X Files / Scully's Dying

 

This is an episode where Skinner points at a No Smoking sign to the Cigarette-Smoking Man while in his office. I always crack up at that. That and Mulder giving it right back to Skinner over "denying everything, never answering questions, concealing the truth", knowing "Cancer Man" is responsible for Scully's "poisoned body, compromised immune system, some inhuman biological DNA found". And with X telling Mulder he was once where Mulder had been at the present moment, searching for evidence, for truth, always short of retrieving it, "unable to do what needs to be done". "One Breath", God what an episode. Mulder's unable to help his beloved friend. She's dying and he is running around trying to find some sort of solution that seems unavailable. He's just a mess. Mulder is even called Fox a lot. By Dana's sister and mother, but there is no funny stuff. This is dead serious. How often my mind screamed at Mulder to pull the trigger on "Cancer Man" when he had the chance. To stop such evil. And has "Cancer Man" ever looked more pathetic, more vulnerable? I get why Carter couldn't allow for Cigarette-Smoking Man to be bumped off. Skinner even talks Mulder out of resignation by explaining to him his Vietnam experience in the Marine Corps, how he can't look too far past his own experience, but that Mulder could. It was the chance for Skinner to reveal something about his past, about himself. And Mulder has a chance to choose to kill the men responsible for Dana's condition, awaiting them in his apartment, or to go to her and say "goodbye". Dana's sister is actually able to talk him into doing that. Mulder just telling Dana that he was there, just to see if his voice could help bring her back.

This is the saddest episode to me. Mulder returning home with it just ransacked as he drops to the floor, that is tough. But that phone call, Mulder's smile, and hearing Fox only for Dana to say, "Not Fox, Mulder." That sweet relief as he sees her okay, even as Scully looks just wrecked, the episode leaves behind some light after quite a bit of darkness. 

Now Nurse Owens (whoever she is), Dana in a boat on a river, a rope starting to break, Daddy visiting his Starbuck; that really adds a spiritual component along with her "crystals, energy, and light" sister's beliefs, this episode has a ton of "life and death" struggle. How did Scully recover? Why did Cigarette-Smoking Man "giver Scully back" to Mulder? What does it all mean? Carter really had the show humming at this point in the second season.

And with X telling Mulder to stop his pursuit of those responsible for Scully's condition, that he would not end up like DeepThroat or Dana, a victim of Mulder's, adds that bit of extra that really made this episode to me one of the all time greats in the series.