Patient X

Theatre of the Mind ~ Patient X

1. Space . . . the final frontier. Complete with Mulder voiceover.
2. So are the "powerful gods" and the warring deities in the heavens who control the fate of man really aliens? That would mean that our progenitors were alien, that our genesis was alien, that we're here because of them; that they put us here. Isn't anyone going to say that is pure science fiction?
3. Both believers and skeptics can find their destiny written in the stars.
4. Tonight's Astronomy Moment: The constellation that figures prominently in this episode is Cassiopeia who in mythology was the wife of Cepheus and the mother of Andromeda. Because Cassiopeia thought herself more beautiful than the daughters of Nereus, a god of the sea, she challenged the anger of the god Poseidon. To punish Cassiopeia for her boastfulness, she was chained to her throne in the heavens.
5. Kazakhstan, former Soviet Union. That rings a bell for some reason.
6. The return of subtitles! Those have been sorely lacking this season!
7. All these cars look like Pintos. It must have been a chain reaction exploding rear end collision.
8. Oh, oh. This looks like a FOX special: When Good Plastic Surgery Goes Bad.
9. Eenie meenie, chili beanie, the spirits are about to speak: Boris, meet Natasha.
10. In fact, I don't think these two are discussing what's noted in the subtitles at all. I believe they are planning on stealing the deed to an upsidaisium mine and creating a silent explosive called Hushaboom.
11. He knows who you really work for, all right, blondie. I believe you share the same credit union.
12. His American ass? I believe one of those cheeks is Russian.
13. TWC1: Woo-hoo! How come there are never any panelists like that at any seminars I attend?
14. Do you think Mulder told them he was no longer a believer when he accepted this gig?
15. CC reveals all his trade secrets: "I think that if you prepare people well enough to believe a lie, they will believe it as if it were true."
16. Gosh, I didn't realize Mulder had become such a total non-believer all of a sudden. I mean, he only mentioned it once, in "Post Modern Prometheus." But when he said "little green men," I knew it was true. :::sniff:::
17. Dr. Werber, I presume?
18. I think it's so sad when Mulder says he's come to distrust the memories of Samantha's abduction. Don't you think that's sad?
19. The Tunguska Gulag! Wasn't Mulder imprisoned there once? That wouldn't be some kind of continuity, would it?
20. I can understand why so many people like Krycek. He certainly is a nice guy. Beating up a kid and ordering experiments on him. What a peach!
21. Do you suppose that's the vaccine that Krycek offered to Skinner? I thought he said it came from Bill Mulder. Was Bill Mulder working for the Russians? This is sooo confusing!!
22. Patient X is Cassandra Spender who may be named for another figure in Greek mythology, the prophet Cassandra. Apollo fell in love with her and granted her the gift of prophecy; however, since she did not love him back he cursed the gift by having no one believe her prophecies.
23. TWC2: Hoo-boy! He's a hero of mine too.
24. I wonder what newspaper Cassandra subscribes to not only told her about the Duane Barry incident, but also about how Mulder was the only one who believed him. The World Weekly Informer, perhaps?
25. Another entry for the Mulder guilt journal: Now I'm ruining the lives of people I don't even know.
26. Start living my life? "Uh, now is not a real good time." That always makes me laugh!
27. There's more than one race of alien that wants to take over our planet? Haven't they noticed what we've done to it?
28. When Cassandra said she had an unborn fetus taken from her, I always felt in my heart that that fetus turned out to be Mulder. (But as we found out later, the timeline just wasn't right.)
29. Why is Mulder always the one that "can do something about it"? Do you think we'll ever find out why Mulder is so important to the project?
30. The "oilien" is now a big blob instead of those little wormy things.
31. These are the same Russian guys who were in "Tunguska". Is this *more* continuity?
32. I hate to bring this up, but do you think all of Dimitri's orifices are plugged or sewn shut? Ouch.
33. That Krycek, once again proving what a stand-up guy he is!
34. Jeffrey Spender looks just like a young CSM or the Great Mutato, I can't decide which.
35. "I'd like to build a reputation here not be given one." I think Mrs. Spooky can relate to that.
36. Marita works for the United Nations, all right. Just not the one we think.
37. Oh, oh. Everybody getting burned has an implant. *We* know someone who has an implant.
38. You answer the call of one group of aliens and get torched by another. I don't know why. You never said you wouldn't see other aliens. Maybe you were on a break.
39. How do we find out what Krycek wants? Maybe he'll call on the bat-phone!
40. Well, maybe The Chronicle was the newspaper that Cassandra was reading. It seems to carry the stories about symposiums on UFO activity.
41. TWC3: I wouldn't say he looks constipated. A little irregular perhaps, but nothing a good fiber cereal can't cure.
42. MSRM: I'll admit Mulder does have something up his butt in this episode which kind of impacts the MSR in not a good way, but for just a minute here there is something sweet between them. "I guess I'm done here. You seem to have invalidated your own work. Have a nice life." She's obviously worried about his total conversion to skeptic, and for just a second I think he appreciates that. Maybe she'd find out what's up his Buttcrack if she called him Buttmunch?
43. Nope, I don't like the goatee. Don't grow one.
44. Looks like Mulder's skepticism (and perhaps his irregularity) has made him insensitive as well. Does he think the government removed Scully's brain through her implant too?
45. "Wish granted." (I wish he'd do that 'I Dream of Jeannie' boink thing!)
46. Skyland Mountain National Park-if you build it, they will come.
47. A six dollar cover charge for this alien abduction par-tay? That's outrageous. Probably a two drink minimum as well.
48. Scully must have done something really memorable when she was abducted since all these other abductees remember her. Maybe she danced around with a lampshade on her head or something.
49. I'm starting to get the gist here. Scully is now becoming the "believer" and her partner has become "skeptical." I hope that doesn't last long. I couldn't sit through a whole season of that! ;)
50. It appears at this point Scully is pretty certain that the implant cured her cancer, not her faith.
51. That's a great choice. Take the implant out, you get cancer. Leave it in, you get called to be the guest of honor at an alien barbecue.
52. Perhaps the guy with the bad plastic surgery had a tragic accident with his alien Scripto lighter.
53. TWC4: Lord have mercy but he looks fine as he takes that walk toward the burn victims.
54. Moose & Squirrel aren't connecting right now. Just once I wish they would both believe the same thing at the same time.
55. So the Consortium is already doing the bidding of the Colonists? I'm still confused.
56. It appears that a few of the XF staffers met their demise at Skyland Mountain, as their names are among those scrolled on the TV screen in Cassandra's room. James Pate and Kathleen Kasinger are assistant prop masters, and Val Arntzen is a set decorator. (Arntzen was also the name Krycek used in Tunguska/Terma.)
57. It's interesting that so far most of the abductees we've seen have been women, and the list of people burned on Skyland Mountain are mostly men. I don't know what it means. Just interesting.
58. "This is not supposed to be happening." Remind you of anything?
59. Mulder calls Jeffrey the son of the prophet (see #22).
60. There's your explanation, Scully. They were in a cult (gotta include that Heaven's Gate reference).
61. 'Member how I said Moose & Squirrel weren't connecting? Boris & Natasha don't seem to be having that problem. Those dirty little double crossers.
62. I think Scully in her nice silk pj's is getting that implant call. Too bad she doesn't have Caller ID.
63. Guess that was just a Boris & Natasha quickie. But Natasha gets the last laugh. That dirty little lispy triple crosser.
64. Mulder is so busy with those big leaps and figuring out the implant homing device, he can't see that Scully is obviously distressed.
65. TWC5: Holy Flaming Cow, he looks so good why does he have to be so insensitive? Scully admits she is believing in extreme possibilities, he gives her a "who are you and what have you done with Agent Scully" look, and then picks up the phone to talk to Ms. Lispy Bee Husbandry, and then he's surprised that Scully is gone when he gets off the phone. Good thing he looks good, or I might be cross with him.
66. Marita is infected with the oilien. Can you tell I'm really upset by that?
67. Poor Scully. As if she didn't have enough problems . . . her pants are waaaay too short.
68. Mulder finds some oilien residue on the phone booth and surprisingly doesn't stick his fingers in it.
69. Scully disappeared, Cassandra disappeared, are you sensing a pattern here?
70. Okay, the gang's all here on this lovely bridge. Let's get this show on the road.
71. Does anyone else think that one of the faceless men looks like the ABH with no face? I guess all those aliens start to look alike after awhile . . . even the ones with no faces.
72. Scully sees lots of people drawn to a central location by some mysterious calling, a hovering unidentified flying object, and faceless men setting people on fire. It's a good thing she's a believer now because I'd hate to hear how she would explain away this one with science.
73. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. To be continued . . .

Does "Patient X" begin to answer some of our questions about the roles of the aliens and the Consortium and even Mulder & Scully in this whole mythology thing or does it just raise more questions? I guess we'll have to wait and see what "The Red and the Black" delivers. But I know one thing and Chris Carter can take this to the bank: "One more anal-probing, gyro-pyro levitating-ectoplasm alien anti-matter story and I'm gonna take out my gun and shoot somebody."

I'd apologize but my implant is calling me to come to bed,
Polly