Ok, hope I'm right here. Well I actually haven't watched any X Files episode for years until I came across a rather "cheap" Collectors Edition. So for the last weeks I was marathon watching and just finished S8. I must add to that that I stopped watching after S6 aired (I really can't remember why). So S7 and 8 were completely new to me.
I really didn't like S7 at all.
The episodes themselves were alright but there were too many "fun" episodes, no story arc (at least I couldn't find one) an overall disappointed season in my opinion. Except for a few episodes like the finale. :thumbsup:
Anyway, the reason I'm posting and please tell me if you're not interested in the subject and I will never mention it again, there are many more topics on the X Files I can talk about too (at least I think so), is my fascination with the Mulder/Skinner thing. Here's part of my post that I wanted to start a thread with. So initinally it's slash, if you don't like it please stop reading now. And again tell me, and I'll never mention it here again. So here it comes:
Well, I don’t really remember the episode where I first thought they’d be great together but I remember thinking that the way Mulder acted around Skinner was really “odd”. I mean the man is his boss, he’s the Assistant Director, and even if Mulder has a problem with authorities, he just acted really casual (sorry for the lack of right words, I’m not a native speaker) around him. He told him off, he screamed at him, he accused him, he hit him, need I go on? And all the while Skinner was never really as pissed off with him as he should have been. I mean we’re talking about a subordinate here who regularly disobeys him. No, Skinner seems to find excuses for him – especially in later episodes when Mulder and Scully know that they can trust him.
Probably the first episode I knew there was something more going on between the two of them was Avatar (S3: Skinner was accused of murdering a woman he spend the night with). No one really believed that he did it but only Mulder knew for sure he didn’t kill her, he never even entertained the possibility that he could have done it. Then Skinner opened up to him, told him about his death experience in Vietnam. From Skinner’s wife we know for sure that he never opened up to her, that he never trusted her that much, as he trusted Mulder in this episode.
The next big step in their relationship (be it love or friendship) was Zero-Sum (S4: Again Skinner is being framed with murder). The events in this episode were vital to their relationship. Mulder finally trusted Skinner for good. He was so angry with him, he thought he’d betrayed him (which he did) and yet, he still found the strength to believe in him regardless of the facts. Plus, Skinner sacrificed himself to get a cure for Scully so Mulder wouldn’t have to do it. Can you say love?
In Redux II Skinner went to the hospital to see Scully and found Mulder waiting around her room. Just the interaction between them there and then …
There are many more episode that I don’t recall right now but as I said before their interaction is full of subtext at least to me.
Another episode I need to mention though is Triangle (S6: Bermuda Triangle). Skinner as a nazi who saved Mulder’s life by saying he might be important to them? Why would Mulder imagine Skinner as someone who’d save him? OK, yes, I know he trusts him and all but still. I was so happy when I saw that! And later on after they came back safely from their trip, and Mulder was in the hospital (you know is there an article before hospital, I never can remember), Skinner brought him FLOWERS! Wow, I still am all excited about that one. Flowers? For a male subordinate? Sure he might only be friendly here but really?
In Biogenesis and The Sixth Extinction Skinner was so concerned about Mulder that he disobeyed orders. And Brand X? Wow I loved that episode (S7 sucked in my opinion and had only a handful of good episodes), don’t really recall why but it was the way the two of them interacted again. I should have really made some notes …
Which brings me right to S8 and the reason I finally decided I had to share my findings with the world. First of all Skinner cried at Scully’s bed because and I quote “I lost him”. That was so moving. This strong man who never showed any emotions not even when his life’s in danger cried because he lost one of his agents. And when he learned that Scully was pregnant, I swear he thought something like “OMG is it Mulder’s?” And the desperation with which he searched for Mulder in S8?
When they found Mulder dead and later on discovered that Billy Miles returned from the dead it was Skinner who ordered Mulder’s exhumation hoping against hope that he would return too. Also when Krycek tried to make him sacrifice Scully’s child for Mulder’s life he did what he thought Mulder would want him to do, he ended Mulder’s misery, saved him from becoming an alien (at least that’s what he thought he did when in reality what he did saved Mulder’s life). Again he risked his life (Krycek still had the palm pilot!) to save Mulder and the people he cared about.
In Alone he looked for the answer to the question he had since the beginning of the season, who’s the father of Scully’s child. He kinda looked relieved when he learned it wasn’t Mulder. In Existence Mulder was at Skinner’s bedside after Billy Miles had injured him.
So, that was a short account of their onscreen relationship (well, more or less onscreen). Now, if there are still people who know The X Files, tell me what you think about the pairing. Is it just my wild imagination, wishful thinking or do you think the way I do?
