Just wanted to throw this out there, because I'm not sure it's been discussed and it seems like it could be important.
Do we have any proof that Coop was sitting in the Red Room for 25 years? Or is it possible he was already looping through time, crossing dimensions, or somehow carrying out this "plan" we've been hearing about?
I ask because I wonder if we've been shown only the most recent snippet of a long journey - possibly a culmination of experience and knowledge and visits to different points in time, perhaps repeated visits. From the the time he wakes up from his coma, we see him demonstrate a lot of surprising, unexplained knowledge. (To name just one of many examples: How does he know to look for "Laura" at that diner?) Is it because he's done this all before in some form, or because he's simply gathered a lot of information already?
I guess I'd first ask: Is there anything to rule this out? Do we know he's been in the Red Room all this time?
Edit for one more clue: He says Major Briggs told him where to find the Room 315 key. So where did he encounter Major Briggs? We pretty much know Briggs was a time-traveler because his 40-something self was found dead in the present day. If he can do that, I'm sure he could've found a way to get a message to Coop in the Red Room too. But then there's the possibility that their paths crossed somewhere else in the cosmos. Well, more to chew on.
Just wanted to throw this out there, because I'm not sure it's been discussed and it seems like it could be important.
Do we have any proof that Coop was sitting in the Red Room for 25 years? Or is it possible he was already looping through time, crossing dimensions, or somehow carrying out this "plan" we've been hearing about?
I ask because I wonder if we've been shown only the most recent snippet of a long journey - possibly a culmination of experience and knowledge and visits to different points in time, perhaps repeated visits. From the the time he wakes up from his coma, we see him demonstrate a lot of surprising, unexplained knowledge. (To name just one of many examples: How does he know to look for "Laura" at that diner?) Is it because he's done this all before in some form, or because he's simply gathered a lot of information already?
I guess I'd first ask: Is there anything to rule this out? Do we know he's been in the Red Room all this time?
As far as I can see, we know NOTHING.
I have decided to think that he did indeed "move around" lodge spaces and have contact with others. Probably Briggs, for the reason mentioned, but I particularly need to think that he was in contact with Diane, given the way their reunion plays out in the Sheriff's station and forward. This would just make no sense to me, with what we know of their prior relationship, unless they had been in some kind of lodge contact over the preceding 20 years. And I mean, beyond what we saw with Coop and Naido. Also, Gerard is pretty involved in Coop's plan, so I am guessing they schemed together at some point in there.
Yeah I do wonder how many times he's tried to save Laura, get out of the black lodge and meet up with Gordon and Diane. How many times has he failed? And does he always forget what he's done?
Maybe coops message to Cole (where he says 10 the number of completion) means he's done this ten times. I think he remembers because when he wakes up, he takes charge and knows exactly what to do, as if he's been there before. Or maybe the fireman reminds him... "430... Richard and Linda... Two birds with one stone"
Well, at that very least in learned how to make the hand motion that causes the curtains to flip around and allow him to exit to Glastonbury Grove. I do think he was also working with Jefffries and Mr. C somehow got some of those memories when Cooper went through the electric socket and Mr. C got sick and crashed his car. That would explain Mr. C in the SD prison acting so much like Cooper and saying Cole needs to debrief him about working with Jeffries.
Maybe coops message to Cole (where he says 10 the number of completion) means he's done this ten times. I think he remembers because when he wakes up, he takes charge and knows exactly what to do, as if he's been there before. Or maybe the fireman reminds him... "430... Richard and Linda... Two birds with one stone"
Interesting ideas. I've had some conflicting thoughts on the Fireman's "briefing" (who hasn't), but I'm intrigued that he says "Remember" before delivering that line about 430, etc. I'm pretty sure those aren't cryptic clues for Coop to solve, but rather reminders of things he's already experienced and needs to keep in mind for the next phase of... whatever this is.
I like your take on "number of completion" too. At first I wasn't going to read too much into that message. I just thought it sounded authentically like something Cooper would say, with all his interest in Tibetan philosophy and such. I thought it might just be his way of putting his "signature" on the message so Gordon would be sure it was from him (and not some random guy name Dougie Jones).
But after reading your post I Googled "number of completion." There's lots of stuff out there, but I thought this bit was interesting:
Ten is also the number of completion of journeys and returns to origins: Odysseus wandered for nine years and returned on the tenth. Troy was besieged for nine years and fell on the tenth.
Edit: And just another thought on the use of "remember...." I think one of the weightiest lines of the whole series is when Naido becomes Diane and Coop asks, "Do you remember everything?" I pretty strongly believe they've already experienced their "Richard and Linda" phase at this point, and Coop is asking whether she remembers even the things they experienced when they were... other people. I digress a little, but here's the point: I think all this talk about remembering refers to things they've experienced or even repeated in ways that weren't shown to us directly.
Fire walk with