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

4. Thrown For A Loop

13 Mr C Renzo
Showtime

The Sarah Palmer scenes where handily the best in Part 12. We only see her briefly in Part 13, but the impression her scene makes is indelible.

We first saw Sarah in the premiere, morbidly fascinated by a gruesome nature documentary. Here, the spectre of the violence which tragically shaped her heavy-drinking life haunts her yet further; she empties a glass of Bloody Mary as vintage footage of a boxing match unfurls in front of her eyes.

Curiously, that footage loops over and over again. A knockout blow is delivered, three indistinct clangs are heard as the commentators scream for blood - and then, an electrical disturbance sets the sequence in motion all over again. The sound of electricity - "listen to the sounds" - is key here. One reading of a scene that invites many speaks to the influence of the Black Lodge in what little constitutes her life. Sarah has been left housebound following her nightmarish middle age. She has been shattered by the past.

Has this loop been engineered by the malevolent otherworld - electricity being their known conduit - as a means of taunting Sarah of it, trapping her in a state of constant grief?

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!