Windom Earle - Master of Disguise

You can call me Windom, Windom Earle!

Outside of BOB, Windom Earle has got to be Twin Peaks' most intriguing villain. Played by the very talented, Kenneth Welsh, the character always reminded me a little of Batman's the Joker. He's one part disturbing and one part hilarious. Windom seethes with anger while delivering some very humorous dialogue. Despite playing a pivotal role in getting Dale Cooper into the Black Lodge and being a terrific flute player, I think the most interesting thing about Windom was the many costumes he wore throughout his run on the series. Windom Earle appeared to be loaded with an array of disguises and voices, which served to confuse the towns folk while cracking the audience up. With that in mind, I decided to review some of Windom's best wardrobe moments and have a little fun at the same time. 

The Pajama Flutist

Leo definitely got his comeuppances during his time with Windom Earle. After racking up an extensive list of crimes in Season 1, which Windom reads off to him irreverently, Leo was reduced to a helpless child in the care of Windom Earle. Can you imagine waking up and seeing this guy next to you? Not to mention his playing the flute, wearing that dirty onesie and calling you Leo the Lion...ROAR!

Plaid Attacks

Windom wore this jaunty plaid ensemble to the Great Northern for the purpose of leaving his dead wife Caroline's death mask on Dale Cooper's hotel room bed. The disguise made him unrecognizable. Even Dale failed to notice him when they passed each other by the hotel elevators. However I'm pretty sure even in the early 90's this bizarre get up should have drawn more attention. Then again Windom probably would have fit in well with the fashions Andy and Lucy modeled at The Little Pine Weasel fashion show.

Paper Mache Killer

Windom's chess piece victim aka Heavy Metal Youth was unfortunately terribly clueless. At least he got some good afterlife philosophy from Windom before taking an arrow in the chest, which resulted in his instant death. Life lesson of note, the promise of beer and a party aren't worth stepping into a giant pile of paper mache. Watch here --> Chess Piece

The Hippy Biker

Ur very pretty!

In this scene Windom managed to give Shelly some advice about signing up for the Miss Twin Peaks contest at the same time as he managed to sneak a peak at Dale flirting with Annie at the diner. You'd think Dale would have spotted him immediately, but I suppose given Toad's regular presence at the Double R, Windom blended in well here. 

Creepy Pipe Smoking Scholar 

This was an uncomfortable encounter not only for Audrey, but also for the viewers. At first Windom approaches Audrey like a harmless old man and manages to get her to recite the poem Love's Philosophy by the famous poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. However when he references that Audrey looks like a queen, warning bells go off and she quickly leaves. Smart girl, because the way Windom leers at her always gave me the creeps. 

The Dubious Colleague

This scene is arguably one of the spookiest Windom encounters and one of Donna's better scenes from season 2. Although it's not clear why Donna wouldn't have been more skeptical of him given that her best friend was brutally murdered only weeks before, as was Maddy. Still this scene delivers as Windom charms his way into the Hayward's house in an effort to leave a taunting chess piece clue for Dale via Doc Hayward. If Donna does return for Twin Peaks 2017, let's hope she's gotten over the naivete problem. 

Truck Stop Rapist

Watch out ladies this is the guy who put the GHB in your drink. Well actually in Windom's case,  the one who eagerly awaits your reaction to piecing his poem together. Either way, Windom ranks high on the pervy scale in this scene. How Audrey, Shelly and Donna didn't notice this weirdo grinning at them I'll never understand. Dare I suggest that Windom has some issues with women?

Random Milking Cow

Hello Wilbur! I suppose given Major Briggs unusual experiences and disappearances it didn't strike him as odd when a man dressed in a milking cow costume approached him in the woods. Or maybe he was just having an off day. Either way, he managed get himself kidnapped by Windom Earle and Leo found his calling as the costume's ass. Watch here --- > Leo's Calling

The Lurking Fisherman

Cooper couldn't even take Annie for an afternoon boat ride without Windom creeping about. This time in a motley fisherman's outfit. Windom came fully equipped with binoculars for an ideal round of stalking. I guess Annie's beauty and perhaps the mystery of ducks on the lake were distracting enough that Dale failed to notice the nut case peering at them from land side. 

Gender Bending Log Lady

Windom certainly added a lot of villainous fun to Twin Peaks, especially when he pretended to be the Log Lady in an elaborate ruse to kidnap Annie at the Miss Twin Peaks pageant. Along the way he knocked out poor Bobby with his faux log (pretty damn hard I might say, let's hope Bobby didn't suffer any brain damage. See awesome gif --> here). He also created a ton of chaos with strobes lights and dry ice and then he managed to steal Pete's truck. Based on the mayhem he ensued alone, I'd say this might be Windom's best disguise. 

WTF

Yet another moment when Leo was tormented by Windom's odd cruelty. This time with a bag of tarantulas. As for what to call this look...I couldn't really think of anything clever. At least Windom dressed up in his FBI suit before entering the lodge; might as well look official for a soul reaping.

Chief Burning Head

Windom's demise in the Black Lodge does raise some interesting questions. In My Life, My Tapes there are many references that insinuate that Windom may have fallen under the spell of Bob or like spirits from the Black Lodge long before he came to Twin Peaks. Also that Bob might have been trying to get Dale's soul since the time he was an adolescent. Which makes me wonder if possibly Windom's actions in Twin Peaks were being directed by Bob all along. However since the show makes it clear that Windom overstepped once inside the Black Lodge by asking for Dale's soul, thus driving Bob to set Windom's head on fire, I guess the above scene is likely the end of Windom Earle. I don't know if the mythology proposed in any of the Twin Peaks books will truly count in the new episodes. If there is a chance Windom appears in 2017, perhaps he'll be roaming the halls of the Black Lodge tormenting the good Dale. 

Do you want to see Windom Earle in 2017?

Enjoy this clip of Windom describing The Black Lodge!

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