During "Leonard Betts," (Season 4 Episode 12), we got the hint that our heroine, Dana Scully, may be gravely ill. It’s time to address those concerns. The episode opens with a Dana monologue and tangible proof she is suffering from cancer. This isn’t meant to be a monster-of-the-week episode, which is ironic since cancer is one Big Bad you don’t want to see again. It was probably more stressful for the fans during the original airing considering Gillian Anderson’s contract could have been up for renewal or she could have been released from it altogether. Anyone looking at the guest cast list would wonder whether there is a conspiracy behind Dana's diagnosis as opposed to just bad luck on her part. Frequent flyers such as Cancer Man and the Lone Gunmen show up for this one.
Scully tells Mulder her tumor – which is inconveniently located between the sinus and cerebrum -- is inoperable, but Fox ain’t buying it. Did you know Stage 1 of the five stages of grief is denial? Mulder is firmly ensconced there and it’s likely even Dana’s death wouldn’t change his stance. Scully seems to already be at Stage 5: acceptance … or is she? Sculder notify Assistant Director Skinner and decide to use the X-Files as an avenue of investigation. Remember the MUFON connection in Season 3, Episode 9? (I couldn’t remember which episode but luckily Windows Explorer has a word search option and I was able to locate the blog for "Nisei" rather easily.) The agents travel to Pennsylvania to visit Betsy Hagopian, but she unfortunately died from her tumor. In Betsy’s home office, Fox realizes an unknown person is remotely uploading her MUFON files. They trace the signal to Kurt Crawford and catch him trying to bolt from his own apartment.
After exhibiting an unusual burst of anger -- Stage 2 -- Scully's nose starts to bleed when they take Crawford into custody. While she cleans up, Mulder learns Kurt is on Betsy’s side and was trying to protect their MUFON files. Crawford tells them most of the women Scully met the previous year died of brain cancer. There is one survivor – Penny Northern -- but she is on her deathbed in an Allentown hospital. Mulder is convinced the women’s abductions, cancer diagnoses and deaths are related to the government conspiracy. Penny remembers Dana, who doesn't recall any of it, and tells her about Dr. Scanlon, the physician who treated them. Scully calls Fox, who is back at Betsy’s house recovering files with Kurt. Scully decides to pursue a different angle, she admits herself to the hospital and tells Mulder to call her mother. Fox abruptly leaves Crawford, who immediately gets a visit from an assassin with a silver weapon. Kurt then dissolves into an oozy, green mess. He’s a hybrid!
Dr. Scanlon tells Scully about the brutal course of treatment in her future. Dana’s mother arrives and jumps to the anger stage. Scully’s voiceover continues during her treatment while Mulder is breaking into the Center for Reproductive Medicine in Lehigh Furnace, which is a brief 19-mile jaunt from Allentown. He tries to hack their computer but doesn’t get far without a password. “Kurt Crawford” enters the building with the same purpose. Is he real or another hybrid? Doesn’t matter because Fox doesn’t even know it’s a possibility yet. They access the computer files while Dana undergoes her first treatment and flashes back to her abduction. Penny is there to comfort her.
Mulder goes back to Washington, D.C. to “ask” for help from Skinner. Fox finally has proof people conspired against Dana, possibly causing her cancer and he demands a meeting with Cancer Man. Walter tries to discourage Mulder from figuratively selling his soul to CSM, so Fox reaches out to the Lone Gunmen. They say Scully’s mutated DNA possibly made her sick. Mulder wants to break into the research facility to see what they can find. Meanwhile, Cancer Man suggests to Skinner that a miracle can save Dana. Walter asks for one in exchange for a favor to be named later. Bargaining – Stage 3.Fox and the Gunmen are outside and under the research facility where Langly and Frohike mess with the security system so Mulder and Byers can enter. Fox learns Dr. Scanlon is on staff at the facility and tells Byers to warn Scully, who seems to be writing a sad goodbye letter to Mulder (Stage 4 – Depression). Security guards show up and delay Byers’ escape. Fox makes it inside the lab and sees several Crawford hybrids, who claim their plan is to subvert the project that created them. They bring Mulder into a vault which contains ova from thousands of women, including Dana's. One of the Kurt hybrids claims the women’s deaths were hastened by the men behind the project.
The assassin arrives at the facility and shoots at Fox … a lot. Mulder escapes and heads back to Scully’s hospital room, but she’s not there and Fox fears he’s too late. Turns out Byers moved her to Northern's room where Penny convinces Dana not to give up. After Northern dies, Scully reaches an alternative to Stage 5 -- she’s not accepting her death, but she has accepted her life and what she needs to do with the rest of it. Mulder comforts her, but doesn’t show her the vial containing her ova which he stole from the facility. Fox calls Walter to update him, too bad Cancer Man is in Skinner’s office when he takes the call. Wonder what type of deal Walter ended up making with the devil. Maybe it involves supplemental health insurance for Scully. There’s no way her salary is going to pay for all of her medical costs. Sestra Professional:
I don't know what everyone's so worried about -- Clyde Bruckman told Dana she doesn't die in his "Final Repose" (S3E4). Ah, maybe it was just a come-on line.
I think we both know that, right now, the truth is in me and that's where I need to pursue it: It seems like it was all hands on deck to write "Memento Mori" -- Frank Spotnitz, Vince Gilligan and John Shiban did the first draft and then Chris Carter rewrote it. They wanted to make sure to get this exactly right and overly melodramatic monologue aside -- I'll give them that because it's kind of become a staple of the series -- I think they make the most of their massive storyline twist.Gillian Anderson's evolution from the beginning of the series to here has been just amazing. Consider her first outstanding performance in Season 1's "Beyond the Sea." This is light years beyond that, even though it's just three seasons since then. Of course, much has happened to Gillian the woman -- fame, marriage, child, divorce -- and it feels like she's channeled all of that into her performances as Dana and particularly here. Anderson has gotten more comfortable in Scully's skin, she's not just speaking words, she's embodying them. It's no small wonder she won the Emmy -- her second nomination for the show -- for this season.
This one's a veritable treasure trove for all the fans who want Mulder and Scully together. After combing over episodes poring over every sideways glance and dissecting every line of dialogue, they get almost everything they want and more here. Well, except the fact that half of their dream couple has been given a death sentence. Sure makes for good drama, though, right from the outset when Dana asks Fox to forgive her for not making the rest of the journey with him. And he's the only one she shared her diagnosis with. Sigh, sigh, flutter, flutter.
I'm willing to deal now: It's a good thing Mulder has a task to accomplish or he would completely fall apart. David Duchovny's performances tend to be overlooked, save the occasional showcase episodes "Oubliette" (S3E8) or "Paper Hearts" (S4E10) that enable him to work outside the restrictions of Fox's childhood trauma of his sister being abducted. Duchovny too has grown by leaps and bounds, even since Season 3, and he did receive an Emmy nomination this season as well.At least he doesn't take an elevator up to get to work: X-Philes tend to focus on other Skinner pieces of business like him barking "Pucker up and kiss my ass" to CSM or pointing to the no-smoking sign in his office, but was there ever really a more intelligent putdown line than this one? The implication of Smoking Man getting on an elevator from hell to join the rest of the people on the planet is too priceless. This line should be part of every fan's vernacular.
Anyway, the fact Walter winds up doing basically what Fox wanted to do -- anything to help Dana out -- is another incredible outcome of her illness. Skinner warns Mulder off dealing with the devil, but then puts himself in that line of fire. We don't know what the hell CSM is going to want from him, but we know it'll probably compromise Walter beyond the point of no return.
We got shades of Coma -- the excellent adaptation of Robin Cook's spine-tingler starring Genevieve Bujold and with Michael Douglas playing second fiddle in the boyfriend role -- running throughout this episode. And I, for one, appreciate that as I've always adored and been chilled to the core by that 1978 film. Visually, the bodies in the tanks bring to mind the comatose bodies suspended in the movie. But even better is having Fox try to stop Dana from undergoing any procedure the same way Michael Douglas' character tried to save Genevieve from deadly surgery in the flick. True love is ensuring your woman can make it through a medical procedure.There is a way and you will find it to save yourself: The sequence of Mulder being shot at with just a glass door between him and the gunman is pretty shattering -- in both physical and abstract terms. In an episode filled with emotional depth, the stakes seemed even higher at that moment. But the hospital corridor scene, well, you don't have to be a shipper to appreciate Fox and Dana's relationship. Scully's determined to get back to work, to be one of those people who keep plugging away. Mulder's thrilled because he does need her by his side now. "The truth will save you, Scully. I think it will save both of us," he said. Not so sure about Walter, but I'll be hoping for the best for him too.
"I think their relationship is defined not by what's said but by what's being withheld," Carter said of his main characters in the official fourth-season guide. "But it's absolutely plain that they love each other -- in their own way. And it's the best kind of love. It's unconditional. It's not based on a physical attraction, but on a shared passion for life and for their quest. These are romantic heroes, romantic heroes in the literary tradition."In The Complete X-Files, Gilligan admitted he learned a lot from production of this particular script -- his lone mythology contribution. "I learned from Frank that every episode should be about something other than just scaring the audience," he said. "Every episode should have some greater point or theme to it. The theme might be 'courage.'"
Guest star of the week: David Lovgren does a very fine job as the variations on Kurt Crawford. He's the flip side of the Samantha clone coin, the adult version of the boys of all ages. It's, by design, a low-key role with the Kurts pointing out the evidence that women have been used for genetic hybridization. They want to help their mothers -- allegedly barren from the procedures that caused their cancer. It's too bad we don't get to see more of him/them.
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