The X-Files

The X-Files: “Monday” and the Everyday Hell of Abusive Relationships

~ Alyssa Waugh ~ Leave a comment
Art by Jared Adams

“I don’t think she was an accomplice. I think she was just trying to get away.”

These words, spoken by Mulder at the end of the episode “Monday” perfectly encapsulate the fear and danger in trying to leave an abusive relationship. She was just trying to get away. Only you can get out, no one can do it for you. No one can save you. You might die trying to get away, but even that is preferable to perpetual hell.

We know that the woman named Pam represents every woman. We only hear her name once. This could be done intentionally to both signify how she could be any woman, every woman, but also to show that these women aren’t just statistics and victims, but whole people with unique identities. She’s not just some woman. She’s Pam. It lends weight to everything that will happen after. She has a name, people and things she loves, a life, favorite foods, favorite movies, favorite books, dreams and goals.

But any woman (one just like Pam) can find herself in an abusive relationship. Smart women. Strong women. Because gas lighters are smart too. At least when it comes to this. Emotional manipulation is what they’re best at, and there’s usually no indication you’re in an abusive relationship until it’s too late. Using an amalgamation of countless real life stories, we can infer that Bernard probably started out sweet, telling Pam she’s beautiful and perfect and the only girl he’s ever felt this way about, that she deserves the best, and shouldn’t have to work. So he’ll work (as a janitor) so she doesn’t have to. It sounds very romantic and appealing until you realize that he’ll have her right where he wants her-with no financial independence of her own and no way to leave him once he starts showing his true nature.

But this is all just speculation right? We don’t know it’s an abusive relationship. The X-Files has always been subtle but profound. They don’t come right out and blatantly say anything. But we do have one important clue. So like Mulder and Scully we take what little evidence we have and run with it. We know this woman is living the same day over and over and has tried everything possible to stop the explosive ending from happening again. She drugs Bernard; it doesn’t work. She hides his keys; it doesn’t work. She even calls the cops on him herself. But like she says “he always gets here.” And she’s always there with him. There’s nothing she can do to change her circumstances.

When Bernard asks her why she’s always in a mood she replies “because nothing ever changes.” On the surface this is obviously directed at the “deja vu” of the repeating day. But beneath the surface it’s a commentary on the stagnant nature of being trapped in an abusive relationship. Often, the abusive party will apologize for their behavior and swear it’ll never happen again. Inevitably it always does. The only possible outcomes are a woman finally putting her foot down and getting away, living out the rest of her days in Hell, or when her abuser accidentally or intentionally kills her.

I like this bit from the show because you’d think calling the police would be more than enough. Calling the police with a tip about a bank robber with a bomb headed for a specific bank should be enough to stop Bernard, but for whatever reason, it isn’t. Going to the police for help if you are in an abusive relationship should get you out of it, but it often doesn’t. How many news stories include the details of a woman going to the police, filing a restraining order against her abuser and basically doing everything she’s “supposed” to do–“the right thing”–in order to save herself. But often abusers are controlling and possessive. They try to control where you go, who you can and can’t talk to, even how much money you have. When they lose control, the fear of no longer being able to possess the person they want can send them onto a violent and destructive path. But before that happens, they will do everything in their power to maintain that control. They’ll violate restraining orders, stalk, break into houses, whatever they need to do to try to talk the person into taking them back. The particular news story I’m thinking of ended with the woman dead after just such a series of events. She tried to get away, and he killed her. A final act of ultimate control. If I can’t have you, you aren’t going to be with anyone else. If I can’t control your existence, then you’re not going to exist.

But back to the main clue the woman is in an abusive relationship. One of the things she tries in order to change her circumstances is to tell Bernard “I’m not going with you.” He replies “Look, I’m not asking.” This is what abusive relationships are like. You don’t get to decide for yourself how you will live. You are told what to do. And you do it, or else. Frequently watching his episode I asked myself why doesn’t she stick to her guns? Why doesn’t she refuse to go with him? Probably because whenever she tried to say no, she got beaten. She’s afraid. You can see it in her face, her eyes and the bags beneath them, her stance. You can hear it in her voice. She is truly in hell. And there’s only one way out.

At the end of the episode Pam finally realizes what variable needs to change in the events of that Monday. She needs to be the one in the bank, not out in the car. She needs to be the one to get hurt. Bernard is responsible for killing her (accidentally), all the while claiming he was doing this for her. But as is the misplaced feeling of most abusers, that’s not really love. No freedom. No peace. That’s not a loving environment. Money won’t make her happy. Pam actually looks relieved as she lies on the floor of the bank bleeding out.

“This never happened before,” she says with the same optimism she exhibits whenever Mulder remembers something from the repeated day. Maybe this will do it. Maybe it’s finally, finally over. Maybe she’s finally free.

This is all juxtaposed with Mulder and Scully’s healthy relationship–one built on friendship, trust, independence, and mutual respect. Their banter with one another, even on a bad day, brings jokes, smiles, and conversations on fate versus free will. Scully volunteers to cover for Mulder and deposit his check for him, and (as always) they both try hard to save each other’s lives once inside the bank. We even see Scully cradling Mulder with gentle care, in stark contrast to the stiff and cold body language between Bernard and his girlfriend.

In this episode, Vince Gilligan and John Shiban cleverly show the hell, and all too often tragic ends that abusive relationships can meet.

“She was just trying to get away…”

The X-Files, “Orison:” for  Discussion on Donnie Pfaster, God, The Devil, and Free Will, Don’t Look Any Further 

~ Alyssa Waugh ~ 2 Comments

 
Scully murders Donnie Pfaster. Let’s  just digest that for a moment. Because I think sometimes we get so caught up in the fact that Donnie totally had it coming, we justify Scully’s actions without giving proper consideration to the massive ethical and moral dilemmas this episode poses. In true X-Files fashion, it evokes complex emotional questions. That’s why we love it. So let’s discuss this deep and multifaceted ending.

Even though Mulder and Scully have the situation completely under control and they can arrest Pfaster as the law and conventional justice dictate they should, Scully kills him anyway. She doesn’t have to. It’s not in self defense. Don’t get me wrong; it might have been. At any time during the apartment struggle scene, Donnie could have come at her, and she could have shot him and been totally within her rights of that last resort. But that’s not what happens at the end. Donnie’s just standing there. He’s not attacking her. And she kills him.

Scully shoots out her light, forcing Mulder to look at it in surprise. Now he can’t officially say he saw what happened. He wasn’t technically looking when Scully shot him. So he can’t say that Donnie didn’t somehow provoke her. And Scully doesn’t then put Mulder in the position of having to lie on his report in support of her. Even though Mulder does say his report will reflect the fact that Pfaster would have definitely killed again were it not for Scully’s justified actions.

Whenever I watch this, my immediate reaction is “Yeah! Kick his ass! Shoot him! He deserves it.” Perhaps because I’m a woman like Scully, and Donnie only preys on women, I can only too closely relate to her fear for future safety and her need for vengeance. But I think that’s how most fans feel when they watch it. Donnie is, after all, pure evil. And foregoing a huge capital punishment/all life is precious debate, for most fans, it’s easy to say that some people are so evil we have no choice but to be rid of them. That’s the pro death penalty side. On the other hand? Would you be willing to be the one who throws the switch or pushes that lethal injection? Or in Scully’s case, pulls the trigger?

That’s the part that gives us pause. Because what happens to our humanity if we take a life? Even such a vile and evil one as Donnie Pfaster’s? Shouldn’t we hold ourselves to higher moral standards than the death fetishists and  killers? It reminds me of a quote from another great SciFi series, Stargate SG-1: “I’m talking about the No Killing one [commandment]. No matter what the reason, every time you break it, you take one step closer to Hanson [a cold-blooded killer].”

This becomes Scully’s dilemma. she feels like a terrible Christian for taking a life. Even though Pfaster was pure evil and would “surely kill again if given the chance.”Scully still feels it’s not her right, or anyone else’s, to take any life. She holds up her Bible for Mulder to see, her guilt palpable.

In the end, Scully muses over what forces could have possibly been at work in her, prompting her to make that decision. Mulder asks her, “You mean what if it was God that made you pull the trigger?” Scully says, “I mean, what if it wasn’t?”

Reason dictates that if you believe in God, as Scully does, you must also believe in the devil.  You can’t have one without the other. And if you believe in the devil it stands to reason that Satan is somehow behind all of these violent impulses. If the devil advocates  vengeance over divine notions of forgiveness or peace, then killing Donnie was the wrong thing to do even if Scully was justified.

I’m not saying I wouldn’t have done the same thing. But I am saying I would have technically done the wrong thing. Because we can’t control what Donnie Pfaster does to us. We can only control our own actions. And the only thing we can ever truly control, is whether we are good or evil.

That’s free will. That’s why God (if you believe) can’t, say, “stop the terrorists from hitting the World Trade Center.” Or stop an evil death fetishist like Donnie Pfaster from killing innocent women. Rapists, sexual sadists, pedophiles, murderers, and terrorists all have the option to be evil. It’s the only way God would truly know who is good or not. As Mulder says, “God is a spectator, Scully. He just reads the box scores.”

God doesn’t interfere. But the devil does. He takes human form in Donnie Pfaster. And let’s face it, if the devil really were to take human form, Donnie Pfaster is exactly what he’d be. A sexual sadist necrophiliac death fetishist killer. He wouldn’t come back as, say, “Lucifer,” Fox’s cool new bad boy. But as pure evil in human form.

But this very X-Files way in which the devil interferes isn’t the only one. He tempts us. Because if allowing us our free will is the right thing to do, then tempting us into violent, instantly gratifying actions with potential long-term damage to our souls, must surely be the wrong thing.

Although maybe God interferes too, but just doesn’t let anyone know. Like when Scully’s cancer goes into spontaneous remission. No one knows for sure whether that was a miracle or not. All we know is that her cancer worsens or remains the same until she embraces her faith and starts praying.  If God did too much for us, we’d become dependent on him for everything, and stop taking responsibility for our own actions–our free will. But if God did nothing, people would lose faith. Maybe those imperceptible little miracles are God’s answer to the devil’s temptation.

One of the things I’ve always loved most about The X-Files is the juxtaposition of science and faith. And how the characters gradually sway each other toward their individual beliefs. Because in the end, there’s a place for science, religion, paranormal activity, and whatever else in our lives. The universe is so vast, why limit the endless possibilities?  I love the open-mindedness of The X-Files and that it doesn’t discount anything out of hand. How, while this conversation and Scully’s faith center on Catholicism, there are passages from all of Earth’s major religions on the surface of the space craft found in Africa. The show makes the case that, just as it would be absurd to say that in this ever expanding universe we are alone as a species, it would be just as ludicrous to discount any and all religious ideas outright. If there’s one thing I learned from the show, it’s to keep an open mind and that it never hurts to believe in something divine.

The X-Files: When Scully Wants to Believe

~ Alyssa Waugh ~ Leave a comment

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In the season 7 finale “Requiem,” for the first time in a long line of denial we finally hear Scully say she has seen things she can’t deny. It’s a big moment, her finally acknowledging that aliens exist. The difference is she’s finally open to it.

Sure it might just be a convenient time for her to believe because David Duchovny is about to leave the show and they can turn the only character the fans have left into the believer and add a new skeptic in Doggett. It would work, because we love Scully just as much as Mulder, and the two have always been equal protagonists. But the reason the show still works after Mulder leaves, as the “main character,” is because the show really is just as much Scully’s, and has been from the start. In some ways it’s actually more her story. After all, she experiences the most change over the course of the series.

When Mulder enters the office, after Scully admitting what she can no longer deny, she’s staring at the I Want To Believe poster. This moment isn’t explicitly brought to the audience’s attention. In fact, the moment Scully really sees the poster for the first time is an easy one to miss. Mulder just starts talking to her and she looks away from it, uncrossing her arms and coming out of a deep thought. It’s about the “want” in I Want to Believe. The truth is out there; you just have to be open to it.

But why now, after 7 years? It was all her experience in Africa. She saw a little too much of the proof she’d been seeking. Not only alien ships with alien writing, but all intermingled with scripture from the Bible, complete with frightening plagues. Scully had always believed in God–ironic when she was always so skeptical about everything else. It’s even more ironic that her religious beliefs eventually lead her to believe in aliens. And it’s even more beautiful when you realize that Mulder’s experiences with the paranormal lead him to believe in Scully’s God as well.

Not long after “Requiem,” in the two-part season 8 premiere, “Within”/”Without,” we see Scully alone, out in the middle of the desert, searching desperately for Mulder with nothing more than a flashlight. It’s incredibly romantic, but also metaphoric for where she is on her journey. In the beginning, she opposed Mulder and stood within the majority of people who don’t believe in aliens. In the end Scully believes and she’s all alone, just as Mulder was alone in the beginning of the series.

“Wherever Mulder is, he damn well better be smiling,” Scully says, finally realizing the pain and frustration she put him through. Now Doggett gives her a taste of her own medicine.

Scully has finally become one of them–the Mulders and Maxes–the alone and unbelieved—-an outsider–and when she does, I have more respect for her than ever.

The X-Files: The Saddest Show Ever? 

~ Alyssa Waugh ~ Leave a comment

 

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“They said the birds refused to sing and the thermometer fell suddenly as if God Himself had His breath stolen away. No one there dared speak aloud, as much in shame as in sorrow. They uncovered the bodies one by one. The eyes of the dead were closed as if waiting for permission to open them. Were they still dreaming of ice cream and monkey bars? Of birthday cake and no future but the afternoon? Or had their innocence been taken along with their lives buried in the cold earth so long ago? These fates seemed too cruel, even for God to allow. Or are the tragic young born again when the world’s not looking? I want to believe so badly; in a truth beyond our own hidden and obscured from all but the most sensitive eyes… In the endless procession of souls… in what cannot and will not be destroyed. I want to believe we are unaware of God’s eternal recompense and sadness. That we cannot see His truth. That that which is born still lives and cannot be buried in the cold earth. But only waits to be born again at God’s behest… where in ancient starlight we lay in repose.”

There’s no shortage of sad moments in The X-Files. Whether it’s the death of Scully’s sister or Mulder’s mother, or Mulder crying at Scully’s bedside as she lies dying of cancer, or when Scully decides to give up William for his own safety, or the death of Max, The Lone Gunmen, or a plethora of other beloved characters, there are many reasons to cry.

Since I was a kid, my dad has been teasing me relentlessly about watching this “melodramatic,” “far-fetched” show with its “ridiculous, over-the-top emotions.” But he really amped up his criticism after I’d had it on constantly in his living room for the past few months, binge watching with my mom to get her up to speed for the revival.

Every so often he’d be in the room while we watched an episode and make comments like “Scully is useless. Always nay-saying Mulder or getting knocked down.” However, the more the show went on and the more bits and pieces he saw, the more he came to like Scully. “She doesn’t take anyone’s bullshit does she?” “Yes! She shot the evil nurse!” “Wow, she kicked his ass!” Aside from gaining more respect for Scully, (which she obviously deserves) my dad happened to sit with my mother and me watching the end of “Closure,” and gained more respect for the show as a whole.

Just by catching an episode here or there, my dad was learning key parts of the story and getting to know the characters and their motivations. Though he hadn’t seen the episode before leading into “Closure,” or most of that episode itself, he knew enough about Mulder’s search for Samantha, the cloning project, and CSM screwing with Mulder’s heart, that he desperately wanted Mulder to find his sister. I mentioned that this was a great part for him to see.

My dad is a social worker who every day witnesses first hand the unspeakable  cruelty and suffering that evil people inflict on children. He’s been waken up one too many times in the middle of the night by a call informing him of a child fatality–some crime that would steal God’s breath away, as Mulder says of the children’s graves at the Santa Village.

“Why is this a good one for me?” My dad asked.

I told him about the walk ins. How they come to save the souls of children from the great suffering they would experience in life, so they can live forever in the starlight. How the starlight is billions of years old by the time we see it, always traveling, always alive. How its the one thing in the universe that never dies. As I spoke, the beautiful spirits of children were playing, holding hands, laughing, at peace. “My Weakness” played over the scene as Mulder walked through, his face showing a profound reverence. And there was Samantha. The real Samantha. Finally. After all these years. Samantha at fourteen. Samantha free from the tortures of her alien captors.

The beauty of this moment is that the audience feels they’ve been searching with Mulder for Samantha just as long as he has. And finally we all have our closure. As Samantha ran into her brother’s arms and smiled, Mulder could see that she was happy. Now, at last, he could be free.

“You just gave me chills,” my dad said. “This is so sad.”

At first I thought “Aha! I knew it! You love this show! No one can resist the files!” and then I thought, he’s right. It is sad. I watched him watching the show, eyes tearing.

Multiple times during our binge-watch, my mom had called this is the saddest show ever. She might be right. But I love it. It’s sad because Mulder and Scully’s challenges get harder and the forces working against them never relent. They suffer great losses and the conflict is always building, the threat always growing in intensity. It’s a story I can get totally lost in. That’s because of all the emotion the characters go through. It’s a good sad. And it never gets old to get lost in. Because I’m always seeing it anew.

And as Scully says in the season 8 episode “Deadalive,” “The truth may hurt, but it’s the only thing that matters.”

The X-Files: 5 Clues Scully Is Immortal

~ Alyssa Waugh ~ 2 Comments

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I saw a rumor floating around the Internet recently that only confirms what I’ve thought all along about Scully’s inability to die or be killed. Could Mulder’s partner really be immortal? If so, this could be of major importance in the revival.

  1. In the season 3 episode “Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose,” Mulder and Scully meet a psychic who can predict how people will die. When Scully asks him how she dies, he says quite confidently, “you don’t.” Okay, so that’s weird. He might be lying though. Or joking. We really don’t know. Besides, Scully comes really close to dying of cancer in season 4, right? Well Scully doesn’t actually become immortal until season 6.
  2. Scully’s supposed immortality comes in the season 6 episode “Tithonus,” who in Greek mythology is a character who lives eternally, but begs for death. This is the plight of the character we find in “Tithonus,” written by Vince Gilligan. Alfred Fellig is a photographer who once cheated death by looking away from him and letting someone else die in his place. Now, after living over 100 years and unable to die, Fellig shows up at crimes scenes, having a sense of when people are about to die, trying to snap a shot of death so he can finally escape. Scully questions why he would want to do such a thing. How can you have too much life? She asks. There’s too much to learn and to experience. Fellig responds that 70 years is long enough. After you see everyone you know die, you start to think about the big thing they all get to experience, and that you miss out on. At the end of the episode, Scully is fatally shot. Fellig tells her to close her eyes—not to look at death—and he takes her place. This means Scully takes Fellig’s place as the one who cheated death—the immortal one.
  3. A scant 4 episodes later in “Monday,” Mulder and Scully are caught in some sort of time loop in which the day starts over and over without their memories of it ever having happened. What causes the day to reset? It seems to be Scully’s death. While trying to get a bank robbery under control the bank blows up with her inside it again and again. The theory is that since Scully can’t die, this event can’t happen, and so the day resets until Mulder and Scully able to get it right—with Scully walking out alive. The fact that another character dies in Scully’s place makes the theory all the more interesting. It would seem that for this gift, a high price must be paid. That for one to receive eternal life, other lives must be sacrificed.
  4. Scully’s ouroboros tattoo that she receives in the season 4 episode, “Never Again,” while contemplating her terminal cancer diagnosis, is an ancient symbol for immortality. The snake biting it’s own tail has no beginning and no end. Her sudden urge to get this tattoo, which calls to her immediately upon entering the shop, foreshadows her journey to come—how she comes to the brink of death with her cancer, but will continue to live, maybe forever. Speaking of sacrifice, and the balance of life and death in the universe, the ouroboros is also associated with the unity of all things. Indeed, she seems to be destined for this, and on The X-Files, nothing is coincidental or unintentional.
  5. Most importantly, when asked if there is any credence to the theory of Scully’s immortality, Chris Carter recently told the Huffington Post: “It’s certainly been suggested, but I can tell you this: stay tuned for episode 6.” Now, Chris Carter is infamous for these vague responses to questions, and wants everything to be a complete surprise for the fans (which we love him for). So this could just be a marketing strategy to get people even more excited about the revival and to make sure they watch until the very end. Or, it could be we’re in for one hell of a finale. Possibly one where only someone who can’t die can save the day. I can hear Mulder now….“I’ve had a theory that I’ve kept to myself for a long time.” Scully, ever the skeptic, would be hesitant to believe such a thing about herself. I always wondered where the show would go with this. Could Scully’s immortality be the key to something big in the show’s mythology? And will she remain immortal? I for one, have never been more eager to find out.

The X-Files: Is Mulder “The Worst FBI Agent Ever?”

~ Alyssa Waugh ~ Leave a comment

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For awhile now I’ve been seeing articles posted around the internet with the headline “Fox Mulder: The Worst FBI Agent Ever,” all due to something David Duchovny joked about a long time ago because of the show’s notorious unsolved cases where almost no episodes seem to get resolved. As much as I love David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, it always surprises me how little they know about the plot of their own show and how little they seem to get it sometimes (though yes, I know, it’s mostly in jest and makes for great interviews).

But as much as I’ve seen the above article, I’ve seen philes taking issue with it, commenting things like “I know he was only joking but this really bothers me.” And I have to say, it bothers me a bit too. Because in my estimation, Mulder is not only the hero of the show, but the best FBI agent ever.

Scully says something really great in the season 7 finale episode “Requiem.” She and Mulder are being audited and asked to justify what they spend on their cases when so little of them actually get solved. She says, “So much of what we do can’t be measured in standard terms.” “How would you measure it,” The auditor asks.  She replies, “We open doors with the x-files that lead to other doors.” Aside from Scully’s assessment being spot on–they learn more and more about paranormal activity, more and more about the conspiracy, and tally up more and more small victories as the seasons go on and they open more doors–but aside from that…

Like, how do you arrest a ghost? Many of their cases aren’t “solved” because they simply can’t be. Not in the way the FBI and the real world want them to be. Not in any way that can be categorized or easily referenced.

That’s not what the show is about. Its not about taking down a bad guy every week, but about the larger unseen and unsubstantiated phenomena in the world. The X-Files is a story of small victories. It’s about the journey. About venturing into the darkest of places not knowing what supernatural monsters you might find there with nothing more than a flashlight. It’s about Mulder and Scully taking us on a journey with them to find out what really happened to victims no one else believes, and they often do, whether or not they can prove it. They often catch or stop a killer, whether or not they can arrest him or prove he exists. They usually learn what is really going on, when at first they knew nothing. It doesn’t have to be an arrest record, or a number of officially solved cases. Investigation, experience, growth, adventure, knowledge, the hug of a crying victim so grateful just for someone who will really listen to them, are all victories of their own.

Mulder cares for people. People are his main focus. Not just proving that aliens exist, but seeking out victims of horrible alien experiments and torture, and trying to help them. That’s why I chose the photo above for this article. It’s a picture of a man who cares. It’s a picture of the best FBI agent ever because he genuinely cares about every person on every case he investigates.

Mulder is often the only one out there that really cares for the victims in the x-files. Scully too of course, but she doesn’t always believe them. Mulder commiserates. He truly cares for the victims, for the fact that no one believes them, and he wants to help. And he does help. Regardless of whether his case record reflects that.

The X-Files Revival: 5 Wants, Needs, and Hopes From the Fans

~ Alyssa Waugh ~ Leave a comment

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I’m part of a pretty kick-ass X-Files fan group on Facebook, Hooked on X-Files: Die Hard Fans Only. If you love reading about and talking about the show come join us. But be warned, you will have to pass a brief test identifying some characters to prove your fandom before your membership is accepted. Anyway, a while back we all had a discussion about what we most want to see in the revival. I’ve organized it all into the 5 major points that seemed to keep coming up. Don’t agree? Please add your thoughts below.

  1. The alien invasion

My biggest question, and other philes agree: what is really going on with the alien invasion? Did they really start a quiet invasion in 2012 (here among us without us knowing) and are now just getting everything in place for the fiery destruction we saw in Mulder’s vision? Did the alien invasion take place off screen in 2012? Did Mulder and Scully stop it? Is there a new syndicate operation? Sometimes I wish they would just SET the revival in 2012 instead of 2015 so we could see them address and stop the invasion. Maybe something Mulder and Scully did postponed the invasion until now. We just don’t know, but we all want to find out more than anything.

The consensus: Finding out what happened with Colonization is extremely important. It was always a major talking point throughout the series and first movie, and then the second movie didn’t address it at all. Rather, it played as a longer Monster of the Week episode. Most fans agree, it would be a mistake for the writers to avoid the subject of aliens and colonization again.

What I want to see above all else in this revival is vindication for Mulder and Scully–undeniable proof that Mulder has been right all along. I want people who made fun of Mulder to beg him for help, and I want to see him and Scully save the world from invasion.

2. William

Everyone’s second biggest question remains about the show’s smallest character.

Where is he?

S.C.–Exactly, that’s my number one as well A.W. And that’s also my second most wanted answer. Where is baby William? And who really is William. The last I heard was he was adopted by a family in Wyoming. Is he a teenager now, what are the extent of his powers? Can he be a savior to humanity?

A.W.–More so than where William is, I want to know what his deal really is. He’s very important, or at least he was as a baby. Can the Magnetite Jeffrey Spender injected baby William with suppress his alien powers forever? Will they resurface in this revival? I can see a 15 year old William now, frightened to find he can read thoughts or move things with his mind. If his powers were to resurface, that would certainly put his adoptive family in danger, and draw attention from Mulder and Scully.

From season 6 when the piece of the craft that Scully was “meant to find” spins and goes flying into the bible, to Genesis, to season 9 when the piece goes flying over Williams head and he’s looking up at it, spinning above his eyes, I’ve had major questions about Mulder and Scully’s child.

When William is born and Mulder doesn’t know how to get to Scully, he follows a bright light in the sky. And it leads him to this rundown shack, the only place Scully could go. And everyone is there just to witness this miraculous birth–that of a barren mother. Then the 3 gunmen come bearing gifts. It’s a story I hear in church every Christmas. William is alien Jesus. He’s definitely going be a big part of this new mythology. And if not, he should be. My theory is he’s the chosen one–maybe the only one that can stop the aliens. He or his possibly immortal mother…

 

3. How has Mulder and Scully’s relationship progressed?

S.C.–would love to see Mulder and Scully’s relationship and romance deepened.

A.W.–I think Mulder and Scully are as in love as they’re going to get. Even before they were officially together on the show, it was obvious they loved each other through care, concern, jealousy, and support. In the latest movie we’ve got them lying in bed snuggling and kissing. I know most fans like to see the relationship bits and how it’s evolved into a real romantic relationship, and I get it, but at the same time I don’t know how they can go any further with it because there’s certainly no place for a wedding in The X-Files. It’d just be corny and wouldn’t fit at all with the tone of the show. Hell, I don’t even like when they call each other by their first names. “Dearest Dana” and “I can’t help but think of him Fox” make me cringe. And I think if they wanted to be married they would be by now, but that’s not something they’ve ever needed. They just need each other. Likewise, I don’t think Scully can have any more children nor do I feel they’d want to adopt since they are back at the FBI in consuming and dangerous work. Besides, the pain from losing William has always haunted them. So I think that’s it for relationships and family stuff: just Mulder and Scully  hopefully finding their son. I’ll agree that I would like to see a family reunion there. Poor Scully.

I’ve spoken to a lot of people who still want that sex scene, and for awhile I was one of them. But I honestly didn’t really need it in the last movie, nor do I want it now. The cuddling in the movie was already pushing it. They had a really romantic cuddling scene in “Requiem,” and overdoing it will only cheapen that rare and beautiful moment. Furthermore, I think their first time having sex was in “All Things” and that’s where I really wanted to see it. Like, did you see the deleted kiss from Fight The Future? That first-time passion is what I really wanted to see…that finally, finally, they can have each other moment. But by I Want To Believe I just assume they’ve been sleeping together for years so there’s no real reason for us to see it. Though that doesn’t stop some fans from wanting to, others agree with me:

C.D.–Nahh… No sex scenes for me. I think the most intimate moments are those where they are barely talking at a whisper. Soft utterances, the camera honed into their conversations and their tenderness toward one another.

E.S.–I love that their physical relationship is private….I hope it stays that way! That’s what makes the hand holding, the occasional kiss, spooning, the care, the rescues….all so so so special!

We now know that Mulder and Scully will be broken up in the revival. I know this has some fans enraged to the point of boycotting, but to me this is interesting writing that remains true to the characters. In the last movie, Scully was already ready to leave the life that cost her her health, family, and happiness behind. She’d thought of quitting before, but always stayed in the end. I think that changed after she lost William. She wants nothing to do with the darkness anymore. Mulder on the other hand, lives for the x-files. They want different things. That said, I think Chris Carter wants to rekindle in us the desire for them to be together. I trust him; he’s never given me a reason not to.

4. Where are Doggett and Reyes, and who, if anyone, is running the X-Files?

Of all the characters the show introduces, especially new ones in the later seasons, there really weren’t any bad or uninteresting ones. I remain the final seasons’ biggest defender and attest that David Duchovny leaving was the only reason the show failed. It was not for bad writing, lack of story material or uninteresting characters. To prove that fact, we all still care what’s become of them. We now know that Reyes will be returning, but Robert Patrick who is busy with his new show, “Scorpion,” will not.

S.C.–Doggett & Reyes (what have they been up to and did they get together or move on?)… And whatever happened to Assistant Director Brad Follmer?
A.W.–Good question. And for that matter, what happened to Kersh? I too am interested in what Doggett and Reyes are up to. Still fighting for the truth I hope. I love what C.D. is saying about The X-Files being a mystery. A lot of people complain that too little is ever wrapped up or satisfactorily explained, but I’m always saying, “that’s not the kind of show it is.” It’s about small victories, not big ones. It’s about personal growth and dealing with the fact that sometimes you don’t get the answers you want. The story and the journey still matter, and this one is always beautifully told.

 

5. A satisfying ending

S.C.–Really, I think there is still so much material they could use for an exciting return I really hope that season 10 is just a prelude for more and more. Its hard to believe everything can be answered in 6 eps.

C.D.–They have hinted that if these 6 EPs do well they may do more limited run seasons and or a movie. I have read that being hinted from CC and DD.

A.W.–We can only hope. Although, if they could truly conclude the story in a perfect and satisfying way in 6 episodes, I’d be happy. I don’t want infinite episodes as much as I’d like a great conclusion. But I do agree that we need more than 6 to wrap it all up. There’s still so much to see.

M.R.–I know there is a lot of talk about fans wanting more after these six episodes, however, I honestly feel like they should take this time to wrap up the series. Do not get me wrong, I would LOVE to have Mulder and Scully on my screen forever but I feel like that’s where Chris and Fox went wrong to begin with. They’re always pushing for more, more, more and I feel like it really hurt the story in the long run. Almost like they were afraid to tie up loose ends solely because the mythology might have continued. Now, if they could wrap up the existing mythology and tie those loose ends and then start another chapter, I might be OK with something after these six episodes.

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What do you all think? If you missed the conversation the first time around, add your thoughts now. The Revival happens in mere hours so lets make some predictions and see if they pan out!

 

The X-Files: Mulder and Scully’s Incomparable Chemistry

~ Alyssa Waugh ~ 1 Comment

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Let me be clear about one thing right off the bat. As a lover of the English language I’m always searching for the exact right word to describe something, and I don’t use the word “incomparable” lightly. I use it because no relationship I’ve ever seen on television compares to how realistic and effortless the chemistry between David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson is on The X-Files. When they perform a scene together, there’s absolutely no sense of actors repeating lines from a script. It’s genuine. Viewers believe a real conversation is happening between two actual people who know each other as well as Mulder and Scully would.

Remember my post from a few weeks back about how Gillian Anderson was, superficially speaking,  the antithesis of what the show was looking for in a female lead? –> (Dana Scully) The reason she got the part anyway was because no one in the room could deny the lightning they’d trapped in a bottle when they saw the unprecedented chemistry between the two. Chemistry on T.V. is like Voice in fiction. It can’t be taught or forcefully applied, but when a writer taps into it, and it’s right, they’d be a fool not to run with it because it’s not something easily harnessed.

Don’t take my word for it; listen to what The X-Files team has to say on the subject:

That’s not to say that the hard part is over. Chemistry is one thing, but then it’s up to the writers to give the characters excellent dialogue, and not let that potential go to waste. Luckily, the show is as well-written as it is well-cast. Let these Mulder and Scullyisms courtesy of Snakey973 be your proof:

When Mulder and Scully interact it’s easy to believe the two have known each other well and for a long time. Viewers believe that they know each other personally as well as professionally, and not only spend much time together at work, but outside of it as well. They have the kind of back-and-forth that happy long-term couples have, where they can joke with each other and understand and appreciate the other’s sense of humor. Their use of sarcasm, the faces they make at one another, and the way they good-naturedly give each other a hard time are all characteristics of real relationships. You can always tell when two people aren’t comfortable around each other because they are being too polite. Mulder and Scully share an intimate comfort and speak to each other as I would to my closest friends.

I’ve seen shows like Stargate-SG-1 (Jack and Carter) and 12 Monkeys (Cole and Cassie) come close, but I still have yet to see a real competitor for The X-Files in the chemistry department. The stars seem to have aligned perfectly over this one creative endeavor, and fans are eternally grateful.

The X-Files: Unique Mulder Gifts

~ Alyssa Waugh ~ 1 Comment

As promised, every week leading up to the X-Citing X-Files revival, I’m posting something nostalgic and with a certain paranormal bouquet. This week, let’s take a look back at some of the wonderfully unique gifts Mulder has given to Scully over the years.

In the season 2 episode, “One Breath,” Scully wakes up from a negative prognosis after her family has literally pulled the plug and given up on her. Mulder, who has been having an extremely difficult time dealing with his first ever taste of losing his best friend, visits her in the hospital with a unique gift. He doesn’t bring her flowers, or candy, but a VHS tape:  “I brought you a present,” he says. “Superstars of the Super Bowl.” To which Scully sarcastically replies, “I knew there was a reason to live.” There’s so much to love about this scene. Is that really the movie he brought? Or was he making a joke to cover for something more sentimental? Or is that really what it is–something he had lying around his apartment? After all he’s been too worried and preoccupied to shop, and couldn’t just show up empty-handed. Is it something he feels they can enjoy watching together later? It certainly wouldn’t be the only time on the show that he tries to get her interested in football. And it’s not as though the two don’t watch movies together. At any rate, the gift reflects the stage in their relationship: we’ve known each other for over a year, and I’m doing my best to show that I have valued that time with you, and care for you.

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In the season 4 episode, “Tempus Fugit,” one of my all time favorites, Mulder and Scully eat dinner where he surprises her with a dessert with a sparkler shining in it, a “Happy Birthday” song, and a pretty little gift box. Scully remarks that in 4 years working together, he’s never remembered her birthday, to which he retorts that he prefers to do it like dog years. I always figured that Mulder, often joking to deflect genuine emotion, simply has found something worth giving her this year. Think about it: the less someone makes a big deal of holidays and occasions, the less they give gifts, the more meaningful that gift will be when they finally decide to give it. In this episode, Mulder gives Scully a gift worthy of tears, though it may not seem that way at first.

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Scully opens the gift box to reveal an Apollo 11 medallion commemorating that mission, and is grateful but relatively confused. As Mulder is about to explain why he gave it to her, all X-Files hell breaks loose and the agents embark on a tragic two-episode investigation. At the end of part two,  “Max,” after losing friends but not faith, Mulder and Scully stare at the stars, and Scully tells Mulder she figured out what he was going to say:

“I was thinking about this gift that you gave me for my birthday. You never got to tell me why you gave it to me or what it means. But I think I know. I think that you appreciate that there are extraordinary men and women; extraordinary moments when history leaps forward on the backs of these individuals. What can be imagined, can be achieved. You must dare to dream, but it is no substitute for perseverance and hard work. And teamwork, because no one gets there alone. And while we commemorate the greatness of these events and the individuals who achieve them, we cannot forget the sacrifices of those who make these achievements and dreams possible.”

Mulder, as per usual deflecting the depth of that sentiment, jokes that he just thought it was a cool key chain. But of course, Scully is right. This gift is made all the more important by the stage of the relationship that it is presented in–the season of Scully’s terminal cancer diagnosis, where Mulder once again will be struggling with the reality of losing her. Mulder realizes that things he used to be able to do alone, aren’t worth it anymore, and that he no longer wants to continue this quest without her. That’s what the medallion means.

In the season 6 episode, “How the Ghosts Stole Christmas,” even though the agents said they weren’t going to exchange gifts, at the end they reveal that they “got each other a little something.” The audience doesn’t get to see the gifts revealed, but only Mulder and Scully smiling while excitedly shaking boxes and untying ribbons. I actually like that we don’t know what they got each other, because we get to speculate, and that’s so much fun.

To me, it looks and sounds like Scully got Mulder a VHS tape (oh, 90s). But what is it? The two obviously enjoy watching movies together, if the season 7 episode “Je Souhaite” is any indication. But what movie would she choose for him? Or maybe, she is re-gifting Super Stars of the Superbowl simply so they could share in the memory of that moment, when their relationship, and the gifts themselves were less evolved.  And it looks like Mulder gets her….I don’t know….a salami? But I rest assured that whatever it is, his explanation is better than the gift itself. After all, things don’t matter–it’s only stuff. Words, loyalty, friendship, love, trust, and showing appreciation for those qualities is what matters.

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Later, in the season 6 episode, “The Unnatural,” (another episode that appears in my top 5 favorites overall) Mulder is prompted into an emotional epiphany by Arthur Dales, who stresses that Mulder need pay less attention to the heart of the mystery, and more to the mystery of the heart. Mulder is touched, and moved by Dales’s story of love–all kinds of love–being more important than any alien truth, so again, he decides to show his ever-growing appreciation for his partner. He calls Scully to meet him for a “very early or very late birthday present.” In other words, he gives her a “no-reason present,” which are often the best kinds because they prove you don’t need a special date or occasion to show your love and appreciation for someone.

Under the stars, and with a beautiful song playing in the background of the episode, Mulder teaches Scully to play baseball–to momentarily forget her cares and worries that he and his quest have inflicted on her over the years, and to let her know that her loyalty has never been undervalued. Though of course he doesn’t have to, Mulder insists on putting his arms around her, helping her position her hips, and hold the bat. The gifts are becoming more romantic as their relationship does. It is a truly beautiful moment on the show, and with all the horror the two experience, those are so wonderful and rare.

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By the time we reach the season 8 episode, “Empedocles,” their relationship has evolved pretty much as far as a romantic one can. Our dynamic duo is having a baby together, and to a pregnant Scully, Mulder presents a doll. This is such a sweet, and truly touching physical gift, that Scully makes this face when she opens it:

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Mulder explains that the doll is a family keepsake that he discovered while going through his late mother’s things. Scully helped Mulder through his mother’s tragic death, and we know how much a special family heirloom would mean to him. That he would give it to Scully solidifies that she and the baby are now his family. And as always, the thought behind Mulder’s gift makes it all the more meaningful.

Well, X-Philes, did I miss any wonderful, unique Mulder gifts over the years? What are your favorites and why? Please comment below, and don’t forget to visit every week for more X-Files nostalgia as we move closer and closer to the revival.

Mark Snow’s Score and other X-Files Musical Mastery

~ Alyssa Waugh ~ Leave a comment

As promised, every week I’m bringing you new X-Files related posts in conjunction with the excitement for the new revival. If like me, you grew up with the show and simply can’t get enough, then please discuss the show here with me and other X-Philes like yourselves. Last week I brought you 10 lessons I learned watching The X-Files, including some particularly poignant moments. This week, let’s listen to some music that helped give those moments such profound emotion.

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There’s no better place to begin in a post like this than with the iconic theme:

Even people who have never seen an episode of The X-Files know this sound when they hear it. The high-pitched whistles and unmistakable echo have become synonymous with the show. Mark Snow once said in an interview that he was having trouble getting the theme just right, but a happy accident with a feedback machine led to the wonderful dadada dadada dadada that fills our hearts with joy. Let me say to the lucky children of this generation, that when I was a teenager, we didn’t have Netflix, or DVR, or Hulu, or YouTube to watch anything we wanted, whenever we wanted. And until I was 16, got my first job, and saved up $100 for my first collector’s edition DVD box set, I had to wait until two in the morning to watch X-Files reruns on SciFi (yes, before it was SyFy) This theme song was the sound I waited all day for.

Mark Snow didn’t only write the theme, but almost all of the music ever heard on the show throughout all nine seasons. One of my favorite pieces of his plays at the end of “Triangle” in season six when after a near death experience, Mulder tells Scully he loves her for the first time. Snow created a lighter, happier variation of The X-Files theme song, minus the creepy, slow overtones:

I don’t know if it’s just the emotionally charged scene behind it, but every time I hear this my heart nearly explodes with joy. If you were to express the concept or emotion of love musically, this is how you would do it. It’s light and happy, but also passionate and fierce at times. Contrariwise, Snow is a master at evoking tears of sadness. His “This is Not Happening” theme all but kills me, biting at the pain already inflicted by the scene it plays over: Scully discovering Mulder’s corpse, left behind by his alien abductors. Fans of the show know, that we got our beloved Mulder back thanks to alien physiology, but at the time, with Duchovny discussing leaving the show, he really might have been gone forever. At around 1:40 is where this one really starts breaking your heart:

But what The X-Files is most widely known for, is its horror factor, and Snow has no problem bringing the creep either:

The first time I heard this in the episode “Soft Light,” it was all I needed to give me Goosebumps, before even the first death occurred for the agents to investigate. So many of his themes are downright nightmare inducing, especially when you fall asleep watching your DVDs and then wake up to a horrifying picture on your menu screen accompanied by such an eerie tune.

It isn’t always Mark Snow alone, but a collaboration of writers and musicians, choosing the right music for the writing and story. In “Closure” when Mulder finally learns the tragic fate of his sister, Samantha, “My Weakness” by Moby is playing, and while this isn’t at all my type of music outside of the show, it was the absolute perfect piece for this scene. To illustrate this point, I’m using a video by XFyellowbee, one of my favorite Youtube fan vid makers. Yellowbee incorporates the song into one of many beautiful themes on the show: that souls reside eternally in starlight:

If you enjoy this video, be sure to check out more of Yellowbee’s compilations; you won’t be disappointed.

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Gillian Anderson used another Moby song, “Sky is Broken,” in an episode she wrote entitled “All Things.” In the episode, the song plays over a number of profound moments for Scully, where her world seems to slow down and she contemplates how every decision she’s made has ultimately led to her sitting on Mulder’s couch with him, a part of his quest.

At the end, it plays over a conversation between Mulder and Scully about fate, during which Scully falls asleep, and Mulder covers her with a blanket and pushes her hair behind her ear. Taking a moment to admire her face, and how lucky he is to have her in his life, his whole world slows down.

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In addition to the music you hear in the individual X-Files episodes, the show has spawned a soundtrack of pieces inspired by the show, though a few of them don’t necessarily make an appearance in the episodes. The first was entitled Songs in the Key of X, and featured incredibly fitting melodies for the theme of the show such as “Unmarked Helicopters” by Soul Coughing that one of my favorite characters, Max listens to in the episode “Max.” It also features “Red Right Hand” that can be heard playing in Duane Barry’s car after he’s kidnapped Scully, “Frenzy,” from the episode “Humbug” and my personal favorite, a Foo Fighters cover of Gary Numan’s “Down in the Park” that never appeared in an episode:

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I also just adore the artwork on Songs in the Key of X, but that’s a post for another day.

The second soundtrack, Fight The Future, was a product of the first X-Files feature film by the same name. Some of the more memorable tracks were the “Crystal Ship” cover by x , and “Walking After You” by the Foo Fighters, a song that never fails to make me remember the hallway scene where Scully tries to quit, and the almost kiss that follows. You can view both below:

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On the third soundtrack from the movie I Want To Believe, the clear winner is another spin on Mark Snow’s theme blending into an UNKLE song that fits perfectly the feel of the film, playing over the end credits:

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Some other favorites include:

“Come and go with me to that land” from “The Unnatural,” an episode written by David Duchovny. This song plays over Josh Exley’s death and then over Mulder and Scully playing baseball under the stars. I’d be lying if I said it never made me shed a tear.

“Walking in Memphis,” from “The Post Modern Prometheus” playing suring Mulder and Scully’s first dance. I always loved how Mulder doesn’t ask, but nervously sticks out his hand while bowing his head. As soon as Scully takes it, he pulls her in and doesn’t let go. Then of course there’s the black and white and the animated freeze frame finish: perfection.

“Twilight Time” from “Kill Switch,””Wonderful Wonderful” from “Home” are other standouts. I always find it so eerie when happy music plays over a brutal murder scene. On a lighter note, I also love when “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” plays over the gift exchange at the end of “How the Ghosts Stole Christmas.”

The photo I featured at the beginning of this post is the cover of The Truth and The Light album that was released for The X-Files 20th anniversary. I highly recommend it because it not only compiles all the best Mark Snow scores, but includes audio from the show including character quotes, and commentary by Executive Producer, Chris Carter.

The X-Files also inspires music. If you don’t believe me, ask Bree Sharp about her song “David Duchovny” that describes falling in love with Mulder while watching the show, or listen to Catatonia’s “Mulder and Scully.”

Philes, what are some of your favorite scores or musical moments in the show? Please comment below. until next week, you can check out my other X-Files related posts by clicking on The X-Files link under categories on the right hand side of the home page. Until then, don’t stop believing 🙂