Twin Peaks: Beyond Life and Death is One of the Best Episodes of the Series

 

Credit to Laura Palmer — Meanwhile (Reversed)

After an odd season 2 of Twin Peaks, I was so glad to see the show go back to the old roots of David Lynch’s work. He had directed the final episode of season 2, and it ended with a huge twist that must have pissed off fans for years. This episode goes back to the scary horror elements that David Lynch is known for, and poor Dale Cooper finds himself in a game of life or death. 

Once his new love named Annie is kidnapped by a serial killer known as Windom Earle, he travels to the woods to find her. He is told about The Black Lodge, a place that only appears when two planets align. If you don’t enter The Black Lodge with courage, your soul will be lost. Dale Cooper bravely ventures into this strange realm but finds himself terrified when he encounters the creepy strangeness of this place. 

Meanwhile, Audrey Horne is determined to help her father with his business. She goes to the bank to chain herself to the doors, as a way to make a deal with the bank to ensure her father will get his way. Andrew and Pete, the brother and husband of Catherine, are determined to open up a safe in the bank to figure out what their old enemy left the family before he was murdered. 

Unfortunately, this turns out to be a trap, and the safe contains a bomb. Both men are killed, leaving Audrey’s fate unknown. 

We then go back to Dale Cooper, who is traveling through multiple areas called The Red Room. While experiencing so many different horrors, he finally runs into Window Earle. He demands his soul in exchange for Annie, and Earle agrees. Their plans are interrupted by Bob, the most powerful evil entity in the show. He takes Window Earle’s soul instead, and sends an evil doppelganger of Dale Cooper to hunt him down. 

Dale fails to maintain his courage after seeing his evil self, and he starts to run away. The doppelganger chases him through so many red rooms, and he is grabbed by his evil self. The authorities find Dale Cooper passed out in the woods, along with Annie, who is injured. They save both of them and take them back to Twin Peaks. 

Dale wakes up and asks about Annie, and he is assured by the sheriff and the doctor of Twin Peaks that she is alright. Dale tells them in a deadpan voice that he needs to brush his teeth. They let him go, and then Dale goes into the restroom. He squirts a lot of toothpaste into the sink, and suddenly bashes his head against the mirror. 

He laughs, asking about Annie. He continues to laugh, as blood trickles down his forehead, ending the episode. 

This dark ending confirmed that Cooper never made it out of the Black Lodge. Only his doppelganger did, leaving Dale’s fate unknown. 

I felt so sorry for fans, knowing that Twin Peaks had been canceled after only two seasons, leaving the fates of Audrey and Dale unknown. That is so messed up, because what they both went through in their final moments was terrifying. 

Dale did not deserve that fate, and now I’m wondering what the hell happened to his soul. If he is still in the Red Room, will he ever return?

Beyond Life and Death is hands down the best episode of the series so far, and I can’t wait to watch the film to Twin Peaks, including The Return!