#episode 5: jersey devil

[siroetosu]

here we go I've been slacking but let's get into it

episode 5: jersey devil

OH MY GOD SCULLY REALLY SAID WOMEN BE SHOPPING

also, origins of the incredible boobie sasquatch picture that I somehow completely forgot about...

ALSO wowowow really incredible foray into Scully's non-work life. starting to draw contrasts between the two agents. Mulder's all consuming obsession with work. Scully's attempts to create work/life balance. her admittance that she might not be cut out for motherhood. her decision to blow off Mr. Divorced Dad Man and instead accompany Mulder back to Atlantic City to see the case out. Mulder is already becoming her life.... her work and her life.... but she is excited and invigorated by it. she is passionate and driven and challenged by it.... and by Mulder... by their relationship... FUUUCK

episode 6: shadow

I absolutely LOVE the relationship between Lauren and her galpal coworker. they are so sweet and wholesome. I like this episode as a standalone and I appreciate that it doesn't get overly heady and convoluted. I also appreciate the direct conflict between Mulder and Scully's beliefs being played out in multiple conversations and scenes, but they end the night driving off to see the Liberty Bell together :)

episode 7: ghost in the machine

yessssssssSSSSS gimme that killer AI.... this is kind of a banger episode for me but not for any real reason, just cuz I love stories about sentient/malicious machinery turning on humans. also the voice they chose for the AI is pretty unsettling and I like that :3

[randomfoggytiger]

Why do you do this?! Why do you leave some good thoughts that make me question even more! My brain burns. You are gooood!

Now, I want to explore more about HOW Mulder grew and changed since Diana left and exactly how he credits Scully for the best version of himself if he can truly see it. Why couldn't we have a conversation between Mulder and Diana where he tells her that he's not the same anymore and how he has learned to live and love for someone else?!!! It could have been a 1 minute scene even when he was in his dream state of living a life with her. I want to see Diana's jaw hit the ground and realize that she is not his "one in 5 billion".

Would Mulder have risked his life for Diana the way he did for Scully?

To answer your last question first: yes, I do believe he would. Scully believes it, too-- she tells Diana, to her face, that they both know Mulder would do anything he could to save the Fowl One's life. Because that's who Mulder is-- he'll risk his life or limb to save anyone. He can't let others suffer like he has, etc. etc.

I think The End's "I've done alright without you" was Mulder's way of saying everything you wrote above. For all his chattering and theorizing, Mulder's a man of few words when it comes to his internal thoughts and feelings. Same with Scully; which is why both understand (and have patience with) each other (Irresistible for her, Paper Hearts for him. But that doesn't mean they let each other get away with bad behavior, either.) And I think Diana knew that, too; hence why she grabbed at his hand-- literally grabbing his attention-- and did her best to separate his interests from Scully's in The Beginning and One Son.

I have some disconnected meta and observational pieces, but none of them directly link back to Diana (another meta I have to write in future, I suppose. XDD) The links below explore Mulder's emotional growth through the series, if ya wanna read. ;))

How Scully Taught Mulder to Hug

An Evolution of Mulder and Scully's Forehead Kisses

Updated! X-Files Mulder Trauma Responses: Fight, Flight, Freeze, or Fawn?

Mulder and Scully's Love Story: Season 1

The X-Files: Mulder and Vulnerability

The Mulder Family In-Depth: All Parts

The X-Files: the Madonna-Whore Complex

Mulder's Heart: Alluring Temptations, Denial, and the Slow Burn

Mulder's Necessary Emotional Growth in One Breath

One Breath Walked So Firewalker (and Episodes Proceeding It) Could Run

The List: Setting the Stage for Scully's Loneliness and Mulder's Panic

One Son: An Intense, One-Shot Analysis of "You're Making This Personal"

X-Files Attachment Styles: An Avoidance Shared by Two

This is, perhaps, the best and most defining moment in the series for Scully and Mulder.

"My Touchstone": the Turning Point

Mulder and Scully really broke each others' patterns

a Jersey Devil a vampire and a chimera

Mulder Didn't Use Scully's Apartment Key Until He “Belonged”

And if you're extra curious, I have a post discussing Mulder's Jungian Type:

MULDER, The Spooky INTP

(For those who are curious, Anon is referring to this meta I wrote earlier~.)

Hope that helped! :DDDDDD

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Sunday, September 1st

Willy: What are you gonna do with him anyway? Spike: I'm thinkin' maybe dinner and a movie. I don't want to rush into anything. I've been hurt, you know.

~~What's My Line? Part 2~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Never Too Safe by veronyxk84 (Spike & Dawn, PG-13)

Late Night in the Lab by Anonymous (Fred & Wesley, G)

Creature Comforts by evesock (Darla/Drusilla, E)

ya got a way about ya by Skyson (Buffy/Giles, T)

Reasons to be Respectful by spikesgirl58 (Spike, Doctor Who crossover, G)

Teenagers by TheMarti (OC & Willow, T, in Italian)

Scarborough, 1897 by esskay123 (Fanged Four, T)

Surrendering To Desire by badly_knitted (Buffy/Angel, E)

Curses by MadeInGold (Angel/Spike, E)

Podfic: The Mayor by ChokolatteJedi, read by pieces0fstars (Buffy& Giles, T)

[Chaptered Fiction]

get under my skin (i'll fall to pieces), Chapter 1 by ameliakepner (Buffy/Faith, M)

Stab in the back, Chapter 25 by MelG_2005 (Buffy/Spike, Adult Only)

Love Lives Here, Chapter 98 by Passion4Spike (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Lost in Desolation, Chapter 6 by Melme1325 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

The Great Escape from Oz, Chapter 5 by Melme1325 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

A Tumble in Time, Chapter 4 by thedoppleganger (Buffy/Spike, PG-13)

Stupid Thing, Chapter 4 by Misti (Buffy/Spike, R)

The Magic of Sunnydale, Chapter 10 by Buffyworldbuilder (Ensemble, Harry Potter crossover, FR15)

The Watcher, Chapter 28 by In Mortal (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Viral, Chapter 1 by Harlow Turner (Buffy/Spike, R)

Getaway Gang, Chapter 1 by violettathepiratequeen (Buffy/Spike, PG-13)

Next to me, Chapter 1 by Lilacsandorangeblossoms (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Enchanted Dawn, Chapter 1 by VeroNyxK84 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13)

The Reaping, Chapter 1 by ClowniestLivEver (Buffy/Spike, R)

[Images, Audio & Video]

🎨 Banner Art #20 — For “Legend Has it” event [2 banners] by veronyxk84 (Buffy/Spike, worksafe)

Manip: The Jersey Devil by Harmony99 (Buffy & Spike, worksafe)

Manip: Sleeping Beauty by Harmony99 (Buffy & Spike, worksafe)

Manip: Lords of the Dragons by VeroNyxK84 (Buffy/Spike, worksafe)

Manip: A Fairy Tale by Claire (Buffy/Spike, worksafe)

Artwork: Buffy in Helpless by isevery0nehereverystoned (worksafe)

Artwork: Spike by snottiesnot (worksafe)

Artwork: Buffy and Willow pixel art by v-thinks (worksafe)

Sketches: episode screenshot redraws so far by bugscribbles (Buffy, Darla, Jenny, Willow, Xander, Teacher's Pet praying mantis, worksafe)

Collage: Buffy and Willow by sunflower1109 (worksafe)

Collage: Buffy and Giles by sunflower1109 (worksafe)

Gifset: 1880's outfits by clarkgriffon (Drusilla, Cecily, William, Anne Pratt, worksafe)

Gifset: Willow/Tara by lovebvffys (worksafe)

Merchandise: barq’s 1999 btvs cans by justsomeguycore (worksafe)

Cosplay: Spike (Buffy The Vampire Slayer) by Leon QueerAF

Video: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Lookbook (goth/alt/punk) by Rattus Rattus

Fanvid: Buffy & Angel - I'll still love you the same by Dacy Toxic

Fanvid: Buffy the vampire slayer BOYS 12!!! by MelonTango

Fanvid: SPUFFY in 2 minutes or less (part 2) by Love Bites

Fanvid: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 1 Opening Credits (Charmed Style) by Rotten Lemonade

Fanvid: Buffy & Spike - Destiny of Souls | The Full Story by Buffy & Spike Channel

Fanvid: Enchanted [Spike] by True Hunter

Fanvid: like a prayer [btvs season finales] by Aurora Edits

Fanvid: my tears ricochet [buffy and giles] by Aurora Edits

Fanvid: Illicit Affairs [spike + buffy] by Aurora Edits

Fanvid: Buffy vs Faith - All My H8 by juliaroxs241

Fanvid: Buffy the Vampire slayer - Bend by juliaroxs241

Fanvid: Buffy Summers - What's Up by juliaroxs241

Fanvid: [Buffy, set to teenage dream by Olivia Rodrigo] by Danica

Fanvid: Buffy and Spike - I Luv This Shit By August Alsina by Naki-a Littlejohn

Fanvid: Buffy and Spike - We Not Humpin By Flo Milli by Naki-a Littlejohn

Fanvid: Buffy and Spike - Crazy In Love by Naki-a Littlejohn

Fanvid: Buffy and Spike - War of Hearts by Naki-a Littlejohn

Fanvid: Buffy and Spike - Hit The Road Jack by Naki-a Littlejohn

Fanvid: Buffy and Spike - Just that Girl By Drew Seeley by Naki-a Littlejohn

Fanvid: Buffy and Spike - Haunted By Beyoncé by Naki-a Littlejohn

Resource: Buffy The Vampire Slayer | Buffy and Angel ~ Scene Pack by DeanxSalv (also posted several other scenepacks)

[Reviews & Recaps]

hannahlibbie's BtVS rewatch: S01E01 Welcome to the Hellmouth​ by hannahlibbie

Video: Up The Buff! Ep 1 'What is your childhood trauma?!' 90s Nostalgia Alert: Belfast Boys Buffy Binge by BigBadLlama

Video: Him-Slayer Sunday by Jane Talks Buffy

Video: Buffy the Unaired (and for good reason) Pilot : Toxic Rewatch by Lord Toxic

Video: We finished Season 3, let's talk about it! Buffy the Vampire Slayer by The Buff Summer

Video: S4E02: Living Conditions by One Girl in All the World

Video: Buffy 2.13 & 2.14 Surprise and Innocence by Jan Katz and Ryan Something

Podcast: If The Apocalypse Comes, Beep Me - TRAILER by The Final Pod TV

Podcast: Buffy the Vampire Slayer [movie] and What We Do In the Shadows with Angel Krause by Creepy and Geeky Presents

Podcast: BwB 102 - Arazmadus the Vampire by Beer with Buffy (also posted several other reviews)

Podcast: Bring on the Night S7 E10 (Buffy and the Art of Story Podcast) by Lisa M. Lilly

[Recs]

Fic rec: The Closing Distance by fluffernutter8 (buffy/Angel, T) recced by iwillrememberyoumarathon

[Fandom Discussions]

Nightmares Fashion Part One by theoverlookedoneedits1997

You ever stop to think about the fact that B is Faith's nickname for Buffy, like exclusively? by annieofhearts

Vampire Xander was just some guy by aphony-cree

Xander Harris Was The Worst Part Of 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer' by trealtox

Actually the craziest thing about buffy angel cordelia and spike is that they all choose the mission over each other every single time by watchriverdale

Spike a little gay ? continued by multiple posters

Rewatch thoughts and questions [Unleashed, Hellbound] continued by multiple posters

So let's talk about Rack.... continued by StateOfSiege97

Why Stakes? continued by multiple posters

"The Cautionary Tale of Numero Cinco" invitation by gimmesomespace

Angel and Cordelia's Love by Samravenclaw21

In 7X4 "Help" Buffy mocks the jock cult & misnames Blue Öyster Cult but in 7X6 "Him" she has their album Fire of Unknown Origin on the CD pile in her house by KneeHighMischief

Tara is top 5 characters in Buffy to this day by Senior-Leave779

Did you guys read Buffy as Bi in the show? by Valuable-Judgment602

Favourite character who suits this [bad guy / not bad guy] by Lady_borg

[Dark] Willow appreciation post by lexifer999

The new Bronze sign by BudHaven10

What was Buffy referring to? ["Killing people changes you"] by brwitch

spike could have saved dawn in 'the gift' if dawn hadn't wrecked it by Prestigious-Ear-3337

Jonathan by anthonycaruana

Did the Monk's implanted memories help humanize soulless Spike? by Flyestgit

Submit a link to be included in the newsletter!

Join the editor team :)

[mulders-too-large-shirt]

my favorite mulder moments from s1

that time he was straight up reading a porn magazine in his office because it mentioned some alien stuff and he needed to Research (a million bonus points for scully's reaction)

when in episode 6, he knocked at a suspect's door, asked if they could come in, and then barged in without waiting for an answer (it was at this moment i knew i was gonna be down bad for this man)

giving a random guy off the street his hotel key in episode 5 so he can do a stakeout from the road, which leads him to getting arrested

every single time he guides scully into the room with a hand on her back... i could not even begin to list all of these times because it's at LEAST once an episode

when he gets ripped apart by the jersey devil but still speaks about how beautiful she is and tries to protect her

(and when he tries to protect the alien hybrid guy in the s1 finale as well, but both times he fails to do so)

when he runs into his old friend in episode 16 and greets him by singing his name

seeing him beg on his knees in a church, praying for his sister's return

"scully! it's potato" <- god tier. to me.

bringing a picture of his sister to the hotel on their trip to tennessee in episode 18

when he knelt down and opened the dead guy's mouth in episode 19 knowing there would be fangs in there and then did not elaborate

when he clarifies that he isn't lying, but "willfully participating in a campaign of misinformation"

"only one man's successfully faked his death... (in a god-awful southern drawl) elvis" proclaimed in such a matter-of-fact tone

when he finds his alien-obsessed stalker having a seizure in episode 10 and carefully tucks him back into bed

(and then we see he took alien guy’s hat as a souvenir, which he leaves hanging in his office, after he passed away. no it’s fine i’m fine!!!)

when he remembers the agent he lost during his first case in episode 16, storms out of the building in grief, and goes to watch the dead agent's son play football

when he gets very angry at deep throat for being willing to conduct some corrupt bargaining with the government (despite. y'know. all the other horrible things the FBI has done. his morals were outraged here)

when he finally takes the shot at the guy who vowed to kill him (big character development here! who cheered! while also mourning the damage to his optimism!)

and in a similar vein, when he faced his fear of fire in episode 12 to go rescue the kids in the burning building <3

when he and scully arrive in tennessee to do some alien sleuthing and he busts out a ton of little gadgets

every single time this insufferable man fell asleep on his couch

him ripping his entire apartment apart at around 3 am on a mission to find tracking devices

that time he just really wanted to go see the liberty bell at the end of episode 6

the guilt in his voice when he sees scully in a hospital bed at the end of episode 20, and he says "i told her it was going to be a nice trip to the forest" ... pain.

when he defends openly proclaiming eugene tooms to be a lizard monster in court, no matter how wild it makes him look, because “I don’t care how it sounds as long as it’s the truth” (ah truth motif, my beloved)

also, jumpscaring tooms with the tale of his lost elkhound with whom he hunts moose

[carefulfears]

top five annoying mulder moments <3

okay, i have two lists for you: annoying moments that i find endearing, and annoying moments that make me want to beat him over the head with a chair

annoying moments that i find endearing:

(as of today, these could all be different tomorrow)

1/ "you mean i might get my 29.95 worth after all?" (731)

insane thing to say with 6 minutes to live about the mail-order VHS tape that might save your life. the way he casually cracked jokes in front of that bomb haunts me. unfortunately, this joke made me laugh so hard when i first watched this episode, that it became a core memory of the show to me, and it's still one of my favorite lines

related: putting on a comedy show for the nazis in the pine bluff variant

"ooh, is this the pepsi challenge? how 'bout some fresh air, boys" "you can just call me a cab, that'd be fine" sir they are about to execute you in a field

2/ his general behavior with the neighbors in arcadia

not his behavior towards scully, that's a different thing. i'm talking about mulder showing up in a neighborhood that deeply values regulations and appearances, and dragging out his basketball hoop at 10:30 at night. kicking mailboxes. putting that plastic flamingo in the lawn.

he went undercover in this subdivision to investigate the disappearances of multiple missing families, and his entire investigative strategy, is to fuck around and find out.

the fact that the neighbors start off concerned for him, worried that the monster is going to kill him for violating the HOA rules, and trying to warn him and help him, but eventually are so irritated that they decide to just leave him to die

is without a doubt my favorite thing about this episode.

3/ running in front of a car (colony)

literally made eye contact with the driver and kept running into traffic....busted up that guy's whole windshield.....like he went THROUGH that guy's windshield.....once again, i say, do you have ANY IDEA HOW PISSED I WOULD BE to just be minding my own business driving home from work, and end up with a MULDER-SHAPED HOLE in my windshield.....and then he just mumbled something about getting the wind knocked out of him?? and got up and kept running?? you KNOW he didn't pay for that guy's car. used "i got hit by a car" as an excuse for not filing his report on time??? i love him but he is not serious people

4/ reading the articles in a porno mag at the office (the jersey devil)

the jersey devil my most beloved most watched episode ever....cannot even express to you how funny i find it that when scully got into work, he's just sitting there staring intently at porn and starts telling her about the articles. he turns the magazine so that she can see. kinda the funniest thing that he ever did.

+ scully's lil "workin hard, mulder?" and "sorry to interrupt your serious investigation" ...they're best friends

5/ "why don't you take that gun and shoot yourself in the head like you shot my father" (piper maru)

girl WHAAAAAATTTTT??

BONUS: all of his comments about religion (various episodes)

i put this one on the list and took it back off so many times but i have to speak my truth. every last one of them. i know they're mean and judgmental. i like it.

honorable mention: the mulder ditch™ (too many episodes in too many circumstances to make one of the lists but the way he constantly just leaves scully places deserves to be included. he literally has the object permanence of a 3-month old)

annoying moments that make me contemplate violence:

(only came up with 4 for now...but they're serious to me)

1/ "when he's old enough, tell the kid i went down swinging." (vienen)

me when i'm two weeks out of the grave and have purposefully endangered my ass on a boat full of killer alien goo and my idea of a funny sarcastic joke is to goad my partner into saving me by JOKING!!!! about her having to tell my baby that i'm DEAD!!!

what compelled him to say this. this is my "WHY IS NO ONE TALKING ABOUT THIS" infographic mulder moment.

my favorite part is how scully doesn't even address it she just gives that kind of "jesus fucking christ" sigh and tells him to put doggett on the phone lol

2/ “all this because i didn’t get you a desk?” (never again)

literally god forbid a girl have an existential crisis in some FUCKING PEACEEEEE

3/ "diana saw it too. and no matter what you think, she's certainly not going to go around saying that just because science can't prove it, it isn't true." (the beginning)

lolololololol

listen, i defend him for the diana stuff, and i get it. i could write you a dissertation on the complications and emotions of it and why he says things like this or whatever. but it still annoys the ever-loving fucking hell out of me.

this one bothers me more than "scully, you're making this personal" because it's such a direct blow to the core of their dynamic and to what she tries to do for him. this comes so soon after he looked at her in the hallway and told her that her rationalism and science saved him.

which is a moment that meant so much to her and that she references in this same episode. she grabs his hand and she says "you told me that my science kept you honest. that it made you question your assumptions. that by it, i'd made you a whole person."

she has memorized everything that he's ever said and she heard him so deeply in that hallway. she stays so dedicated to offering that science and rationalism that she knows he needs, that she heard him say was best for him.

that moment in that hallway changed them for the rest of their lives, and this is when skepticism and belief start to morph from genuine ideology into roles that they play for each other.

she's doing her part, she's offering him her side, she's playing her role. and he throws it back in her face, says he'll just go play with diana then, because diana would never counter him with science.

LOLLLL okay then spooky, we'll fucking see if it's diana that comes to save your ass in the bermuda triangle

4/ "you act like you're surprised" (three words)

debated putting this one on here because everyone knows i loveeee three words and i loveeee s8 mulder and i'm obsessed with this scene, i've written multiple pieces about the fish in it, i wouldn't change a word of it

but i just have to because this is the other one that grates at me in the back of my head from time to time...because it's not that he doesn't think resurrection is surprising. it's not that he thinks it's a given that he'll always be around.

he just cannot hear and acknowledge how painful and difficult losing him was for her. because it would mean hearing and acknowledging that what he does matters, not because of what he can do or find, but because it matters that he's there. because it matters whether he lives or dies.

this episode is so heartbreakingly cruel in a way that they just aren't to each other, and that's what i love about it and what makes it stand out to me.

she's pregnant with his baby and she buried him. she was ripped off of his corpse screaming and she planned a funeral and decorated a nursery at the same time, alone. she sat in a hospital chair and held his hand for days when she knew he couldn't feel it.

for six months, he was gone. for three months, he wasn't ever coming back. that first day that they were looking for him, she teared up and whispered, "i just can't take the chance that i'm never gonna see him again," to skinner, and then she lived in a reality where she was never going to see him again. for three months.

she prayed and she prayed and she prayed and then she got to cry and laugh and hold onto him and take him home. and she tried to tell him, quietly, about the last six months. about how she doesn't think he could ever understand what it was like. about how she prayed, and about how her prayers "have been answered."

she told him how hard it was to learn he was missing, to search, to find him dead. "and now to have you back...," she smiled and said through tears.

"well, you act like you're surprised."

in less than 24 hours he is going to run towards death again and she is going to be left again with nothing to do but pray, and he cannot hear that it matters.

(y’all, remind me to do a post about mulder + humor in s8)

BONUS: referring to his mother's house as "the vineyard" (various episodes)

this one isn't that deep to me but "scully, i'm at the vineyard" just IRKS me like it gets on my NERVES. just an obnoxious ass thing to say

[enigmaticxbee]

XF Rewatch Series - Fic Recs

When you want to remember how it all was (or series-spanning fics that didn’t fit into my season by season lists):

Episode by Episode Rewatch Series:

TXF: Scenes in Between by @scullywolf - missing scenes for every episode through season 9!

201 Days of X Files by @30xf - through season 4

The FBI’s Most Unwanted by @leiascully - through season 3

All Eyes Lead to the Truth by @admiralty-xfd @fridaysat9 @monikafilefan @gaycrouton - third person perspectives on each episode, WIP currently through season 2

219 by @freckleslikestars - smutty fic for every episode, currently though Jersey Devil, NSFW

First Time, Every Time by @phillippadgettwrites - first time fic for every episode, currently through Conduit, NSFW

Check-In Vignettes:

Birthdays by @syntax6 - birthday fics each season through season 7

if the fates allow by @all-these-ghosts - Christmas with Mulder and Scully, 1993-2016

Movie Night by @i-gaze-at-scully - movie nights throughout the series

Fraternize by @admiralty-xfd @gaycrouton - a series of motel room trysts, NSFW

Inspection by @ingridgradient - for seven years, Mulder and Scully give each other tick checks in motel rooms, NSFW

#45 Hegal Place by @admiralty-xfd DanaScullyMakesMeFeelAutopsyTurvy - There’s never a dull moment when your neighbor is Special Agent Fox Mulder

This Woman's Work by @admiralty-xfd - the series through the eyes of Margaret Scully

Seventeen by @scapegrace74-blog - Explores how Mulder's sexual relationships shaped (and mis-shaped) him as a man. Each chapter represents a different partner. Mulder/Other, ultimately MSR, NSFW

X Files Rewatch Series by skuls - unconnected stories throughout the series, some canon-compliant, some not

if I am hopeful by @all-these-ghosts - Scully ficlet for every season

ever since, ever since, ever since by breakfastsandwich - scully realizes nine times over that mulder may in fact love her

Times Fox Mulder Cried by @frangipanidownunder - every season through the revival

these tornadoes are for you (or times she loved him back) by audries - vignettes throughout the series

5 A.M. by @kateyes224 - Five times Scully found herself awake at 5 a.m., and the one time she wasn’t alone

Kisses by @peacenik0 - two times Scully told Mulder “don’t do that again”, and one time she didn’t

Choose Your Poison by Solia - Five times Scully had too much to drink (and one time she had just the right amount of liquid courage!)

To Satisfy Your Expectant Tongue by @givesmevoice - The power and love of being seen and someone knowing how you take your tea.

Wake-Up Calls by lapsed_scholar - Government-issued cell phones are remarkably identical. (Or, Four times Mulder answered Scully's phone at an incriminating hour, and one time she answered his)

Canon Parallel Stories:

Incrementum by @lepus-arcticus - the progression of their relationship if they started sleeping together in the pilot, NSFW. WIP, currently through season 8

Triptych by @iconicscullyoutfits - married to Diana AU

Nuptiae Sub Rosa by @sisterspooky1013 @xfmaweezy - secret marriage AU

I've got you under my skin by cuits - In a universe where soulmate identifying marks exist and affect a part of the population, would Mulder and Scully's relationship evolve any different? Unfinished but complete through Existence so it still ends in a satisfying place.

Enough by @atths--twice - the progression of their relationship if they started sleeping together when the X-Files are shutdown in season 2, NSFW

He is the Master of His Fate, She is the Captain of Her Soul by @scullylikesscience - the progression of their relationship season 7 through IWTB era

Culmination by @admiralty-xfd - Mulder and Scully's journey of the heart, step by (baby) step.

[2offayyo-kzt]

A lot of people don't like season 4, but it was MY season :

Sean roasting Headmaster Warren presenting him as "nothing but a loser guidance counselor"

Then (sexually ?) threatening Guillermo, thinking he was homophobic : "I will ream you."

5 seconds later we find out that Sean thinks he's living in the 20th century.

The next episode we see him holding a Dodo thigh like a prehistoric man, yelling at his wife who was out for a morning jog with friends, who caught him half-naked in a park.

His response "Shut the fuck up." only to unleash his magnum opi right after : "WHAT DO YOU THINK CBD IS !?"

The next episode he seems to have ptsd from being forced to kill a deer at the age of 14, only for seeing him in the same episode sleeping with a gun pointed under his jaw, shooting himself in the foot, and screaming "Kill me !" instead of "Save me !" when the Jersey Devil attacked him in the woods.

In the season finale, we find out that he wasn't allowed to watch PBS as a kid, and that his childhood was so fucked up that he urged his best friend to beat up his kid to settle a dispute, convinced it's the right thing to do. It was so crazy that even Guillermo, who is known for being fucking insane, reacted when he saw Sean being way too hyped at the idea of seeing teen Colin getting beaten up without mercy by his parental figure.

And that's just the info we got from season 4 !

Sean I love you, please never change.

[bitchboynasty]

I’m trying to convince my buddy to watch the xfiles with me bc I desperately want to be mulder to his scully for Halloween. This is my shortlist of xfiles episodes I think everyone who wants to watch the x files but doesn’t want to watch the whole thing should consider. You’ll notice there are some episodes on here missing the second part of their two parter. Thats because watching one half of an episode is sometimes better if you’re watching a show that hates to explain its own lore. You’re not gonna get catharsis from the x files u stupid slut.

UFOs are episodes relevant to the plot. Stars are my favorite episodes.

Season 1:

- 1.01 the pilot 🛸🌟

- 1.05 the jersey devil

- 1.13 beyond the sea

- 1.17 e.b.e 🛸

- 1.24 the Erlenmeyer flask 🛸

Season 2:

- 2.05 Duane Barry 🛸🌟

- 2.06 Ascension 🛸

- 2.14 die hand die verletzt

- 2.16 colony 🛸

- 2.17 end game 🛸

- 2.25 anasazi 🛸

Season 3:

- 3.04 Clyde bruckmans final repose 🌟

- 3.15 piper maru 🛸

- 3.16 apocrypha 🛸

- 3.24 talitha cumi 🛸

Season 4:

- 4.01 herrenvolk 🛸

- 4.02 home 🌟

- 4.06 sanguinarium

- 4.17 tempus fugit 🛸🌟

- 4.20 small potatoes 🌟

Season 5:

- 5.01 redux 🛸

- 5.02 redux 2 🛸

- 5.05 post modern Prometheus 🌟

- 5.11 kill switch

- 5.12 bad blood 🌟

- 5.19 folie a deux

- 5.20 the end 🛸

[swinging-stars-from-satellites]

Hey no pressure if you don't remember off the top of your head but was there a Bigfoot episode of The X Files?

the closest they came iirc was The Jersey Devil in season 1 and Detour in season 5. a lot of the "stereotypical" folkloric stuff kind of got subverted, i.e. the episode that makes you assume vampires actually isn't, etc. one of the only ones in the first couple seasons that I remember that the assumption is played totally straight is the werewolf episode in season 1 or 2.

[alaskashigh]

character ask game: 5, 15, 20 for new york, California, new jersey and connecticut

My favorites let's go! (sorry this is late, I needed to wait a bit to collect my thoughts)

New York

5: The other side of paradise, Fuck Tha Police, Tongues and Teeth (I relate this to California as well, Yorkcali n all), really any rap song

15: (Same as California ones), New York x New Jersey, sometimes my ship NY/CA/IL/NJ/CT (it depends on the mood)

20: California because since California doesn't get to ramble or rant about his opinions much, New York is perfect for just listening and sometimes adding in his own two cents here and there. He loves not having to talk and getting to just listen to whatever California's brain decides to talk about next. Also Illinois because I feel like they would have a friend rivalry type thing and I can see the two hanging out at like a sports game. ((New Jersey for the same reason as Illinois)) Oh and Nevada because I think Nevada would really push New York out of his comfort zone (in a good way.) New York would be absolutely fed up with him at times because of how dramatic and sarcastic he is lmao.

California

5: California Love (it’s un-ironically one of my favorite songs rn)

15: New York x California and New York x California x New Jersey are my favorite ships for him

20: Florida, New York, Nevada, Washington and Oregon. Florida and New York because they bounce off of his personality nicely. Florida is chaotic and always ready to drag California out of the house, no matter how much he may complain about it. ((California secretly enjoys it and it helps him get out of depressive episodes.)) New York is standoffish and quiet which makes him the best for listening to California’s ramblings, putting in his own input every so often. Nevada because they would be very bitchy but would hype each other up in dramatic/sarcastic ways. (Definitely would help each other with makeup and outfit choices) And Washington and Oregon would be very sarcastic about everything but would enjoy hanging out with him. (they wouldn’t admit that to anyone, though) ALSO I'm dragging in my cryptid headcanons real quick and saying Tahoe Tessie.

New Jersey

5. I don't really have one for him, yet. (someone give me song recs pls, /nf)

15. (same as California and New York), New Jersey x Rhode Island, sometimes Nevada x New Jersey

20. Rhode Island because I see them as like puzzle pieces. One is always not too far from the other. They stick up for each other and listen to each others dumb ramblings on what happened that day, (or in the past). Rhode Island's always there to help calm New Jersey down during panic attacks and bad days, and vice versa. (Nevada for the same reason as New York). Not The Jersey Devil because I can see him having more of a protective "child and parent" kinda bond with it. (NJ being the child, Jersey Devil being the parent.)

Connecticut

5. same as New Jersey, though the Pirates of the Caribbean is something I always link to him lmfao

15. I actually haven't settled with a ship that I like for him. I've considered Colorado and even Arkansas being in a relationship with him, but I don't know. I enjoy Florida x Connecticut though, strictly because of Storytellers_And_States' fics

20. Rhode Island because I can see them being drinking buddies and hanging out every once in awhile. Maybe Florida because I can see them bonding over pirates and chaos. (I need to think more about his friendships-)

[beesarthur]

The X-Files are the Ultimate X-File, 1:5

Season 1, Episode 5: Jersey Devil

What is the plot? While Scully helps with her godson's birthday party and goes on a not-great date with a divorced dad, Mulder searches Atlantic City and its environs for the Jersey Devil, until he gets arrested and Scully has to come bail him out. Along with a park ranger, a medical anthropologist (?), and the competing team of local cops, they do find the Jersey Devil - two of them - but what makes them the way they are is left unanswered. There's a strong thematic strain about what motivates people to reproduce and what it means to be a parent and the suggestion that, even if having kids isn't on Scully's mind for herself, it's on other people's minds for her.

What does this episode suggest about Mulder and Scully's relationship with each other? Scully has previously told her friend that Mulder is "cute". When the friend suggests that Mulder is a prospective romantic partner, Scully counters that "he's a jerk". Well, "not a jerk", but "obsessed with his work". She later turns down the opportunity to go on an outing with the divorced dad, his kid, and her godson to be obsessed with work with Mulder.

Where are the aliens? (not yet) outranking humans in the food chain

[azure-firecracker]

jersey devil for the episode ask game!!

Scum on Earth | Will Not Rewatch | Pretty Bad | Not Great but Charming | Objectively Not Good But I Had Fun | Neutral | Some Good Stuff Here | No Complaints | This is Great | This is Fantastic | One of My Favorites | Actually a Divine Work Nothing Will Ever Top This

I know many of my mutuals adore this one. For me, it was a fun time and I laughed a lot! It did lose some points for the Jersey Devil makeup which was vaguely offensive. But Scully saying she wants to have a life and then promptly ditching everyone in her life except Mulder to go hunt monsters (and it’s only episode 5!) will never not be priceless.

[woodsfae]

Babylon 5 s03e11 Ceremonies of Light and Fire table of contents - previous episode

It opens with a neat shot of Ivanova’s face in a porthole, backs away to show how tiny it is against a fraction of the ship, then back in. Love little things like that when they’re sprinkled in. Also, really smooth use of CGI there.

Garibldi’s arm is broken and, to my surprise, Ivanova rubs his back supportively when he talks about not wanting to be in a cast!

Delenn and Lennier are working hard.

“Lennier, you still haven’t told me what you think of all this.” “Opinion doesn’t enter into it. What is, is. Prophecy said one day we would unite with the other half of our soul in a war with the ancient enemy. It is what we have done.”

It’s amusing to see a mystic that’s so pragmatic. But Lennier hold multitudes. He’s a complicated, serene little guy. I just wanna. Squish him. In a nice way.

Not sure who was almost just attacked. Marcus? Probably Marcus. He’s from the Mars colony and is happy they seceded from Earthgov.

Sheridan is back in a dress uniform for the funeral of the crew who died defending B5 last episode. It’s surprisingly few, and only seems to have human names. I do hope we get a recounting of the Narns who died as well.

Does Londo holographically record all his meetings? Amazing. Love the tiny hologram to shame Lord Refa from Londo, who should be feeling a lot more shame than he is. So funny - legitimately funny seeing Londo try to shame Lord Refa into doing the right thing. When did shame ever work on Londo? Oh, never mind. He’s backing up the shame with poison. That’s a much better insurance policy.

Londo seems to be feeling emboldened by his meeting with Lady Morella, third wife of the late Emperor, and seer of renown. Since he made a series of Less Idiotic Decisions and Delenn wants to invite him to the healing ceremony it looks like we might be at the beginning of Londo’s redemption arc!

Ahhh, the would-be-murderers are Nightwatch who went undetected, and one of them is a total murderous psychopath who “once took seven days to kill a Minbari,” and from the sound of it, enjoyed slowly dismembering a living person and would love to do it to Delenn! Fucking creepy! I don’t like that! To the Nightwatch person who said the Minbari are weird about their leaders and might take it personal if they kill Delenn…yeah. Maybe reconsider your life choices.

This dive bar people have been ending up since season one is, I have just realized, one of the places where B5 is actually high fantasy. People slink around in dark hooded cloaks, in leather bondage gear, with strange costumes and bandoliers slung around themselves…it’s the fucking tavern everyone starts their quest in when they play DnD.

The station’s base setting is as a snarky, New Jersey-accented AI? That’s actually quite fun.

Londo, don’t dish out the snark if you can’t take it. And also, be more grateful that after you expressed that you missed Delenn a few episodes ago, that she invited you to something!

Something about Londo brings out my urge to lecture directly to the character. Probably because he could use a good talking-to.

Tragic Marcus backstory! It seems he didn’t grow up on Mars colony, since it was destroyed, or perhaps it was a single dome? He doesn’t want to do the ceremony, since it requires giving something up, and he’s lost his friends, family, and home. Delenn says, wisely, that he must give up his grip on the past, and how he uses it to hurt himself.

I knew there was depth behind those devil-may-care green eyes. He’s so rogue-coded.

The Nightwatch successfully kidnapped Delenn! And Mr “I like to cut people up while they’re alive” does not like being told that she’s faced worse than him. He wants to be the worst thing anyone’s ever faced.

Wow, Delenn really got to him! Her psychological warfare game is on point.

The aftermath of this barfight isn’t doing anything to convince me that Marcus isn’t rogue-coded.

Lennier: “I see they trained you well back home.” Marcus: “I’m not repressed anymore.”

B5 is a comedy, actually. That's the real quote. And then Lennier goes, basically…. “Me neither. I love Delenn!!” Me too, guy.

He’s her knight! In a scholarly way! He’s a chivalric ideal. Very sweet. Very high fantasy of him to confess his love of a Lady to a rogue in a tavern. Me too, guy.

The senior staff: we need more info Marcus: I got u. Level 14. Senior staff: how do u know that Marcus, hiding his bloody knuckles: a kind stranger told me

Are they having a shootout in the fusion reactor core? Fucking ballsy, as is Captain Lennan successfully throwing down with his hands tied behind his back. And Delenn jumping in front of a knife for John??? Wow, I got 20 credits on John not killing him. Ope, I win.

“I can no longer imagine my world without you in it. I don’t know exactly when or how it happened, but I’m glad it did.”

OK, so I was having feelings about everyone bringing their uniforms and confessions to Delenn…and I was tearing up over Susan’s “I think I loved Talia,” and when Dr Franklin came in, Partner said, “I’m addicted to speed,” and then Franklin said “I think I have a problem,” and that shook me right out of my sadz with a guffaw. I miss Talia! Bring Talia back! I don't believe she's gone for good. I was promised. p r o m i s e d . a kiss.

Nifty new uniforms! For a moment I was almost correct with my joking prediction that they were going to run around in civvies till humanity is reunited.

If Londo and G'Kar had some to the ceremony, did Delenn have new kicks for them too?

Next!

[mulders-too-large-shirt]

s1 episode 5 thoughts (and there are many)

okay so the premise of this episode was "they're going after the jersey devil". now i must confess i was TERRIFIED of this beast as a child, and read it was a sort of devil goat with wings. i thought it would come in my window and get me with its beastly goat talons and flap away with my child self's body. it was a very real fear! so when they just went with bigfoot 2.0 here frankly i WAS disappointed.

dana scully has a godson!! i'm eager to gather all of her lore. i shall collect it and place is safely in my pocket.

also why was this man (fox mulder) straight up reading a porn magazine at work because it mentioned aliens. does the FBI allow that on company time? do people READ porn magazines? is that the strangest part about the whole interaction? scully seemed fine with this happening. she is unflappable.

we got a reveal this episode: scully thinks mulder is cute!!! she accused him of being a jerk and then immediately denied it. crush behavior.

shoutout to mulder for giving his hotel key to a random guy on the street and then doing recon on said street. this lands him in jail. scully must bail him out. an average day for him. police HATE this man.

(no really they fucking hate him. without scully he is off the leash and WILL bite the local authorities)

post bail out they talked about scully's upcoming date. she said that she wants a life unlike mulder (ouch!) he smiles and says "i have a life :)" once again proving there is nothing more charismatic than someone who is just deeply and unabashedly strange.

scully looked sosososo pretty on the date!!!!! the man she was with. was not pretty. you dodged a bullet queen.

mulder looking at a drawing of bigfoot with boobs really just sent me into a laughing spiral. it was a big moment in terms of the investigation when he realized that women exist.

and then when he got pummeled by female bigfoot and he had a giant bleeding wound on side he talks about how beautiful she was. like i get that it was supposed to be a deeply sentimental moment on the human nature and how it connects us all despite our differences. and that it was supposed to show him spiraling in guilt in the realization that there was likely a bigfoot family out there that had become orphans. but also. it WAS strangely tense.

also i think going to the smithsonian to talk with an expert about the discovery of a potentially new human subspecies sounds leagues better than cirque du soleil so in the end scully won here. like did she get him to take a day off after he got really emotionally invested in this bigfoot case? no but that's a) not her job and b) looking at fossils WILL calm both of them down so. win-win.

[bisexualfbiagents]

on the topic of 5 episode runs in txf (my opinion being that the first 5 episodes are some of the best of the whole series, on their own and as a collective) i was wondering if their were other sets of 5 that would come close to that. mine are:

pilot deep throat squeeze conduit and the jersey devil, as mentioned above, are quite literally peak television and set up the series perfectly (@cutemothman sums it up very well here)

drive triangle dreamland I dreamland II and how the ghosts stole christmas from the beginning of season 6 is also very strong, drive being the only weak episode for me (though still a good episode, i just think the others are on another level) (i'm watching htgsc right now, it's also peak television imo)

there has to be a perfect set in season 3 but it's tricky for me... i think my pick would be jose chung's from outer space avatar quagmire wetwired and talitha cumi, a good set to finish off the season

anyway i'd be interested to hear if y'all have other sets of 5!! maybe a silly prompt but fun to think about :)