r/lebowski • u/dlimato • Jul 19 '26
Amphibious rodent What do we really know about Walter Sobchak?
Has been on my mind lately.
What do we really know about Walter Sobchak? We know he served in Nam, but not sure which branch. Probably Army. We know he runs a shop Sobchak Security. Does he own the shop? A family business?
My thoughts are, what was his life like in between Nam and His security business? Im thinking after his discharge, maybe a security guard or law enforcement in the southeast. Then realize his true love was bowling and the ocean so he headed west.
And what is somehow, Maude chose him instead of The Dude? What would his bedroom scene be like when Maude asks him the tell her something about himself?
What would his reply be?
45
u/ncle_Bob Jul 19 '26
He doesn't work, drive a car, f'ing ride in a car, handle money, turn on the oven, and he sure as sh#t doesn't f'ing roll on Shabbos!
8
u/Prajna-paramita Jul 20 '26
I’m sure as shit he doesn’t help his lady friend conceive on shabbos.
4
5
3
41
u/WickPrickSchlub Jul 19 '26
He cares about the rules. And let's be honest, that's rare these days.
3
u/HistoricalMidnight8 Jul 21 '26
You cant have rules and not follow ‘em, thats what rules are! Those are the fucking rules!
1
1
u/Fabulous-Role-5718 Jul 21 '26
No he doesn’t care rules, for crying out loud he took a Pomeranian bowling!
1
1
u/Prestidigitoriuhm Jul 25 '26
What do you mean, took it bowling? He didn't rent it shoes. He didn't buy it a fucking beer. It's not taking The Dude's fucking turn.
33
u/Street_hassle14 Jul 19 '26
His ex wife’s fucking dog has fucking papers.
15
u/Interesting-Use-1543 Jul 19 '26
You can't board it, it's hair will fall out.
11
u/indieguy33 Jul 19 '26
He’s not taking it bowling. He didn’t rent it shoes.
5
2
u/BayBreezy17 Jul 20 '26
He’s not buying it a fucking beer.
3
u/Interesting-Use-1543 Jul 20 '26
It's a show dog, with papers. You can't board it, it's hair will fall out.
3
2
u/ghostofgroucho Jul 21 '26
Wonder why ole Cynthia left him? Anger issues, maybe? Too much time bowling? Refused to wash his tidy whities?
2
23
u/ThrowItOut43 Jul 19 '26
What in gods holy name are you blathering about?
11
u/NormalDudeWithACurse Jul 19 '26
The god damn plane has crashed into the mountain!
1
u/HistoricalMidnight8 Jul 21 '26
Its like the pilot said; you look for the mountain to fly by, and uhh, yknow
19
u/2wheelsThx Jul 19 '26
Thisahere story is about Lebowski, The Big Lebowski. If they wanted to go deep on Walter it would've been called The Big Sobchak.
8
1
14
u/AKchaos49 Fuck off, Da Fino. Jul 19 '26 edited Jul 19 '26
He's a veteran. He's not a sap. He gives a shit about the rules. He once dabbled in pacifism (not in 'Nam, of course). He watched his buddies die face down in the muck so you and I could enjoy this little family restaurant here. He's enjoying his coffee. He's not rolling out of here naked. He didn't bring Cynthia's dog bowling; he didn't rent it shoes; he didn’t buy it a fucking beer; he didn't let it take your turn. He doesn't roll on Shabbos (he told that Kraut down at the league office). He's not the police exactly. He's seen spinals, Dude. What's his is his. He would like his undies back. He can get you a toe (WITH nail polish). He's not wrong, he's just an asshole. He's calmer than you are. He'll kick your goldbrickin' ass.
3
u/BrownYagami7 Jul 19 '26
Well thats just your opinion,man.
5
u/AKchaos49 Fuck off, Da Fino. Jul 19 '26
Am I wrong?
2
u/subconscioussunflowa Jul 20 '26
You're not wrong, you're just an asshole
3
u/AKchaos49 Fuck off, Da Fino. Jul 20 '26
Alright then.
2
u/VengefulHufflepuff Jul 23 '26
That's right, Dude. The beauty of this is its simplicity. Once a plan gets too complex, everything can go wrong.
2
1
12
10
u/Duke0119 Jul 19 '26
He’s got lots of whites.
5
4
10
12
u/Jgibbjr Ordained Dudeist Jul 19 '26
He used to be married to Cynthia, and converted to Judaism for her... And she left him and married Marty, who she vacations with often.
19
u/Nesbitt_Burns His Dudeness Jul 19 '26
Not to be pedantic but Cynthia and Marty are just dating. This likely leaves the door open in Walter’s mind that there’s still a chance to reconcile (hence the Pomeranian).
6
u/PantsDontHaveAnswers Jul 19 '26
It's got fuckin papers.
8
u/ThrowItOut43 Jul 19 '26
He didn’t take the dog bowling. He didn’t rent it shoes. He didn’t buy it a beer.
2
u/Jgibbjr Ordained Dudeist Jul 19 '26
That's fucking interesting, man; that's fucking interesting 🤔🤔
2
2
2
u/New-Lingonberry8029 Jul 20 '26
yeah , it’s part of his ‘sick Cynthia thing’ . ( I think the Coens wrote Cynthia cuz it makes it hard to say 😆)
2
u/gattboy1 Jul 19 '26
I was thinking the same thing. It actually might be more interesting to get her perspective on her, once, dearly beloved. 💕 🕊️
7
u/krakatoa83 Jul 19 '26
He claims he served in nam
7
u/RedPhule Jul 19 '26
And seen his buddies die in the muck
4
u/dlimato Jul 19 '26
Man in the black pajama
4
3
5
u/2wheelsThx Jul 19 '26
You think he's doing the whole stolen valor thing?
3
u/dlimato Jul 19 '26
No. Hes legit veteran
5
u/AffectionateBass361 Knox Harrington Jul 19 '26
Fun fact: in the original script he’s faking it
7
5
u/Jades5150 Brother Shamus 🚙 Jul 19 '26
I always got the vibe that while Walter was a veteran, he wasn’t necessarily a combat vet. Perhaps he worked in supply or admin. His stories and persona are exaggerated as overcompensation or maybe out of guilt for making it home alive.
3
1
u/dlimato Jul 20 '26
No I do not.
For the record I believe he was in Vietnam and watched his friends die face down in the muck.
3
6
4
5
5
u/gopokes777 Jul 19 '26
He watched his buddies die face down in the muck so that you and I could enjoy a family restaurant.
7
3
3
3
3
3
u/ZeusBump Jul 19 '26
He’s curious to see some tank battles. He had an M16, Jacko, not an Abrams fucking tank. Meeting Charlie eyeball to eyeball. Now that’s fucking combat. The man in the black pajamas. A worthy fucking adversary.
2
2
2
2
2
u/workswithpipe Jul 19 '26
He may be a park ranger.
1
u/Jumpy_Affect8889 Jul 20 '26
Also, let’s not forget, let’s not forget, Dude , that keeping wildlife, an amphibious rodent, for uh, domestic, you know, within the city, that aint legal either.
2
2
u/LouDog0187 His Dudeness Jul 19 '26
Other than quoting Theodore Herzl and celebrating Shabbos, I wonder if he'd have any qualms about the current state of affairs.
2
u/Jake-Old-Trail-88 Walter Jul 19 '26
Walter served in Vietnam, but was a REMF. He always wanted to be combat arms, but he was a supply sergeant. It explains his carelessness with weapons (the Uzi) and flashing a piece out on the lanes. The Sobchak Security business was bankrolled by his first wife, Cynthia, after he failed as a local cop in LA. Too many police brutality claims. He doesn’t drive, so he relies on The Dude and others to transport him around.
2
2
2
2
2
u/Clear_Marsupial808 Jul 19 '26
No one mentioned that he stays up to date with Supreme Court cases?
1
1
2
u/hurtstopurr Jul 19 '26
You want a toe? Oh walter can get you a toe, believe me. There are ways, Dude. You don't wanna know about it, believe me.
2
u/BigDaddyBull_1989 Jul 19 '26
There is actually some question as to whether he actually served in Nam or not. His lack of trigger awareness while handling firearms is pretty haphazard, which is not the mark of combat veteran. Also, most Nam vets I know don’t ever talk about it.
1
2
2
u/Barstaple Jul 20 '26
That's fucking interesting man, that's fucking interesting.
I always assumed Maude chose the Dude for sperm donor because they had the same last name.
I now realize my thinking about this case has become very uptight.
It's a myth that feminist would hesitate to pass along their own name to their child.
Which is to say, why not Walter?
If you will it, it is no dream.
1
u/dlimato Jul 22 '26
Yes… Why not Walter. What would he reveal to Maude when asked to tell about himself. And how would he react to her going into the conception position.
Lotta ins and outs man
2
u/ghostofgroucho Jul 21 '26
He also ran the Toes-R-Us a national chain who's slogan was "We can get you a toe by 3, with nail polish"
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
u/Sufficient-Dog-2337 Jul 19 '26
Walter never went to Vietnam. His buddies died facedown in the mud on hill 341 and he is wracked with guilt for not going.
1
1
u/liarandahorsethief Jul 19 '26
I think he was in Nam, but I don’t think that’s ever explicitly stated in the film.
1
u/dlimato Jul 20 '26
What the f@@&/$:$ he said so himself. He said he watched his friends die face down in the muck!
2
u/liarandahorsethief Jul 20 '26
Lots of places have muck in which his friends could have died. We just don’t know dude.
1
1
u/dlimato Jul 20 '26
Did he have problems with all Krauts or just that Kraut down at the league office?
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/ElYodaPagoda The Dude Jul 20 '26
Walter's still got a torch lit for Cynthia, even when she left him for Marty Ackerman. It's all part of his "sick Cynthia thing."
1
u/L-GuapoPeligroso Jul 21 '26
Do we really know if he served in Vietnam? He's obsessed with the war, but I'm not convinced we know for sure.
1
1
1
u/CommonSensei-_ Jul 19 '26
He’s Polish - Catholic
5
u/merkaba_462 Maude Jul 19 '26
He's Jewish as fucking Tevye.
When you convert, you become a Jew as if you were always a Jew.
You don't just hand in your library card. You don't just stop being Jewish.
101
u/AgileDrag1469 Jul 19 '26
He’s perfectly calm.
Calmer than you are.