenced again in Fire Walk With Me when Annie Blackburn, who had also been in the Black Lodge with Cooper, appears to Laura Palmer and tells her that “The good Dale is in the Lodge and he can’t leave.” While it is a confusing situation at best, it would seem to imply that Cooper has become spiritually bisected, leaving his “good” self in the Black Lodge, while his body, possessed by killer BOB, returned to Twin Peaks.

There are many possible approaches that could be taken to this situation, as some fans theorize that the body we see possessed by BOB is actually that of Cooper’s Doppelganger, and not the original Cooper we know and love. Perhaps the Good Dale has finally escaped the Black Lodge, 25 years later, and is hunting down his Doppelganger, or perhaps he still needs to be rescued. If the body is his, and not the Doppelganger’s, then it is possible he will not be able to leave the Black Lodge until his body is returned to him. Perhaps, until that time comes, he will be exploring the various dimensions of the Lodges…

3. Return to the Roadhouse

When the official cast list for Twin Peaks: The Return was released last year, it was obvious that the new series had enough musicians to fill their 18 episodes, and then some. These musicians include previous Lynch collaborators Julee Cruise, Chrysta Bell, and Trent Reznor, as well as some surprising newcomers like Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder. While it’s not clear if these musicians are simply listed as collaborators on the soundtrack, or will be making an appearance in the show, it would be a lovely treat and in keeping with the original series to include some haunting musical performances on the stage of the Roadhouse.

2. I’m not saying it’s aliens…

I don’t think we will ever see a spaceship in Twin Peaks. I do think further discussion of Project Blue Book, and blatant addressing of the subject of aliens, is unavoidable in order to progress certain plot elements. But Twin Peaks will never be a sci-fi story. I don’t think Mark Frost or David Lynch want to do that by any means. I don’t think we will ever hear it definitively said that the owls are alien spies, or that the Dugpas are from another planet, as some have speculated. In true enigmatic form, I think it will be left up for interpretation, and implied that the Dugpas are not spirits, or Native American gods, or extraterrestrials, but something beyond our comprehension, and far more terrifying.

1. The Blue Rose is code for Listening Post Alpha

More than anything else, when the photos for the Entertainment Weekly photo shoot came out earlier this year, I think I was most stunned by the appearance of a blue rose, right there on the table between Audrey and Shelly. One of the enduring mysteries of Twin Peaks is that of the Blue Rose. It only appeared in FWWM, but it made a huge impression on fans. Agent Cooper refers to Teresa Banks’ murder as “one of Gordon Cole’s Blue Rose cases,” and Agent Desmond says that he can’t talk about the Blue Rose with Agent Stanley. With no further information, fans analyzed the symbol as best they could, and came up with some interesting theories. The most popular and most believable of these theories is that the Blue Rose is code for Project Blue Book, due to 1) color association, 2) apparent ties to the government, and 3) the fact that blue roses do not exist in nature, suggesting an “otherworldly” element to them. After reading The Secret History of Twin Peaks, I am convinced more than ever that this theory is very near the mark.

While the Blue Rose itself is never mentioned in The Secret History, we are given more background on Project Blue Book’s connection with the rest of the Twin Peaks mythology. It turns out that newspaper mogul Douglas Milford was, in his younger days, an agent working on Project Blue Book under then-President Richard Nixon. He was, in a manner of speaking, one of the “men in black,” appearing to investigate UFO cases, and other bizarre phenomena for the government. After Nixon’s death, Milford was spurred to create his own successor to Project Blue Book in Twin Peaks itself, known as Listening Post Alpha (LPA). He also recruited Major Garland Briggs to help him, and this is most likely the job that prompted him to so commonly quip, “That’s classified.” Milford then dies, suspected to have been murdered by his wife, possible assassin Lana Budding. He leaves Briggs a letter, philosophizing about the nature of the strange phenomena surrounding Twin Peaks, and concluding by telling Briggs to wait until his “next control arrives.”

Briggs, now in charge of LPA, believes that Agent Cooper has been sent by Gordon Cole to be his aid in these endeavors. This raises an eyebrow. Also contained in the dossier that comprises The Secret History is a list containing the names of FBI agents Cooper, Cole, Desmond, Stanley, Rosenfield, and Jeffries. The nature of this list is never revealed, but it is clearly important. Briggs and Milford must have been working with Cole on some level, otherwise there’s no reason for him to believe that Cole would “send” anyone to Briggs.

Remember how Cooper referred to the Blue Rose cases as being Cole’s? And which agents has Cole assigned to his Blue Rose cases? Agents Cooper, Desmond, Stanley, Rosenfield, and, in all probability, Jeffries. So it isn’t that big of a leap to suspect that the Blue Rose cases are linked to LPA, if not specifically code for LPA and its interests. Adding to this connection is the discovery by one sharp-eyed fan of a blue flower prop in Major Briggs’ house. While it appears to be a tulip, and not a rose, the similarities are distinctly there.

I could of course be wrong about all of this. After all, the owls are not what they seem, and Lynch and Frost have kept us guessing from the very beginning, and the mystery they created together has lasted 27 long years. Only time will tell what truths are to be unveiled, and what mysteries are to be left uncertain forevermore.

What do you think will happen in the new series? What’s your favorite mystery from the show or the movie? How will you be celebrating the return of Twin Peaks? Post a comment below!

How’s Annie? The Implications of The Secret History of Twin Peaks

Written by Eden H. Roquelaire for Twin Peaks Freaks.

Disclaimer: Contains spoilers for Mark Frost’s novel, The Secret History of Twin Peaks.

On October 18th, 2016, Mark Frost released his much-anticipated novel The Secret History of Twin Peaks to tie in with the new season due to arrive in 2017. Fans hoped that this would answer many of their pressing questions, however, the book seemed to create more mysteries than it solved. The fates of Annie Blackburn, Benjamin Horne, and Agent Cooper are left up in the air, characters that seemed like comic relief in the show are revealed to be involved in wild conspiracies, and while the “Owl Ring” is given an origin, it is still not explained what, exactly, it does. Not only that, but the book is seemingly riddled with inconsistencies. Listed below are only a few:

• Andrew Packard’s “death” date is inconsistent
• Norma’s mother is named Ilsa Lindstrom, not Vivian Niles, and supposedly died 5 years before the show
• Annie seems not to exist at all
• Cooper expected to get shot by Josie
• Audrey leaves a note before heading to the bank, telling her father that she knows he plans to continue with the Ghostwood Development Project, despite his behavior to the contrary in the last episodes of Season 2
• In the book, Laura reportedly began seeing Jacoby at age 18; however, she died at age 17

(Read a more extensive list here.)

It’s rather difficult to believe that, after all these years to prepare, that Frost would make so many drastic and obvious errors. Some can be written off as retcon, such as Pete Martell shielding Audrey from the bank explosion, when in the show, he’s quite a ways away from her when the blast goes off. Had the series continued back in 1991, most likely Pete would have survived along with Audrey, but after Jack Nance’s death in 1996, a noble death was probably penned in memory of him. Other issues, like Audrey’s note, are much harder to reconcile.

One of the biggest questions we are left with at the end of Twin Peaks and Fire Walk with Me is the fate of Annie Blackburn. Despite the importance established for her character in the show and film, the book does not mention the ill-fated damsel once, even in her sister Norma’s post card home. In fact, the information provided within the post card seems to conflict with Annie’s very existence.

First of all, Norma writes the post card to her parents, Mr and Mrs Lindstrom. This is problematic for many reasons, but let’s forget about Vivian Niles’ brief stint in Season 2 for the sake of staying on track, and suppose for a moment, Norma’s maiden name is Lindstrom. So why is Annie’s last name Blackburn? Mrs Lindstrom is said to have never remarried. Did Annie have a brief, unmentioned marriage to a Mr Blackburn, and keep her married name? Was Annie actually adopted, and kept her old family name? Did Annie simply change her name, out of personal choice? Furthermore, how could Norma not mention her little sister in her post card home from her honeymoon? As for Annie the possibility of Annie having not been born yet, Norma is at least 18 at this point, and it’s hard to believe that Annie is nearly 20 years younger than Norma.

Did the novel write Annie out of existence? Annie’s character was created for the show’s revival, after brief cancellation during the second season. The show runners managed to convince the network to bring back Twin Peaks for a few final episodes, which would wrap up the major story lines (more or less). Due to the dissolution of the Audrey/Cooper romance, Annie Blackburn’s character was speedily written in order to fill the role of Cooper’s love interest. It is possible, if unlikely, that Lynch and Frost decided to rewrite the series to omit characters not in their original plans.

When asked about Annie by a fan at a book signing, Frost allegedly responded that he can’t talk about Annie, but that Lana Budding won Miss Twin Peaks in 1989 (the year Twin Peaks is set and Annie Blackburn is supposed to have won Miss Twin Peaks). What does this mean? Was Lana, as runner-up, granted the title after Annie fell into a coma? That wouldn’t exactly make her win Miss Twin Peaks. Frost chose this very specific way of answering this particular question. There must be a reason. Annie had to have been purposefully omitted, after having played such an important part of Season 2. But why was she omitted, and what is the explanation for her disappearance from the story?

All these apparent “errors” could have one answer: The book, and the new season, take place in an alternate universe.

There are other hints that the new Twin Peaks will have something to do with alternate dimensions: An actor from nearly every other Lynch film is slated to appear in the new season — Laura Dern (Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart, Inland Empire), Naomi Watts (Mulholland Drive, Rabbits), Balthazar Getty (Lost Highway), plus Twin Peaks vet Charlotte Stewart (Betty Briggs), who also appeared in Eraserhead. This could easily fit with the Lynchian Universe Theory, which supposes that all of David Lynch’s major films are connected through interdimensional pathways, such as the Black Lodge, or the hotel from Inland Empire, or Club Silencio from Mulholland Drive.

We already know that alternate dimensions exist within Lynch’s films, and it has already been confirmed by Lynch himself that Twin Peaks and Lost Highway take place in the same universe. We’ve also seen that interdimensional travel is possible. So, what role could it play in Twin Peaks 2017? Could it be that, when the Good Dale emerges from the Lodge at last, he finds things… not quite as he left them? Could he end up in an alternate version of Twin Peaks, or even in another time altogether?

Some fans propose that we are not so much seeing an alternate dimension, as an alternate timeline. This theory says that time travel, possibly by Cooper, has changed history, resulting in the “discrepancies” in The Secret History. Laura might still be alive, Annie might not have been born, and Ben Horne might never have reformed. As a matter of fact, Laura not being murdered would cause Leland to not die the way he did, and Ben Horne would never have been arrested, prompting his reformation (This would explain Audrey’s letter). Perhaps Cooper traveled back in time (maybe using the Black Lodge) and saved her life? And if Norma had different parents, they might not have had Annie.

If either the alternate universe or alternate timeline theories are correct, it would nicely clean up inconsistencies in the book, and explain why dead characters will appear 25 years later, aged 25 years older (ageing ghosts?). Whatever the truth is, we may learn the answers sooner than we think…

UPDATE: Ready for 2017? Here’s a Preview…

Written by Eden H. Roquelaire for Twin Peaks Freaks.

Greetings to my readers! Here are the Little White Mask Blog, I’ve been taking a little break for the holidays. The posts shall return in full force next year. In the meantime, I thought I’d give you a little preview of what’s to come. Some of my future posts will discuss:

• The Secret History of Twin Peaks and the many questions it raised (and a couple it answered)
• An in-depth, three-part analysis of Inland Empire
• Non-Lynch films for David Lynch fans
• Character studies
• Lynchian music playlists (here’s mine, what’s yours?)
• The humorous side of David Lynch
• and more!

If you have trouble waiting, here’s a preview of one of my upcoming articles, where I discuss the character of Annie and the possible meaning behind her absence in Mark Frost’s novel and the new series:

One of the biggest questions we are left with at the end of Twin Peaks and Fire Walk with Me is the fate of Annie Blackburn. Despite the seeming importance established for her character in the show and film, the book does not mention the ill-fated damsel once, even in her sister Norma’s post card home. In fact, the information provided within the post card seems to conflict with Annie’s very existence.

First of all, Norma writes the post card to her parents, Mr and Mrs Lindstrom, revealing Norma’s last name prior to her taking Hank’s surname upon marriage. So, if Norma’s parents are named Lindstrom, why is Annie’s last name Blackburn? Mrs Lindstrom never remarried. Did Annie have a brief, unmentioned marriage, and kept her married name? Was Annie actually adopted, and kept her old family name? Did Annie simply change her name, out of personal choice? Furthermore, how could Norma not mention her little sister in her post card home from her honeymoon? The message is marked 1969, which virtually rules out Annie having not been born yet.

Did the novel write Annie out of existence? Annie’s character was created for the show’s revival, after brief cancellation during the second season. The show runners managed to convince the network to bring back Twin Peaks in order to wrap up the major story lines (more or less). Due to the dissolution of the Audrey/Cooper romance, Annie Blackburn’s character was speedily written in order to fill the role of Cooper’s love interest. It is possible, if unlikely, that Lynch and Frost decided to rewrite the series to omit characters not in their original plans.

Another solution? Alternate timeline. If other dimensions are involved, it wouldn’t be too much of a leap to suggest that alternate time lines could be involved, which could explain the apparent presence of deceased characters such as Leland and Laura Palmer.

Of course (do I even need to say it?) 2017 will see what we’ve all really been waiting for–the RETURN OF TWIN PEAKS! This will, of course, open up all new avenues of questioning and analysis, which means more articles! There’s also the possibility of episode reviews from yours truly!

As far as Twin Peaks news is concerned, we have been given very little officially to go on, aside from some obscure teasers and secretive interviews with the cast members. Beyond that, it has been recently confirmed that we have Twin Peaks action figures and Funko Pops to look forward to at an undisclosed date, so keep your eyes peeled for those!

I will leave you, my lovely readers, with a question: What are you most interested in hearing about? Are there some Lynchian mysteries that still leave you scratching your head? Would you like more film theories? Would you like to hear about Twin Peaks‘ influence on other shows, video games, and comics? How would you feel about some Cracked-style humor articles? Let me know in the comments! I’ll see you next year. Meanwhile…

Moving Through Time: Discovering the Secret History of Twin Peaks

Written by Eden H. Roquelaire for Twin Peaks Freaks.

The trailer for Mark Frost’s upcoming novel, The Secret History of Twin Peaks, is a journey in and of itself, starting in the distant past and working its way up to just three weeks ago. It has already presented us with some fascinating mysteries in the form of various pages. These pages give us a glimpse into the secrets in store for us. So, without further ado, let us examine these pages in more detail.

First, we are shown a photograph of a Native American man in a feathered headdress, which is our first indication the we will finally be doing more exploring into Twin Peaks’ distant past and its connection to Native history.

Two pages, seen immediately after the photo of the Native man, tell of two men, a few days’ walk from Spokane, searching for a mine full of gold with the guidance of a strange map, reportedly obtained from some “Injuns.” One of the men is called “Denver Bob,” which is abbreviated as “D.B.” This may be a reference to the infamous D. B. Cooper, who disappeared after stealing a large sum of money from a plane. The search for him, and the money he stole, became one of the most well-known mysteries of the 20th Century. Agent Dale Bartholomew Cooper was intentionally given the same initials and last name. With this in mind, “Denver Bob,” or, “D.B.,” seems an interesting amalgamation of Agent Cooper and Killer BOB. Perhaps Denver Bob will become an early vessel for Killer BOB, or perhaps he is an ancestor of the Robertsons. Perhaps both. Once these men find the mine, it may be that they find Killer BOB’s spirit dwelling there, and Denver Bob becomes possessed, and proceeds to pass the evil spirit on to his descendants, who become the Robertsons.

The mine they are searching for may be Owl Cave, and there is a possibility that the map they are using is the same or similar to the one seen on the wall of the cave. During their search for it, the unnamed narrator mentions seeing some “strange shit.” He specifically mentions raised wooden platforms, covered in leather, some of which have decayed corpses draped on top. Perhaps these were sacrifices to the Dugpas? Or were they harvested by the Dugpas themselves?

After the cup of coffee, there is a record of a car being sold to Douglas Milford back in 1947. Of course, he eventually becomes a respected news paper publisher in Twin Peaks.

The next two pages are of greater interest. They would seem to be from Project Blue Book, and they detail reports of UFOs, including their flight patterns, shapes, and colors. After the slice of cherry pie, we see another UFO report, this time regarding the historical sighting reported by Kenneth Arnold. Arnold claimed that, in the middle of the afternoon on June 24th, 1947, near Mount Rainier, he saw 9 UFOs flying in the sky.

Kenneth Arnold with an artist’s rendition of the craft he reportedly saw.

Next is a doctor’s report, also from 1947, on a 7-year-old patient named Margaret “Maggie” Coulson. Maggie was found in the woods, with a “seemingly unquenchable thirst,” and a mysterious mark on the back of her right knee. This patient is the Log Lady, Margaret Lanterman, as a child, and is a reference to the incident she mentions where she was taken by some force in the woods, and afterwards found a marking of three triangles on her leg.

Next is an enlistment form for the U.S. Air Force, filled out by Douglas Milford. This lends some previously unseen intrigue to his character. If he was in the Air Force, he may have worked with Major Garland Briggs. They may have both been a part of Project Blue Book, and known about the strange goings-on in Twin Peaks.

Next, we jump to 1969 via a postcard from Hollywood, which, when flipped over, turns out to be from Norma to her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lindstrom. However, this raises an interesting question/potential plot hole, as Annie’s last name is Blackburn. Annie is Norma’s sister, and was married, so she and Norma’s parents would, presumably, have the same last name. Perhaps their mother remarried after 1969, married Mr. Blackburn, and had Annie? Turning our attention back to the post card, Norma details her trip to Hollywood with Hank, possibly on their honeymoon. She mentions seeing Johnny Carson’s show live, and seeing Sammy Davis, Jr. perform there. This could be a point of interest, or probably at least a deliberate choice on Lynch and Frost’s part, since Sammy Davis, Jr. was a major part of the seedy Hollywood underbelly that Lynch loves so much to portray.

Sammy Davis Jr. with Michael Aquino, founder of the Temple of Set, and Anton LaVey, founder of the Church of Satan.

The final page of the trailer takes us to modern day, with a letter written by Deputy Director Gordon Cole (who was played by David Lynch) to an unknown Special Agent who has been working a case. Cole mentions the recovery of a dossier from a crime scene on July 17th, 2016 (Just a few weeks ago!), which he says has some apparent connection to Agent Cooper’s investigation of Twin Peaks back in 1989. He tells the agent that this may have some bearing on his/her case, and, because of this s/he is being given access to Agent Cooper’s files. The agent addressed by Cole is most likely the agent reportedly played by Jennifer Jason Leigh. He also expresses the great need to discover who wrote the dossier, and says to take “Code Red measures.”

It has been speculated that the new season of Twin Peaks will involve time travel, and, while this trailer far from confirms the theory, it puts forth a potential date: 1947. While other dates are shown in the trailer, 1947 pops up multiple times. Harry S. Truman was president, the Black Dahlia murder (a point of fascination for Lynch) occurred, and there were multiple UFO sightings, including the famous crash in Roswell, New Mexico, as well as the first modern report of a “Men in Black” sighting. That seems to be fertile ground for some time travel.

Thus far, it’s looking like we’ll be delving deeper into Project Blue Book, Owl Cave, and Native American lore in this book.It will be hard to wait until October to find out the rest of it!

UPDATE: The Investigations Continue

Written by Eden H. Roquelaire for Twin Peaks Freaks.

Hello to all my readers! I’m sure you have noticed the lack of activity from this blog lately. I just want to say, never fear! I have not lost my passion for decoding the Lynchian Mysteries, it is only that various personal changes have deflected my attentions for the last few months. However, I promise you all that I will return soon with plenty of intriguing new material, including an epic analysis of the strange and wonderful Inland Empire (my personal favorite David Lynch film).

In the meantime, I’ll tell you a bit about my trip to San Diego Comic Con. While the event lacked any Twin Peaks panel or preview, the Showtime booth boasted a large banner of the “Welcome to Twin Peaks” sign, and some Showtime representatives were handing out buttons reading “Twin Peaks 2017.” When I talked to the reps, they told me that they weren’t able to say much about the series. They reiterated the casting news, and that there would be 18 episodes, all directed by David Lynch. They also expressed their hopes that David Lynch and Mark Frost would sign a deal with Showtime allowing for the production of Twin Peaks action figures and other official memorabilia. All in all, it seems that Showtime is very excited about their future collaborations with Lynch and Frost.

Picture I took of the Welcome to Twin Peaks banner on the side of the Showtime booth.

One of the buttons being handed out by Showtime at #SDCC

Meanwhile, Ray Wise made an appearance at the panel for the new Batman animated film, The Killing Joke, which has Wise voicing iconic gumshoe and ally to the Dark Knight, Commissioner Jim Gordon. During the panel, Ray Wise revealed that the new season of Twin Peaks would be 18 episodes long, and he would be in all of them. He also confirmed that all 18 episodes would be directed by David Lynch, and gave us an approximate release date of Summer 2017.

Also setting the fan community all abuzz is the release of a trailer for Mark Frost’s novel, The Secret History of Twin Peaks, which was said to bridge the gap between Season 2 and the new season. However, the trailer implies that the book will do much more than that, as it looks to fill in details from the in-world history of the town. But, those are details for another article. For now, take a look at the trailer below.

My takeaway from all of this? The future is looking bright for Twin Peaks.

I’ll be back soon with new articles to get your inner detectives working. Until then, I’ll see you in the trees.

HEADLINE: Twin Peaks Season 3 Cast Revealed

Written by Eden H. Roquelaire for Twin Peaks Freaks.

Yesterday morning (April 25th, 2016), the official Facebook page for Twin Peaks released the final line-up for the cast of the long-awaited Season 3. There are many familiar faces, and many new faces to be excited about, as well as some names that are painfully absent. Below is an exact quote from Twin Peaks‘s official page, followed by a quick Who’s Who of some of the cast members.

DO NOT read below if you don’t want to know! This is your last warning to turn back. For everyone else, it is my pleasure to pass the happy news on to you:

The cameras have stopped rolling.
A key piece of the mystery is revealed.
Welcome back* to Twin Peaks.

Jay Aaseng
Alon Aboutboul
Jane Adams
Joe Adler
Kate Alden
Stephanie Allynne
Mädchen Amick*
Eric Ray Anderson
Finn Andrews
Elizabeth Anwies
Dana Ashbrook*
Joe Auger
Phoebe Augustine*
Melissa Bailey
Tammie Baird
Matt Battaglia
Chrysta Bell
Monica Bellucci
Jim Belushi
Leslie Berger
Richard Beymer*
John Billingsley
Michael Bisping
Ronnie Gene Blevins
Kelsey Bohlen
Sean Bolger
Rachael Bower
Brent Briscoe
Robert Broski
Wes Brown
Richard Bucher
Page Burkum
Scott Cameron
Juan Carlos Cantu
Gia Carides
Vincent Castellanos
Michael Cera
Richard Chamberlain
Bailey Chase
Johnny Chavez
Candy Clark
Larry Clarke
Scott Coffey*
Frank Collison
Lisa Coronado
Catherine E. Coulson*
Grace Victoria Cox
Jonny Coyne
James Croak
Julee Cruise*
Heather D’Angelo
Jan D’Arcy*
David Dastmalchian
Jeremy Davies
Owain Rhys Davies
Ana de la Reguera
Rebekah Del Rio
Laura Dern
Neil Dickson
Hugh Dillon
Cullen Douglas
Edward “Ted” Dowlin
Judith Drake
David Duchovny*
Christopher Durbin
Francesca Eastwood
Eric Edelstein
John Ennis
Josh Fadem
Tikaeni Faircrest
Eamon Farren
Sherilyn Fenn*
Jay R. Ferguson
Sky Ferreira
Miguel Ferrer*
Rebecca Field
Robin Finck
Brian Finney
Patrick Fischler
Erika Forster
Robert Forster
Meg Foster
Travis Frost
Warren Frost*
Pierce Gagnon
Allen Galli
Hailey Gates
Brett Gelman
Ivy George
Balthazar Getty
James Giordano
Harry Goaz*
Grant Goodeve
George Griffith
Tad Griffith
James Grixoni
Cornelia Guest
Travis Hammer
Hank Harris
Annie Hart
Andrea Hays*
Stephen Heath
Heath Hensley
Gary Hershberger*
Michael Horse*
Ernie Hudson
Jay Jee
Jesse Johnson
Caleb Landry Jones
Ashley Judd
Luke Judy
Stephen Kearin
David Patrick Kelly*
Laura Kenny
Dep Kirkland
Robert Knepper
David Koechner
Virginia Kull
Nicole LaLiberte
Jay Larson
Sheryl Lee*
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Jane Levy
Matthew Lillard
Jeremy Lindholm
Peggy Lipton*
Bellina Martin Logan*
Sarah Jean Long
David Lynch*
Riley Lynch
Shane Lynch
Kyle MacLachlan*
Mark Mahoney
Karl Makinen
Malone
Xolo Maridueña
Berenice Marlohe
Rob Mars
James Marshall*
Elisabeth Maurus
Josh McDermitt
Everett McGill*
Zoe McLane
Derek Mears
Clark Middleton
Greg Mills
James Morrison
Christopher Murray
Don Murray
Joy Nash
Priya Diane Niehaus
Bill O’Dell
Casey O’Neill
Johnny Ochsner
Walter Olkewicz*
Charity Parenzini
Elias Nelson Parenzini
John Paulsen
Sara Paxton
Max Perlich
Linas Phillips
Tracy Phillips
John Pirruccello
Linda Porter
Jelani Quinn
Ruth Radelet
Mary Reber
Adele René
Mariqueen Reznor
Trent Reznor
Carolyn P. Riggs
Kimmy Robertson*
Wendy Robie*
Erik L. Rondell
Marv Rosand*
Ben Rosenfield
Tim Roth
Rod Rowland
Carlton Lee Russell*
Elena Satine
John Savage
Amanda Seyfried
Amy Shiels
Sawyer Shipman
Tom Sizemore
Sara Sohn
Malachy Sreenan
Harry Dean Stanton*
J.R. Starr
Bob Stephenson
Charlotte Stewart*
Emily Stofle
Al Strobel*
Carel Struycken*
Ethan Suplee
Sabrina S. Sutherland
Jessica Szohr
Russ Tamblyn*
Bill Tangradi
Cynthia Lauren Tewes
Jodee Thelen
Jack Torrey
Sharon Van Etten
Eddie Vedder
Greg Vrotsos
Jake Wardle
Naomi Watts
Nafessa Williams
Ray Wise*
Alicia Witt*
Karolina Wydra
Charlyne Yi
Nae Yuuki
Grace Zabriskie*
Christophe Zajac-Denek
Madeline Zima
Blake Zingale

You’ll notice many returning cast members (as indicated by an asterisk*), which means we can (most likely) expect these characters in Season 3: Shelly Briggs (formerly Johnson), Bobby Briggs, Ronette Pulaski, a cop played by Matt Battaglia, Benjamin Horne, Margaret Lanterman a.k.a. the Log Lady, Sylvia Horne, Julee Cruise, Dennis/Denise Bryson, Albert Rosenfield, Doc Hayward, Audrey Horne, a trucker played by Brian T. Finney, Andy Brennan, Heidi the German Waitress, Mike Nelson, Jerry Horne, Laura Palmer/Maddy Ferguson, Norma Jennings, the Great Northern Desk Clerk (played by Bellina Martin Logan), Gordon Cole, Dale Cooper, James Hurley, “Big” Ed Hurley, Jacques Renault, Lucy Moran, Nadine Hurley, Cook (at the Double R Diner), the Jumping Man, Carl Rodd, Betty Briggs, Philip Gerard/MIKE, the Giant, Dr Jacoby, Leland Palmer, Gersten Hayward, and Sarah Palmer.

Notably absent are either Lara Flynn Boyle are Moira Kelly, which would imply that Donna is not going to appear in the season, unless, as speculated by some fans, the character is recast once again. Her sister, the pianist Gersten, is going to be present. This should be quite a treat, as actress Alicia Witt has been honing her acting skills, giving amazing performances on television series, most recently as a guest star on The Walking Dead.

Heather Graham, who played Annie, is also absent, leaving questions as to how Lynch and Frost plan on wrapping up her story. Last we saw Annie, she was comatose in a hospital, wearing the Owl Ring (until it was taken by the nurse). Her fate is one of many that has been left up in the air for the last 26 years, along with Leo Johnson, and, with Eric Da Re’s name missing from the list, it looks like we’re not going to get to see what happened with him either. It also looks as though Billy Zane’s character, Jack, isn’t coming back from South America.

Despite the grim prospects of his character’s survival in the final episode of season 2, many fans hoped to see Kenneth Walsh reprise his role as Windom Earle, and find out what happened after BOB stole his soul.

One of my personal disappointments was the lack of Joan Chen, who portrayed Josie Packard, and recently has done amazing work on the series Marco Polo as Chabi. Her rival Catherine Martell doesn’t look to be around either, with actress Piper Laurie sadly missing from the list. Neither Chris Isaak or Kiefer Sutherland are set to reprise their roles as the ill-fated detectives from Fire Walk with Me, leaving their fates in question. It also seems that Norma finally settled her issues with Hank, as actor Chris Mulkey is not included on the list.

Perhaps the most disappointing of all, however, is the apparent confirmation that Michael Ontkean, who played Sheriff Harry S. Truman, will not be reprising his role, which is rumored to have been recast with Robert Forster. This has gained mixed reactions from fans, but overall, his presence in Twin Peaks and unique back-and-forth with Kyle MacLachlan will be sorely missed.

Another blow for fans is the lack of an appearance by Michael Anderson, who played the Man from Another Place; easily one of the most iconic characters from the original series. It is possible that his role will be replaced by the Jumping Man, who appeared in Fire Walk With Me, wearing an identical red suit, and proving to be just as mysterious.

There are quite a few newcomers of note, as well, many of whom have collaborated with David Lynch in the past:

Laura Dern is set to appear, generating much speculation by fans as to who she will be playing, the most popular theory being that she will play the infamous Diane. Dern began her career with Lynch at age 19, playing Sandy Williams alongside Kyle MacLachlan in Blue Velvet. She then reappeared in Lynch’s works Industrial Symphony, Wild At Heart, and Inland Empire, for which Lynch campaigned to win her an Oscar.

Naomi Watts is another exciting addition to the cast. She, of course, starred in Mulholland Drive, playing the dual roles of Betty Elms and Diane Selwyn. Her amazing performance catapulted her career, earning her roles in well-known films such as King Kong (2005) and the Ring. Her most recent work with David Lynch was providing the voice of Suzie Rabbit for the Rabbits series and Inland Empire.

Balthazar Getty is another previous Lynch collaborator to appear on the list. He played Pete Dayton in Lost Highway, which makes his inclusion all the more intriguing, as Lynch has said that the film takes place in the same universe as Twin Peaks. Is it possible that Getty will be reprising his role?

Other Mulholland Drive cast members are set to appear. Brent Briscoe, who played on of the detectives seen at the beginning of the film, Scott Coffey, who played Wilkins, a character whose role was greatly cut back when Mulholland Drive became a film, Vincent Castellanos, whose character Ed stole the notorious “Black Book” before being taken out by a hit man, and Patrick Fischler, who played the dreamer Dan from the infamous diner scene, are all confirmed as cast members in Twin Peaks Season 3. Frank Collison (Wild At Heart), Neil Dickson, Emily Stofle and Nae Yuuki (Inland Empire) are other previous Lynch collaborators to appear this season.

Several musicians are slated to appear, some of whom have worked with Lynch previously: Chrysta Bell sang on the Inland Empire soundtrack, and collaborated with Lynch on her album This Train. Rebekah Del Rio made an infamous appearance singing “Llorando,” a Spanish version of Roy Orbison’s song “Crying,” in Club Silencio for Mulholland Drive. Trent Reznor, who collaborated with Lynch on the Lost Highway soundtrack, and a video for his song “Came Back Haunted,” will be lending his talents in some way, along with his wife, singer Mariqueen. Robin Finck, a guitarist who has worked with Reznor’s band Nine Inch Nails since the early 1990s, is also on the list, as is Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder. Page Burkum, Finn Andrews, Heather D’Angelo, Sky Ferreira, Erika Forster, Shane Lynch (no relation to David), Elisabeth Maurus, Ruth Radelet, Jack Torrey, and Sharon Van Etten are other musicians attached to the project.

However, not all of the actors listed are Twin Peaks vets, and actually several are pretty big name actors. Some of the more famous names included on the list:

• Monica Bellucci, the famous Italian actress and model.
• Comedic actor Jim Belushi, brother of infamous Saturday Night Live star John Belushi.
• John Billingsley, best known perhaps for his roles in sci-fi such as Star Trek: Enterprise and The Man From Earth.
• Michael Cera is an interesting inclusion on the list. He is mostly known for him comedic roles in television and film such as Arrested Development, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and Superbad.
• Ernie Hudson, who played Winston Zeddemore in Ghostbusters, is also slated to appear. Perhaps he can use his Proton Pack to get BOB out of Agent Cooper?
• Actress and activist Ashley Judd.
• Jennifer Jason Lee, who recently garnered mass critical acclaim with her performance in Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight, is rumored to be playing an FBI Agent, and was reported by Kyle MacLachlan to be filming scenes with him in Death Valley.
• Josh McDermitt, who played Eugene in 37 episodes of The Walking Dead, is a fitting choice, considering his previous experience with the horror/drama television genre, and worked with Jennifer Chambers Lynch on the show.
• Tim Roth, who has appeared in multiple works by Quentin Tarantino.
• Award winning-actress Amanda Seyfried is rumored to be playing the daughter of Shelly and Bobby Briggs, and reportedly filmed scenes with Madchen Amick and Harry Dean Stanton at the Fat Trout Trailer Park.

MMA fighter Michael Bisping, stuntmen Richard Bucher and Tad Griffith, Abraham Lincoln impersonator Robert Broski, visual artist James Croak, voice actor Oawin Rhys Davies, Francesca Eastwood (daughter of Clint), child actors Pierce Gagnon and Ivy George, voice actor Stephen Kearin, David Lynch’s son Riley Lynch, Christopher Murray (son of Peyton Place and Blue Velvet actress Hope Lange) and his dad Don Murray, and prolific television character actress Linda Porter, are all interesting additions to the cast, whose roles we can thus far only guess at.

This list would also seem to include crew members behind the camera (Jay Aaseng, Joe Auger, and Sabrina S. Sutherland). The rest of the cast is made up of a great variety of talent. Some are veterans like Meg Foster and Grant Goodeve, some are new to acting, like James David Grixoni and Travis Hammer. There are several comedic actors (Heath Hensley, David Koechner, lending their talents as well, presumably helping to lift the heavy mood. Quite a few stuntmen have been cast for the new season. What kind of wild action could we be in store for? Another interesting thing to note is a proliferation of child actors. Is it possible we will be seeing some flashbacks? Cooper as a child? When Leland met BOB at the Summer house on Pearl Lakes? Maybe some scenes from Laura’s Secret Diary?

Many fans wonder if Sheryl Lee will be playing neither Laura nor Maddy, but a third character, a redhead, as was allegedly planned for the potential season 3 back in 1991. It’s also up in the air as to how returning cast members with deceased characters such as Ray Wise (Leland Palmer) and Walter Olkewicz (Jacques Renault) will be written in. Will they be playing inexplicably aged ghosts? Doppelgangers? Lookalikes?

While on the subjects of deaths, there are several characters whose actors have died, forcing their exclusion in the new season, despite the importance of their characters. The Log Lady’s actress, Catherine Coulson, is known to have shot some footage before passing away in 2015, but it is unknown how much footage she was able to film, and if she was able to complete the role written for her. Jack Nance, who played Pete Martell and was a long-time collaborator with David Lynch, died in 1996 after filming Lost Highway. While Pete most likely would have been slated to survive the fateful bank explosion had the series continued in 1992, his character will most likely be written off as having died as a result of the blast. Don Davis’s character Major Garland Briggs was originally planned to play a large role in season 3, going with Sheriff Truman and the One-Armed Man to rescue Cooper from the Black Lodge. However, Davis sadly passed away in 2008 of a heart-attack. His character’s role will most likely be re-written for Bobby Briggs, who is rumored to be part of the Twin Peaks law enforcement.

One of the most hotly debated points is who will play BOB, after the death of actor Frank Silva in 1995. Some fans have speculated that BOB could be recreated using CGI, or simply recast (musician Andrew WK kindly volunteered for the role). My personal opinion has always been that BOB will be portrayed by Kyle MacLachlan, playing a fusion of Evil Dale/Killer BOB.

The new lineup contains an array of talent, and many possibilities we can only speculate upon. One point that particularly fascinates me is the fact that the new season contains at least one actor from every David Lynch movie to date, opening the possibility of some kind of Lynchverse crossover. I have long suspected that all of Lynch’s movies are linked through the Black Lodge, and now may be the perfect time for that to come to light.

What do you think? Are you happy with the lineup? Who do you think the newcomers will play? Do you have any other speculations about the new season? Let me know in the comments below!

The Owls Are Not What They Seem

Written by Eden H. Roquelaire for Twin Peaks Freaks.

THE GIANT: I will tell you three things. If I tell them to you and they come true, then will you believe me?

COOPER: Who’s that?

THE GIANT: Think of me as a friend.

COOPER: Where do you come from?

THE GIANT: The question is, where have you gone? The first thing I will tell you is: There’s a man in a smiling bag.

COOPER: A man in a smiling bag…

THE GIANT: The second thing is: The owls are not what they seem. The third thing is: Without chemicals, he points.

COOPER: What do these things mean?

THE GIANT: This is all I am permitted to say.

The phrase, “The owls are not what they seem,” is one of the most notorious and highly debated taglines of the Twin Peaks series. While most theorists are able to come to some general consensus about the meaning behind it, not everyone is able to agree on a deeper meaning. So, the owls are not what they seem… but what exactly are they? Dugpas? Demons? Angels? Aliens? Spies? Or something else? In this article, I will delve into the various theories and examine the evidence for each one.

After the Giant relays the ominous message to Cooper, it turns up again when Major Briggs arrives at Coop’s hotel room, bearing a piece of paper containing code. The code was read by “deep space monitors,” which we later learn are actually pointed at the woods in Twin Peaks. Most of the code is “radio waves and gibberish,” except for the phrase, “The owls are not what they seem,” and Cooper’s name repeated. This message was received at roughly the same time Cooper was shot, perhaps right as he was being visited by the Giant, who also relays the message. At first, we are sort of tricked into thinking this message came from aliens in outer space. We only later on learn that these monitors were actually pointed towards Ghostwood, which some branch of the government has apparently been researching as part of Project Blue Book. This last bit of information, of course, is revealed to us during the most hectic days for the Twin Peaks writing staff, about midway through season 2, when both David Lynch and Mark Frost were interested in other projects and the remaining writers were left to patch together the rest of the path based on rough drafts, guesswork, and their own ideas. This has caused certain fans to write it off, though it remains, in fact, canonical.

Owl-like aliens seen on the cover of Whitley Strieber’s Communion

One popular theory, and the one that fits the best with the Project Blue Book storyline, is that the owls are aliens, as is written by Whitley Strieber in his novel Communion. In this novel, the author says he struggled with suppressed memories of alien abduction, and that, before he unlocked these memories clearly, all he could remember was the image of owls staring at him through his window. He later finds that the owls are a disguise used by the aliens, ergo, they are not what they seem.

If the owls are aliens (of some sort), then the involvement of Major Briggs and Project Blue Book amidst Native American mythology and Tibetan Buddhist spirituality seems a little less inexplicable.

Another theory is that the owls are possessed by BOB and/or other Dugpas. This theory fits the infamous image of BOB, crouched behind Laura’s bed, with an overlay of an owl face. It also nicely explains how BOB is able to learn some secrets of the townsfolk, as he would be able to spy on them in disguise. Some further supporting points can be discovered by delving into mythology and folklore, which may have been drawn upon by Mark Frost, who would commonly weave such symbols into the mythos of Twin Peaks.

At one point, MIKE refers to BOB as his “familiar.” In black magic lore, a familiar is a demon that takes the form of an animal. In this case, the demon is BOB, and the animal is an owl. Owls have commonly been associated with witches and demons, especially through the entity Lilith, who is a patroness of witches and often said to take the form of an owl, or as being a woman with legs and wings of and owl. This would make the animal a natural choice for a familiar. They seem to be BOB’s personal favorite animal to take the form of, or perhaps the only animal he can take the form of, since owls, and no other animal, are repeatedly warned against by multiple knowing sources.

Wood cut by Hans Wechtlin

Almost every ancient culture has seen the owl as heralding misfortune and even death. They are associated with witches, graveyards and demons that lurk in the night. In Chinese folklore, owls are seen as an omen of death (as their “hoo” call sounds like the Chinese word “hu,” which means “dig,” i.e., “dig a grave”), and associated with ghosts. The Chinese also linked owls with thunder and lightning. This is significant to Twin Peaks‘s owls, due to the symbolism of electricity, heyoka, and thunderbirds of Native American folklore.

This supports the idea that the owls of Twin Peaks are spirits that spy on the townsfolk, either inhabited by BOB, other Dugpas, or being separate entities of their own. Evidence indicates that BOB utilizes the owls, or is taking the form of the owls, which also ties into the idea of him being MIKE’s familiar. One area of confusion for this theory, however, is when the Log Lady brings Cooper to the Roadhouse, telling him “we [my Log and I] don’t know what will happen or when, but there are owls in the Roadhouse.” However, BOB is not present: He is at the Palmer residence, murdering Maddy Ferguson. It should be noted that the Elderly Bellhop (one and the same with the Giant) is present, which lends credence to the idea that the owls are commonly used vessels for all Lodge spirits; not just BOB.

 

If the owls are aliens, or if the owls are spirits, or vessels for the Dugpas, it is necessary at some point to question the distinction between each of these. According to writer Bob Engels, there were some rough ideas for Season 3 that involved the Dugpas being from a planet of creamed corn, which would make them aliens, and reinforce the Project Blue Book storyline. However, this would seem like some odd back-tracking, after the revelation that the message received from the deep space monitors came not from space, but from the woods. If this storyline is to be taken into consideration, though, it blurs the distinction between spirit and alien.

There is yet another theory that the owls are agents separate from the beings that we know, perhaps spirits of nature simply observing these events that pass through their woods. I would argue that this does little if anything for the story, and is contradicted by evidence that BOB is connected to the owls. Besides, most signs support the notion that the Dugpas are nature spirits of a kind, even if it is a darker side of nature.

It’s most likely that no definitive answer will ever be given on the nature of Twin Peaks‘s owls, as final answers are so rarely given in Lynch’s surrealist world. There are so many theories to consider, each with their own set of compelling evidence. Which do you find to be the most convincing theory? Or do you have your own interpretation? What other mysteries from Twin Peaks still have you stumped? Let me know in the comments section below!