‘Twin Peaks’: The 6 Craziest Revival Fan Theories, Ranked
From the first glimpse of that weird bird that heralds the arrival of “Twin Peaks,” the television series plunged viewers into the palm of David Lynch‘s hand. It’s a weird and wondrous place to be, which makes it prime fodder for fan theories. If ever a show’s symbology deserved an IMDb page, this would be it.
READ MORE: ‘Twin Peaks’: Why It Shouldn’t Have Changed Its Opening Titles
Thanks to Showtime, Lynch has free rein to complete the “Twin Peaks” story arc, a process that has him referencing his own “Lost Highway,” “Eraserhead,” and, most of all, “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me.” Of course, it’s Lynch so all of this effectively clarifies nothing — but nature hates a vacuum, and that’s why we have ample fan theories to close the gap.
So, here are six of the best fan theories for the revival series’ first four episodes, ranked by order of plausibility, from 1 (not likely) to 5 (very likely) with — what else — a cup of damn fine coffee.
Will Hawk Become BOB? ☕☕ (Sources: Reddit /u/ ShoutgunSkullQ and Horror Freak News)
We know BOB is in play for this series because the wanted poster from the original series was used as promotional material for the revival. And it’s also probably worth noting that other male cast members are sporting dyed hair — except for Hawk.
But beyond this, in series co-creator Mark Frost’s 2016 “The Secret History of Twin Peaks: A Novel,” Hawk is described as a descendent of the Nez Perce tribe, who originally lived in what would become Twin Peaks. In the book, the tribe’s chief, Twisted Hair, gifts explorers Lewis and Clark with a ring. Although Twisted Hair keeps it in a leather pouch, Lewis puts the ring on. He is eventually killed and the ring is stolen from him — but could this be the same ring from The Black Lodge that sealed the fate of Laura Palmer and Teresa Banks?
This also could be what the Log Lady meant, when she told Hawk that the key to finding Cooper had something to do with his heritage. Pair this with Coop’s infamous line from Season 2 about hoping that Hawk is the one who gets sent to find him if he ever goes missing, and there could be something here. If Hawk finds the ring and puts it on in an attempt to rescue Cooper from The Black Lodge, could he become a new vessel for BOB (Mr. C is in prison, after all, and that’s no fun) or another sinister spirit?
Laura Dern Can’t Be Diane, Because Diane Isn’t Real ☕☕☕ (Sources: H. Perry Horton)
Although there’s a lot of speculation that Laura Dern might make an appearance as Diane, this feels too easy, especially for Lynch.
Instead, I have a different theory when it comes to Diane, one proposed by my former colleague H. Perry Horton in his book, “Between Two Worlds: Perspectives on Twin Peaks“: Diane isn’t real. This doesn’t really click until much later in Season 1 when Coop asks Diane to send him ear pillows to block out the singing Icelanders at The Great Northern. The ear plugs arrive the next day, suspiciously quick if Diane was to receive Coop’s micro cassette, transcribe it and fulfill his requests from halfway across the country. Add in Coop’s lingering guilt over the death of Caroline Earle, and it’s possible Diane is a form of talk therapy for Coop, especially considering how he stops talking to Diane when things heat up with Annie towards the end of Season 2.
Still, Episode 4 of the revival left off with a tantalizing cliffhanger before cutting back to The Bang Bang Club (a.k.a. the road house). Gordon Cole knows something is up with Cooper and Albert knows just the woman to help them sort it out — and he knows where she drinks. Sure, it could be Audrey but wouldn’t Diane, who presumably worked with them all in Philadelphia, make more sense?
Agent Cooper Isn’t Real; Mr. C is the Real Cooper ☕☕☕ (Source: Reddit /u/Theryanfrank)
Considering how much Lynch’s filmography has influenced the revival series already, it wouldn’t be a stretch to pull “Mulholland Drive” and “Lost Highway” into the equation where our favorite agent is concerned.
Coop certainly experienced a psychological break after the death of Caroline, and while he only speaks about a physical wound, it’s evident the impact was much larger — especially if Diane isn’t real, but only a coping mechanism for Coop. The fear of intimacy that stems from Caroline’s death blankets most of Cooper’s interactions in Twin Peaks. It’s one reason he refuses to get too close to Audrey early on in the series, and it’s why he’s so drawn to the town upon his arrival. Twin Peaks isn’t just idyllic and charming; as a town with a lot of dark secrets bubbling beneath the surface, it’s a place where you can keep your demons hidden.
Coop’s fear also make him susceptible to The Black Lodge. The fear that he caused Annie’s death literally splits him in two and births Mr. C, his doppelgänger. But… what if all of this is just a crazy story concocted by a tortured mind? What if Coop, unable to rebound after the death of Caroline, turned into someone like Windom Earle and did truly terrible things? Is it possible that Mr. C has been Coop all along, and he’s created an alternate persona for himself, like Betty in “Mulholland Drive”?
Next page: Audrey and Wally Brando’s maybe-true identities.
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