Redux II

"You give me these things, the only things I ever 
wanted and I can't think of any reason for you to 
do so."

"Well that's true, no act is completely selfless."

This episode, the 100th episode of the X-Files 
filmed (and who woulda thunk that years ago) 
should have been offered to us on Halloween 
because it was truly full of tricks and treats. It 
was almost as if writer Chris Carter had decided 
that he would reward our patience with his 
mythology madness by giving us some candy. 
Of course, being the master manipulator that he 
is, all the treats had a sour angsty center - just 
the way we like it. So yeah, I enjoyed "Redux 
II" for all the reasons I usually enjoy X-Files 
episodes - great character moments and 
interesting twists. I just wonder did we really 
need three episodes to do this?

The first treat we were given was the surprising 
return of Samantha. Despite the fact that this 
did not go the way that Mulder wanted it to go 
it rang true. Reunions are not necessarily happy 
moments tied up with a pretty bow, and both of 
these characters had their worlds turned upside 
down. This was such a richly written scene and 
kudos to Megan Leitch for playing this Samantha 
with a vulnerability so different from the clone we 
saw her as last. It is especially potent that this 
woman has everything Mulder does not - a father 
whom she loves and trusts, and a real life with a 
family - all things Mulder has lost or forsaken on 
his quest. The desperation on both parts during 
the "Please, let me go" scene was shattering as 
we know it is the one thing Mulder can't do.

The next treat we are given is Scully's remission 
(and I suppose since the word remission is used 
we will still have the cancer threat hanging over 
us). We were teased by Frank Spotnitz that no 
one on the internet had guessed the resolution 
which leaves me confused. We were basically 
given three options all of which I'd seen 
discussed since the start of this whole cancer 
thing: putting a chip back in, whatever this 
"unconventional" treatment the doctor is doing 
is, or a miracle due to Scully's return to faith. 
Maybe what he meant is that we hadn't guessed 
that the answer would be "I don't think we'll ever 
know". So we are left to choose our cure. 
Personally, I don't like the idea of Scully going 
around setting off metal detectors for the rest of 
her life and perhaps allowing the

consortium to tap into her mental processes as 
was inferred with the first chip. I'll take option "C" 
myself.

The strength of the relationship between Mulder 
and Scully is yet another treat. There is such an 
amazing bond between these two it almost makes 
the word love seem trite. With the threat of death 
the Dynamic Duo went into super snuggly mode 
and since they can never seem to verbalize how 
they feel about each other (because we can't 
have the audience getting the wrong impression, 
right?) they are left with conveying their emotions 
in meaningful looks, tender hand holding, and, the 
new addition, the friendly kiss. Scully so willing to 
destroy her reputation as a last gift to Mulder and 
his refusal to let her says more about their 
relationship than any emotional confession ever 
will. Their last scene together was a thing of 
beauty. Mulder telling her he knows she'd talk 
him out of the wrong choice and Scully grasping 
his hand and telling him "You'll be in my prayers".

Then we were given the death squad ending. First 
off, anyone who actually believes that CancerMan 
is dead is fooling themselves. No body, no death. 
The only really interesting thing about all that was 
that we now know that he has to be a total free 
agent as the consortium ordered his execution. He 
can't play in their sandbox anymore. What we are 
left to ponder is exactly why he is helping Mulder - 
out of loyalty to Samantha? Blevins, however, is 
dead (and he looked like he would have died from 
a heart attack if he wasn't shot). Chris Carter likes 
to kill people off and this time he cut us some slack 
in bringing back a character from the beginning of 
season 1 that we didn't care about to off instead of 
killing yet another supporting character that we were 
fond of. For that I am thankful. I liked the fact that 
he was killed by his own toady little helper. This guy 
is still a threat as he is on the OPC review board (in 
addition to always hanging around Blevins he was 
in the panel that questioned Scully in "Anasazi").

However, the real treat for me this episode was the 
exploration of faith. It is the only way I can, as Scully 
says, "give some meaning to what's happened to 
[her]". Otherwise the whole cancer arc was nothing 
but a manipulative bloody-nosed diversion. "Redux 
II" gives us Scully grabbing at straws to save herself, 
but stubbornly refusing her heart. She ponders 
miracles and then finally asks the question we've all 
been wondering for years - "Why do I wear this?". 
Oh my God I feel faint, could this be St. Scully coming 
out of denial mode? Trusting in that simple faith 
instead of pushing it away? I adore the layers and 
contradictions of this character. Seeing this strong 
intelligent woman tearfully mumbling the rosary as a 
testimony to her faith is a character moment forever 
etched in my mind.

Here's the thing about Gillian Anderson. I never see 
her working. I never see the actor. I only see the 
character, this wonderful complex person she has 
created. I am in awe during scenes like the one 
between her and Sheila Larken. I am completely and 
totally in the moment. Here's the thing about David 
Duchovny. I sometimes see him working. There are 
times when I should be totally in the moment when 
the little voice in my head that sounds like Jon Lovitz 
goes "ACTING!". He has some wonderful scenes in 
this episode - I thought he was especially good with 
Bill Scully, Samantha, and the conversations with 
Scully, but then there are times when I am wondering 
if he is chewing on Scully's arm instead of being there 
with the character emotionally. In a time when I wanted 
to be pondering the loss of faith for both characters I 
was just wondering how Scully could sleep through all 
that.

I know that Bill Scully is going to take some heat 
from folks after all this, but I just can't hate him. 
First of all Pat Skipper has done an absolutely 
fabulous job in bringing this character to life and 
secondly everything he has said has been the 
truth. It may be painful. It may hurt Mulder, but 
he is not wrong - his family is a tragedy because 
of someone else's quest for "little green aliens". 
Obviously he didn't tell Mulder anything that hadn't 
already crossed his mind - or for that matter crossed 
any of ours. When he tells Mulder "She's your big 
defender, but I think the truth is she just doesn't 
want to disappoint you" there is a lot of truth to it. 
No, I don't think Mulder is "one sorry son of a 
bitch", but I can certainly see why Bill does. 

As far as the mythology goes, all the balls are once 
again up in the air - imagine that. Hoax or not a 
hoax, truth or "beautiful lies", Samantha here but 
gone - we're back to where we started.

Random Musings
-----------------------
-My absolute favorite thing about this episode: 
perhaps it will finally stop the "Hey, I've got a new 
theory" posts about Scully being Samantha or 
CancerMan being Mulder's dad. Thank God for 
that if nothing else.

-"One Breath" flashback - anyone else get that 
feeling as Mulder stormed around confronting the 
most unhelpful hospital staff in the DC area?

-Skinner tells us that Scully went into "hypovolemic 
shock" from blood loss - My God the woman must 
be running quarts low if three drips from the nose 
will do that to a girl.

-If I could turn back time: The clocks were very 
amusing in "Redux II". When Mulder enters Trinity 
hospital at 5:13AM the clock over his shoulder reads 
5:30. Later in the scene it is back to 5:13. Then at 
the diner, Samantha drives up at 9:37 and yet it is 
10:13 before they get around to meaningful 
conversation? Did they spend all that time talking 
about the Yankees and the weather?

-Mulder seems so floored to see Scully in the hospital. 
Has he been in complete denial or has Scully's "Love 
Story" beautiful cancer fooled him too. At least they 
finally let her look like she was dying this time.

-So these consortium guys practically run the world 
but they can't afford a good dentist? Looks like Chunky 
Italian could use a little "Purity Control" Crest.

-It seems we weren't the only ones trying to figure out 
the whole Scully and lying scenario. Almost everyone 
in this episode was asking why she lied as well.

-It was fun to see Bill Scully use the "science fiction" 
comeback on Dana as it is one of her favorites.

-Frank's Fashion Spot: The Frohike scary vests are 
back. Loved the fur fringe on this one - excuse my 
language, but it was "too freakin' amazing".

-Speaking of the Lone Gunmen, maybe it is just me, 
but wouldn't you love to see Scully going to them 
without Mulder for a change? I think that would have 
a lot of fun potential.

-Quiz: You are a crackerjack FBI investigator who 
has based his whole life on a single quest. You've 
just found out that not only did your mother sleep 
with the enemy, but your long lost sister is the product 
of that union. Do you A) Head off immediately to 
speak with your mother and sort this all out or B) 
Decide to go to an FBI convention?

-All of a sudden CancerMan is a loving Papa. Guess 
his claims of no family in "One Breath" and that 
Christmas angst in "Musings" was all a big bluff.

-Yes, it is cool that cloning is now an issue and you 
can watch CSPAN hearings on it, but what purpose 
did it serve to show Skinner there?

-Best Mulderism: "Please tell me you're here with 
severe chest pains."

-So Skinner isn't a bad guy - what a surprise - though 
I think we should start calling him by Mulder's new pet 
name "Buddy". Hey, did you see Buddy actually 
attempt a smile at the end? That might have been the 
biggest shocker in the episode. Maybe if he smiled 
more Scully wouldn't always get the wrong impression 
as to his intentions. At least it looks like in the end all 
is forgiven between Scully and Buddy once again.

-The big question: Will Sheila Larken EVER get to 
appear in a non-angst fest episode or will she always 
remain Scully's shoulder to cry on?

-So, is the consortium funded by an organization 
called Rousch? Have we seen the last of Kritschgau 
now that his son has been killed? Does it really take 
this new hit man all day to put his gun together? 
Where are the bees? Oops, sorry, I liked that they 
were missing.

Autumn
"I've come so far in my life on simple faith, and now 
when I need it the most I just push it away."