Subject: TP: 11/10, SPOILERS, observations and notes... From: broehl@watserv1.waterloo.edu (Bernie Roehl) Date: 1990-11-11, 12:02 Newsgroups: rec.arts.tv,alt.tv.twin-peaks Well, well, well. Much as we on the net predicted, Leland appears to be possessed by BOB. Leland was at the Great Northern at the moment that MIKE gave his whereabouts. He may also have been there when Ben came in, and spooked MIKE to frame Leland. Notice how we're retreating backwards from the scene of MIKE's collapse? Could be Leland leaving, and returning home. Or perhaps just BOB leaving the scene... nothing says he can't be around even if he's not inhabiting someone. ("BOB requires a human host" the same way "Bernie needs to eat" -- I don't eat *constantly*, but I do require food). A few guesses: BOB was in Harold when Harold trashed his place and committed "suicide". (Of course, the door *was* unlocked so it might well have been a human). Ben is Laura's real father. Laura's diary entry "I have to tell everyone who Benjamin really is" refers to his being her father. The close friend of her father's is actually Leland. BOB may have made sure the evidence framing Ben (the diary entry) was left intact (although this seems rather clever for BOB). If the letter under the fingernail really is 'O', then it appears to be spelling "Robert" backwards. This means: 1) we have another murder to go before the BOB storyline is fully resolved, and 2) we've missed one murder (a victim with the letter 'e' under their fingernail). Now, about the origins of these things... It would appear that MIKE and BOB were initially human; the fact that BOB's "true face" is that of a person is undeniable. So who are they, and where do they come from? (I know, I know... "that... cannot be revealed". But it can be speculated about!) We know the BOB-entity has been around Twin Peaks for nearly 40 years. We also know that Leland saw him 40 years ago. We also know that "only one has seen his body"; since BOB looks the same to everyone, and Leland saw him looking the same 40 years ago, this implies that Leland is the "one" the Giant was referring to. Therefore, 40 years ago BOB had a physical form. He was a real, live human being who was probably wearing the clothes we always see him dressed in. After that... something changed. BOB and MIKE were partners; they were probably dealing in the black arts. Random theory: they both wanted a kind of immortality, and found it. ("Through the darkness of future past, the magician longs to see"). They were willing to "walk with fire", if need be, to achieve a more-than- human aspect to themselves. Both gained an existence independent of their physical forms, which may have perished in the process. (The ritual involved the arm, somehow... which is why MIKE later chose to sever it). They both looked for initial hosts. MIKE took over Phillip Gerrard; BOB chose Leland. ("Want to play with fire, little boy?"). MIKE left, and at some point "saw the face of God" and was changed/purified. He left Phillip Gerrard alone, severing the arm to break the connection somehow. BOB hung around TP, leading Leland to abuse his daughter (feeding on the pleasures and the fears) and making her vulnerable to possession herself. BOB bounced merrilly back and forth between father and daughter, occasionally inhabiting animal forms (notably owls). He often tormented Laura and led her to do things she wouldn't do otherwise. At some point, BOB decided (for reasons of his own) to start killing people and spelling out his real name ("Robert"). He killed Theresa Banks. He later killed Laura; Ronnette (gifted/damned) saw Laura possessed during the exorcism ritual (the dirt and the candles), and freaked out. She had seen the true face of BOB. BOB also possessed Harold Smith, who managed to avoid further possession by staying indoors. (I suspect that the spirit forms of MIKE and BOB cannot enter a building; they can only do so while occupying a human form. Perhaps something about wood keeps them out). Needless to say, becoming a shut-in did not do Harold Smith's troubled mind much good. BOB hung around in Leland and in owl form. MIKE heard about Theresa Banks' murder, and then about Laura's... and came back to Twin Peaks. He only intermittently occupied Phillip Gerrard. It was MIKE, not Phillip, we saw in the hospital in the very first episode; he was investigating the crimes himself to find out if BOB was involved. Phillip Gerrard used drugs to ward off further possession by MIKE. BOB attempted to kill Ronette; he simply possessed someone trustworthy (perhaps the guard?) and walked into her room. Ronette, of course, saw BOB's true face, and was concerned. BOB also possessed Harold Smith, the moment Harold stepped outdoors. He was hoping to experience some of "the pleasures" with Donna, but settled for "the fears". He later killed the Harold host body to prevent Harold from figuring out what was going on. MIKE is trying to stop BOB... but has been apart from our world for nearly 40 years. (Were convenience stors called that in 1949? Probably not). There are some people in Twin Peaks (notably the Log Lady, for whom time did not stop in the Roadhouse, and Senor Drool Cup) who are tuned in to at least some of these goings-on. On a weaker level, there's Donna (who knew something had happened to Maddy) and Bobby (who just knew something was out of whack). Some random observations: Maddy smelled "something burning", and there was an audible hissing sound when the light was on BOB. "Playing/Walking with fire" come to mind. Notice that Maddy said something about "galloping back" to wherever, Minnesota? Not sure where that horse fits it. Also note the lyrics to the song Julee Cruise was singing, and bear in mind they were written by David Lynch; I'm not sure we've seen the last of Maddy (or Laura!) Leland's "it's not exactly the far end of the Universe"; he certainly does have a broad perspective on things, doesn't he? Anyway, good for thought... -- Bernie Roehl, University of Waterloo Electrical Engineering Dept Mail: broehl@watserv1.waterloo.edu OR broehl@watserv1.UWaterloo.ca BangPath: {allegra,decvax,utzoo,clyde}!watmath!watserv1!broehl Voice: (519) 885-1211 x 2607 [work]