Although the weird happenings in this small northwestern town would've kept on happening whether or not Laura Palmer had died, the mysterious appearance of her corpse on the shore kickstarted the cult series and had everyone who watched asking "Who Killed Laura Palmer?" Now, 25 years later, the legendary mystery show is returning to television. Since her death was a central part of the plot, it's natural to question whether Laura Palmer will be returning to Twin Peaks alongside most of the rest of the cast. Unfortunately, like everything in the show, the status of Laura Palmer's return is more complicated than it sounds.
Fans have known who killed her for over two decades, but they won't know if she's a part of this revival until the new season airs on Showtime. On a show as weird as Twin Peaks, nothing can be predicted and anything is possible. But signs are pointing to Laura Palmer returning to Twin Peaks in one way or another. After all, she did promise Agent Dale Cooper that "I'll see you again in 25 years" at the end of the show's second season. The show seems to be following through on that promise by confirming that Laura Palmer actor Sheryl Lee will be returning to the show. But Showtime hasn't confirmed that she's playing that character.
The biggest complication is that Laura Palmer has been dead for over 25 years at this point in the universe of the show, and Sheryl Lee is not the same age as she was when she played the teen. Twin Peaks is going to need to think of a way to explain that if they do bring her back, but there's a chance they'll avoid the topic by not bringing back Laura Palmer for another appearance altogether. Just because Sheryl Lee is coming back to the series, that doesn't mean Laura is too.
In the original run of Twin Peaks, Sheryl Lee also played Laura's cousin Maddy Ferguson. Although Maddy was also eventually killed, there's no stopping Twin Peaks from introducing yet another identical cousin of the two victims.
Of course, common television logic has never limited Twin Peaks. The show essentially wrote the book on utilizing surreal, dream-like elements to tell a story. If there's any television show that can find a way to re-incorporate a character that was killed our 25 years ago, it's Twin Peaks.
Creators David Lynch and Mark Frost, along with the rest of the cast, have been insistent on revealing as little as possible about the show before its premiere. This revival is arguably one of the most long-awaited in television history, picking up on a long-abandoned cliffhanger and showing the return of some of the most iconic characters in television history. While the return of Laura Palmer probably won't be confirmed until it happens, expect the former homecoming queen to play a role in the events of the arrival. There simply is no Twin Peaks without Laura Palmer.
