In which we meet out first informant, and Mulder and Scully still need to work on this whole “trust” thing.
The Case
The case, according to the FBI: Case was shelved without an investigation. Investigating the disappearance of a military pilot.
Mulder’s Theory: UFOs. Or something. Military test pilots going kind of crazy… (evolves into planes built using UFO technology)
Scully’s Theory: Aurora Project defense department surveillance project withe the pilots suffering from stereotypy syndrome produced by extreme stress. Maybe these guys are flying these top secret military planes.
What’s actually going on: Probably military aircraft built using UFO technology. Pilots could be messed up from flying the aircraft or from the military messing with their heads…
Did Mulder and Scully solve the case? The case was closed, if not solved satisfactory. The pilot is back, but not quite the same…
Character Introductions
Deep Throat: Deep Throat introduces himself as someone who is in a position to know many things about the government and someone who has a lot of interest in Mulder’s work. He tells Mulder to drop the case at first, but also tells him that he can be of help to him. He sees Mulder on his own terms when he has something to gain and currently doesn’t have much interest in communicating with Scully.
Interpersonal Relationships
Mulder and Deep Throat: They first meet in a bathroom. Deep Throat lets Mulder know that he’s familiar with his work and advises him to drop the case. The relationship is respectful, but Deep Throat lets Mulder know from the beginning that he’s only helping him because it serves his own interests, as well.
Mulder and Scully: Scully is still concerned about her reputation at the bureau and not having her field reports read like a tabloid story. She shows a combination of bemusement and impatience (mostly impatience) with Mulder’s UFO theories and calls him a sucker for buying a print of a UFO in the diner before Mulder reveals his motives. Scully expresses some concern for Mulder’s job in addition to her own credibility. There’s a good amount of tension between the two of them as they butt heads over whether the aircraft in question could have any extraterrestrial origin (with Scully flat out thinking Mulder is gullible/nuts and Mulder getting frustrated that Scully is so closed off to the possibility). The trust is not there yet. Mulder blatantly lies to Scully and then ditches her when he feels that she’s not going to take his investigation seriously.
Agents in Peril
Mulder: Both Mulder and Scully are roughhoused a bit when their car is stopped by some Men in Black, with Mulder taking the brunt of it. After Mulder ditches Scully and goes off to the air base alone, he ends up getting tackled, restrained, drugged against his will, and his memory fucked with. Scully must come to save his ass.
Scully: Scully is accosted at the motel, and when she realizes she’s in danger, bolts to lock herself in a car, which then has the window smashed open to get to her. She then holds the dude at gunpoint with his own gun and is pretty much a complete bad-ass as she forces him to take her to the base to find Mulder.
Recurring Elements
Glasses: Scully is wearing glasses when we first find her in the bar waiting for Mulder. [The Glasses Master Post]
Physical Fitness: Mulder is jogging at the end of the episode when he meets up with Deep Throat again. [Physical Fitness Master Post]
Hotel Stay: Mulder and Scully spend a good amount of time discussing the case together and making phone calls from their motel. In an age where people still looked up numbers in phone books and made domestic long distance calls using credit cards. It’s weird seeing Mulder and Scully without cell phones.
Mulder’s Apartment: Rare Mulder’s kitchen sighting near the beginning of the episode! He appears to be cooking a can of Campbell’s Soup on the stove. It may be joining a sandwich or something somewhat bready looking on a plate on his counter. Also, his phone is probably being tapped. Get used to it, buddy.
Informant: Well, the episode is named after one, so… yeah, we meet Deep Throat. In the bathroom.
Mulder Ditch: Mulder flat out lies to Scully about dropping the case and then runs off, pretty much immediately after leaving her sight.
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