Dragons And the Black Lodge

In the Black Lodge, Laura Palmer, her doppelganger, and Maddy's doppelganger wear a brooch depicting a dragon throughout the entirety of Twin Peaks. 

It seems more than coincidence that The Return sees Diane's Tulpa wear a memorable dragon themed blouse. 

Dragon Myths

Searching online leads to conflicting information, with myths and legends becoming intertwined. 

Laura's dragon brooch from The Return could be from South or Southeast Asia. As someone without knowledge on the subject, I do not feel qualified to write in detail. It is for that reason that I will keep this post simple and include minute details gleaned from various websites. Please forgive me for inaccuracies. Do not hesitate to contact me to amend matters. 

The dragons I've read about from South and Southeast Asia are said to have control of the weather, namely thunder and rain. They're also said to protect lakes, rivers, waterfalls, and ponds. Tibetan dragons most commonly are said to live high in the mountains, though some sources say they also stay beneath the ground. 

• Thunder ties with BOB in my mind as he was sometimes accompanied by a flashing light - like lightning - in Fire Walk with Me. Lakes and waterfalls, bring to mind Pearl Lakes and White Tail Falls. Mountains tie to the two mountains of Twin Peaks, White Tail and Blue Pine Mountain. Major Briggs said that his work involved monitoring messages sent from beneath the ground. 

All of the South and Southeast dragons are said to shapeshift into people and animals, and change their size from small to large. 

• BOB again comes to mind with the possibility of his possession or ability to shapeshift into an owl. Twin Peaks Blog shared a Frank Silva interview from the Sunday Herald-Sun which included Silva saying, “Bob is out there in Twin Peaks. He transforms from human to animal. He is a creature of the night but will always keep coming back as Bob. He may be an owl one minute then he will become the guy with the grey hair and torment more people.” Though benevolent like the dragon, Garuda is also a shapeshifter and the dragon's adversary. Garuda has power over the wind. The Secret Diary and many instances from the scripts insinuate that BOB has control over the wind. I am not suggesting that these deities could be anything like BOB, I only suggest that it is possible that inspiration could have come from them, as well as other beings.

A pearl is often synonymous with dragons, and this pearl is sometimes referred to as an orb. The orb, depending on the source, is said to allow the dragon to travel between realms. The dragon is also sometimes said to live in another realm. 

"Very occasionally a dragon may be depicted as carrying a giant orb known as the yeouiju, the Korean name for the mythical Cintamani, in its claws or its mouth. It was said that whoever could wield the yeouij was blessed with the abilities of omnipotence and creation at will and that only four-toed dragons (who had thumbs with which to hold the orbs) were both wise and powerful enough to wield these orbs, as opposed to lesser, three-toed dragons." Wikipedia of Korean dragons. 

• We have the orbs and seeds of The Return. Sheryl Lee often refers to The Black Lodge as "another dimension." The notion of creation also ties to Laura's apparent creation by the Fireman via a golden orb in The Return. 

The Tibetan dragon, known as Druk, protects Buddha and the Dharma. The dragon king is one of four deities and guardians, including a snow lion, tiger, a winged being known as Garuda, and a raven. The four are also connected to a horse named Windhorse. The Tibetan dragon's connecting element is fire and its color red. If you see the dragon in your dreams, it is auspicious. Some sites state that the dragon king is so tied to nature that he is the Tibetan people's equivalent to Mother Nature. Dragons in South and South East Asia are spiritual symbols and not aggressive as they are often imagined. 

Though much of this may seem implausible, and may be a matter of  coincidence, David Lynch held an interest in Tibet and Buddhism. Lynch also traveled the world with his art. 

Additional Quotes,

"Wisdom and health are symbolized by pearls or jewels in the dragon's claws. The dragon's control over the weather is manifested by squeezing the jewelry to produce dew, showers or rain." - Enlightenment, of the Tibetan dragon.  

"They traditionally symbolize potent and auspicious powers, particularly control over water and weather." - Wikipedia, of the Chinese dragon.

"Liu Bang, the founder of the Han dynasty, claimed that he was conceived after his mother dreamt of a dragon." - Wikipedia, of the Chinese dragon.

“The Dragon (Druk) symbolizes achievements, calmness, elegance, and generosity; when it roars in the sky, it opens our eyes and awakens to all the world’s delusions. It is indestructible and energetic and holds in its hand’s precious gems that stand for wealth, prosperity and perfection. In its entire splendor, the Dragon also represents the country Bhutan – Druk Yul – the Thunder Dragon Land.”  - Buddhaweekly

"But, they are not just symbols. They are mind-guardians of the highest order." - Buddhaweekly, of the four deities.

1. Druk (Dragon):
2. • The dragon, or Druk, is the most significant of the four creatures, as it is the national symbol of Bhutan, often referred to as the “Land of the Thunder Dragon” (Druk Yul). The dragon symbolizes the element of fire, enlightenment, and the dynamic power of the Buddha’s teachings. The roar of the dragon is said to awaken beings from ignorance and guide them on the path to enlightenment. The dragon also represents the Bhutanese monarchy and the nation’s identity, with the national flag featuring a dragon as a central element. - Re-Heritage