10 Things We Learned From Twin Peaks: The Return Part 13

9. A Strange Rogues' Gallery

13 Mr C Renzo
Showtime

There's a strange approach to masculinity in The Return.

Mr. C arrives at the Western Montana 'Farm', in which Ray is hiding out. He is met by a gang of criminals, after hilariously referring to Ray as his "buddy" - showcasing something other than dead-eyed malevolence for the first time. In order to procure Ray, he must first best ringleader Renzo at arm wrestling. "What is this, kindergarten? Nursery school?" Mr. C asks.

It's a pointed question. The antagonists in The Return are all, in a way, stunted. The Mitchums eat cereal and, before turning face, "hated" Dougie "so bad". Richard - who is also hiding out in the western state - bristles (euphemistically) at accusations that he's a "kid". Audrey's husband/keeper, Charlie, needs to get his homework done before he becomes too "sleepy". Renzo smacks Mr. C in the back of the head. "That was from the nursery school teacher," he says. Noticeably, it isn't the only scholarly dressing down in Part 13.

Mr. C wins this childish game, with its equally childish stakes - he rejects the chance to supplant Renzo as gang boss - by caving his face in with one supernaturally-powered punch. This framing of the evil permeating the world might pose a fascinating political insight into what Lynch and Frost are saying about it.

Is this what it looks like, when overrun by overgrown children?

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and surefire Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!