The Watchmen season finale saved the world but left out one desired ingredient: Lube Man. Yep, that greasy, costumed vigilante remains in the wind after a (literal) fleeting scene from the fourth episode. Of course, his sole “superpower” was the ability to spray lube all over himself while fleeing on foot from Sister Night and sliding into a sewer grate. Since then, people have yearned to learn more about this mysterious figure. The prevailing theory was that his real identity is FBI Agent Dale Petey, whose long, lean physicality seems like a perfect match. Also, there was this moment where Petey toyed with a mask while annoying Laurie Blake on a plane.
Well, an interesting file has surfaced on the Peteypedia site, which HBO uses to occasionally fill in the gap on the show’s mysteries. The file (purportedly written by FBI Deputy Director Max Farragut) strongly suggests that Petey, who didn’t appear in the finale (and has, in fact, been fired from the FBI), is Lube Man with this particular excerpt:
My understanding from Tulsa PD is that he has now gone missing. Given the simultaneous deaths of a U.S. senator and a prominent trillionaire, it would appear Petey has taken it upon himself to continue the investigation despite our closing it. It’s clear now from his memos that Petey (Hero Enthusiast-Obsessive/ Solipsist on the Werthem Spectrum) is at risk for vigilante behavior, and most likely, always was. Perhaps sooner or later, this task force will be investigating him.
Ah yes, Laurie (as head of the FBI’s Anti-Vigliante Task Force) will certainly enjoy investigating the adventures of Lube Man. The file also trashes the “music” of Nine Inch Nails — very appropriate, given that Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross created the series soundtrack, including music for the Lube Man scene — and comic books. However, we cannot take this file as concrete proof that Petey is Lube Man, as showrunner Damon Lindelof told Rolling Stone‘s Alan Sepinwall of the update: “I’m not saying it’s going to definitively answer your question, but it will certainly add lube to the fire.”
Long live Lube Man.