Friday, September 25

X-Files Season One: Episode 24 (The Erlenmeyer Flask)

1x24: The Erlenmeyer Flask

Scully is supportive of Mulder, but part of that support is to check him.  And she's deeply, deeply suspicious and protective of him regarding other people trying to use him.

Was the government trying to use him as another way to leverage the disinformation agenda?  Except that with Scully, suddenly, they're not perpetuating the wrong information and fostering the appearance of the ridiculous... they're becoming legitimate in the eyes of other people, and they're seeing through the lies being told to them.

"Do you think he does it because he gets off on it?"  "NO.  I think he does it because you do."

The relationship progression between Mulder and Deep Throat is so incredibly improbable.  It's so intense so quickly, likely because Mulder has an unceasing hunger for the puzzle, as well as a desire for the approval and support of a father-figure, but there's also an almost frantic sense of urgency from Deep Throat in this episode.

So what's the end game for Deep Throat?  If he wanted people to know what was going on, would he have been able at that time in our history to get irrefutable information into enough people's hands to outmaneuver the Syndicate?  This is the very beginning of the Internet, way, way before information could travel that virally.  How easy would it be for the conspiracy to take out anyone he gave information to before it could be aired?
If he's just legitimately trying to get the truth out into the open, how does getting Mulder to do it supersede his own abilities to do so?

Do not hand me that flask, Mulder.  /  We don't know what's in there Mulder.  /  Are you serious Mulder? -- Really, that look from Scully here, OMG.

I'm really taking a long, hard look at how much of Scully's "disbelief" is actually her playing Devil's advocate to keep Mulder from falling too far in.

She'll trade the evidence Mulder has been after for years for him.  He's much more important to her.

Why is Mulder so important to everyone else?  Why does Deep Throat care SO MUCH if he lives or dies?  Scully and Mulder are being used by him as pawns.  It's doesn't seem to be care for them personally, but we'll see over and over again where elements of the Conspiracy spare Mulder's life when it would (seem) to be so much easier to kill him.

Mulder is open to everything that he sees and hears, but not without consideration. He says "that might be true, let me see what I can find out" rather than "let me try to disprove it".  Scully quickly goes from complete skeptic to being the balance - and by doing so frees Mulder to jump higher, farther, faster because he doesn't have to do that part of the job himself anymore.

Mulder says "trust no one" but in reality, with his self, his heart, his feelings, he wants and is quick to trust people. He wants to be open to them and connect to them. He wants to believe.

No comments: