After watching Twin Peaks FWWM for the second time and after seeing the majority of the series I have had much more sympathy for her this time around then the first time. I guess it's her big green expressive eyes full of dread and shock that she displays whenever her father Leland gets into one his BOB moods and accosts her or whenever she is having a freak out (which let's be honest her whole life at that point was a freak out).

My first impression was that she was a spoiled and selfish little b*tch that went around used people to get whatever she wanted, and while it is true that she did use people like Bobby upon re-watching the movie I believe that even while in complete dread of BOB she tried protecting those she cared about such as Donna (she freaked out when she wore her jacket, I think because somehow that way BOB would find out about Donna through the smell or something), and she broke it off with James I believe that was also a way ti save him from her downward spiral.

I think in any normal (normal being operative word here) dysfunctional family (it also didn't help that her dad was a complete nutter), the teen would go to rehab, get off the drugs, and the family would endure group counseling to overcome their grief/problems. But since this particular situation was far from ever being normal that was supernatural the only way Laura felt that she could get away was to indulge in the vices. I don't necessarily believe that the Lodge spirits forced her to do these things, I do however believe that they were plotting and conspiring to have her join them but I think they (BOB) would have tortured/molested/raped her regardless of the lifestyle she was living.

So in retrospect I felt sorry for her because she seemed liek she really truly was trapped and since there was no other way out that she would just endure whatever there was to come until her death. i don't think that she ever intentionally meant to hurt those close to her, I mean even if BOB wasn't in the picture you have to figure that Leland was messing around with her so she would still be pretty messed up and need to want to find an escape from it all. I was also curious as to why Sarah never suspected Leland of doing anything, she seemed pretty concerned/frightened by his behavior at the dinner table and had noticed Laura's moodswings but never said anything. If things had gone differently and Sarah interjected, could Laura have been saved? Thoughts? Opinions?

I've never felt anything less than sympathetic towards Laura - everything she does is because she was systemically abused by her father/BOB. Laura committed the ultimate selfless act at the end of FWWM - she forced BOB to kill her by wearing the ring rather than allow him to carry on his work through her. I agree with you on why she is angry at Donna, but never considered that she was maybe trying to save James - it's an interesting idea. I thinks she was trying to punish herself for her feelings of guilt (common in abuse victims).

It'd be well worth giving Jennifer Lynch's tie in book 'The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer' - you can pick it up pretty cheap off ebay. Even though it's not strictly cannon - some details contradict the series, like any tie in book - it's an incredibly powerful book, giving a really good idea of the feelings of a victim of abuse. You'll see her in a whole new light after it.

As for her mother there's the suggestion that she secretly knew what was going on. She willing takes the drink with the powder in it (suggested to be cocaine) to block it out - I like this idea, Sarah was psychic and even though she wasn't concious it feels right to me to explain her slightly weird nature by her feeling a sort of psychic echo of what was going on in the house and mentally she couldn't handle being awake during the actual act, like it would have been too much for her to handle.

As for her mother there's the suggestion that she secretly knew what was going on. She willing takes the drink with the powder in it (suggested to be cocaine) to block it out - 

Hmm... where has it been suggested to be cocaine? That would keep her awake. Whatever she takes/is given before BOB kills Maddy knocks her out.

As for her mother there's the suggestion that she secretly knew what was going on. She willing takes the drink with the powder in it (suggested to be cocaine) to block it out - 

 

Hmm... where has it been suggested to be cocaine? That would keep her awake. Whatever she takes/is given before BOB kills Maddy knocks her out.
If the show was made today, Bob/Leland would have sat her down on the couch, and we would just see him flipping open the Lost boxset and giving her a knowing glance combined with an evil grin, knowing that she will be bored into an eternal slumber within seconds.

After watching Twin Peaks FWWM for the second time and after seeing the majority of the series I have had much more sympathy for her this time around then the first time. I guess it's her big green expressive eyes full of dread and shock that she displays whenever her father Leland gets into one his BOB moods and accosts her or whenever she is having a freak out (which let's be honest her whole life at that point was a freak out).

My first impression was that she was a spoiled and selfish little b*tch that went around used people to get whatever she wanted, and while it is true that she did use people like Bobby upon re-watching the movie I believe that even while in complete dread of BOB she tried protecting those she cared about such as Donna (she freaked out when she wore her jacket, I think because somehow that way BOB would find out about Donna through the smell or something), and she broke it off with James I believe that was also a way ti save him from her downward spiral.

I think in any normal (normal being operative word here) dysfunctional family (it also didn't help that her dad was a complete nutter), the teen would go to rehab, get off the drugs, and the family would endure group counseling to overcome their grief/problems. But since this particular situation was far from ever being normal that was supernatural the only way Laura felt that she could get away was to indulge in the vices. I don't necessarily believe that the Lodge spirits forced her to do these things, I do however believe that they were plotting and conspiring to have her join them but I think they (BOB) would have tortured/molested/raped her regardless of the lifestyle she was living.

So in retrospect I felt sorry for her because she seemed liek she really truly was trapped and since there was no other way out that she would just endure whatever there was to come until her death. i don't think that she ever intentionally meant to hurt those close to her, I mean even if BOB wasn't in the picture you have to figure that Leland was messing around with her so she would still be pretty messed up and need to want to find an escape from it all. I was also curious as to why Sarah never suspected Leland of doing anything, she seemed pretty concerned/frightened by his behavior at the dinner table and had noticed Laura's moodswings but never said anything. If things had gone differently and Sarah interjected, could Laura have been saved? Thoughts? Opinions?

I wondered that myself after watching FWWM, just how much Sarah really knew, but I really don't think Sarah could've done anything to save Laura... especially not at that point. Maybe if she'd realized what was happening when Laura was younger? Even then, I think part of BOB's attraction to Laura was the fact that she was Leland's daughter and he wanted to cause Leland pain, so if that's true then Laura was absolutely screwed from the beginning. I'm not sure that you could say Leland would've sexually abused her if BOB wasn't possessing him, though. He seemed completely devastated right before he died, when he realized what he'd done to her.

I was also gonna suggest what Red Room suggested - get a copy of Laura's diary! It's really interesting stuff and it's the kind of thing you can read over and over and still find something new to notice.

 

As for her mother there's the suggestion that she secretly knew what was going on. She willing takes the drink with the powder in it (suggested to be cocaine) to block it out - 

 

Hmm... where has it been suggested to be cocaine? That would keep her awake. Whatever she takes/is given before BOB kills Maddy knocks her out.

I think Red Room has made a couple of bad drug deals in his life.

As for her mother there's the suggestion that she secretly knew what was going on. She willing takes the drink with the powder in it (suggested to be cocaine) to block it out - 

 

Hmm... where has it been suggested to be cocaine? That would keep her awake. Whatever she takes/is given before BOB kills Maddy knocks her out.

In retrospect I thought it was weird that I could smell horlicks afterwards...

The suggestion is Sarah's vision of the white horse in the living room, not saying I buy it, but it's been suggested by people on here and dugpa.

I don't know that there's a right or wrong answer as to how complicit Leland was in it - the series essentially gives him a free pass once BOB leaves him. But FWWM, in my opinion, puts more responsibility on Leland - he seems to be working with BOB at times - when he's giving Sarah the drink with whatever is in it that seems to me to be Leland getting the stage ready. Plus a significant portion of Lynch's films deal with veiled metaphors for abused committed on women. I don't know, like I say, there's no right or wrong when it comes to this.

  Hi, new member here, 2nd post, so .... 

 I understand the horse in Sarah's visions is supposed to be significant of something I once thought I remembered but now realize I don't - but it always meant one thing to me- heroin, or some opium-related drug.  In drug culture, the white horse is a reference to heroin.  Just a thought.

Is the diary by Lennifer Lynch where it is mentioned that Laura was secretly meeting with Josie Packard and well...umm...let's just imagine for a minute ;) Because I remember coming across it on Wikipedia a while ago but it has never been mentioned on the show (well maybe when she says "nervous about meeting 'J' but I assumed it was 'James Hurley'.)?

 

 but it always meant one thing to me- heroin, or some opium-related drug.  In drug culture, the white horse is a reference to heroin.  Just a thought.

 That was the suggestion I was familiar with, too.

No one says that you have to like or dislike anyone. One theme that constantly reappears in TP is each character's dark side. Jacoby says Laura had secrets. Hey Jacoby, everyone has secrets. No one single person is a pure angel.

I hope other people see what you see and feel what you feel. We as individuals can be easy to judge others, but we will never know who each person is or what kind of life they came from. I met a stranger once who was rude to me and yelled at me for no reason. I apologized to her nicely...and in a way felt bad for her. I will never know her name, why she was sour, or if she felt better for acting like a jerk. Its all good, I hope she is happier wherever she is.

I agree with this^

I also think was thinking similarly about Catherine Martell, I know a lot of people dislike her but her anger towards Josie was quite justified (in some way) despite the fact that Andrew forsaw her treachery and took measures to avoid being killed. Catherine did some good things, well at least one when she rescued Shelly and there was a lot worse that she could have done but didn't.