10 Things We Learned From Twin Peaks: The Finale

4. Dale Cooper Is An Archetype, Or Was

18 Carrie Page
Showtime

Something happens to Dale Cooper upon - or perhaps before, so much is unknown - crossing into a new, terrifying plane of existence. The depths of mystery in The Return are so rich that even writing that word sparks something in the mind: The Evolution of the Arm's doppelgänger sent Dale Cooper into "nonexistence" in Part 2 - is that Lynch and Frost's code for the maligned "all a dream theory," one massaged by the references to Dougie Jones as "Mr. Dreamweaver" in Part 5?

We don't know the definitive state of Dale Cooper's being. We do know what we love about him, a notion reinforced through elaborate, elongated foreplay for the best part of 14 Parts: he is a platonic ideal, a man so inherently good that he has the ability to transfer that essence to all around him even in a state of catatonia. That is the man we wanted to desperately to wake up - and who did, in genuinely life-affirming fashion in Part 16.

That is not the man who crossed over. After that deeply unsettling sex scene, Cooper - or Richard, as a letter penned by Linda suggested - was subconsciously directed to Judy's diner in what was revealed as Odessa, Texas (or a supernatural construction of it). There, he received and dispassionately drank coffee. Three rednecks imposed themselves on a waitress. This aroused Cooper/Richard's moral compass, but also a certain callousness: he shot the second attacker in the foot before he withdrew his weapon.

The Lodges doomed Cooper/Richard to confront himself. The decision to share his new name with his son is no coincidence; actions have consequences. The Lodges also doomed us to confront our preconceived notions of the character, holding his flaws up to a harsh light. It was devastating - but as Richard, having learned of Laura Palmer/Carrie Page's address, gently advised her to don a coat in the cold Pacific Northwestern climes, we saw again the gentle compassion within.

The old Cooper is in there. Judy has not or cannot destroy that.

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 current Undisputed WWE 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!