Empedocles

In this scene where Scully opens the gift from Mulder, the look on Mulder's face changes in an instant. He's laughing and joking at first, and then suddenly the gravity of the moment hits him and it shows on his face how much Scully and the baby and their past and their future mean to him. It's a lovely detail, so beautifully portrayed by David Duchovny. Plus, that's one creepy doll.

In the beginning, we are really playing with fire: the title Empedocles, the MOTW who is fired, who absorbs fire, and then fires at two people. I especially noticed the meaning of 'be fired' as be dismissed of one's job, which really doesn't exist in french. It was the line 'Are you firing me?' which made me react and think of this item.

And then, Monica Reyes arrives and she is also connected to fire, but in a more disconnected way: she tries to quit smoking, and she has a vision of an ashes-body.

I don't know if all that is very deep or meaningful!

This is the first time we see Mulder acknowledge his role in Scully's pregnancy. He's congratulated her, he's joked about it, but here he's taking part in it. The look of wonder on his face as he touches her belly, the beautiful smile she gives him in return, is the most powerful moment, the one moment that makes the whole episode worth watching.

In this scene Monica Reyes is pushing Doggett and the scene becomes very emotional and intense.

Robert Patrick is great! I'm almost crying with him.

Ok, so the moment I'm going to describe is unnoticed because it's not here, it's actually just implied. In the episode before this Mulder and Scully were barely speaking, and they certainly weren't joking about their relationship or the pregnancy. The only explanation for this scene is that they had a conversation between Three Words and Empedocles in which they reaffirmed the relationship that was disrupted by Mulder's abduction. Scully made it absolutely clear that she had not moved on in his absence, and Mulder is the father of her baby. So these comments about how they only work together and the pizza man not being above suspicion are actually little inside jokes between them, not the completely callous remarks they would be without that missing scene.

There's a fanfic by Admiralty which imagines this missing scene wonderfully: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14748734/chapters/34342815#workskin

You have to listen to the scene: the second time Mulder knocks at the door, it's in a melodic way, different from the first. Is it a code?

However, Scully watches through the peep hole... I wonder what to think of that.

I love Mulder's attempt to lighten the mood in the face of Reyes's intensity.

When Jeb arrives in the hospital, a dragon-nurse rushes an yells: 'The parade stops here.'

What? Once again the insane nurse? Is it all what she's doing all day, keeping an eye of who is part of the official family? (see below)

Doggett finally admits to himself that he had a vision when his son's body was found. It's a surprising moment for him and for us, because he's not at all a believer. It's a horrifying moment as well, as he has to relive the pain of that loss and accept that he was powerless to stop it.

Two (three?) consecutive surprising moments, for Mulder, in this scene.

First, WTF with this nurse? Is she insane? Have you to be offically married to go with a pregnant woman in pain? The fact that you perfectly know her doctor isn't sufficient? Why doesn't she ask if he's the father? Is it just the script or an usual American thing? (I'm not officially married, I'd have very pissed off if that had happened to the father of my children!)

Second, just after being ditched, poor Mulder has to hear the same question asked to Doggett, and without having time to process, he receives a surprising phone call from Monica Reyes, saying to him 'not since you've been alive'. And, meanwhile, in the background, all the informations about Scully are given to Doggett.

I find the whole very harsh. But, now, Mulder is mature and he's not too pissed off and he doesn't do foolish things in the hospital... as he used to.

Marilyn Manson is an American singer, but the comment about kids buying his CDs at K-Mart struck me as the most American reference.

As a bonus link, Marilyn Manson appeared in a few episodes of David Duchovny's series Californication.

I admit that I really don't know anything about Marilyn Manson, just the name.

So googling a bit about him, I find him/the band very american, and I also found interesting things linked to that guy/band: Marilyn (Monroe), (Charles) Manson, Spooky kids (spooky?), Holy Wood, Columbine massacre, Portrait of an American Family, Charles Nelson Reilly (Jose Chung?), Laura Palmer (Twin Peaks?), David Lynch, Scooby Doo... Okay there are many cultural (american) references. Even Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? (okay, it's british...)

In the picture above from the album we can see fire... link to my first item.

Maybe I should listen to some of some Marilyn Manson's music, but I'm not sure I'd like it.

"I'll believe almost anything" is the perfect quote for Mulder. It sums him up nicely. I really love this scene, where Mulder is trying to help Doggett make some sense of what's going on. And at this point, maybe Doggett wants to believe.

Mulder knows his priorities: 'I have a sick friend in the hospital and I think I should go see her.'

I find it cool that he calls Scully a 'friend'. No need of another word here.

Throughout the episode Mulder has been focused on Scully. He keeps getting pulled away by the case, and pushed away by the bossy nurse, but he ends up here, standing outside Scully's room, watching over her, protecting her the best he can.

The best moment FOR Mulder: he can -at last!- visit Scully, without this evil nurse sneaking around.

And -of course!- he has a nice/sweet/emotional/loving/intimate(etc...) interaction with Scully and his son.

This is so cute!

I also love very much his entrance: 'You awake?'.

Scully tells Mulder not to write Doggett off, that he's worth the effort even if he doesn't see things the way Mulder does. Her compassion for her friend carries weight with Mulder, who is then willing to help Doggett understand what's going on.

Scully, aka the wise pregnant woman in her hospital bedroom.

Mulder, Scully's friends -Doggett and Reyes- must be your friends. That's it.

Mulder's discussion with Reyes about coincidences reminded me of this scene in Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose. In the earlier episode Mulder was resistant to the idea of coincidence, believing that patterns have to have some meaning. In this episode Monica is voicing that belief. It's an interesting progression for Mulder, or maybe it's just an indication that Monica is even more open minded than he is. Also, more creepy dolls.

Mulder's theory about evil as a disease, his past at Violent Crimes... It links to Grotesque. A more terrific and convincing episode on this thematic than Empedocles.

Watch it, and read our comments on it!

I like that we get to see Mulder back in the X-Files office, even if it's no longer his office.

I like seeing "the tenacious Agent Reyes" work the case. She's an interesting character and we get a nice glimpse into her beliefs and her dedication in this episode.

I find Mulder's theory about evil infecting people when their immunity is lowered because of some trauma or tragedy pretty interesting. I'm not sure I buy it, but he makes a very convincing argument. And I love that he talks about developing the theory because of what he experienced working in the violent crimes unit. It gives the impression this is a long-held belief for Mulder, which adds weight to the conversation.

I love the scenes that Mulder and Scully have together, especially in the hospital and at the end. Their relationship seems back on track, and their love for each other is evident.

I like the teaser and the beginning of the episode, but soon I'm only interested in all the interactions between our four Agents. And in the end, I really don't care about the initial plot (see below).

I like the first encounter between Reyes and Mulder (though, she's quite harsh, remembering him his death), Mulder discovering Doggett's loss, the manly interaction between Doggett and Mulder (Mulder keeping calm), Doggett keeping visiting Scully at the hospital, Mulder and Reyes bantering, and Mulder between Reyes and Doggett being a kind of mediator.

I like also all the MSR scenes.

The episode is very convoluted, and the case is the weakest part. I lose all interest when the episode focuses on Jeb, because Scully is in the hospital and Reyes is investigating a link to the death of Doggett's son. There's already so much to care about that the threat to Jeb's sister and niece pales in comparison and I don't care about them at all.

I really don't care about Jeb, his sister, his niece, and even Reyes and Doggett in the very end of the episode. I just want to stay with Mulder and Scully.

So, just after the scene where Mulder is bodyguarding Scully at the hospital and his talk with Doggett, I'd cut the silly other hospital scenes, I'd come back to Scully's line 'Mulder, you never fail to surprise me', and I'd finish at the cute doll scene. That's it, it's my director cut for the end of the episode.

But I don't know how to fix the other weakness of the story.