Twin Peaks Episode 8: A Theory on What We Actually Witnessed

Twin Peaks Episode 8 Plot Summary

The Cooperganger (Kyle McLachlan) is out of prison, and Ray Monroe (George Griffith) is driving him to a safe location. After an altercation between the two, which leads to Cooperganger getting shot, some really, really bizarre stuff happens.

So, episode eight of Twin Peaks was easily the most bizarre thing I’ve ever seen on television.

The whole Cooperganger getting shot story was a shocking turn of events, and I thought, for a second, that the death of this imposter Cooper would lead to the real Cooper reappearing. Whether he’d snap out of his Dougie persona, or he’s awaken once Bob left his body, we’d definitely get our favorite Special Agent back.

I was 10000% wrong.

Instead we see specters of disheveled woodsmen huddling around the dead body, removing an orb with Bob in it, and then Cooperganger springing to life.

From there, we go on one of the most bizarre turns in series history. We go back to a nuclear test in the 1940s, and take a trip inside the explosion. From there we go on a journey that defies words, and especially a review. It’s like watching the most wild experiment film you’ve seen. On the surface it makes zero sense, but after a day or two of thinking, postulating, and looking around online, here’s what I think we’ve witnessed.

Here’s the theory…

The door to the Black Lodge was opened by the nuclear explosion…

This makes sense on a few levels. First, it’s not a stretch to say that some feel that nuclear weapons are one of the scariest, world ending, and evil inventions ever made. The explosion could’ve ripped a hole in some sort of dimensional plane, allowing Bob/evil to come through, and reek havoc upon the world. Second, it’s the reason the military is so heavily involved in this matter. They were the cause for the Black Lodge’s opening, and now they have to stop it. Hence, why Major Briggs work was so hush hush, and why his death is so highly investigated.

The Woodsmen are prophets of evil…

The men we see (who a friend pointed could be a wink to a character seen in Mulholland Drive) are akin to biblical prophets proclaiming the coming of an agent of change. (The shaggy, disheveled look could related to a post apocalyptic John the Baptist. Minus the head crushing of course). They call out to the mutated beast, which crawled across the dessert, and into the body of the young girl. I believe this fly/frog mutant was the physical manifestation of Bob/evil and the girl is the first case in which evil takes human form.

Now, I originally thought the woodsmen were victims of the nuclear tests (they still may be) but they all came from the same gas station/convenience store. This, to me, is the door to The Black Lodge. They must’ve come through there, hence the flashing light, odd vocal cadence, and stilted movement.

The Giant created Laura Palmer as a sacrificial lamb…

While it wasn’t a perfect plan, Laura Palmer was sent to Twin Peaks for a reason. I surmise that reason was to attract Bob to Twin Peaks to eventually lead to his demise. Now, the plan is pretty twisted in its own right as Laura is repeatedly attacked, tortured, and then killed by Bob. Hence, why she’s a sacrificial lamb. I’m thinking Laura’s death was intended to lead Cooper to Twin Peaks, and eventually put an end to Bob. Remember, the Giant did tell Cooper he was there to help in Season 2.

We’ve got a long way before the real Dale Cooper appears…

Even though there’s a “break” next week due to the July 4th holiday, I have a guy feeling we will not be seeing the real Dale Cooper next week, or even in the near future. I think all roads are pointing back to Twin Peaks, and it’s going to take a lot for us to lose Dougie — both in regards to the character’s transformation, and the amount of other plot points being developed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YZZLkUcd44