Lazarus

It's interesting how in this first season, M & S are often called on by other agents; like the rest of the bureau hasn't given up on them yet. In this case, Scully's ex boyfriend/professor asks for some help wrapping up a case that has been consuming him.

I am pretty sure this is the first time we see Scully shoot-to-kill somebody, during a bank robbery that almost costs Jack Willis his life.

They are able to revive Jack after Scully's insistence in the ER- but the bank robber Dupre comes back to life in Jack's body.



Not that Scully believes that. A tense M & S scene:

M: Can you at least accept the possibility that during his near-death experience some kind of psychic transference occurred?
S: Can’t you accept the possibility that this isn’t an X-File?



Unfortunately, Mulder is always right, and Scully ends up getting kidnapped by the man.

This is by far, the most interesting part of the episode. Poor Scully is pleading with this man to remember is real identity. He allows a quick phone call with Mulder to confirm she is still alive; and he calls her Dana again, demonstrating he reserves the use of her first name for when he is particularly worried about her.



Meanwhile Dupre's girlfriend Lula is revealed as a double-crosser. Jack Willis is diabetic, so whether he has been possessed, or simply believes that he's become the man he's tried to apprehend for years, he requires an insulin shot.

Lula goes to the trouble of stealing the insulin and needles, but then smashes them all in front of his face, revealing her intent to kill him and keep all of the money for herself.




Poor Mulder is really stressed about Scully's kidnapping, and does whatever he can to find clues to her whereabouts. He assembles a team, but not all of them are totally behind him:

AGENT BRUSKIN: All right, people, settle down and grab a seat. Mulder says he’s got something.
AGENT WESTIN: What? An alien virus or new information on the Kennedy assassination?
AGENT BRUSKIN: Hey, Mulder’s all right. You should pay attention. You might learn something from the man.

Well if he can't get them to respect him enough to take him seriously, at least he can guilt them into it with his sad, shaky plea:

M: And for those of you ---who don’t know already this one’s important to me. So, uh, let’s do it right. Thanks.



They canvas the area, with fake Bible salesmen; the kind of people you open your door for, but never actually let inside. Once Lula has been identified, they swoop in for the save, but poor Scully has just watched her friend die.

The episode wraps up with a really great exchange. Mulder hands over Jack's watch for Scully to hang onto: it's engraved "Happy 35th, Love D."

SCULLY: It’s not working. It stopped. At 6:47.
MULDER: The exact time that Jack went into cardiac arrest at the hospital.
SCULLY: What does that mean?
MULDER: It means (long pause, then both tender and exasperated) It means whatever you want it to mean. (gently) Good night.




It means A) he doesn't want to try and convince her of his crazy idea, B) she never believes him anyway, and C) there really isn't a useful thing for a person to say when an ex-boyfriend dies.