The Secret History of Twin Peaks

[GoodMorningAmerica]

Millennial Scully!

[Ross]

I'm still teetering uncomfortably between accepting that the book is a genius puzzle for uber-fans, or fun-but-heartbreakingly-sloppy. There is evidence aplenty for both, as I see it...

That's definitely the question. And then if it IS a puzzle the question for me becomes to what end? Both story-wise and non-story-wise.

Within the story, if we go with the theory that the documents have been changed, what's the reason behind it since for the most part the broad strokes are almost the same? It must be something hidden in the details.

And then there's the practical end of things- the fan reaction. You have fans thinking that it's heartbreakingly sloppy. And even if it's a puzzle, some fans will still feel this:

what I don't get is if this is all some elaborate puzzle and not just a mix of errors and retcons, what is the point? evil coop tampered with the dossier, so it turns out I just read a bunch of unreliable nonsense, uh ok thanks for wasting my time I guess? How does this book benefit from all the mistakes being intended?

[beano]

speaking of inconsistencies, the drawing of margaret's tattoo is slightly different in the trailer that was released a couple months ago than it appears in the book. on the trailer it is asymmetrical and identical to major briggs' tattoo. in the book it is very symmetrical and looks more like the way cooper draws it on the chalk board in the series. and of course, we all know that neither of these resemble margaret's actual tattoo in the series. inconsistencies upon inconsistencies. was the drawing changed after the trailer was released and before the book was published? and if so, why? i assume, after reading the book, that the trailer was supposed to be tamara going through the dossier over pie and coffee. did she alter the documents for some reason? i have so many questions..

[Hawk's Poem]

While I certainly understand the concerns some have expressed, I'm in love with the book. I'm of the opinion that Cooper tainted some (not all) of the continuity errors outlined for his agenda post season 2. A few thoughts....

To me it felt like the Lodge /mythology presence seemed to grow throughout time. It makes me wonder if by the time the 3rd season begins, a major plot point will be the growing influence of the Lodge on Earth. Are the inhabitants attempting to have a greater impact in the "real world"?

The nuclear plant. Several mention of it and it all seemed to be connected with the mythological aspects of the book. That has to be a major clue. They even positioned a plant narrative wise near Twin Peaks.

The 1991 crime eluded to. Briggs' murder? Annie? Donna?

Again, I completely understand those who have expressed concerns over continuity issues but I feel right back in the middle of my favorite story and I couldn't be more happy.

[StealThisCorn]

Good morrow, good people! Long time lurker, first time poster. Twin Peaks Fan from the first hour. I live and breathe it. Okay, enough about me. I've read the book twice now and am pretty far in solving the ENTIRE thing. (Yes, Gordon would be proud.) I'll tell more as time progresses, but I want to tell you something BIG first. While doing research I discovered something that blew my mind. (I'm still reeling!) Okay, here goes: The OWL CAVE RING IS in fact in the original series!!! And WHO is wearing it? Well, it is a certain Mr. Dougie Milford!!! When Dougie dies he's wearing a gold ring with a green stone or gem. IS it the Owl Cave Ring? You decide, but this is a PRETTY BIG coincidence. (And this episode was also co-written by Robert Engels.) This shot also has been set up in a way you can clearly see the ring. It lines up perfectly with the book. Doug ring.png
Ps. He had been wearing it ever since he was introduced on the show.

First off, hat's off to you mate for catching this. I would almost certainly bet there was no actual intention behind this at the time, but it definitely makes for a nice "Easter egg in hindsight" which Twin Peaks tends to be full of.

Somewhat humorously, though, it doesn't seem like Frost has any idea about this nice bit of visual fortune, because nowhere in TSHOTP does he make reference to Doug Milford ever possessing or wearing the Ring.

[LostPhillipJeffries]

Good morrow, good people! Long time lurker, first time poster. Twin Peaks Fan from the first hour. I live and breathe it. Okay, enough about me. I've read the book twice now and am pretty far in solving the ENTIRE thing. (Yes, Gordon would be proud.) I'll tell more as time progresses, but I want to tell you something BIG first. While doing research I discovered something that blew my mind. (I'm still reeling!) Okay, here goes: The OWL CAVE RING IS in fact in the original series!!! And WHO is wearing it? Well, it is a certain Mr. Dougie Milford!!! When Dougie dies he's wearing a gold ring with a green stone or gem. IS it the Owl Cave Ring? You decide, but this is a PRETTY BIG coincidence. (And this episode was also co-written by Robert Engels.) This shot also has been set up in a way you can clearly see the ring. It lines up perfectly with the book. Doug ring.png
Ps. He had been wearing it ever since he was introduced on the show.

First off, hat's off to you mate for catching this. I would almost certainly bet there was no actual intention behind this at the time, but it definitely makes for a nice "Easter egg in hindsight" which Twin Peaks tends to be full of.

Somewhat humorously, though, it doesn't seem like Frost has any idea about this nice bit of visual fortune, because nowhere in TSHOTP does he make reference to Doug Milford ever possessing or wearing the Ring.

Thank you. It could've been removed from the text, or Dougie simply didn't write it down. One thing I DO know is this: Some Twin Peaks Site is reposting it like THEY found it. (And you KNOW who they are.)

[LostPhillipJeffries]

Okay folks. I think I have to cut my stay here short. It looks like some fifth rate TP site is making it IMPOSSIBLE for me to post any more of my findings here. Because they are reposting it, and make it look like THEY discovered it. So, thanks for listening and good luck! Have fun solving The Secret History Of Twin Peaks and I wish you all a fantastic Twin Peaks Filled 2017! Need to go back to my own time again. Bye.

-LostPhillipJeffries

[StealThisCorn]

Ok...I have no idea what this is supposed to be in reference to. Anybody else have a clue?

[dud]

i enjoyed this post from the subreddit, thought i'd share (an edited version of) it here:

"I'm kind of wondering if the general implication of 'two realities' is at play here.

We have a different date for the moon landing as established by the postcard. We have conflicting pieces of information on backstories.

Suppose the Red Room/Waiting Room is a LITERAL gateway between two realities? The White Lodge and the Black Lodge have been convincingly argued to be basically one and the same per various interpretations including u/LostInTheMovies - but think about the constant themes of dualities, mirrors, and repetition that haunt the series.

TWIN peaks. Two worlds. One chance out between two worlds.

What if the dossier comes from the shadowverse/alternate universe?"

i like the idea of two twin peaks more than the idea of time travel altering the twin peaks that we already know. i'm convinced we'll see one or the other in season 3

[dud]

whoa, noticed something else very interesting:

look at the trailer for the book @1:06: https://youtu.be/kinf5ApBjmg?t=66[/youtube]

you'll see the same exact postcard from norma in the book except the stamp is different

no moon landing stamp

so apparently frost went out of his way to add that later

heavily implies that these 'inconsistencies' are deliberate!

[Jerry Horne]

Who is the person in the video wearing the gloves? (Probably Tamara)

Is this person in mid-tamper mode? (Probably not if it's Tamara opening the box)

Can we now speculate that we are hearing a tape rewinding and what that might symbolize?

[Cerulean]

Don't know if it's been mentioned, but the date of the Night of the Burning River incident is February 24, 1902. I'm not sure of the immediate connection (even if there is one) other than the fact it occurs on the same date as Laura's murder and the incident was accompanied by lightning/weather similar to the clouds mentioned when the Lodge spirits appear throughout the book.

And there's some interesting use of language in the newspaper article. "The gravest battle we must fight .. must surely be the one between this ravenous beast that dwells within and the better angels of our nature", which immediately reminds me of Cooper facing his dark side/his doppelganger ("the dweller on the threshold").

Or I'm just going down the rabbit hole.

[dud]

another thought:

jack parsons had the ring on his right hand

the description of the explosion that killed jack said that 'the blast atomized his right arm, no trace of which was found..."

the explosion occurred in 1952

i recall some idea about BOB and MIKE originating in the fifties? or that they originated in an explosion? or both? might be completely misremembering that though...

[OK,Bob]

another thought:

jack parsons had the ring on his right hand

the description of the explosion that killed jack said that 'the blast atomized his right arm, no trace of which was found..."

the explosion occurred in 1952

i recall some idea about BOB and MIKE originating in the fifties? or that they originated in an explosion? or both? might be completely misremembering that though...

Mike said BOB had been [in Twin Peaks] "for nearly 40 years" in Ep 13... that would be around 1950-1952, yes. Jack in Deer Meadow also mentioned that the FBI had been around in the '50s, "when Hap was running the [diner]."

[Cerulean]

According to Bob Engels, MIKE and BOB fell out on December 31, 1951 after BOB stole a can of creamed corn. MIKE/Gerard references it during the road rage scene in Fire Walk with Me.