The X-Files: En Ami Rewatch

July 30, 2020 7:25 PM - Season 7, Episode 15

After a young boy who had cancer, and was denied medical treatment by his religious parents, is miraculously cured by what he says was a visitation of angels, the Cigarette Smoking Man tells Scully he is the one who cured the boy, and promises her that he will give her the cure for all human illness if she will take a road trip with him.
posted by orange swan (3 comments total)

William B Davis' passion to work with Anderson really shines - he had to write this ep in order to get the opportunity, too. A little meta since his character is a writer who Mary Sues himself.

I recall that Skinner once called CSM the Devil, when he realized the costs of the bargain he had made. Scully gets her turn in a classic roadtrip with Saint Nick.

He's still more considerate than Morris Fletcher - he bothers to gas the car.

But Fuck that's Creepy waking up from being drugged and changed into silk pajamas. But crucial to the con, selling misdirection.


"Tenants like having an FBI agent in the building. Gives them a sense of security."
"Do you know know many people have died in there?"
"Oh, we don't really talk about that."


Interesting choice of undercover costumes by TLG.
posted by porpoise at 5:42 PM on July 31, 2020

I'm actually pretty impressed with William B. Davis as a screenwriter. This episode and "Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man" are both quite solid and creative.

He's still more considerate than Morris Fletcher - he bothers to gas the car.

He also carried Scully's suitcase for her. But Scully believes he's up to something and he is. He is so smarmy the entire time -- he's an empty twisted shell of a man. He says he feels an affection for Scully, but the truth is he's not functional enough to treat anyone with genuine care and respect, no matter how he may feel about them.

This observation of his was interesting:

CSM: You're drawn to powerful men but you fear their power. You keep your guard up, a wall around your heart. How else do you explain that fearless devotion to a man obsessed, and, yet, a life alone? You'd die for Mulder but you won't allow yourself to love him.


I can't say I think he's wrong. Scully's obsessive need for emotional distance and independence is what has kept Mulder and Scully from becoming a romantic couple for so long.

But Fuck that's Creepy waking up from being drugged and changed into silk pajamas.

That grossed me out, because all I could think of is the twist in season 11 when CSM declares himself to be William's father, and says that he was conceived on the trip. [Shudder.] He also bought a dress for her that fit her perfectly and that she liked because of course he knows her size and her taste. I believe this is one of only three times we see Scully in evening dress in the entire run of the show.

I was so going to use the exchange between Mulder and the building super! It really is strange that Scully would continue to live in an apartment where her sister was murdered and she was held captive by Donnie Pfaster, etc., but then that ties in with a comment I have made before on how Mulder and Scully go through an unrealistic amount of trauma without suffering lasting effects.

Interesting choice of undercover costumes by TLG.

Those three have no idea of how to do field work -- they're computer geeks, and apparently they aren't that expert even at that.
posted by orange swan at 3:21 PM on August 2, 2020

Not knocking William B. Davies at all! His writing has clarity and drive and economy. No pfaffing around, just telling the story.

I could just see CSM giving Fowley a similar treatment, and successfully seducing her - while making her think that she has the upper hand.

The evening dress - my headcannon is that CSM has sufficient resources to have a specialist(s) who can either eyeball Scully's measurements/ break into Scully's to measure her clothes/ combination of measurement and observation.

CSM claiming to have parentage to William is super icky. Being the biological father to Mulder... I'm not up to speed on the fidelity of standard paternity testing in that era. With samples from all three, there are definitive methods (today, likely back then but takes longer) - but regular paternity testing may very well give ambiguous results.

What tickled me was how chill the building super was about everything. He must not be a live-in super...

It amused me that they just took each other's template outfit. Langly as Frohike, Frohike as Byers, and Byers trying valiantly to dress like Langly.
posted by porpoise at 8:21 PM on August 2, 2020