the last episode: a new theory

	What happened in the Red Room, in the last episode? I don't 
even know if the writers had a perfectly clear idea, but it's fun to 
theorize about it.
	What happened to Windom Earle? Why did he try to take Dale's 
soul, and why did he fail?
	I think that the answer to the first question is, he was 
trying to become more powerful. In fact, I think that was the reason 
for all the murders that he committed in the second season, killing 
the various anonymous people... he wasn't trying to draw out Dale as 
much as he was trying to gain power as a black magician, through the 
practice of killing, destroying, refining his evilness. I think that 
there are various existing black magic ideologies which present this 
idea: the magician gains black power by committing evil deeds such 
as senseless murder. Windom's ambition was to become an extremely 
powerful black magician.
	So, I think that if he had been able to actually swallow up 
Dale's soul, it would have made him much more powerful, since Dale 
was very powerful in terms of good, and corrupting-destroying-
coopting him would be an extraordinary evil accomplishment. However, 
I think that he messed it up. I think that the fact that Dale 
offered his soul out of love, to save someone, meant that Windom 
could not gain black power by taking it, and in fact could not take 
it for black purposes at all. The fact that he tried to take it 
nonetheless led to his collapse. His evil intentions choked on the 
purity of Dale's soul, and he was forced to spit it back out.
	This is not an unusual interpretation, but consider what 
happens next. Bob appears, announces his intention to take Windom's 
soul, and tells Dale to leave. Dale allows Bob to take Windom's 
soul, and he does leave. WHAT IF THIS IS HIS MISTAKE? Consider that 
it is exactly at this point that Dale's shadow self appears, and 
laughs with Bob. WHAT IF DALE COOPER WAS SUPPOSED TO TRY TO SAVE 
WINDOM EARLE?
	Think about it. Windom was Dale's old partner, who taught 
him everything he knew about law enforcement. There must have been 
some kind of bond between them. And now Dale stands by and watches 
as Bob tears Windom's soul out of his body and devours it. Bob tells 
him to go, to get out of the way, and he obliges. He didn't try to 
stop Bob, didn't try to save Windom. I think that this is his break 
with "perfect courage" and perfect love. Perfect love is not only to 
love Annie, and to want to save her, but to want to save Windom as 
well, to redeem him. This is the ultimate test of love, to love your 
enemy. But Dale gives in to his fear of Windom and his fear of Bob, 
as well as perhaps his desire for retribution against Windom, 
retribution for killing Caroline, capturing Annie, etc. So, Dale 
acts in passive compliance to the Bob, when active resistance is 
necessary. And I think that this tiny break with perfect courage is 
enough, not for his soul to be obliterated, but enough for it to be 
detained in the lodge. 

James Green-Armytage



------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> 
Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar.
Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/4lMolB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~-> 

Through the darkness of future past.... 
Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/twinpeaks/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    [email protected]

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/