TWBB : The Three and the Triangle

[Scrooby]

TWBB : The Three and the Triangle

Shot 1 : the place where three ways meet (narrative - character - audience).

(15:26) : As he speaks for the first time, Plainview has three eyelights in each eye.

By this point limping Plainview is marked for life. His Fate is already encoded inside him.

His Fate :

Silver Success in New Mexico (5:40) +
Henry from New Mexico (1:19:00) +
Killing Henry on the Bandy Tract (1:45:48) +
"Perhaps you remember Mr. Bandy?" (2:20:02) =
Sending Eli Heavenward (2:29:51) &
"I'm finished."

As a tag to this :

H.W. : "I'm going to Mexico." (2:10:33)

The three sacrifices of Plainview :
Lifetime limp (4:52)
"Big Brother" (12:52)
H.W. loses hearing (1:00:50)

Plainview's three acts of revenge :
Henry (1:45:48)
H.W. (2:13:04, revenge on Plainview himself included?—self-hatred leads to family hatred?)
Eli (2:29:51)

The three mistakes leading to success :
Broken leg = silver reveal (5:40)
Dropped drill = oil reveal (9:30)
H.W. falls down = oil reveal (30:24)

The triangle.

In (15:26) the eyelights delineate a triangle in each of Plainview's eyes.

Theory : When we see a triangle in PTA, something "mega" may be going on.
See Phantom Thread, 1:10:44

Isn't Plainview's oil tower a slender triangle?

Now everybody—

[gearhead]

If we're continuing down the valley of the 'power of three within TWBB', and the implicit christian imagery that comes with that, theres a point to made with Daniel, H.W. and Eli being the father, son and holy spirit. Together they hold a proto-capitalistic grip on Little Boston, but their relationship frays with the development of the film. The downfall of American Christianity, whose body is invaded and reanimated by capitalism???