Axxon N.

Axxon N. is the longest-running radio play in history. The series, particularly its title, seems to be mysteriously linked to the curse, the Lost Girl, and/or the Phantom. It appears at key points leading Nikki/Sue toward her destiny.

The Show
The show appears to be in Polish, although the announcer speaks English. It is visually represented by a spinning Gramophone record shot in black and white, and by black and white "footage" from the series, with all actors' faces depicted as giant grey blurs.

The announcer says that tonight's show is “continuing, in the Baltic region: a grey winter day in an old hotel.” A Man and Woman walk down a hotel hallway. The Woman says she doesn’t recognize the hallway, then realizes she doesn’t have the key. The Man claims she gave the key to him. They go into their room. She doesn’t recognize the room. He tells her to take off her clothes, and asks if she knows what whores do. She says they fuck, and asks if he wants to fuck her. He says he’ll tell her what he wants. They fuck. Then she cries, sitting alone on the bed. This ties directly to the first time we see the Lost Girl, crying on the bed covered only by a blanket.

The series might act as a sort of portal through which the Lost Girl can communicate with Nikki/Sue. The first time Sue is transported to Poland, the Lost Girl speaks to her through the "black and white Gramophone record" motif, telling Sue how to "see" (i.e., learn about the mystery).

Appearances on Doors
Nikki/Sue sees the words "Axxon N." scrawled on an alley door in chalk, with an arrow next to it. She follows the arrow inside, and finds herself transported to Stage 4 on the first day of rehearsals for On High in Blue Tomorrows. This leads to her entering the Smithy's House set and becoming fully trapped in the world of the film.

As Sue walks down Hollywood Boulevard, she again sees "Axxon N." written in chalk on a door. This time, it is unclear where the arrow is pointing. Sue then looks across the street and sees herself; the "other Sue" makes a mocking grin at her. Sue then realizes for the first time that Doris is coming to kill her.

When Nikki goes to confront the Phantom, a door labeled "Axxon N." leads her to Sue's house, where she finds Smithy's gun. She uses the gun to kill the Phantom.

More Things That Happened (Deleted Scenes)
After Nikki's friend tells her story, which clearly parallels the Axxon N. storyline, Jack is seen walking through the same hotel hallway seen in Axxon N., this time in full color.

Trivia

 * Axxon N. was initially conceived as a nine-episode mystery series, set to premiere on David Lynch's website in 2002, which never materialized.


 * The Man is played by Pawel Kubisiak (body) and Brzozowski Marcin (voice). The Woman is played by Dominiya Grudzka (body) and Dominika Bievnet (voice).
 * Although the cast list for INLAND EMPIRE is in order by appearance, the actors who play the Axxon N. roles are listed out of sequence, much later than they actually appear. They are listed after the members of the circus troupe and before Billy Side's Son, perhaps indicating that this sequence was initially placed much later in the film.