I am new to this forum so I apologize if this has been discussed at length already, but this is something I’ve been puzzling over after finishing the return:

It seems that the general consensus is that the ending of the return casts at least some doubt as to Cooper’a true intentions, and how “good” the “good Dale” really is.

Something I am particularly fascinated by in the original series as well as FWWM is the ambiguity created around BOB and Leland (I.e. where does one end and the other begin). I have been thinking about this topic as it relates to Cooper and his Dopplegänger; is the separation between them as dualistic as it seems on the surface? 

This also brings up the question of whether or not “bad Dale” was a part of Cooper even before he entered the Red Room at the end of Season 2, and perhaps what occurred was more of a separation than a creation. 

I find evidence for this in FWWM when Cooper watches himself on the security monitor, seemingly there are two coopers in this moment. And when Jeffries asks “who do you think this/that is there?” Is this pointing to him recognizing this Cooper as a lodge entity or otherwise as someone other than the Dale Cooper we all know? 

this is not so much a theory or even a question as just a general topic I have been intrigued by, and I apologize again if it has already been explored on this forum.