"Patient X"

"Well, I guess I'm done here. You seem to have invalidated your own work. Have a nice life."
Originally Aired 3/1/98

More than "Redux" and "Redux II", this feels like the biggest episode yet of the series. There are role reversals, new layers to old characters, even new characters on the scene, and a possible new direction for the mythology. I think when watching the Redux Trilogy for the first time I was too hung up on the series taking on a new direction. I now see that it's purpose was to close a chapter on not just Scully's cancer, but her abduction, and even Mulder's quest to unravel the government conspiracy on aliens. This next chapter of the mythology is actually where the new direction takes shape; at least that's what I am remaining skeptical about.

First off, the biggest development is the role reversal of Mulder and Scully. We have had standalone episodes where Scully was a believer and Mulder wasn't, like "Beyond the Sea", but never an installment of the series' mythology. He refuses to believe in an abductee's story while Scully is much more open and sympathetic to her, especially since they seem to have a connection. I like how this even goes way back to Season Two and references "Duane Barry", showing that The X-Files still has a lot of back-story that they can mine. That abductee is named Cassandra Spender, who also has a son named Jeffrey who is a fellow FBI Agent. At first he asks Scully to stay away from his mother but later orders Mulder and Scully to stay away when he sees them in his mother's room. That scene struck me as unintentionally funny because he showed up to his mother's room but never once even acknowledged her being there. Jeffrey came off as a jerk but he instantly endeared himself to me when he said his mother believed she would be taken away by a "flying mother wheel."

Returning characters, possibly due to the absence of the Cigarette-Smoking Man and Skinner, are Krycek, Marita, and The Well-Manicured Man. Krycek hasn't been seen since the previous story in Russia and it seems he is still working for them to develop a vaccine to the black oil; that is until he goes rogue again. I like how this even referenced the gulag and brought back the evil, bald doctor character. Sadly, no arms were severed nor were any horses present. The last time Marita was seen it was revealed that she is in fact a shady character, though I wasn't really begging for her return unlike Krycek. Laurie Holden is no doubt the weirdest actor I have seen on the series thus far because of her odd whispering and helmet hair. At least this time they are playing up her role as a vixen since she seems to have seduced Krycek in order for his Russian guinea pig kid to escape. Well, he was dumb enough to leave the door open.

I always watch these a few times through before starting my review and it allows things to sink in or so I can pick up on something I may have missed. To be honest, the first time watching this I groaned during the opening narration by David Duchovny. It seemed to be another of those ridiculously worded Chris Carter narrations but in fact it actually sums up the episode and offers a few clues. I interpreted it as the Syndicate could have seen the aliens as Gods and that's why they allowed themselves be colonized, just like how a UFO cult would offer themselves up for being sacrificed at one of these abduction sites. Except they are actually working in secret to prevent Colonization while those UFO people are just crazy. Also, now that I have reached this crucial point in the Colonization story, I can now listen to the commentary tracks on the "Colonization" Mythology DVD that I bought exactly for this occasion. It came in handy because Kim Manners' commentary revealed the reason for Cassandra Spender leaving her greasy fingerprints on her window. She was making the stars of a constellation that Scully ended up seeing, which proved Cassandra may not actually be as crazy as Mulder believed. The constellation was even in the opening sequence, which I totally missed the first time.

I am remaining skeptical for "The Red and The Black" because this episode has set a solid foundation for a dynamite hour of The X-Files. With so many new and old characters appearing, I hope it won't crumble under its own weight.