MIKE

MIKE is a character in the TV series Twin Peaks, portrayed by Al Strobel.

Character overview

MIKE is an inhabiting spirit similar to the primary villain of the series, BOB, who was his partner in serial murder. After committing several rape/murders with BOB, MIKE had a religious epiphany and repented, cutting off his own arm to rid himself of a tattoo that read "Fire Walk With Me", which symbolized being touched by "The devilish one". Bob had an identical tattoo on his arm. BOB, however, would not repent. MIKE has spent years trying to find and stop BOB.

In contrast with BOB, MIKE only ever appears in the visual form of his host, traveling shoe salesman Phillip Michael Gerard. Gerard lost his arm in a car accident. He also had a tattoo of the word "mom" on his arm.

Television series

After FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper comes to Twin Peaks to investigate the murder of Laura Palmer, MIKE appears to Cooper in a dream, explaining his and BOB's history, but in a way that is not immediately clear. He shows Cooper a vision of BOB as he appeared in life. Later, Cooper, Deputy Hawk, and Sheriff Truman locate Philip Gerard, who is at the time unable to give them any information. Later, in the show's second season, MIKE is key to solving Laura Palmer's murder.

Prequel film

In the prequel film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, during a scene taking place in the Black Lodge, The Man From Another Place confronts Cooper and asks, "Do you know who I am?" Cooper shakes his head, and The Man From Another Place responds, "I am the arm". This gives the indication that he is the arm that MIKE removed in order to get rid of the tattoo that linked him with BOB on the left shoulder.

MIKE also harasses Leland Palmer, BOB's host, in a road rage incident where he accuses Leland of "stealing the corn," and that "the thread will be torn." Before driving away, MIKE tries to tell Laura that Leland is indeed BOB's host.

This creates an inconsistency or at the very least, a suspicion in canonical plot. MIKE knows that Leland is host to BOB (as in the end of Fire Walk With Me, Leland appears in the Black Lodge and distributes garmonbozia – the "pain and sorrow" collected from victims – as BOB), but MIKE later claims in the series that he doesn't know where BOB is but wants to stop him, leaving the viewer unclear of what MIKE's intentions really are. One explanation is that Phillip Gerard uses haloperidol to suppress MIKE; those who take Haldol, the active ingredient in haloperidol, for a long time may experience memory difficulties as a side effect.