- Not to be confused with Part 9.
"Episode 9", or, "Coma" is the second episode of the second season of Twin Peaks, and the tenth episode of the series as a whole. It originally aired October 6, 1990.
Plot[]
"As above, so below. The human being finds himself, or herself, in the middle. There is as much space outside the human, proportionately, as inside.
Stars, moons, and planets remind us of protons, neutrons, and electrons. Is there a bigger being walking with all the stars within? Does our thinking affect what goes on outside us, and what goes on inside us? I think it does.
Where does creamed corn figure into the workings of the universe? What really is creamed corn? Is it a symbol for something else?"―Margaret Lanterman[src]
During breakfast, Cooper explains Buddhist Tibetan traditions and history to an uninterested Albert. Albert tells him the results of Jacques Renault’s autopsy and states that Jacques was snuffed with a pillow. The killer wore gloves and the tape used to bind his wrists was stolen from a hospital supply cabinet. Albert says the mill fire was arson, with Leo Johnson being the prime suspect. Albert then reports that Windom Earle, Cooper's former partner, who was institutionalized, has vanished into thin air. An Asian man reads the paper and watches Cooper intently.
Donna carries a tray of food to bedridden Mrs. Tremond. A a little boy wearing a jacket and bow tie sits near the door and makes creamed corn disappear from the food tray and appear in his hands. Mrs. Tremond says "My grandson is studying magic," and denies knowing Laura well. She suggests that she ask Mr. Smith, next door. The boy says "J'ai une âme solitaire," and Donna goes next door, knocks, then leaves a note.
In Ronette's room, Harry and Cooper read the instructions before adjusting the stools, then sit next to Ronette's bed. Ronette denies that Leo was the man that hurt her and when Cooper shows her the sketch of BOB, Ronette reacts violently. Jerry and Ben debate the merits of burning the real or the faked ledger and decide to toast marshmallows instead.
At the Double R Diner, Andy has trouble taping the sketch of BOB captioned "Have you seen this man?" to the front door. The Log Lady enters and sits at the counter next to Major Briggs. Norma asks the Log Lady to spit her gum in an ashtray rather than on the counter. The Log Lady tells the Major that her log has something to tell him: "Deliver the message." The Major says he understands.
At the sheriff's office, Andy tells Lucy that when he had applied as a donor to the Tacoma Sperm Bank and they told him he was sterile and could never have babies so now he wants to know why Lucy is having one and how. In the sheriff's office, Truman has Hank sign-in and tells him to keep his nose clean for another week. After Hank leaves, Truman tells Cooper he and Hank grew up together and that Hank used to be a Bookhouse Boy - one of the best. Ben Horne phones and reports that Audrey has been missing for two days.
Jerry brings the unsigned insurance policy to Ben and explains that Catherine would not sign it because of concerns about the beneficiary being Josie. They decide to call the Icelanders and Leland enters. Einar tells Ben that Leland had called to tell him about the fire and Ben and Jerry calm the concerned Einar down. Ben suggests that Leland confine his activities to preparing his tax return. Leland then sees a copy of the sketch of Bob and says that he knows the man, as the man who lived next door to his grandfather's summer house at Pearl Lakes when Leland was a little boy. Leland leaves to tell the sheriff. Ben asks Jerry to kill Leland.
At the hospital, Doctor Hayward shows Leo to Shelly and tells her there is possible brain damage. Shelly asks if he is a vegetable and he does not deny it. Shelly cries.
Lucy receives a call for the sheriff from someone who will not give his name. She tells the caller she cannot connect him unless he tells her his name and then hangs up.
At One Eyed Jacks, Audrey intercepts a girl carrying ice to Emory Battis, who is lying inverted on a chaise-lounge with ankles and wrists bound while another girl pushes a vacuum cleaner. Audrey signals the girl to leave and then unplugs the vacuum and wraps the cord around his neck. She threatens to reveal all about Emory, Laura, and Ronette to her father. Emory admits working for the owner of One Eyed Jacks, her father, and recruiting Laura and Ronette. He says Laura came there one weekend but was using drugs and they threw her out. He says her father saw Laura there, and that he makes it his business to entertain all the girls. He says Laura knew Ben Horne owned One Eyed Jacks and that Laura always got her way, just like Audrey.
In the evening, Bobby and Shelly sit in his dad's car. He tells her that Leo gets a disability check as long as he is out of prison, and he gets over $5,000 a month, but only if he is home. They then talk about being together.
At night, Cooper tells Diane about being troubled because of Windom Earle's disappearance and also because Audrey's absence touches him. Major Briggs visits and tells him that he has a message for him. He explains that his work includes maintenance of deep space monitors aimed at distant galaxies and they routinely receive communications that are gibberish and noise, or, "space garbage." Among these was one clear message that came in late Thursday night or early Friday, about the time Cooper was shot, he notes. The message was: "The owls are not what they seem." When Cooper asks how he knew it was for him, the Major shows him another message that came in later: "Cooper," repeated many times.
At the Hayward home, James, Maddy, and Donna record a song. Donna notices James and Maddy looking at each other and runs out of the room, upset. A phone call comes for Donna from Harold Smith as Maddy has a vision of BOB coming at her over the couch, causing her to scream. James and Donna go to her, but there is nothing there.
Cooper dreams several flashbacks, including the giant telling him, "the owls are not what they seem," Ronette dreaming of BOB, the image of an owl superimposed over Sarah's vision of BOB, Sarah going downstairs, and BOB smiling.
Cooper awakes and answers the phone to Audrey saying, "why aren't you here?" She tells him he looked handsome in his tuxedo and that she is in trouble. Blackie and Emory hang up her phone and Blackie tells Audrey, "Miss Horne, you don't know what trouble is, not by a long shot."
Episode credits[]
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Kyle MacLachlan as Special Agent Dale Cooper
- Michael Ontkean as Sheriff Harry S. Truman
- Madchen Amick as Shelly Johnson
- Dana Ashbrook as Bobby Briggs
- Richard Beymer as Benjamin Horne
- Lara Flynn Boyle as Donna Hayward
- Sherilyn Fenn as Audrey Horne
- Warren Frost as Dr. Will Hayward
- Peggy Lipton as Norma Jennings
- James Marshall as James Hurley
- Everett McGill as Big Ed Hurley (credit only)
- Jack Nance as Pete Martell (credit only)
- Kimmy Robertson as Lucy Moran
- Ray Wise as Leland Palmer
- Joan Chen as Jocelyn Packard (credit only)
Also Starring[]
- Eric Da Re as Leo Johnson
- Harry Goaz as Deputy Andy Brennan
- Sheryl Lee as Maddy Ferguson
Guest Starring[]
- Chris Mulkey as Hank Jennings
- Miguel Ferrer as FBI Agent Albert Rosenfield
- David Patrick Kelly as Jerry Horne
- Wendy Robie as Nadine Hurley
- Don Davis as Maj. Garland Briggs
- Victoria Catlin as Blackie O'Reilly
- Don Amendolia as Emory Battis
- Frances Bay as Mrs. Tremond
- Grace Zabriskie as Sarah Palmer
- Catherine E. Coulson as The Log Lady
Featuring[]
- Phoebe Augustine as Ronette Pulaski
- Austin Jack Lynch as Little Boy
- Jill Pierce as Ice-Bucket Girl
- Mak Takano as Asian Man
Uncredited[]
- Jula Bell as Girl at One Eyed Jacks with Vacuum Cleaner
- Frank Silva as BOB
- Unknown performer as Einar Thorson (voice)
Notes[]
- Timeline: March 4, Saturday
- Nielsen Rating: 9.2/18
Appearances[]
- Individuals
- Emory Battis
- BOB
- Andy Brennan
- Bobby Briggs
- Garland Briggs
- Dale Cooper
- Windom Earle (Mentioned only)
- Diane Evans (Mentioned only)
- Einar Thorson (Voice only)
- Maddy Ferguson
- Donna Hayward
- Will Hayward
- Audrey Horne
- Benjamin Horne
- Jerry Horne
- James Hurley
- Hank Jennings
- Norma Jennings
- Leo Johnson
- Shelly Johnson
- Jonathan Kumagai
- Margaret Lanterman
- Catherine Martell (Mentioned only)
- Pete Martell (Mentioned only)
- Lucy Moran
- Neff (Mentioned only)
- Blackie O'Reilly
- Andrew Packard (Mentioned only)
- Josie Packard (Mentioned only)
- Laura Palmer (Mentioned only)
- Leland Palmer
- Sarah Palmer
- Pierre
- Ronette Pulaski
- Jacques Renault (Mentioned only)
- Albert Rosenfield
- Harold Smith
- Mrs. Tremond
- Harry S. Truman
- Waiter (Mentioned only)
- Locations
- Calhoun Memorial Hospital
- Canada
- Double R Diner
- Great Northern Hotel
- Horne's Department Store (Mentioned only)
- Iceland (Mentioned only)
- Maryland (Mentioned only)
- North America
- One Eyed Jacks
- Packard Sawmill (Mentioned only)
- Pearl Lakes (Mentioned only)
- Tacoma Sperm Bank (Mentioned only)
- Tibet (Mentioned only)
- Train car (Mentioned only)
- Twin Peaks
- Twin Peaks Sheriff's Station
- United States
- Washington
- Organizations
- Objects
- Coffee
- Cooper's ring (Mentioned only)
- Creamed corn